It’s been almost twenty years since Dodge produced the Neon SRT-4. Regardless of a brief three-year run, The SRT-4 made a mark in motorsport.
- A number of class wins in One Lap of America.
- Nationwide highway racing championships.
- Utter dominance in rally.
Doug Shepherd owns this SRT-4. If that title sounds acquainted, you would possibly know his father, Doug Shepherd. (For simplicity functions, we’ll seek advice from the elder Shepherd as “Doug Sr.”) Doug Sr. was an unbelievable rally racer, profitable 12 nationwide championships as driver and eight as a co-driver. Doug Sr. additionally knew slightly bit concerning the SRT-4. He labored as an engineer for Chrysler. This automobile pays tribute to the one Doug Sr. ran again in 2003.
“There have been a gaggle of Chrysler engineers who have been rally fanatics,” says Doug Jr. “There was some historical past of Dodge Motorsports offering help for rally within the Eighties. At an engineering administration degree, [they] have been concerned within the creation of the road-going SRT-4 and the rally model of it.”
Doug Shepherd, the junior. Picture by J.A. Ackley.
Doug Sr. handed that engineering and rallying spirit right down to his son, though Doug Jr. doesn’t obtain checks from the corporate finest recognized for a stylized M.
“I really work for Common Motors,” says Doug. “I’m an assistant program engineering supervisor for autonomous automobiles. There’s a handful of GM workers doing this [rally] in our spare time, in a Dodge, a Mazda and a Volkswagen.”
Doug led the hassle behind the creation of the tribute automobile.
Picture by J.A. Ackley.
“We began with a brand-new naked shell,” Doug says. “We had TRF [Thompson Racing Fabrication] put a roll cage in. The largest variations from a road-going automobile are the suspension, with KW coil-overs, and underbody safety. The rear wheels are inventory, however the fronts are Panasports. We’ve obtained a welded entrance differential and a particular gear set within the transmission.
“The powertrain is usually inventory, with what have been on the time upgrades obtainable from Mopar. It’s obtained a much bigger turbo, tuning, larger gasoline injectors. It’s principally making the quickest automobile obtainable from the manufacturing facility with what the obtainable equipment have been. You could possibly go to Mopar or a Dodge dealership and order these components.”
Picture by J.A. Ackley.
The NASA Rally Sport-sanctioned McCreary Gravel Rally in Kentucky marked Doug’s third-ever aggressive occasion.
“I’m nonetheless studying the automobile, studying methods to construct pace,” says Doug. “[My father] advised me simply level it the place you need it to go along with average throttle utility, and it’ll simply go there, and there’s little fuss about it.”
Serving to additionally with the hassle was his co-driver, Chris LaBaere.
“That is his second occasion ever,” Doug says. “We have been roommates at Michigan Tech. He does program administration for transmissions [at GM]. He did a very good job the primary time he [co-drove]. We’re studying collectively and having a very good time.”
Co-driver Chris LaBaere and driver Doug Shepherd. Picture by J.A. Ackley.
So how did these two rally rookies do in a automobile that pays tribute to a nationwide rally legend? Second-place within the 2WD class of the Atlantic Rally Cup and a primary within the NASA Rally Sport O2H class.
Not too shabby for 2 engineers simply seeking to have some enjoyable in automobile that also holds its personal greater than 20 years later.
Picture by J.A. Ackley.
[For more SRT-4 content, check out one of our past project cars here]
Feedback
In reply to Appleseed :
I had a base mannequin 2001 Dodge Neon as my first automobile that wasn’t a hand-me-down. It was okay. I can solely think about the distinction between that and the SRT-4.
That is form of wonderful given how few Neon SRT4s have been made and overwhelmed to mud. There was lately a thread about how uncommon Neons are usually. They’re a motorsport legend in that I do not assume many know the way a lot they dominated racing collection.
I labored contained in the Dodge Motorsport/SRT division across the time of Doug Sr period. Targeted extra on a possible 2nd Gen Neon tremendous touring automobile and bear in mind taking a look on the 1st Gen and 2nd Gen rally automobile belts and cage preparations to assemble any classes realized. There was one other inside to firm rally racer that I must try to dig up his info.
I began autocross, rallycross, ice racing after which SCCA IT racing all in Neons!!!
In reply to Advan046 :
Sort of my ideas – SRT-4s are getting rarer and rarer it appears. Thanks for sharing the attitude!
Chris Greenhouse remains to be conserving the torch lit, along with his badass rally SRT-4.
I had the pleasure of crewing for a stage rally workforce that Chris was navigating for (I additionally met Wally that weekend) and we have been speaking about his SRT-4 and he stated to me, and I paraphrase barely, “I do not race that automobile as a result of I am a Dodge diehard. I race that automobile as a result of I believe it is the very best platform for what I am doing. If there was a greater automobile, I would be racing that.”
In reply to J.A. Ackley :
It is gotten to the purpose the place an SRT-4 catches my consideration faster than some supercars…
I do not know the place all of them went, I’ve solely ever seen one within the junkyard however they have been solely ever a typical sight on the highway for about 5 years after they have been bought. My dad nonetheless has his first gen ACR, it is very worn out at this level however he nonetheless drives it on a regular basis.
NickD stated:
Chris Greenhouse remains to be conserving the torch lit, along with his badass rally SRT-4.
I had the pleasure of crewing for a stage rally workforce that Chris was navigating for (I additionally met Wally that weekend) and we have been speaking about his SRT-4 and he stated to me, and I paraphrase barely, “I do not race that automobile as a result of I am a Dodge diehard. I race that automobile as a result of I believe it is the very best platform for what I am doing. If there was a greater automobile, I would be racing that.”
After I rallycrossed with him, he campaigned a single cam first technology Neon. He stated, paraphrased, extra energy could be good, however first I wish to discover myself needing it. (I most likely butchered that every one to hell, it has been like 15 years)
Clearly he felt he wanted it, since then 
I nonetheless recall attending to experience in his stage Neon on a quick/tough rallycross course. He was working DMS suspension on the time, I believe, and my thoughts was blown at how effectively managed the suspension was. You are able to do rather a lot with solely 150hp if you do not have to thoughts the chassis.
It is a good platform for rally. Stone easy and it really works. Possibly it may use extra entrance suspension journey, however what entrance wheel drive automobile would not? The entrance suspension and the transaxle have been each gentle years higher than the VWs that have been fashionable. And each Neon got here with a sixteen valve 2 liter.
Great things there with the Neon. Earlier than the ’08 Challenger got here out they have been fashionable and plentiful.
Sadly, the Fashionable MoPar choices and company construction is only a shell of itself. I ponder how lengthy it should take for Stellantis to utterly crush it and divest the entire holdings.
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