Joy ride turns nearly fatal (Stolen Viper goes airborne after only 4 blocks)

Effingham (IL) Daily News ^ | 10.8.03 | KIM WIEDMAN

[mhking]

NEWTON - She had only been allowed out a few times for special occasions, and when she did go out, people couldn't help but stop and stare.

With her V-10 motor and six-speed manual transmission, there wasn't many like her on the road, and her owners, Kevin and Max Short of McClane Motors in Newton, knew how special she was. She was hand-assembled and part of a limited production.

After she was purchased in the later part of '94, when it was worth $60,500, the owners toyed with the idea of selling her, but with looks like hers, they couldn't help but become too attached.

On a few occasions, the McClane's had taken her out to show her off in parades and she did go on a few short trips here and there, but she was mainly used as an attention-grabber to attract people to the dealership.

On Friday night, she was driven proudly through the Newton High School Homecoming Parade, where she carried a queen candidate, Kevin Short's stepdaughter Emily Matson, for all parade-goers to admire.

Following the parade, she wasn't taken back to her normal storage area, but instead with her odometer set at 169, she was parked in the shop area of the dealership where her owners had intended for her to stay until the next day when they planned to take her out and show her off a little.

Her next trip, however, would come just a few hours later, when a driver she was unfamiliar with took her out for a spin.

As she left McClane Motors in Newton with the unfamiliar driver, no one could have anticipated what would happen next.

Just four short blocks from the dealership along Illinois 33, the '95 red Dodge Viper became airborne as the driver lost control causing the vehicle to strike a parked tractor at Newton Tractor Sales. The motor of the tractor was pushed back an estimated 6 inches, and the Viper was ripped to shreds.

Witnesses say they saw the Viper pass by around 4:05 a.m. Saturday at an excessive speed and then they heard the crash - which residents say was heard blocks away.

Kevin Short, general manager of McClane Motors, who has been around the car business as long as he can remember, said when he heard the news about what had happened to the car, he was in disbelief.

"I was pretty shocked about the whole incident," said Short. "We initially had gotten it as a possible vehicle to sell, but it is not a car that everyone in this area is going to buy. We had gotten attached to it."

Although it is unknown what the exact rate of speed the car was traveling when it crashed, Short said the car is capable of reaching a high rate of speed in a very short period of time.

According to a Web site that features specifications on that year of Dodge Viper, the Viper is capable of reaching up to 113.8 mph in a quarter of a mile, which is about the distance the Viper traveled before it was wrecked.

The car that was once admired as it traveled down the roadway now sits in an undisclosed location, and the driver of the car, Joshua S. Clasby, 25, of Greenup remains in critical condition at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

Illinois State Police is continuing to investigate the crash, and Clasby could face criminal and traffic charges.

[E Rocc]

"Joshua S. Clasby, 25, of Greenup remains in critical condition at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana."

Now that's a shame, too bad the car didn't take him with it to the grave.

This is one of those times when despite knowing that it is theoretically wrong to think this way, one can't help it. At least I can't help thinking that what happened to the car was a bigger tragedy than what happened to this individual.

Of course I'm one of those people who thinks it should be legal to install a 5,000 volt "inverse kill switch" in my car, because quite frankly I value it more than I value the life of a scumbag who tries to steal it.

-Eric

[truthandjustice1]

"Then again, the nitrous oxide might have contributed a bit and they got a bad launch :)"

Me thinks this was no street launch.

[CherylBower]

Go to www.3r-racing.com. I am very lucky to be working here, but am the Accouting Manager. I know nothing about cars.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

there wasn't many like her on the road

Piss poor writing for someone who allegedly makes a living at it!

[truthandjustice1]

"that knows practically nothing about sports cars"

Well put. The Viper is all engine. It has the best power to weight ratio of all sports cars. Having said that, the C5 vette gets consistently better reviews then the Viper because of ride and handling.

[isthisnickcool]

Here is one of your cars. Z06/C5.

The rest are Porsches. I like Porsches. I own Porsches.

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.wreckedexotics.com/cars3/dodge_viper/gallery.html

[struwwelpeter]

Russian cars never seem to have this problem.

[1Old Pro]

 

North America's Fastest Production Cars

The following is a list we've compiled of the fastest accelerating production cars and trucks built by any major manufacturer for the North American market.  Although the list includes a lot of newer prestige vehicles that cannot be defined as 'classic' or 'muscle' cars, they are definitely collectors and destined to be classics. The data was compiled from the results of independent tests conducted by several major publications in the U.S. and Canada.*  We've simply taken the quickest quarter mile elapsed times and listed them in order from quickest to slowest. We didn't bother including any vehicles with a quarter mile time of more than 14 seconds.  Trivial?  Yes, but still intriguing.  Why?  We did it simply to satisfy your curiosity.  Accurate?  Not necessarily.*  That largely depends on possibly hundreds of factors that need to be taken into account during testing, including weather, altitude, drivers, traction, etc.

Year	Make	Model	Engine	HP rating	1/4 mile ET (seconds)	1/4 mile speed (MPH)	Source
1968	Plymouth	S/S Barracuda **	426 Hemi V8	425	10.5	130	MCR
1968	Dodge	S/S Hemi Dart **	426 Hemi V8	425	10.5	129	MCR
2003	Ferrari	Enzo	6.0L V12	660	10.8	135	MT
1969	Chevrolet	Corvette **	ZL1 427 V8	430	10.9	132	PM
2002	Mosler	MT900 Photon	LS6 350 V8	435	11.02	126.88	MT
2003	Saleen	S7	427 V8	550	11.36	127	MT
1997	Ameritech	McLaren F1	6.0L V12	627	11.6	125	MT
2002	Lamborghini	Murcielago	6.2L V12	571	11.72	122.52	MT
1964	Ford	Fairlane T-bolt **	427 V8	425	11.76	122.78	CC
2003	Dodge	Viper SRT10	8.3L V10	500	11.77	123.63	MT
2001	Lamborghini	Diablo VT	6.0L V12	550	11.8	121.0	MT
1997	Shelby	Cobra 427 S/C	427 V8	488	11.8	121.0	MT
2004	Porsche	Turbo X50	3.6L H6 T/C	450	11.86	119.91	MT
2002	Porsche	911 GT2	3.6L H6 T/C	456	11.9	120.6	CD
2001	Porsche	911 Turbo	3.6L H6 T/C	415	11.9	115.6	MT
2000	Lamborghini	Diablo	6.0L V12	550	12.0	119.8	CD
1963	Dodge	Ramcharger	426 Hemi V8	425	12.0	117	MCR
1997	Dodge	Viper GTS	8.0L V10	450	12.07	115.2	MCR
1997	Ferrari	F50	4.7L V12	513	12.1	124.5	CD
2000	Shelby	Series 1	4.0L V8 S/C	450	12.1	120	CD
2000	Dodge	Viper ACR	8.0L V10	460	12.2	119.2	MT
1966	AC / Shelby	Cobra	427 V8	425	12.2	118	CC
2000	Ferrari	360 Modena	3.6L V8	395	12.2	113.5	MT
2003	Ferrari	575M Maranello	5.7L V12	508	12.26	118.58	MT
2002	Chevrolet	Corvette Z06	LS6 350 V8	405	12.29	116	CD
1997	Dodge	Viper RT/10	8.0L V10	450	12.3	117.19	MT
2003	Mercedes-Benz	CL55 AMG	5.4L V8 S/C	493	12.38	114.45	MT
2002	Mercedes-Benz	E55 AMG	5.4L V8 S/C	469	12.39	116.21	MT
1998	Dodge	Viper GTS-R	8.0L V10	460	12.5	118.5	MT
2000	Ferrari	550 Maranello	5.5L V12	485	12.5	116.9	CD
2003	Mercedes-Benz	SL55 AMG	5.4L V8 S/C	469	12.5	116.1	MT
2003	Audi	RS 6	4.2L V8 T/C	450	12.63	108.64	MT
2001	Shelby	Cobra 289 FIA	5.0L V8	350	12.7	108.1	MT
1969	Chevrolet	Camaro	ZL1 427 V8	430	12.76	107	MCR
1990	Chevrolet	Corvette ZR1	LT5 350 V8	375	12.8	113.8	MT
2003	Ford	Mustang Cobra	4.6L V8 S/C	390	12.8	113.2	CD
2000	Ford	Mustang Cobra R	5.4L V8	385	12.8	112.7	MT
1966	Chevrolet	Corvette	L72 427 V8	425	12.8	112	CD
2002	BMW	Z8	5.0L V8	394	12.8	111.6	MT
2002	Ferrari	360 Spider	3.6L V8	395	12.8	110.8	MT
1993	Dodge	Viper RT/10	8.0L V10	400	12.8	110	MT
2001	Chevrolet	Corvette Z06	LS6 350 V8	385	12.81	111.19	MT
1999	Lotus	Esprit	3.5L V8 T/C	350	12.85	110.96	MT
2002	Aston Martin	Vanquish	6.0L V12	460	12.9	112.9	CD
1969	Plymouth	Road Runner	440 V8 6-pack	390	12.91	111.8	SS
1999	Chevrolet	Corvette	LS1 350 V8	350	12.98	108.85	MT
1997	Pontiac	Firebird / Hurst	LS1 350 V8	350	12.99	103.11	MCR
2003	Maserati	Coupe Cambio	4.2L V8	385	13.0	110.4	MT
2003	Chevrolet	Corvette convertible	LS1 350 V8	350	13.0	109.6	MT
1969	Chevrolet	Camaro SS	L78 396 V8	375	13.0	108.6	SA
1970	Plymouth	Cuda	440 V8 6-pack	390	13.0	105.74	MCR
2002	Mercedes-Benz	SLK32 AMG	3.2L V6 S/C	349	13.0	105.2	CD
2003	Mitsubishi	Lancer Evolution	2.0L I4 T/C	273	13.08	105.12	MT
1995	Chevrolet	Corvette ZR1	LT5 350 V8	405	13.1	112	MT
2002	BMW	M5	5.0L V8	400	13.1	109.4	MT
2001	BMW	M Roadster	3.2L 6-cyl	315	13.1	107.6	MT
1970	Plymouth	Cuda	426 Hemi V8	425	13.1	107.12	CC
1970	Dodge	Challenger SE	426 Hemi V8	425	13.1	107.12	CC
1970	Chevrolet	Chevelle SS	LS6 454 V8	450	13.12	107.01	CC
1999	Ferrari	F355	3.5L V8	375	13.13	107.56	MT
2003	Ford	Mustang Mach 1	4.6L V8	305	13.13	105.51	MM
1999	Pontiac	Firebird Formula	LS1 350 V8	320	13.15	108.27	MT
2002	Acura	NSX	3.2L V6	290	13.17	107.65	CD
1999	Chevrolet	Camaro SS	LS1 350 V8	320	13.2	108.8	MT
1990	Pontiac	Firehawk	LT1 350 V8	350	13.2	107	CD
2002	BMW	M3 Coupe	3.2L 6-cyl	315	13.2	106.9	MT
1969	Pontiac	GTO Judge	400 V8	370	13.2	104	MCR
2004	Subaru	WRX STi	2.5L F4 T/C	300	13.23	104.6	MT
2003	Mercedes-Benz	CLK55	5.5L V8	362	13.24	107.41	MT
2003	Mercedes-Benz	C32 AMG	3.2L V6 S/C	349	13.24	106.86	CD
1987	Buick	GNX	3.8L V6 T/C	300	13.26	104	CI
2002	Ferrari	Barchetta Pininfarina	5.5L V12	485	13.3	111.8	CD
1968	Chevrolet	Corvette	L71 427 V8	435	13.3	108	HPC
2002	Porsche	911 Carrera	3.6L H6	320	13.3	107.1	CD
1969	Plymouth	Road Runner	426 Hemi V8	425	13.32	107.7	SS
1968	Oldsmobile	4-4-2 W-30	400 V8	360	13.33	103.56	CC
1967	Pontiac	GTO	400 V8	360	13.37	103.4	MCR
1970	Buick	GS Stage 1	455 V8	360	13.38	105.5	MT
1998	Pontiac	Firebird Trans Am	LS1 350 V8	305	13.4	107.3	MT
2000	Aston Martin	DB7 Vantage	5.9L V12	420	13.4	106.4	MT
2004	Maybach	57	5.5L V12 T/C	543	13.4	106.4	RT
1991	Pontiac	Firehawk	350 V8	350	13.4	105.2	MT
2002	Aston Martin	DB7 Vantage Volante	5.9L V12	414	13.4	105.1	MT
1968	Chevrolet	Corvette	L72 427 V8	425	13.41	109.5	CD
2003	Jaguar	XKR	4.2L V8 S/C	390	13.43	105.36	MT
2004	Audi	S4	4.2L V8	340	13.44	105.06	CD
1999	Mitsubishi	3000 GT	3.0L V6 T/C	320	13.44	101.79	CD
1996	Chevrolet	Camaro SS	LT1 350 V8	310	13.46	106.48	MCR
1969	Dodge	Super Bee	440 V8 6-pack	390	13.46	103.02	MCR
1969	Dodge	Charger 500	426 Hemi V8	425	13.48	109	HR
2000	Pontiac	Trans Am WS6	LS1 350 V8	325	13.5	107.4	MT
2000	Chevrolet	Camaro SS	LS1 350 V8	325	13.5	107.3	MT
1968	Dodge	Charger	426 Hemi V8	425	13.5	105	CD
1967	Plymouth	GTX	426 Hemi V8	425	13.5	105	CD
1993	Pontiac	Firehawk	LT1 350 V8	300	13.5	103.5	MT
1970	Pontiac	GTO	455 V8	360	13.53	103.51	MCR
1968	Plymouth	Road Runner	426 Hemi V8	425	13.54	105.1	CD
1973	Pontiac	Trans Am	455 V8	290	13.54	104.29	HR
1968	Dodge	Charger R/T	426 Hemi V8	425	13.54	101	MCR
1969	Chevrolet	Corvette	L88 427 V8	430	13.56	111.1	HR
1968	Ford	Mustang	428 V8 CJ	335	13.56	106.6	HR
1969	Ford	Mustang Boss 429	429 V8	375	13.6	106	HPC
1967	Shelby	Mustang GT500	428 V8 CJ	355	13.6	106	CC
1993	Toyota	Supra Turbo	3.0L I6 T/C	320	13.6	106	CD
2001	Mercedes-Benz	CLK55 AMG	5.4L V8	349	13.6	105.6	CD
2003	Panoz	Esperante	4.6L V8	320	13.6	105.34	MT
1968	Chevrolet	Chevelle SS	L78 396 V8	375	13.6	105	PHR
2002	BMW	M3 convertible	3.2L 6-cyl	333	13.6	103.8	MT
1970	Dodge	Challenger R/T	440 V8 6-pack	390	13.62	104.3	CC
2002	Jaguar	XJR	4.0L V8 S/C	370	13.62	104.21	CD
2001	Ford	SVT F150 Lightning	5.4L V8 S/C	380	13.62	101.16	PM
1970	Ford	Torino Cobra	429 V8 SCJ	370	13.63	105.9	SS
1968	Chevrolet	Biscayne	427 V8	425	13.65	105	SS
1995	Ford	Mustang Cobra R	351 V8	300	13.67	102.82	MCR
1970	Buick	GSX	455 V8	360	13.66	100.2	CC
1964	Dodge	Polara 500	426 V8	365	13.7	107.37	HPC
1996	Chevrolet	Corvette GS	LT4 350 V8	330	13.7	105.1	RT
1971	Ferrari	Daytona	4.4L V12	352	13.7	104	AM
1969	Plymouth	GTX	440 V8	375	13.7	102.8	MT
2003	Jaguar	S-type R	4.2L V8, S/C	400	13.7	102.7	CD
1990	Dodge	Stealth	3.0L V6 T/C	300	13.7	101	MT
1991	GMC	Syclone	4.3L V6 T/C	280	13.7	98.5	MT
1969	Dodge	Dart	440 V8	375	13.71	105	CC
1971	Plymouth	Road Runner	440 6-pack	385	13.71	101.2	CC
1971	Plymouth	Cuda	440 6-pack	385	13.72	106	SS
1971	Chevrolet	Corvette	LS6 454 V8	450	13.72	102.04	CC
1971	Dodge	Super Bee	426 Hemi V8	425	13.73	104	MT
1969	Ford	Mustang Mach 1	428 V8 CJ	335	13.73	102.31	CC
1968	Chevrolet	Camaro	Z28	302	13.75	107	HPF
1962	Dodge	Ramcharger	413 V8	410	13.75	106.76	CL
1969	Mercury	Cougar Eliminator	428 V8 CJ	335	13.76	102.09	MCR
2003	Porsche	Boxster S	3.2L H6	258	13.76	102.08	MT
1968	Oldsmobile	Cutlass (Hurst/Olds)	455 V8 W-30	390	13.77	103.91	SS
1968	Pontiac	Firebird	400 V8	335	13.79	106	HR
2004	Porsche	Cayenne	4.5L V8 T/C	450	13.79	102.47	MT
1967	Chevrolet	Corvette	427 V8	435	13.8	110.5	MT
2001	Chevrolet	Camaro Z28	LS1 350 V8	310	13.8	108.5	CD
1969	Pontiac	Catalina	421 V8	405	13.8	106	CD
2001	Jaguar	Vanden Plas	4.0L V8 S/C	370	13.8	104.2	MT
1965	Dodge	Coronet	426 Hemi V8	425	13.8	104	CD
1971	Ford	Mustang Boss 351	351 V8	330	13.8	104	MT
2001	Ford	Mustang Cobra	4.6L V8	320	13.8	103.3	MT
2000	Honda	S2000	2.0L I4	240	13.8	100.5	MT
2004	Subaru	Forester 2.5 XT	2.5L H4 T/C	210	13.8	97	CD
1967	Plymouth	Satellite	426 Hemi V8	425	13.81	104	CD
1969	Dodge	Coronet R/T	440 V8	375	13.83	102.27	SS
1987	Buick	Grand National	3.8L V6 T/C	245	13.85	99	CD
1968	Mercury	Cyclone GT	428 V8 CJ	335	13.86	101.69	MT
1969	Chevrolet	Nova SS	L78 396 V8	375	13.87	105.14	HR
1969	Shelby	Mustang GT500	428 V8 CJ	335	13.87	104.52	SS
1969	Mercury	Cyclone CJ	428 V8 CJ	335	13.88	101.7	MT
1970	Oldsmobile	4-4-2 W-30	455 V8	370	13.88	95.84	CC
1962	Chevrolet	Corvette	327 V8 FI	360	13.89	105.14	HR
1969	Plymouth	Barracuda	440 V8	375	13.89	103.21	SS
1962	Pontiac	Catalina	421 V8	405	13.9	107	MT
2002	Porsche	911 Cabriolet	3.6L H6	320	13.9	104.8	MT
1972	Pontiac	Firebird Trans Am	455 V8	300	13.9	104.6	CD
1998	Chevrolet	Camaro Z28	LS1 350 V8	305	13.9	102.5	RT
2003	Nissan	350Z Touring	3.5L V6	287	13.9	102.3	MT
1970	Pontiac	Trans Am	400 V8	345	13.9	102	HR
2003	Dodge	SRT-4	2.4L I4, T/C	215	13.9	101.9	MT
1969	Dodge	Charger Daytona	426 Hemi V8	425	13.9	101	CD
1989	Pontiac	Trans Am	3.8L V6 T/C	290	13.9	99.5
1972	Chevrolet	Corvette	LT1 350 V8	350	13.92	104
1970	Dodge	Charger R/T	440 V8 6-pack	390	13.95	101	CC
1971	Ford	Mustang Mach 1	429 V8 CJ	370	13.97	100.22
2003	Mercedes-Benz	CLK500	5.0L V8	302	14.0	102.5	MT
1964	AC / Shelby	Cobra	289 V8	271	14.0	99
1968	Plymouth	GTX convertible	426 Hemi V8	425	14.0	96.5	CL
1965	Shelby	Mustang GT350	289 V8	271	14.0	92	CL

[truthandjustice1]

"The rest are Porsches. I like Porsches. I own Porsches."

So, how do you like Porshes?

[OXENinFLA]

Well, it use to be a viper.(This is not the car from the story)

[antiRepublicrat]

NOS on a Saturn. I am just speechless.

[evets]

ouch

[1Old Pro]

Dodge know how to make a big engine, the 426 hemi, but they simply haven't been able to design a car and suspension etc around it. I sure wouldn't want to go very fast in a Dodge Dart and expect to turn it.

[RonHolzwarth]

re: "Clasby could face criminal and traffic charges."

COULD???

YOU MEAN MIGHT???

Is stealing a car legal in that state?

Duh.

[suijuris]

I work in the car business and had the opportunity to ride shotgun in an new 04 Viper that had just been tweaked a bit at a dealerhsip I was visiting. It was the first time in a Viper and I was most impressed. Speedo indicated 120+ and I do not believe we had yet hit the 1/4 mile. On top of that the road was not exactly straight.

The driver had some history as a amatuer race driver and was definitely in control, but the Viper is a whole lot more beast than mere humans can handle. 30 years ago I may have enjoyed it more, but at 50 with wife and two kids it scared the hell out of me.

suijuris

[sc2_ct]

Me thinks this was no street launch.

Actually, it was a test and tune at Englishtown, NJ. I never race on the streets, it is just taking liberties with other's lives that I have no right to take. Way too many people die as a direct or indirect result of streetracing.

[truthandjustice1]

Aren't the front wheels supposed to be on the ground? Never mind, I thought that was the typical Dodge production model.

[truthandjustice1]

"and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP referring to cars as SHE's !!!!!!"

At least the writer didn't use the Royal "we".