The Neon Nation
Dodge & Plymouth Neon ACR – Grassroots racing at its best.
Words: RENÉE ROGERS
Engineering Development & Support
From their introduction in 1994, as a 1995 model, Chrysler Corporation’s scrappy no frills SOHC and the DOHC-equipped Neon ACR (American Club Racer) subcompact sedans and coupes were developed as race-ready, low-cost machines, using as few special parts as possible. Despite being roomier inside than their competitors, their “revvy” engines and superior handling made them an instant success in the SCCA Showroom Stock and Solo competition around the country. The Neon ACR was based on the base model Neon with rear defrost as the only option. Vehicles competed in Showroom Stock SSB or SSC classes based on their performance potential.
Several distinct features in the ACR package set it apart from the base model including; four-wheel disc brakes; performance oriented suspension with stiffer front springs, beefier front and rear swaybars. The steering ratio was quicker than standard and the manual transmission had both a lower final drive ratio and a lower fifth gear for better acceleration. The computer-controlled top speed limiter was removed entirely on the 1995 ACR.
As the Neon product line evolved, the content, but not the spirit of the ACR package changed as well. The model year 1998 saw the ACRs build from Highlight vehicle (a version above the base model) . The interior comfort and convenience afforded by the new American National Champion interior package added a weight penalty of 11 pounds. In addition, all the 1998 Neons gained stiffer brake calipers and engine NVH improvements.
The 1998 ACR package was available on Neons equipped with either the 150 hp DOHC (coupe) or 132 hp SOHC (sedan) engine and included power assisted four-wheel disc brakes, unlimited speed engine controller, severe-duty front hubs, heavy-duty radiator, competition suspension with KONI/Mopar® adjustable struts, aluminum wheels, a structural oil pan, tinted glass, mirrors, body colored front and rear fascias, power assisted steering and a tachometer. Including destination charges, the base price of the 1998 ACR Coupe was $13,130 and the 1998 ACR Sedan checked out at $13,160.
The best part of the Neon ACR was you didn’t have to be a racer to enjoy all the sportiness and fun that it afforded the Walter Mitty’s of the world. A roll cage, a five-point safety harness, fire extinguisher, window net and an SCCA license were all that separated your street car from a racer.
Contingency Fund
Supported by Chrysler’s substantial Contingency Award Program of upwards of $500,000 for its SCCA racers who competed in National and Regional events, as well as the Neon Challenge Series, the Neon ACR became the vehicle to beat in Showroom Stock B and C and in Solo racing.
Many of the Club racers’ Neons sported multiple vividly colored sponsors logos affixed to their Easter-egg bright vehicles. On any given weekend, spectators at local SCCA tracks were treated to wheel-to-wheel, door-banging racing not much different from the racing that could be seen on the larger stock car series race tracks. A whole lot of excitement at the same adrenalin rush for a fraction of the cost.
Neon Challenge
In 1994, Chrysler also introduced its televised Neon Celebrity Racing program. Over the course of the next several years, the program morphed from a celebrity-driven series to one that also featured the enthusiasts, both men and women, who competed in weekly SCCA Showroom Stock events in regional and national races around the country.
The series became the PPG Neon Charity Challenge in 1998 with Club racers joining television stars, local business executives, and PPG pace car drivers, including the only woman to win a Formula One race, Desiree Wilson. As expected, Desiree won her fair share of events when she competed including the Detroit event, where, much to the chagrin of Chrysler executive Bob Lutz, she beat him handily to the checker flag.
The Charity Challenge was a heady experience for the SCCA racers who shared the weekend events with Indycars, and other professional series at venues like Lime Rock Park, Road America, Detroit, St. Petersburg, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Cleveland. The television package and race weekend exposure brought sponsorship to the Club racers and national exposure to performance and handling of the little subcompact Neons.
The single marquee series was one of the hottest around with close wheel-to-wheel racing, a stout purse structure, a good television package (ESPN2), cost effective racing, technical support from Neon Racing engineers and a family atmosphere almost unheard of in the high-buck racing environment.
SCCA Changes the Rules
As with everything else, all good things must come to an end; and so it was for the SCCA Showroom Stock Club racers.
At the end of the the 1997 season, in an effort to “level the playing field,” SCCA allowed non-Neon drivers in Showroom stock classes to produce special trunk packages with special performance enhancements. Some manufacturers even commissioned outside performance companies to develop and produce these trunk packages with parts that would never see the light of day on a street-legal car. These changes severely impacted the Neons ability to compete and in some instances, gave a three-second advantage to non-Neon competitors, based on the pre-trunk package rules times.
This completely negated the concept of “Showroom Stock” that formed the basis of Neons participating in those classes. At the behest of Neon engineering, SCCA agreed to hold a special test session to evaluate the changes, but several manufacturers chose not to participate. The dialog between Neon engineers and the SCCA continued through the 1998 and 1999 season, as discontent on the part of Neon drivers escalated. Finally, when a compromise could not be reached, Chrysler announced that it would discontinue support of all SCCA activities on Sept. 20, 1999. In a statement, Chrysler noted that the competitive “trunk package” went far beyond “leveling the playing field” and essentially eliminated the Neon from serious competition in Showroom Stock racing.
The PPG Neon Charity Challenge continued to run through the 2001 season before finally ending its very successful campaign at the Detroit Grand Prix in 2001.
During its run in SCCA Showroom Stock and Solo and Pro Solo competition, Neon was a force to be reckoned with garnering more than 1,000 podium finishes and 25 National championships in addition to raising more than $1 million for children’s charities. Not a bad legacy for a little subcompact Neon that said “Hi” to the public and “Bye” to the competition.
