Category: Apex Motor Club

Homologation practices were implemented into racing series across the world in the spirit of creating a safe and level playing field on which racing could become a test of a drivers skills rather than a test of a team’s engineering. This strict, level playing field however, prevents manufacturers from developing wild feats of engineering like those seen in the golden age of Formula 1 when the grid hosted a six wheeled car, and the early stages of active aero.

So what happens when you remove homologation standards from the equation? What happens when you take the reins off of a manufacturer with a racing pedigree, and open access to the latest and greatest technology and talent available?

You get the Aston Martin Valkyrie – AMR Pro.

There were absolutely no expenses spared in the development of this rocketship of a car. Designed by the world famous Adrian Newey, the sleek yet dramatic bodywork produces levels of downforce that are more commonly seen in reference to the lift produced by the wings of a jet. The 6.5-liter naturally aspirated mid-engine Cosworth V-12 produces 1000 horsepower at the wheel. With a curb weight of just 2500 pounds and a Formula 1-derived suspension system is capable of handling upwards of three lateral Gs.

Not a corner cut, nor stone left unturned, the AMR Pro is a purebred, bona fide racecar.

APEX Motor Club member and Heart of Racing team principal Ian James – who is one of the lucky few fortunate enough to sit behind the wheel of a car of this caliber – described the car as “just epic.” James recounted the first time that the Heart of Racing team tested their Valkyrie, at Laguna Seca noting that, “When you drive the Valkyrie around there, it becomes much shorter.”

Paying particular attention to the staggering difference in speed between the GT cars and the Valkyrie, James stated that, “when we race the GT3 cars around Apex we see 130-135 miles per hour going into Turn 1. In the Valkyrie we see about 175 miles per hour.” The back straight at Apex is even more impressive: the multi-million dollar AMR Pro hits north of 200 mph.

Though the AMR Pro was designed to no homologation standards, Aston Martin and the Heart of Racing team have since confirmed that an alternate version of the Valkyrie will be making its racing debut in 2025 in WEC and IMSA. This would make the Valkyrie the first ever road-based car to race in the Hypercar class and the only road-based V-12 to challenge for a win in the past 30 years.

The Heart of Racing team is one of a few professional racing organizations that have taken a liking to the APEX Circuit as a testing grounds to practice, tune and develop the cars that they run in Series like IMSA and SRO. If you’re interested in becoming an Apex member and racer and getting involved in the next APEX Challenge season starting in October, please email click here to contact us. Check out the video below, or watch it here.

 

Here’s some words from the 2023-24 champions of the Scottsdale Ferrari Apex Challenge Series presented by Coffin & Trout. The champions were Chris McMurry in Radical Gold, Blake McGovern in Radical Silver, Joey Rainey in GT4 and Mazda Miata Cup, Scott Needham in Porsche Cup and Jeff Koning in Time Attack Consistency and Time Attack Fastest Lap.

If you’re interested in becoming an Apex member and racer and getting involved in the next season starting in October, please email us here.

Production cars are designed to fulfill the day-to-day requirements of the average consumer. Things like fuel economy, comfort, practicality in daily driving environments, cost effective sound systems, responsible power to weight ratios fill the mind of the designer tasked with creating the new model caravan. But to a world-class designer that grew up idolizing the Dodge Chargers seen in Dukes of Hazzard, Bullet, and the Fast and Furious, these responsible practices on the road grow tired.

Enter Hellucination, built by SpeedKore Performance and dreamed into reality by Stellantis Chief Design Officer and Apex Motor Club member Ralph Gilles. When asked about the concept for Hellucination, Gilles said, “The brief on the car was ‘it’s gotta look vintage from about 20 feet away, but it has to drive as tight as possible, as much like a racecar as possible.’”

This 1000 horsepower gamechanger of a 1968 Dodge Charger prioritizes driver excitement over the comfort and practicality found in a daily driver. Full carbon body panels, a custom built race chassis, a full carbon fiber honeycomb tub, Brembo six piston calipers at each wheel, custom spec HRE wheels, all built to contain the power of a 1,000hp, 426 cubic inch, supercharged all aluminum Hellephant engine donning serial number 001. A powertrain truly befitting the name Hellucination.

Multiple design elements across Hellucination found their inspiration in some of Gilles’ favorite things. The Custom HRE wheels take a similar look to those found on the Dukes of Hazzard challenger, whereas the hood scoop takes inspiration from the Dodge Demon, a previous design project of Gilles’. Every detail found in Hellucination is deeply thought out, even down to the gauges and button labels which were designed by Gilles’ own daughter. This vehicle is more than a set of wheels, and rather is a true labor of love.

Though Hellucination is built to the standard of professional show cars, it’s no stranger to interstate highways nor the tarmac. Gilles himself drove the car on a circuit of various high end automotive conventions, like the Quail, in the years immediately following the car’s completion. But highways and convention floors are far from the final frontier. On the right day, you might be lucky enough to hear this beast roaring down the back straight of APEX Motor Club. If you’re interested in becoming an Apex member and racer and getting involved in the next season starting in October, please email us here.