Son Crushes Quarter-Mile Record in Dad’s 3,200 Horsepower Viper

Nothing can make you more proud as a father than when your son follows in your footsteps and has the same passions you exposed him to growing up. We believe the phrase for that is “chip off the old block.” For Sal Patel, owner of the Viper that recorded the fastest ever quarter-mile back in 2012, his son is picking up the slack and carrying on the family tradition by driving that same Viper and breaking records of his own. Keep in mind, he’s only 18.

This isn’t just any old Viper that comes stock from the dealer – this is a 3,200 horsepower monster that holds the current quarter-mile record for a Viper. With that said, Sal’s son just broke the record set back in 2012 in the same car his dad set the original record in.

The Viper has been around since March 2003, and if our math is correct, that’s Milan’s entire life. After years of building and fine-tuning, the car achieved its epic 6.96-second quarter mile at 215 mph with Sal operating the machine. Then, in 2018, the Viper ran 244 mph in the Colorado Springs half mile. Needless to say, it’s been going fast for a long time, but it wasn’t until 2020 that Milan had a chance to follow in his father’s footsteps.

In their latest attempt to break records, YouTube channel 1320video attended the event to showcase history in the making. The first day consisted of Milan working on his times adjusting to his first quarter-mile attempts, which ended with a 7.24 run. Running in the 7’s is something we all dream of achieving, but because of his father, he had an even higher bar set for him.

Each run inched Milan closer and closer to breaking the record, evident by the tenths he kept extracting from his times. In a like father like son moment, Milan drove with one hand on the wheel, same as dad. Another proud moment for the father knowing how his influence rubbed off and inspired his son.

As the day progressed, Milan was even closer to achieving the record with a 7.07 run. However, there was a problem – the Viper was running on nine cylinders, but that didn’t deter the crew as they moved forward in their attempt to make history.

After a fun few days on the track, Milan managed to make his best run – 6.95 seconds, beating his father’s 2012 record and boosting the legacy of an already iconic vehicle. Milan’s reaction says it all – as he stepped out of the car, he was in disbelief. When it comes to our dad, we know that coming close to what they’ve done will make them proud, but to surpass the record? “That’s is so awesome,” Milan said in shock.

However, leave it to dad to lighten up a heavy moment – “you just put me into retirement!” he said to the delight of the crowd. Now that the record is set there’s only one thing left to do – break it again!