The Vannonball is a highly-awarded, well-traveled, multi-paint-layered monstrosity that has accomplished much in only 2 years of racing. None of those accomplishments are finishing a race with the same 4 brake calipers.
It is a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT. It has a 3.8 liter v6 and 4-speed automatic transmission. It weight 3250 with very good diagonal balance and 65/35 front to back.
Most recently the van has set a top time of 3:13.8 at Sebring international raceway. It has conquered Road America, Thunderhill, NCM, Barber, NJMP, and Autobahn. It has been the first racing car for dozens of aspiring talents and birthed at least three new lemons teams from drivers who got their start in it.
The van is largely stock mechanically. No modifications have been made to the engine, transmission, or drive train. The exhaust has been cut off before the muffler and sounds either throaty and amazing or farty and loud, depending on who you ask.
Safety wise, it is fully caged and has never had a problem passing tech. It comes with a cool suit unit, seatbelts, fire suppression, and an 18.5 inch Kirkey series 65. The seatbelts were installed in 2022, so may be coming up on aging out.
Also included is two jackstands, a low profile harbor freight 3 ton jack, 4 18 inch wheels with Yokohama Advans and 3 good stock wheels with all season tires plus one bad stock wheel that could be patched and used off-track.
The van has a lot of room for improvement for someone who knows dodges or isn’t afraid of fabrication. A big brake kit from a JK wrangler would probably fit with a custom caliper bracket, and there are other solutions that may work. The community has many ideas and a skilled shadetree with some time and billet would probably be able to pull the full potential from this unusual platform.
The van is always a star on the track, simply because it is so rare to see it running well. The world would be a better place if it was owned and maintained by someone who is actually capable of owning and maintaining it.
Another benefit is that absolutely everyone fits in it. I’ve had drivers from 5 foot 4 to 6 foot 6 in it, from 120 pounds to over 400. I have used it as a car for beginners, that anyone can handle and fit in for their first times around a track.