When Aston Martin announced they were taking the Valkyrie racing, everyone expected it to be fast. What nobody expected was that its first major modification might be removing its mufflers. Because apparently, when you have a Cosworth-built V12 that revs to the stratosphere, the only sensible thing to do is let it scream like a banshee with a megaphone.During November testing at Daytona International Speedway, an IMSA official made what might be the most American suggestion possible to Heart of Racing's team principal Ian James: "Why don't you just take the mufflers off?" Because while the Euro-spec mufflers are mandatory for FIA WEC racing, IMSA has no such requirements. It's like someone at IMSA looked at the rulebook and thought, "You know what this series needs? More noise complaints."The Valkyrie AMR-LMH (yes, that's a lot of letters) is already quite different from its road-going sibling. The race car uses a modified version of that glorious 6.5-liter V12, though interestingly, they've removed the hybrid system to make it more reliable. It's also got a unique chassis that's both longer and wider than the road car, presumably to fit all the extra awesome they're cramming into it.When asked about the possibility of running the car straight-piped at Sebring in March (the car's now-delayed debut), James gave the kind of coy response that basically confirms everything: "I think our fans will be pleased." Which in racing terms is about as subtle as a V12 without mufflers. During recent testing at Sebring, the car was reportedly run without its mufflers, and witnesses describe the sound as something between a traditional race car and the apocalypse. Compared to its muffled runs at Daytona, it's like the difference between a lion with laryngitis and one that's just found its roar.The timing of all this is interesting. The Valkyrie race program needs something to get excited about, especially after deciding to skip Daytona because they're "several seconds off the pace." Which in racing terms is like being several years behind on your taxes - not great. But while they might not have the pace yet, they could at least have the best soundtrack in the paddock.It's worth noting that this is exactly the kind of thing that makes IMSA racing special. While other series are increasingly focused on noise reduction and environmental concerns (valid priorities, to be fair), IMSA's response to a quiet race car is essentially "make it louder." It's beautifully on-brand for American motorsport. So when the Valkyrie makes its debut at Sebring in March, don't be surprised if you can hear it from the next county. And even if it's not the fastest car on track, it might just be the most memorable. After all, in racing, sometimes it's not about how fast you go, but how good you sound doing it.Though one suspects the residents around Sebring might want to invest in some extra earplugs. Just in case.
