Mopar HEMI Challenge Competitors Head to JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals this Weekend
Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series competitors, fresh from battle in their 1968 Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Darts at the Mopars at The Strip HEMI Challenge event in Las Vegas, will go right back to work at the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals. The event is scheduled for Apr. 4–6 at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, LA.
Charlie Westcott Jr., driver of the “Warfish” 1968 Plymouth Barracuda, captured the Mopars at The Strip HEMI Challenge win. The Mopars at The Strip HEMI Challenge race was the fourth of eight legs in the 2008 HEMI Challenge points race (three 2008 HEMI Challenge points events were contested in late 2007). The Parma, Mich. native defeated the 1968 Dodge Dart driven by Jim Pancake in the final round. The victory was the second-straight HEMI Challenge win for Westcott Jr., and widened his lead in the Mopar HEMI Challenge points’ standings.
“The skill level of the grassroots drivers that compete on the Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series is amazing,” said Jon Clark, Manager – Mopar Performance Parts, Chrysler LLC. “The Mopars at The Strip event featured exciting Super Stock A-HEMI (SS/AH) racing battles. These dedicated racers from throughout the United States buy parts from a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge dealership and pour money, time and effort into these HEMI-powered Mopar cars. They’ll strap in once again for more exciting rounds of racing this weekend at the JEGS SPORTSnationals.”
Information on the 2008 Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series
Following the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals event, only three 2008 Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series events remain. The series will head to the 54th Annual NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Aug. 27–Sept. 1; the JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus on Sept. 19–21; and the NHRA Northeast Dutch Classic in Reading, Pa., on Oct. 23–26. The 2008 HEMI Challenge race series champion will be crowned at the Dutch Classic.
The U.S. Nationals HEMI Challenge victor will bring home a $10,000 bonus, with the overall series champ earning a $5,000 payday. In previous years, the HEMI Challenge champion was crowned over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Nationals. The change in the series format will position the 2009 Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series to be the first “pure” year in the series’ history – with all 2009 points events taking place within the same calendar year.
JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals Event Details
For more information on the JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series event at No Problem Raceway Park scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2008, visit http://www.noproblemraceway.com. For event coverage of the HEMI Challenge, visit http://www.moparspeed.com.
70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “Special Parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.
Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler Engineering standards.