Monday August 4, 2008        
 
     
         
     
   


Brad Sweet (fourth from right) celebrates with his Team Mopar Kasey Kahne Racing crew after his win in the Belleville Midget Nationals finale on Saturday, August 2. Brady Bacon (far right), Sweet's KKR teammate, also scored a podium finish, taking third in the event.
Sweet Soars to Victory in Belleville
Midget Nationals Finale

Team Mopar® driver Brad Sweet was a man on a mission on Aug. 1-2, setting fast time and leading every lap of the 31st annual "Speedway Motors Belleville Midget Nationals." The Grass Valley, Calif., native gave Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR) its first-ever victory in the event held on the famed Belleville High Banks in north-central Kansas. The win also marked the third-straight year a Mopar-powered Midget car has claimed victory at Belleville.

Making the triumph even sweeter was the third-place run of Sweet's teammate, Brady Bacon, giving Mopar and KKR a tremendous podium presence in one of America's most prestigious short-track races. Sanctioned by the United States Auto Club (USAC), the Nationals is one of the flagship events in the Mopar Midget National Championship.

Sweet started Saturday night's 40-lap feature from the third position, but vaulted past the front row on the opening lap and was never headed. Bacon mounted a race-long charge from his eighth-place start position, stealing the third spot by inches as the field streaked beneath the checkered flag. Two-time defending USAC Mopar Midget champion Jerry Coons Jr. nearly put a third Mopar in the top five, but ran into mechanical difficulties and was forced to the sidelines in the closing laps. Coons was classified 21st. Young Dakoda Armstrong, in his first Belleville appearance, finished a very credible 12th.

Sweet's triumphant weekend started on Friday night, when he set the weekend's best qualifying time, 17.571 seconds, around the intimidating half-mile. In Friday's feature, a 25-lapper, Sweet was the top Mopar man, finishing third. Coons and Bacon were eighth and ninth, respectively.

The teams and stars of the Mopar Midget National Championship won't have much time to regroup after their Belleville experiences. They next face the daunting "Indiana Midget Week," with events set for the Gas City I-69 Speedway (Aug. 6); Union County Speedway (Aug. 7); Bloomington Speedway (Aug. 8); Lawrenceburg Speedway (Aug. 9); and Kokomo Speedway (Aug. 10). Entering the five-night grind, Sweet sits third in the standings, with Bacon fifth and Coons 10th. For more info on the Mopar Midget National Championship, visit usacracing.com.

 
 




 






Coons Keeps Close in Title Hunt with
Sixth-Place Score at Salem

Team Mopar driver Jerry Coons Jr. continued his quest for the USAC Sprint Car Series championship with a sixth-place finish in the 49th annual "Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial," held on Sunday, Aug. 3 at Indiana's Salem Speedway.

Coons, winner of two USAC Mopar Midget National championships, is shooting for a USAC Sprint Car title with his Hoffman Auto Racing team. Coons currently sits second in the standings. The Arizona native was one of two Mopar men in the top 10 at Salem, with young Cole Whitt placing seventh in the 50-lap feature. Though the night started with great promise for Mopar drivers - with Whitt and his Keith Kunz Motorsports teammate, Chris Windom, qualifying second and third, respectively - things quickly went downhill. Both the Kunz cars were caught in an early tangle which also eliminated Damion Gardner's Leffler Racing Mopar. Though Whitt was able to restart at the rear of the field, Windom and Gardner were sidelined.

Things weren't much better for the two-car Kasey Kahne Racing assault of Brad Sweet and Bryan Clauson, the latter of whom was drafted in to help shore up the team's asphalt program. Sweet, fresh off a win in the previous night's "Belleville Midget Nationals" in Kansas, switched quickly into Sprint Car mode, qualifying ninth, but was kayoed in an early wreck. Clauson had a tough night, fighting mechanical issues and dropping out prematurely.

After the Aug. 5 "Ultimate Challenge" at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the USAC Sprints will take a month-long hiatus before reconvening for the "4-Crown Nationals," Sept. 20 at Ohio's Eldora Speedway. For more info on the USAC Sprint Car Series, visit usacracing.com.



Already a two-time USAC Mopar Midget National champion, Jerry Coons Jr. was helped by a sixth-place finish at Salem Speedway in his bid for a USAC Sprint championship. Coons is currently second in the USAC Sprint points standings.







 








Team Mopar World of Outlaws Sprint Series driver Joey Saldana placed fifth at Wisconsin's Wilmot Speedway on Friday, August 1, Saldana's best finish of the week in WoO Sprint action.
Busy Week Yields Best Finish of Fifth for Team Mopar's Saldana

Team Mopar and Kasey Kahne Racing driver Joey Saldana reeled in a best finish of fifth in four events during a busy stretch last week on the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series.

Saldana's week had a dismal start, when he finished a problem-plagued 18th in a July 28 WoO feature at Kentucky's Paducah International Raceway and had the exact same result on July 30 at the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa. Things improved markedly on Aug. 1, when a stop at Wisconsin's Wilmot Speedway yielded a fifth-place feature finish. Saldana's Budweiser/Open Joist JEI Sprinter, powered by a Speedway Engines-built Mopar, timed seventh-quick, winning his heat race and finishing fourth in the feature.

Perhaps the strongest run of the week for Saldana came on Saturday, Aug. 2, when he turned around what looked to be another tough evening. Lining up 21st on the grid at Charter Raceway Park in Beaver Dam, Wis., the Indiana veteran sliced his way through the pack, finishing a very solid seventh after 40 laps of dirt-tracking combat. The 14-spot gain earned Saldana the WoO's "KSE Hard Charger" award, presented to the driver who best advances his position in each feature race.

Saldana and his Kasey Kahne Racing teammates - including a second Mopar entry for Remington-sponsored Jason Johnson - head next to the biggest Sprint Car race in America, the 48th annual Knoxville Nationals. The event is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans and more than 100 cars to tiny Knoxville, Iowa, Aug. 6-9. For more info on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit worldofoutlaws.com.






   
 






Hübinette Hunts for First '08 Win and Points Lead at Formula Drift Round
Five: Breaking Point

Mopar NuFormz Racing Dodge Viper SRT10® driver Samuel Hübinette would like his visit to Evergreen Speedway for the Formula Drift Round Five: Breaking Point event to be a day of firsts. A triumph would earn the two-time FD champion his first win of 2008, his first victory in three tries at the Evergreen facility and most likely first place in the FD points standings. The FD event is scheduled for Saturday, August 9 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.

Hübinette's NuFormz Racing squad is led by team owner Shaun Carlson. They enter the race fresh off their second podium finish of the year, a third-place showing at the FD event in Las Vegas on July 12. With three races left in the FD championship, Hübinette is aware that crunch time is now in his chase for a third FD title.

"It's a very tight points battle," observed Hübinette. "We really need to stay on it. We only have three more events and the championship is coming close. We're only eight points out of the lead in the points race, and we hope to leave Seattle on top. This is the kind of facility where having a Mopar power plant under the hood pays off, because you know you can depend on the performance and reliability of Mopar engines. I know we'll be on top of our game come race day."

The Formula Drift Round Five: Breaking Point is scheduled for August 9 at Evergreen Speedway. The media day and practice is August 8. For ticket and event information, visit formuladrift.com.

Team Mopar drifter Samuel Hübinette will vie for his first win at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., in the Formula Drift Round Five: Breaking Point event on Saturday, August 9.












 
  

 
  Monday July 28, 2008 
 

 


   

 
   


Mopar team owner/driver and NASCAR superstar Kasey Kahne made a rare appearance in USAC Mopar Midget National Championship action. Kahne shook off any existing rust quickly, collecting a second-place finish at O'Reilly Raceway Park on Thursday, July 24.



Kasey Kahne (center), owner of Kasey Kahne Racing, went head-to-head with his young duo of KKR drivers, Brady Bacon (right) and Brad Sweet (left). Team owner Kahne led the way with a runner-up result.



Team Mopar®'s Kasey Kahne Dazzles with Runner-Up Score at ORP

NASCAR superstar and Team Mopar® owner/driver Kasey Kahne wowed a large crowd at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind., scoring a hard-earned second-place finish in the United States Auto Club (USAC) Mopar Midget National Championship feature on Thursday, July 24.

Kahne, owner of Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR), was making a rare appearance behind the wheel of a KKR Mopar Midget National car. The NASCAR regular was in fine form. After ignition woes in practice left him the 24th fastest qualifier, it took a strong second-place finish in his heat race to earn Kahne a starting spot outside row four in the 30-lap feature. The 2000 USAC Midget champion proceeded to put on a passing clinic, ultimately stealing the runner-up spot with a bold outside pass in the closing laps. The race marked Kahne's first appearance in a USAC Midget event since last November's "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Irwindale Speedway in Southern California, where he also placed second.

While Kahne had a great night behind the wheel at Raceway Park, the two full-time drivers for Kasey Kahne Racing, Brady Bacon and Brad Sweet, finished 13th and 17th, respectively. Some of the biggest news of the night concerned a driver who wasn't in the starting field. Two-time defending USAC Midget champion Jerry Coons Jr. barely missed the qualifying cut in both his heat race and the semi-feature, and thus sat out the main event, a rare event for the popular Arizona veteran.

Sweet currently sits fifth in the Mopar Midget National Championship standings, with Bacon eighth and Coons dropping to 10th. The series moves next to Kansas and the 31st annual "Speedway Motors Belleville Midget Nationals," one of America's most prestigious short-track races, set for Aug. 1-2 on the famed Belleville High Banks. For more info on USAC Racing, visit usacracing.com.
    








Armstrong Runs to Victory
with Mopar Power in 400-lap Special Event at Anderson

Team Mopar driver Dakoda Armstrong drove his Midget to a $10,000 victory in a 400-lap United States Auto Club (USAC) "special event" at Indiana's Anderson Speedway on Saturday, July 26. Armstrong, who celebrated his 17th birthday just 10 days earlier, had also set the event's fastest qualifying time, running four laps around the quarter-mile oval in a total of 46.453 seconds.

The race's "special event" status simply meant that while there were no USAC national or regional Midget points awarded, the 400-lapper was sanctioned and officiated by the United States Auto Club.

Armstrong led the event on five separate occasions, ultimately taking the top spot for keeps on lap 326.

Dakoda Armstrong, shown in action earlier in the year, steered his Mopar-powered Midget to a $10,000 victory in a 400-lap USAC "special event" at Indiana's Anderson Speedway on Saturday, July 26.
















Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson was gunning to become the fourth driver in NHRA POWERade Pro Stock history to advance to the finals at all three stops on the NHRA's Western Swing but came up short after a loss in the quarterfinals round at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals.
Johnson's Finals Streak Snapped at Sonoma; Gray Goes to Semis

Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T driver Allen Johnson's quest to become the fourth driver in NHRA POWERade Pro Stock history to advance to the finals at all three stops on the NHRA's Western Swing ended early at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals on Sunday, July 27. Johnson fell to fellow Mopar-powered driver Johnny Gray in the quarterfinals round at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Johnson was red hot following runner-up finishes in the first two legs of the Western Swing - Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver and Schucks's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals in Seattle. The Greeneville, Tenn. native knocked out Jim Yates in the opening round and drew HEMI®-fueled pilot Gray in the second stanza. Johnson had a slight advantage off the starting line but his Dodge Stratus R/T dove sharply to the right shortly thereafter, pulling him out of the groove and out of the running for a third straight finals berth.

Gray's strong weekend ended in the semis with a loss to event winner Dave Connolly. V. Gaines steered his Kendall Oil Dodge Stratus R/T to a quarterfinals berth, with Mopar-powered drivers Vinnie Deceglie, Justin Humphreys and Larry Morgan exiting in the first round.

Johnson remains fifth in the NHRA Pro Stock standings. Gaines holds the seventh spot. The Team Mopar NHRA Pro Stockers will head next to the 27th annual NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 8-10. For more info on the NHRA, visit nhra.com.











Beckman and Toliver Lead Team Mopar Funny Car Squad with Quarterfinals Result at Sonoma

Team Mopar and Don Schumacher Racing teammates Jack Beckman and Jerry Toliver paced all Mopar HEMI-powered NHRA Funny Car drivers with a pair of quarterfinals appearances in the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday, July 27.

Beckman, driving the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, extended his round-win record against 14-time Funny Car champion John Force to 5-4 by defeating him in the opening stanza with a 4.23-second elapsed time at 293.98 mph. Beckman bowed out in a second round defeat courtesy of Gary Densham, but maintained his grip on 10th place in the Funny Car standings.

Jerry Toliver came out on top in a first-round fight between Mopar-powered Funny Car drivers. The Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T driver defeated Gotham City Racing Dodge Charger R/T pilot Melanie Troxel in the first round, but couldn't get past Tony Pedregon in the quarterfinals. Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T hotshoe Gary Scelzi was sent to the trailer early after a first-round loss, as were NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T driver Ron Capps (seventh in Funny Car points) and Monster Energy Dodge Charger R/T driver Tommy Johnson Jr.

Next up is the 27th annual NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 8-10. For more info on the NHRA, visit nhra.com.




Jack Beckman maintained his hold on 10th place in the NHRA Funny Car standings following his quarterfinals appearance at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals. Only three national events remain before the Countdown to the Championship for the top 10 in points kicks in following the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis.













Joey Saldana added to his growing collection of 2008 top-five finishes in WoO Sprint competition with a fourth-place result at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich., and a fifth-place finish at the K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio last week.
Mopar's Saldana Marks Two Top Fives in Midwest Action

Team Mopar driver Joey Saldana and Kasey Kahne Racing added two more top-five finishes to their portfolio of solid results in the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series. Saldana finished fourth at the I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich., on July 25, and the next night drove his Budweiser/Open Joist machine to fifth at the K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio.

At I-96 on Friday night, Saldana's Sprinter - a JEI chassis with a Mopar power plant built by Speedway Engines - was in the thick of things throughout the evening. After qualifying eighth, Saldana placed second in his heat race and third in the "dash" event, earning himself a feature start inside the second row. The A-main proved to be an intense affair, with Joey bouncing between second and fourth, where he ultimately finished.

In Saturday night's K-C Raceway feature race, Saldana started back in the 10th position, but moved forward with his usual flair. He was the only driver starting further back than fifth to finish in the top five, a sign of his speed on the 3/8-mile oval. Earlier in the evening, Joey had timed eighth-fastest and finished second in his heat race, but a 10th-place run in the "dash" event relegated him to a start outside the fifth row.

Saldana and his KKR teammates will hope to avoid any further conflicts with Mother Nature following three event rainouts last week. The WoO Sprint Series will visit Paducah, Ky. (July 28), West Burlington, Iowa (July 30), Wilmot, Wis. (Aug. 1), and Beaver Dam, Wis. (Aug. 2). For more info on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit worldofoutlaws.com.



   
   


         
                Tuesday July 15, 2008  
   

     
   
  Team Mopar®'s Coons Captures Back-to-Back Wins in 'Indiana Sprint Week' Action

Team Mopar® driver Jerry Coons Jr. went two-for-three on the weekend, as the United States Auto Club (USAC) Sprint Car Series concluded its "Indiana Sprint Week" mini-series. Coons emerged victorious on Thursday, July 17 at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, and backed it up the following night with a nail-biting win at Bloomington Speedway.

Thursday night's victory was a Coons tour de force. The driver of the Mopar-fueled Hoffman Auto Racing Kroger/Tide Sprinter led every lap, and was never seriously challenged. Also turning in a fine Kamp showing for Mopar was Brad Sweet, whose seventh-place finish was a great rebound after a violent Kokomo Speedway flip four nights earlier. Further back were Mopar men Brady Bacon, Darren Hagen and Damion Gardner, filling positions 13-15.

At Bloomington, Coons had a trying (and ultimately triumphant) night. After qualifying a strong third, he was swept into a heat race tangle and flipped gently - an oxymoron, but a Sprint Car reality - in the second turn. The Hoffman team repaired the damage in time for Coons to qualify in the semi-feature, and Jerry rewarded their efforts with a thrilling win in the 30-lap feature. An enthusiastic crowd voiced its approval as Coons led the final seven laps in a wild scramble to the checkered flag. Other Mopar drivers struggled at Bloomington, with Sweet 12th, Hagen 14th and Bacon 17th.

Coons also finished in the top 10 in Sunday's "Indiana Sprint Week" finale at the Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, placing eighth. That was the second-best Mopar result of the evening, behind the fifth-place effort of Gardner, who had led the opening four laps on the high-banked dirt bullring. The USAC Sprint Car series resumes on Sunday evening, August 3, on the high-banked asphalt of Indiana's Salem Speedway. Coons sits second in the standings. For more info on the USAC Racing Series, visit usacracing.com.


Jerry Coons Jr., shown above in the winner's circle, captured wins in USAC "Indiana Sprint Week" action at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell and at Bloomington Speedway.
  











Allen Johnson made his second straight finals appearance of 2008 in the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, Wash. It was also the third straight year Johnson has reached the finals at the Seattle event.
AJ Scores Second
Straight Runner-up at Seattle

Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T driver Allen Johnson recorded his second consecutive runner-up appearance on Sunday at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals. Johnson's run marked his 14th career finals appearance and his third straight at the Pacific Raceways quarter-mile near Seattle, Wash.

The Greeneville, Tenn. native defeated HEMI®-powered driver Larry Morgan, Dave Connolly and Team Mopar teammate V. Gaines before losing to Jason Line in the finals. Coupled with his finals appearance at the previous event, the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver, Johnson is feeling good at his chances to make it three straight finals at Sonoma, Calif., the third and final stop on the NHRA's Western Swing.

"I felt really good this weekend. I love Seattle," said Johnson, who won the 2006 Seattle race and finished runner-up in 2007. "I would have liked to have gone all the way, of course, but overall we're really on a roll now with Mopar and with this team. We're going to aim for the finals at Sonoma. I think only two other Pro Stock drivers have ever been to the finals at all three events on the Western Swing in the same year. We're going to try to seal the deal there."

Next up is the final event of the three-race Western Swing, the NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., July 25-27. For more info on the NHRA, visit nhra.com.










Mopar-Powered Capps Goes to First Final Round of Season in Seattle

Ron Capps raced his Mopar HEMI-powered NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car into his first final round of the season and 53rd of his career on Sunday at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals in Kent, Wash., just outside of Seattle.

The Team Mopar driver dispatched Del Worsham, Cruz Pedregon and Gary Densham before suffering a final-round defeat in a matchup with first-time NHRA Funny Car winner Tony Bartone. Capps' runner-up finish moved the NHRA Funny Car veteran into sixth place in the point standings.

Capps' Don Schumacher Racing teammate Gary Scelzi, driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T, exited in the first round, as did fellow HEMI-powered Funny Car hotshoes Jerry Toliver, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Melanie Troxel. DSR driver Jack Beckman advanced as far as the quarterfinals and maintained his grip on the tenth spot in the NHRA Funny Car standings.

Next up is the final event of the three-race Western Swing, the NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., July 25-27. For more info on the NHRA, visit nhra.com.



Ron Capps advanced to his first final round of the season at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals on Sunday and moved into the sixth spot in the NHRA Funny Car standings.











Mopar-powered Tommy Archer captured the pole and led all laps on his way to the win at the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The victory marked the second time in 2008 that Archer took the No. 1 spot in qualifying and led every lap on his way to a win.
Archer Masters Mid-Ohio, Seizes Second '08 Win

Mopar-powered driver Tommy Archer captured the pole and led every lap for the second time in 2008 en route to victory on Sunday in round five of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Archer qualified on the pole and never relinquished the lead behind the wheel of his No. 13 Foametix/Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. The win was a mirror image of Archer's May victory at Utah's Miller Motorsports Park, in which the Duluth, Minn., native also seized the No. 1 spot in qualifying and led every singe lap.

"It's really rewarding for Foametix, the sponsor, who didn't get on the podium at Watkins Glen and the Woodhouse Performance team who are all working so hard," said Archer, who averaged 77.075 mph over the 29-lap, 65.481-mile race.

No. 2 Mopar Viper Competition Coupe driver Cindi Lux will look to rebound after a tough outing at Mid-Ohio. The Team Mopar driver and owner of NayKid Racing finished 28th after suffering a mechanical problem. Fred Roberts placed his Comp Coupe in the 14th spot at the fall of the checkers, while Mopar-powered Viper Comp Coupe driver Jeff Courtney ran as high as third until a spin on lap six relegated him to a 15th-place finish.

The Mopar-powered Viper Comp Coupe drivers will next see action at Elkhart Lake, Wis., for the Road America SPEED GT Presented by Remington on Aug. 8 - 10. For more info on the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship, visit world-challenge.com.










Pennsylvania Swing Yields Two Top Fives for Team Mopar's Saldana

Team Mopar driver Joey Saldana and Kasey Kahne Racing notched a pair of top-five finishes as the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series visited Pennsylvania for three races: the prestigious "Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup" at Lernerville Speedway on July 15, and then the Williams Grove Speedway "Summer Nationals" on July 18-19.

Heads-up driving and a good chassis setup on his Mopar-powered Budweiser/Open Joist machine allowed Saldana to turn around what looked like a bad night at Lernerville. After struggling in time trials, he took third in his heat race and lined up 16th for the 40-lap "Silver Cup," honoring the legacy of legendary track promoter Martin. Saldana clawed his way to a terrific fourth-place finish, earning every last one of the 12 positions he gained.

Saldana also had a battle on his hands in the Saturday-night finale of the "Summer Nationals" at Williams Grove. Starting the feature outside the third row, the Indiana veteran was in the mix throughout the 30-lapper, ultimately finishing fifth. He had run as high as second in the early laps of what became a frantic feature, with positions changing often. In the end, Saldana was the only top-five finisher whose race began outside the top five, a testament to his aggressive style. Friday night did not go nearly as well at Williams Grove for Saldana, and the KKR veteran clocked in at 26th in the official rundown.

Next up for the Outlaws: a pair of midweek Canadian events at Ontario's Oshweken Speedway on July 22-23, and then a typically hectic stateside return: July 25 in Lake Odessa, Mich.; July 26 in Chillicothe, Ohio; and July 28 at Paducah, Ky. For more info on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit worldofoutlaws.com.



Joey Saldana earned two top-five finishes in World of Outlaws Sprint Series competition in Pennsylvania last week.



 





                                                                      Tuesday July 15, 2008

  





 




Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson (above) made his first finals appearance of the year and scored a runner-up finish in Mopar's marquee event, the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals. Johnson also moved from seventh to fifth in the NHRA Pro Stock points standings.



Allen Johnson's J&J Racing team member Mike Gott (left) accepts the Full Throttle Pit Crew event award at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.
Johnson Goes to Finals for Second Year in a Row at Mopar Mile-High Nationals

Mopar®/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T driver Allen Johnson came up just short in his quest to win a second straight Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals title. The defending champ made his first finals appearance of 2008 in his primary sponsor's flagship race but fell in a matchup with Greg Anderson at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo.

The Greeneville, Tenn. native defeated Warren Johnson, fellow HEMI®-powered driver Larry Morgan and Ron Krisher to set up a face-off with Greg Anderson, the man he beat at the NHRA Norwalk event to win the $50,000 K&N Horsepower Challenge. Johnson posted a superb pass of 7.028/195.79 but it wasn't enough to beat Anderson's run of 7.024/196.39. Anderson's margin of victory was a mere six feet.

Johnson's runner-up finish capped a weekend in which the veteran Team Mopar driver qualified No. 3, moved up to the fifth spot in the NHRA Pro Stock standings and saw his J&J Racing team capture the Full Throttle Pit Crew event award.

"I think we're on the turnaround mode," said an upbeat Johnson. "We would have really liked to win this one, but we'll take a runner-up here at our sponsor Mopar's race and smile about it. I hope all the folks at Mopar are happy. We've been gaining momentum and I think we proved it today. Last year we won here and went runner-up in Seattle. This year we're going to reverse it."

"Allen is a longtime member of Team Mopar, and he has a great history here at Bandimere Speedway, Mopar's 'home track,'" said Sunil Lahoti, Mopar's Senior Manager, Marketing & Strategy. "We're very proud of Allen's result here today. It's a testament to the performance of Mopar parts and also Allen's skill as a driver. When you put those two together, you're going to have success."

Mopar-powered driver Johnny Gray made an impressive run to the quarterfinals, defeating No. 2 qualifier Mike Edwards before losing to Ron Krisher. Denver area resident V. Gaines was among a group of HEMI-fueled drivers that included Justin Humphreys and Rickie Jones that exited in the first round.

Next up for the Team Mopar Pro Stock contingent is the NHRA Nationals, round 14 of 24, at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., outside of Seattle, July 18-20. For more information on the NHRA, visit nhra.com.

   









Mopar-Powered Beckman Reels in Runner-up at Mopar Mile-High Nationals; Scelzi Exits in Quarters

Don Schumacher Racing and Team Mopar driver Jack Beckman posted a runner-up finish in the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo. Beckman sent home fellow HEMI-powered Monster Energy Dodge Charger R/T driver Tommy Johnson then dispatched Gary Densham and Cruz Pedregon before meeting Tim Wilkerson in the finals, where his run at taking home a second straight Mopar Mile-High Funny Car title ended.

"The nice thing is it's Mopar's race, we put Mopar into the final in Funny Car, we're back in the top 10, and maybe we got a little bit of steam going now," said Beckman, who scored a win earlier this year at the NHRA Phoenix event. "And the great thing is you always want to leave Denver on a high note, because in two weeks it's bam, bam, two more races, and this is where we're going to have to make our move."

Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T driver Gary Scelzi shocked No. 1 qualifier Tony Pedregon in the first round, taking out the defending champion with a pass of 4.333/286.62. That was as far as the "Wild Thing" would go, as he was sent to the trailer in the quarterfinals by Robert Hight. Ron Capps also made a quarterfinals appearance in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T. Jerry Toliver exited in round one in his Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T, as did Colorado native Melanie Troxel in her ProCare RX Dodge Charger R/T.

Next up is the NHRA Nationals, round 14 of 24, at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., outside of Seattle, July 18-20. For more info on the NHRA, visit nhra.com.

  

Jack Beckman used Mopar HEMI-power to make his second-straight finals appearance at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals. Beckman finished in the runner-up spot.











Don Garlits (far lane) and Judy Lilly (near lane) launch new Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Cars on their historic maiden voyages during the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.



"Today is a great day for Mopar, Dodge, SRT, drag racers and motorsports enthusiasts everywhere. Not made for the streets, our drag-race-only Challengers will be running soon in NHRA competition - the best grassroots racing series in the world. And who better to drive our new Challenger Package Cars on their inaugural track run than 'Big Daddy' and 'Miss Mighty Mopar' - the greatest drag racer of all time and a female pioneer of the sport."

- Sunil Lahoti, Mopar's Senior Manager, Marketing & Strategy, on the reveal of the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Car.
Mopar Reveals Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Cars at Mile-Highs

Mopar is bringing the iconic Dodge Challenger muscle car to National Hot Road Association (NHRA) drag-racing competition. Mopar revealed two Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Cars at the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals before thrilled fans at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo.

"Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Judy "Miss Mighty Mopar" Lilly were behind the wheels for their inaugural track run. Garlits drove the car featuring the Stone White paint scheme. Lilly was behind the wheel of the "Mopar Liquid Metal" prototype. NHRA named Garlits the #1 driver of the Top 50 drivers from its first 50 years. His victories and accomplishments are virtually unmatched in drag-racing history. "Miss Mighty Mopar" is one of the female pioneers in drag racing. Spending 12 years on the NHRA circuit, Lilly is the only female driver to win two NHRA national events in one year.

Mopar built the first two Challenger Drag Race Package Cars for development and testing for its new Challenger Package Car program. Based on the Challenger SRT8®, the prototypes were finished in Stock Eliminator configuration. They ran successfully in June 2008 as proof-of-concept and for NHRA certification. Mopar dropped approximately 1,000 lbs. off the production Challenger SRT8 by eliminating major production components and systems. To accentuate the weight savings, they also feature added composite, polycarbonate and lightweight components designed for drag racing that will be part of the new Package Car program.

The engine was repositioned to improve driveline angle and weight distribution. The 116-inch wheelbase was shortened by ½ inch. They also feature a front cradle with bolt-in crossmember and solid engine mounts.

The first drag-race, factory-prepped package cars built in 40 years, the new Challenger Drag Race Package Car by Mopar builds on the heritage of the limited-edition 1968 HEMI®-powered Package Cars. Those '68 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas solidified the Mopar brand as a quarter-mile force.

Mopar will build a minimum of 100 Challenger Drag Race Package Cars to meet NHRA requirements. Based on the production Dodge Challenger SRT8, Mopar's modern factory-prepped Challenger Drag Race Package Car will begin as a special Body-in-White (BIW) from Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario, Canada, assembly plant. The body sealer, sound deadener and undercoat will be eliminated. To reduce vehicle weight, major production component and systems will also be eliminated including: windshield wiper assembly, complete HVAC system, all airbag components, rear seats, power steering system, exhaust system and underbody heat shields, cross-car and side impact door beams, rear bumper beam and rear deck lid spoiler.

The drag racer has three engine options - 6.1-liter or 5.7-liter HEMI or 5.9-liter Magnum® Wedge - as well as manual or automatic transmission. A build book/owner's manual will be provided to document the modifications made to the Challenger SRT8 as well as provide recommendations to finish the Package Car for Stock Eliminator competition. To accentuate weight savings, there are unique drag-race components in the Package Car program including: composite lift-off hood with functional scoop, Viper-style front seats, polycarbonate door windows, lightweight cooling module with electric fan, manual rack and pinion steering, special cable-operated deck lid release, special lightweight front brake assembly and special cable-operated throttle linkage and pedal assembly.

The Challenger Drag Race Package Car will be eligible to run in three Eliminator categories -Comp, Super Stock and Stock - and potentially 40 classes. Depending upon the configuration selected, the U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the Challenger Drag Race Package Car program will range from the low to mid $30s. Each car will carry an identification plate with sequential serial number.

The Challenger Drag Race Package Car will be available for order in late August to early September. A toll-free number will be designated for ordering. Details will be posted on mopar.com.














Mopar Big Block Party
Rocks Golden Once Again

The Mopar Big Block Party kicked off the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals on Thursday, July 10 and once again fans from the Mopar Nation turned out in droves and packed the streets of Downtown Golden, Colo. through the night.

The Team Mopar autograph session had fans lined up for blocks to meet NHRA POWERade stars Gary Scelzi, Allen Johnson, Ron Capps, Jack Beckman, Jerry Toliver, Melanie Troxel, Tommy Johnson Jr., Larry Morgan, V. Gaines and Max Naylor, Johnny Gray and Rickie Jones. Mopar Mile-Highs Grand Marshal Don "Big Daddy" Garlits and Honorary Starter Judy Lilly, racing legends from Mopar's past, also were on hand, as were Team Mopar drivers Brian Collins and Chuck Hovey from the SCORE Desert Series and Cindi Lux, Team Mopar's driver on the SPEED World Challenge GT Series.

SpeedFreaks Motorsports Radio Show host Kenny Sargent emceed the event. Race Central Radio's host Kurt Hansen talked with Team Mopar drivers during a live remote from the event on his ESPN Radio program. Chicago-based rock cover band Maggie Speaks rocked the party once again until they were interrupted by a special treat - the firing of Garlits "Swamp Rat" dragster, which was met with a loud roar of delight by fans.



Mopar's Big Block Party saw Mopar fans flood the streets of Downtown Golden as in previous years. The Team Mopar autograph session (below) saw more than 13 drivers signing autographs for the hordes of Mopar fans.















Kasey Kahne Racing and Mopar-powered driver Joey Saldana (center) scored his second World of Outlaws Sprint Series win of 2008 in the "Knight Before the Kings Royal" on Friday, July 11 at Ohio's Eldora Speedway.






Team Mopar Driver Saldana Notches 'Knight Before the Kings Royal' Win

Team Mopar driver Joey Saldana scored his second win of the 2008 Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series on Friday night, July 11. Saldana drove Kasey Kahne Racing's Budweiser/Open Joist-sponsored Sprinter to victory in the "Knight Before the Kings Royal," part of the prestigious "Kings Royal" weekend at Ohio's Eldora Speedway.

In the headlining "Kings Royal" itself, Saldana had a heartbreaking loss when a blown tire took him out of a comfortable lead with more than half of the 40 laps complete. Saldana was ultimately classified 19th. His busy weekend had begun on Wednesday, with a hard-earned third place finish at the Limaland Speedway in Lima, Ohio.

Saldana's Friday triumph was the 36th career WoO checkered flag for the second-generation star from Indiana. He started the 30-lap feature from inside the second row in his JEI chassis Sprinter - powered by a Speedway Engines-built Mopar - then stalked early leader Dale Blaney until taking the lead with a bold "slide job" pass just shy of half-distance.

Wednesday's Limaland event was the "Brad Doty Classic," honoring one of Sprint Car racing's modern-era icons. Saldana started from the pole position but lost the early lead. He regained control in thick traffic on lap 19 and appeared on his way to victory, but when slower cars balked him on lap 36, he was passed and ultimately he finished third.

Next up for the Outlaws is the July 15 "Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup" at Pennsylvania's Lernerville Speedway, paying $40,000 to win, followed by the Williams Grove "Summer Nationals" on July 18-19 in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and a July 20 one-night stand at the Lebanon Valley Speedway in Eastern New York. For more info on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit worldofoutlaws.com.











Podium Finish Keeps Hübinette In
Championship Hunt

Team Mopar driver Joey Saldana scored his second win of the 2008 Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series on Friday night, July 11. Saldana drove Kasey Kahne Racing's Budweiser/Open Joist-sponsored Sprinter to victory in the "Knight Before the Kings Royal," part of the prestigious "Kings Royal" weekend at Ohio's Eldora Speedway.

In the headlining "Kings Royal" itself, Saldana had a heartbreaking loss when a blown tire took him out of a comfortable lead with more than half of the 40 laps complete. Saldana was ultimately classified 19th. His busy weekend had begun on Wednesday, with a hard-earned third place finish at the Limaland Speedway in Lima, Ohio.

Saldana's Friday triumph was the 36th career WoO checkered flag for the second-generation star from Indiana. He started the 30-lap feature from inside the second row in his JEI chassis Sprinter - powered by a Speedway Engines-built Mopar - then stalked early leader Dale Blaney until taking the lead with a bold "slide job" pass just shy of half-distance.

Wednesday's Limaland event was the "Brad Doty Classic," honoring one of Sprint Car racing's modern-era icons. Saldana started from the pole position but lost the early lead. He regained control in thick traffic on lap 19 and appeared on his way to victory, but when slower cars balked him on lap 36, he was passed and ultimately he finished third.

Next up for the Outlaws is the July 15 "Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup" at Pennsylvania's Lernerville Speedway, paying $40,000 to win, followed by the Williams Grove "Summer Nationals" on July 18-19 in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and a July 20 one-night stand at the Lebanon Valley Speedway in Eastern New York. For more info on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit worldofoutlaws.com.



Samuel Hübinette (above on podium) scored his second podium finish of 2008 in the Formula Drift Round Four: High Stakes on Saturday, July 12 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The two-time Formula Drift champion took third and is now just eight points out of first place in the Formula Drift standings.












Kasey Kahne Racing and Mopar-powered driver Joey Saldana (center) scored his second World of Outlaws Sprint Series win of 2008 in the "Knight Before the Kings Royal" on Friday, July 11 at Ohio's Eldora Speedway.h the "Indiana Sprint Week." The special event wraps up this week.

Team Mopar Drivers Hold Their Own in USAC 'Indiana Sprint Week'

Though outnumbered, Team Mopar drivers have certainly been in the thick of things in the 21st annual "Indiana Sprint Week," sanctioned by the United States Auto Club. Mopar drivers accounted for three podium finishes and one fast-time award in the first four rounds of the wildly popular mini-series.

The opening week was to have included five events, with two each at the Lawrenceburg Speedway (July 9-10) and Gas City I-69 Speedway (July 11-12), followed by a Sunday-night date at Kokomo Speedway (July 13), but the second of the two planned Gas City events was cancelled due to wet grounds.

In Wednesday's opener on the reconfigured 3/8-mile Lawrenceburg oval, Damion Gardner's Leffler Racing Sprinter was the top finishing Mopar, placing third. A total of six Mopar-powered entries contested the 30-lap feature, with all of them placing in the top 12 at the finish. Behind Gardner came Kasey Kahne Racing teammates Brad Sweet (seventh) and Brady Bacon (eighth), Darren Hagen's Keith Kunz Motorsports entry (10th), Jerry Coons Jr. and his Hoffman Auto Racing machine (11th), and Chris Windom in the Triple Crown Motorsports Sprinter (12th). It was a rough evening for California invader Cory Kruseman, whose night ended with a violent heat-race flip after Cory had qualified a terrific third.

Thursday's Lawrenceburg round was another good showing for Mopar men, with a very strong Coons finishing in fourth. Hagen, Bacon, and Windom turned in solid runs to place seventh through ninth, respectively. A flat tire bedeviled Sweet, who pitted but could do no better than 16th after returning. Two Team Mopar drivers scored podium finishes Friday at Gas City, with Hagen and Sweet placing second and third. Earlier in the evening, the pair had qualified in those same positions. Coons and Chris Windom finished ninth and 10th, respectively. Bacon was further back in 12th, with Kruseman 16th.

On Sunday at Kokomo, Sweet was spectacular in setting the fastest qualifying time of the series-high 55 entries, but flipped on the opening lap of the feature. At the end of the 30-lapper, four Mopar drivers scored top-10 finishes, with Hagen, Coons and Bacon filling the fifth through seventh spots, respectively, and Gardner in ninth. Sweet finished 25th.

"Indiana Sprint Week" concludes with dates at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell(July 17), Bloomington Speedway (July 18) and Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt (July 19). For more info on the USAC Racing Series, visit usacracing.com.








  





                                                                      Monday June 23, 2008

  





 




Kasey Kahne Racing and Team Mopar driver Brad Sweet (shown below and above in-action) absolutely dominated during USAC Mopar Midget National Championship Series action at Iowa's storied Knoxville Speedway on June 20-21, seizing wins on both nights and leading a Mopar-powered sweep of the podium on Saturday.
Sweet Sweeps Knoxville, Team Mopar® Goes 1-2-3 on Saturday Podium

Two victories for a rising young star and a podium sweep for Team Mopar® highlighted the weekend of June 20-21, when the United States Auto Club (USAC) Mopar Midget National Championship visited Iowa's storied Knoxville Speedway. After winning Friday night's "King Doodlebug Classic," Brad Sweet and his Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 topped Jerry Coons Jr. (Wilke-Pak No. 11) and teammate Brady Bacon (KKR No. 99) in Saturday's "Pepsi/Mountain Dew Knoxville Midget Nationals."

For Sweet, a 22-year-old Californian in his first season driving for KKR, it was a stunning 24 hours. On Friday, he mounted a fierce charge and led the final four laps of the 20-lap feature, named in honor of the "doodlebug" handle given to Midget cars as they captured America's fancy in the 1930s and '40s. Aside from Sweet, Coons was Friday's top Mopar finisher, in fourth. Further back were Scott Hatton (18th), Don Droud Jr. (20th in J.J. Yeley's Midget), Bacon (23rd after flipping) and Bradley Galedrige (24th).

On Saturday, Sweet and fellow Mopar man Coons swapped the lead twice on a pair of late-race restarts, with Bacon hot on their heels as they contested one of America's most prestigious Midget events, jointly sanctioned by USAC, the Wisconsin-based Badger Midget Auto Racing Association, the Southern Midget Racing Series and the POWRi Midget group. Mopar Midgets led every inch of the way in the Saturday 25-lap main event, with Sweet out front on laps 1-17, Coons leading laps 18-19, and Sweet reasserting control until the end.

Sweet's Knoxville dominance boosted him to fifth in points in the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship, which reconvenes July 24 at O'Reilly Raceway Park, just outside Indianapolis. Coons holds sixth in the standings, with Bacon eighth. For more info on USAC Racing, visit the series' newly revamped Web site at usacracing.com.

   









Saldana Corrals Long-
Awaited Victory at Dodge City

It was only a matter of time! Kasey Kahne Racing driver Joey Saldana grabbed himself and Team Mopar their first World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series victory of the season on Friday, June 20, capturing the opening round of the two-night "Boot Hill Showdown" at the Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas. Completing a fine weekend, Saldana finished third in Saturday's finale.

Heading into the weekend, Saldana and his Budweiser/Open Joist machine, powered by a Speedway Engines-built Mopar, had recorded five runner-up finishes in 2008. The KKR veteran was surely growing weary of playing the bridesmaid. He rectified that with an electrifying Friday-night performance, outgunning Craig Dollansky as they fought through thick lapped traffic on the fast 3/8-mile oval.

Saldana led the opening six laps, surrendered the top spot to Dollansky, then retook the lead for good on lap 14. It was the 35th WoO A-main victory of Saldana's career, and the second at Dodge City for the popular Indiana veteran. Tire wear hampered Saldana on Saturday night, but he still termed his third-place run "a good, solid finish." He currently sits fourth in the WoO series standings.

Both Dodge City events were taped for broadcast on SPEED TV, with Saldana's victorious Friday run to air June 28 at 3 p.m. EDT. Saldana and the WoO series head next to the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. on June 27 and the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. on June 28. For more info on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit worldofoutlaws.com.
  

"I thought I had lost the race in lapped traffic. Traffic was just atrocious tonight, [but] this is a good win for us. The pressure has been on us, and there have been a lot of people that deserved this win: the team, the sponsors and everyone involved."

- Joey Saldana, on his Friday triumph at Dodge City Raceway Park. Saldana had come close to the winner's circle with five runner-up finishes in 2008 before breaking through at the Kansas track.










Gaines Advances to Fifth Semi of 2008 at E-Town

V. Gaines paced a six-car field of HEMI-powered Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stock cars with his fifth semifinals appearance of 2008 in the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. on Sunday.

Gaines unleashed a holeshot victory against Warren Johnson in the first round, posting a quick-draw .017 reaction time (.000 is perfect). He then matched up his Kendall Oil Dodge Stratus R/T against Jason Line in the quarterfinals, handing Line the loss. Gaines' solid run ended there, as he was dealt a defeat by Dave Connolly in the semis.

Larry Morgan steered his Lucas Oil Dodge Stratus R/T to the quarterfinals. Each of his two rounds of racing were decided by a matter of inches-with one outcome positive and one negative. Morgan beat another HEMI-powered driver, Justin Humphreys, in the opening stanza, getting to the stripe just 8 inches ahead of Humphreys. It was Morgan's turn to be on the short end of the measuring stick in his quarterfinals duel with event winner Greg Ande