quote:

Mopar Hemi Challenge race series opens at Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Mopar has renewed its agreement with NHRA to sponsor the NHRA Mopar Hemi Challenge race series, a wildly popular three-event schedule of events that will showcase the world’s fastest Super Stock cars.

The NHRA Mopar Hemi Challenge series will open at the 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Sept. 2-7. The Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas that are most associated with the series will compete for the lucrative $10,000 winner’s purse at the world’s most prestigious drag race during Labor Day weekend.

The NHRA Mopar Hemi Challenge also will be contested at the Jegs NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals, Sept. 25-27, at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio, and at the Dutch Classic, Oct. 22-25, at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading. Those events will pay the winner $5,000 apiece.

“The Mopar Hemi Challenge race series brings together the best SS/AA Hemi cars from all over the country to compete against each other in a program that continues to grow in popularity,” said Eric Lotz, NHRa director of field marketing and contingency program. “The $10,000 Hemi Challenge race at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals has grown into an annual must-see event for all Sportsman enthusiasts.”

All three NHRA Mopar Hemi Challenge races will be stand-alone events.

The defending champion of the NHRA Mopar Hemi Challenge at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil is Charlie Westcott Jr. Other drivers expected to compete in the series this season include past winner Bucky Hess, Larry Woo, Joe Teuton Jr., Rick Houser, Darrell Marvel, and Fred Henson.

“The Mopar Hemi Challenge illustrates the amazing dedication of the grassroots racers that are the core of the series,” said Jim Sassorossi, director of Mopar Global Parts sales and marketing, Chrysler LLC. “The dedicated racers who compete in the Mopar Hemi Challenge buy parts from a Dodge, Chrysler, or Jeep dealership and pour money, time, and sweat into their Mopar Hemi-powered race cars. They are great examples of the passion that exists in the drag racing community for the Mopar brand.”

'05 RCSB 1500 SLT 5.7 Hemi Ram - 4" ram air from fog light hole - Amsoil drop-in filter - AirAid MIT - Taylor shorty wires - FM 50HD SI/SO 3" Magnaflow y-pipe - General Grabber UHP 295/50 20 tires - Superchips Flashpaq 3815 - Motive 4.56 gears - Detroit Truetrac differential
Lakewood traction bars - PML differential cover - Best reaction time .011 @ Bowling Green
Best 1/8 mile 9.28 @ Bowling Green - Best 1/4 mile 14.51 @ Bowling Green - ETs before gears, DTT, traction bars, improved ram air, and y-pipe

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Mopar Hemi Challenge set for Sept. 4 at U.S. Nationals

The ninth edition of the Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals pits nearly two dozen of the famous SS/AH 1968 HEMI Darts and Barracudas against each other to see if Charlie Westcott Jr., will win his fourth Indy HEMI Challenge event in the last five years and collect the $10,000 payout.

Westcott Jr., the usual favorite in these events, has a brand-new ’68 HEMI Barracuda named War Fish running for the first time, so all eyes will be on him to see whether he will again be a threat. “The new car is ready and it’s running well,” said Westcott.

Westcott Jr.’s old War Fish (above) may be the winningest Super Stock HEMI in history, surpassing even the ’68 HEMI Barracudas of Ronnie Sox (1969 U.S. Nationals winner) and Arlen Vanke (1968 U.S. Nationals winner).

No matter what happens to Charlie this year on Friday, Sept. 4, chances are that the name Westcott will still be listed as one of the favorites. Charlie’s father, Charlie Westcott Sr., is also a fast runner. He holds the top speed record in the SS/AH class at just a tick below 160 mph.

The field also includes Melvin Daniels, a Yardley, Pa., dentist who won the most recent Mopar HEMI Challenge. Ohio Chrysler dealer and recent winner Jim Pancake will compete in his ’68 HEMI Dart, as will Dodge dealer Darrell Marvel of Big Rapids, Mich. Randy Warford of Nashville, Ind., will compete in his ’68 HEMI Barracuda and is also bringing a new Dodge Challenger Drag Pak by Mopar to run in A/Stock Automatic during the weekend.

The Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series will visit the Jegs Northern SPORTSnationals, Sept. 25–27, at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio, and the Dutch Classic, Oct. 22–25, at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. Each event offers $5,000 prize money to the winner.

'05 RCSB 1500 SLT 5.7 Hemi Ram - 4" ram air from fog light hole - Amsoil drop-in filter - AirAid MIT - Taylor shorty wires - FM 50HD SI/SO 3" Magnaflow y-pipe - General Grabber UHP 295/50 20 tires - Superchips Flashpaq 3815 - Motive 4.56 gears - Detroit Truetrac differential
Lakewood traction bars - PML differential cover - Best reaction time .011 @ Bowling Green
Best 1/8 mile 9.28 @ Bowling Green - Best 1/4 mile 14.51 @ Bowling Green - ETs before gears, DTT, traction bars, improved ram air, and y-pipe

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WESTCOTT TOPS INDY SS/AH
Written by Darren Jacobs
Thursday, 03 September 2009
Charlie Westcott, Jr., of Parma, Mich., leads a field of 21 Super Stock HEMI® Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas after final qualifying for the Mopar HEMI Challenge at the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Westcott, Jr., blistered the quarter mile track at O’Reilly Raceway Part at Indianapolis with an 8.491 second elapsed time in his 1968 HEMI Barracuda.

Westcott, Jr., has a bye run in the first round.

Jim Daniels, Yardley, Pa., drove his 1968 Dodge Dart HEMI to the second fastest time with an 8.519 second clocking. Daniels won the most recent Hemi Challenge at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.

Westcott’s father, Charlie Westcott, Sr., also of Parma, Mich., had third fast time at 8.571 seconds in his 1968 HEMI Barracuda. He and his son have met in the finals of previous Hemi Challenge events, with dad besting his son more often than not.

All cars in the class—Super Stock A Hemi, shortened to SS/AH—are HEMI-powered 1968 Dodge Darts or Plymouth Barracudas. The cars first won the class, then known as SS/BA, in 1968 at this same Indianapolis track.

Other qualifiers in the top ten include David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., Barracuda, 8.574; John Rains, Santa Paula, Calif., Dart, 8.612; Gary Wolkowitz, Annandale, N.J., Dart, 8.626; Stephen Hebert, Westlake, La., Barracuda, 8.627; Wendell Howes, Rathesay, Neb., Barracuda, 8.634; Randall Warford, Nashville, Ind., Barracuda, 8.714; Jim Pancake, Delaware, Ohio, Dart, 8.742.

Final eliminations for the class will be during the day, Friday, Sept. 4, with the final run early that evening.

'05 RCSB 1500 SLT 5.7 Hemi Ram - 4" ram air from fog light hole - Amsoil drop-in filter - AirAid MIT - Taylor shorty wires - FM 50HD SI/SO 3" Magnaflow y-pipe - General Grabber UHP 295/50 20 tires - Superchips Flashpaq 3815 - Motive 4.56 gears - Detroit Truetrac differential
Lakewood traction bars - PML differential cover - Best reaction time .011 @ Bowling Green
Best 1/8 mile 9.28 @ Bowling Green - Best 1/4 mile 14.51 @ Bowling Green - ETs before gears, DTT, traction bars, improved ram air, and y-pipe

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Westcott’s incredible thrash pays off with Hemi Challenge victory
Friday, September 04, 2009
by Kevin McKenna, National DRAGSTER Senior Editor

Years from now, drag racing fans will still be talking about Charlie Westcott Sr.’s unlikely, improbable, and amazing victory in the 2009 Mopar Hemi Challenge at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. Thrashing for more than an hour after wounding an engine in the semifinals, Westcott drove his War Fish Barracuda to a final-round victory over David Barton.

“Can you believe this?” said Westcott, who joined his son, Charlie Jr., as a champion in the specialty event, which is held each year at the U.S. Nationals. For the win, Westcott earned a $10,000 bonus from Mopar and the coveted Mac Tools U.S. Nationals SS/AH class champion’s trophy. “I certainly didn’t think we could do it. I broke the same valve in the same cylinder that I broke here two yeas ago. If it wasn’t for Charlie [Jr.] I wouldn’t even have tried to come back. I was ready to put it in the trailer, but he wouldn’t let me.”

Returning to the pit area after their semifinal bye run, the Westcott team quickly went to work, swapping the massive 426 Hemi engine from customer John Rains’ Heli-Hemi Dart into their Barracuda. Team owner Jim DeFrank quickly offered the use of his 18-wheel transporter to help facilitate the engine swap while a host of fellow racers and crew members all pitched in to help.

“At one point, someone told us we only had 15 minutes and we didn’t even have the engine in the car,” said Westcott. “I didn’t think we were going to make it until we finally got the engine started. This is the first time I’ve won this race, and it’s really great.”

In the case of a pit-area thrash, the number of things that can go wrong far outnumber the things that can go right, but Westcott made a clean run, leaving with a very competitive .013 light and running an 8.62. Ironically, it was Barton who had problems as his engine never revved when he floored the throttle, and the result was a very late .498 reaction time and an 8.80, well off his earlier 8.5-second pace.

“I don’t know why but it wouldn’t go up against the rev limiter,” said Barton. “I’m bummed because I really thought we had a great chance to win this deal again. My dad [Ray] has worked so hard on our engine program and the results have shown here. He didn’t even go to Reading [for the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals] which is a half-hour from our house because he was busy in the shop. I really wanted to win this for him. The last time I won here was in 2000 and that was the year before Mopar started the Hemi Challenge and paid $10,000 to the winner. I really wanted to win it again.”

In qualifying, it was the younger Westcott that assumed the favorite’s role with an 8.49 to take the top spot, and he appeared poised to take his third U.S. Nationals Hemi Challenge title in the last four years with an 8.53 in his round two win over Kevin Helms, but he also broke a valve, ending his day prematurely.

The elder Westcott qualified third quickest in the 21-car field and was solidly in the 8.5s during his wins against William Bales, Wendell Howes, and former Hemi Challenge winner Bucky Hess, who wounded his best engine two weeks ago in Reading and could only muster a string of 8.7s with his back-up.

Barton started from the No. 4 spot and cruised into the final by beating Dave Raybourn, Randy Warford, and John Rains. Barton also got a single run when Charlie Westcott Jr. broke in the quarterfinals in what would have been one of the most highly anticipated match-ups between two engine builders who don’t often see eye-to-eye.

“We didn’t have the quickest car here but we ran well and we have a reputation for building stuff that lasts,” said Barton. “I haven’t had this car out since last year’s Dutch Classic in October because we wanted everything to be right. The good thing about being so close to Charlie is that he’s going to be forced to lean on his equipment, and when he does that, he’s on the edge and it shows.”

'05 RCSB 1500 SLT 5.7 Hemi Ram - 4" ram air from fog light hole - Amsoil drop-in filter - AirAid MIT - Taylor shorty wires - FM 50HD SI/SO 3" Magnaflow y-pipe - General Grabber UHP 295/50 20 tires - Superchips Flashpaq 3815 - Motive 4.56 gears - Detroit Truetrac differential
Lakewood traction bars - PML differential cover - Best reaction time .011 @ Bowling Green
Best 1/8 mile 9.28 @ Bowling Green - Best 1/4 mile 14.51 @ Bowling Green - ETs before gears, DTT, traction bars, improved ram air, and y-pipe

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Indianapolis, Ind. (August 4, 2009) - The Westcott family, of Parma, Mich., pulled off another victory tonight in the Mopar® NHRA HEMI® Challenge at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Charlie Wescott, Sr., did it this time, in his 1968 Hemi Barracuda, besting David Barton, of Robesonia, Pa. Westcott needed an emergency engine swap between the semi-finals and the final round to get the win. He got that done thanks to his Son and his fellow Hemi Challenge competitors. This was a great example of camraderie that drag racers demonstrate when the situation arises.

Westcott Senior's Hemi dropped a valve on the bye run that put him into the finals. His son's engine had suffered a similar fate a round earlier putting the odds on favorite out of the race.
"I figured there was nothing we could do but go home," Westcott Sr. said, "but my son is a workaholic." Westcott Junior reclaimed a Mopar 426 Hemi engine he had just delivered to fellow SS/AH John Raines, of Santa Paula, Calif., and then moved Dad's Barracuda to another Super Stock racer's, Californian Jim DeFrank, well-equipped trailer to do a between round engine swap.Unlike Pro cars the SS/AH Hemi cars aren't designed to accomodate between round engine changes so what the Westcotts and their friends were attempting wasn't going to be easy.

With the help of many HEMI Challenge racers, the swap was completed in just ninety minutes, just in time to send the 'Cuda and 66 year old Charlie Westcott Sr to the starting line with a chance to win his first U.S. National win. The other finalist rival Hemi engine builder and racer David Barton was waiting in his Barracuda to take a bye run.

The race was decided at the leave when Charlie Westcott delivered his best reaction time of the race a stellar .013. Davin Barton's .049 RT put him way behind at the start and he simply didn't have the car to catch Westcott's Cuda. Although Barton had put a 8.55 on the board earlier that day he didn't come close to that in the finals. Wescott Sr, matched to the Hemi Challenge title with an 8.626 second run at 156.15 mph. Barton trailed with an 8.802 elapsed time and a speed of 152.87 mph.

Westcott Senior took home $10,000 for the victory, his first at the U.S. Nationals. and braging rights in the highly competitive SS/AH ranks. His son Charlie, Jr., has won three out of the last four Mopar Hemi Challenges in Indianapolis. Today's win makes it four out of the last five for the Westcotts.

"Jason Line came up to me after I won and said, ‘You give me something to look forward to when I get old,'" said the 66-year-old Westoctt, Sr. Line is a veteran Pro Stock champion.

Twenty-one 1968 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracudas participated in the Mopar Hemi Challenge this year. Entrants were from thirteen states across the U.S., ranging from New Jersey to California and from Minnesota to Louisiana.

'05 RCSB 1500 SLT 5.7 Hemi Ram - 4" ram air from fog light hole - Amsoil drop-in filter - AirAid MIT - Taylor shorty wires - FM 50HD SI/SO 3" Magnaflow y-pipe - General Grabber UHP 295/50 20 tires - Superchips Flashpaq 3815 - Motive 4.56 gears - Detroit Truetrac differential
Lakewood traction bars - PML differential cover - Best reaction time .011 @ Bowling Green
Best 1/8 mile 9.28 @ Bowling Green - Best 1/4 mile 14.51 @ Bowling Green - ETs before gears, DTT, traction bars, improved ram air, and y-pipe