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HEMI® Engines are Revved Up for Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway

Lisa — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:01:21 +0000

A full slate of activities for the Mopar Mile High National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Nationals was kicked off on Thursday morning at Red Rocks Park, a dramatic geological formation near Bandimere Speedway, by the firing-up of the Don Schumacher Racing Dodge (DSR) Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan in order to “wake-up Denver” and let fans know Mopar drivers and teams are in town and revving to get the weekend started.

The Mopar Express Lane Crew helmed by team owner Don Schumacher warmed up the Funny Car, which features a special 50th anniversary tribute to the legendary 426 Race HEMI^®engine for this weekend’s national event, in front of fans in the early morning hours with the sounds of the 10,000 horsepower HEMI-powered Dodge Charger R/T echoing off the picturesque rocks surrounding the amphitheater plaza at Red Rocks. The 35th edition of Mopar’s signature event will be held at the Bandimere’s family quarter-mile Thunder Mountain drag strip at 5800 feet above sea level on July 18-20.

“We wanted to find a fun way to start the weekend off with some HEMI thunder of our own,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand, who was in attendance for the warm-up. “After celebrating 25 years of title sponsorship of this fantastic event in 2013, this year our focus is on commemorating the 50th anniversary of the iconic 426 Race HEMI. The legendary engine is still such a vital part of Mopar’s heritage and a key ingredient in the success we’ve had at Bandimere Speedway over these years. We’re very proud to be able to continue and add to that that legacy thanks to the hard work of our Mopar teams in Pro Stock and Funny Car classes.”

“We’re proud of the success the legendary HEMI engine continues to have on race tracks as that is what persistently reinforces the quality of the Mopar brand, not just making it synonymous with the sought after muscle car but also with quality service and parts,” Gorlier said. “We are especially proud to invite the father of the HEMI, Tom Hoover, to join us in that celebration as Grand Marshall of the Mopar Mile High Nationals.”

Widely regarded as the “Father of the 426 HEMI,” Tom Hoover spearheaded a performance revolution during his decades of service with Chrysler Corporation, playing an instrumental role in the creation of early racing programs, iconic engines and products that still fuel the Mopar and Dodge brands to this day.

In addition to his work on the 426 HEMI “elephant” engine — so nicknamed for its size, strength and power — Hoover also was instrumental in the development of early Funny Cars, small block engine NHRA Pro Stock cars and a long list of additional performance parts. Hoover was also a founding member of the Ramchargers race team, the legendary group of drag racers/Chrysler Corporation employees whose passion for quarter-mile competition helped launch the company’s motorsports program during the dawn of the performance era.

To complete the countdown to this weekend’s national event will be the 13th edition of the popular Mopar Block Party festivities held on Thursday, July 17th, from 6 to 10 p.m. (MT) between 11th and 13th street in downtown Golden, Colo. where fans are invited to take part in a large variety of free activities.

They include an All-Mopar driver autograph session featuring five-time and defending title winner, Allen Johnson, five-time and reigning NHRA Pro Stock World Champion, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and runner-up the last two years at Bandimere Speedway, V. Gaines. Also joining the factory Mopar Hot Rod drivers will be 2011 Funny Car Champion Matt Hagan and 2012 Champ Jack Beckman, teammate Tommy Johnson Jr., as well as DSR Top Fuel drivers Tony Schumacher and Spencer Massey.

On display will be Mopar’s NHRA race cars, classic cars and special display vehicles, as well as Mopar product demonstrations. The evening will be hosted by local radio personality Willie B. of KBPI 106.7 FM and highlights will also include a live concert with local Golden vendors offering food and drink for purchase. Also broadcasting live from the street party will be Kurt Hansen’s “Race Central Radio on Yahoo Sports, ESPN Sports Radio And KFNX AM 100 Phoenix presented By Office Liquidators, Tuff Shed and Bandimere Speedway”.

As Mopar teams prepare to hit the track at scenic Rocky Mountain drag strip there is plenty of anticipation for the event that serves as the opener of the NHRA western swing, which includes stops in Sonoma, California, and Seattle, Washington. Last year, the Roy Johnson tuned Pro Stock HEMI engines swept the western swing and are hoping to repeat the feat starting with a win at the Mopar Mile High Nationals

The odds favour Allen Johnson who has been the king of Thunder Mountain earning five wins (2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2007), four No. 1 Qualifier award, seven straight final round appearances and has posted nine out of the ten fastest passes at this track. He and Mopar teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr, along with HEMI-powered hometown favorite, V. Gaines, will be taking their new Dodge Dart hot rods down the track for the first time since their debut earlier this season.

In Funny Car, Hagan would like to take his HEMI 50th anniversary Mopar to the winners circle for this first time while Beckman would like to add a victory to the two titles earned in 2012 and 2007 and three final round appearances in the past seven years. Tommy Johnson Jr. has seen victory circle at Bandimere Speedway in other classes but will work to take his Funny Car Dodge Charger R/T there this weekend while Ron Capps, who stands third in the Funny Car points, would love to use a win in Denver to propel him further up the standings.

ESPN2 will provide coverage of the Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals with two hours of qualifying highlights on Saturday, July 19 starting at 11 p.m. (ET). Three and a half hours of elimination round coverage will air on Sunday, July 20, starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET).

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TI Automotive to Serve as Primary Sponsor for No. 91 Viper at Indianapolis

Lisa — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 18:59:29 +0000

New Partner TI Automotive Joins SRT Motorsports as Team Associate Sponsor for Remainder of 2014

July 16, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. – TI Automotive will serve as the primary sponsor for the SRT (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, July 25.As part of the agreement, TI Automotive, a leading global supplier of automotive fluid systems, will partner with SRT Motorsports as a team associate sponsor for the remainder of the 2014 season.“TI Automotive is proud to be a partner with the SRT Motorsports team, as it provides us an opportunity to move our technical relationship with SRT engineers from the street to the track,” said Al Deane, chief technology officer for TI Automotive. ‘Our involvement in the series will also introduce TI Automotive to a wider audience by supporting an iconic race car at a truly iconic race track. We look at this sponsorship as fueling our mutual passion for street and racing technology development.”

TI Automotive currently supplies the high-performance fuel pump module system to the production Viper and the recently released Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. The fuel delivery module system features the Automotive News PACE Award-winning Dual-Channel Single-Stage (DCSS) fuel pump, one of the industry’s highest-performing fuel pumps. This fuel delivery design enables the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat to be the fastest and most powerful muscle car in history with 707 horsepower.

“On behalf of SRT Motorsports, I’d like to welcome TI Automotive to the team as sponsors of the No. 91 Viper SRT GTS-R,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, SRT Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “It’s exciting to see TI Automotive, who is a great partner on the product side, grow to support our Viper racing program and we look forward to working with them as a partner for the remainder of the 2014 season. As part of the sponsorship, a unique livery has been created for the No. 91 Viper to showcase the TI Automotive colors at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

In honor of the new partnership, the No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R will sport a new livery for the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The vehicle will feature a white body with a bold, bright green stripe outlined in dark blue from nose to tail. TI Automotive’s blue-and-green Fluid thinking icon will sit atop the roof and on other key points across the vehicle.

“We think the SRT Motorsports group came up with a great look for a race car,” said Deane. “It’s certainly something that our 24,000 employees in 130 worldwide locations will be thrilled to see and cheer for. We look forward to seeing it on the track and in the winner’s circle.”

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Wittmer to Pilot Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R in Toronto’s World Challenge

Lisa — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 17:27:08 +0000

SRT Motorsports and Kuno Wittmer to Compete in Pirelli World Challenge Toronto Doubleheader

SRT® (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports and driver Kuno Wittmer will make a surprise entry into the upcoming Pirelli World Challenge Championship Series doubleheader race weekend in Toronto in a Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R that will compete in events on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20.

Wittmer, a native of Montreal, will pilot an all-new No. 92 Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R prepared by Riley Technologies in the ninth and 10th rounds of the sports car championship on the downtown Toronto street circuit in an effort to promote the SRT Motorsports’ customer Viper GT3-R racing program.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun to have Kuno step into the Pirelli World Challenge and test his skills in the Viper GT3-R against the top class in the series,” said Ralph Gilles, CEO of SRT Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “This is a test Viper that Riley Technologies prepared and we see this race as an opportunity to showcase our customer program. We’ve had success in the series with Dan Knox taking the Viper to the winner’s circle during the Detroit race weekend and we want to continue building momentum with our Viper GT3-R program.”

Knox, who competes full-time in the World Challenge in the No. 80 Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R, ranks third in the GT-A class standings and claimed the Viper GT3-R’s first series victory in a May race on Detroit’s Belle Isle circuit.

Wittmer will compete in the World Challenge’s GT class in Toronto one week after racing at nearby Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport) for an IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship event in the No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R, his full-time ride, on July 13. The native of Canada has tallied three podium finishes in six starts in the IMSA TUDOR series in 2014 and won the pole position for the Mosport race.

“I believe that the Viper GT3-R is a benchmark car across the world,” said Wittmer. “The Viper has a lot of potential and this is a great opportunity to showcase the car in the GT class.”

Wittmer previously competed in the World Challenge from 2008 to 2010 and tallied six victories in the series, including two Viper wins in Salt Lake City and Long Beach, Calif.

SRT’s Matt Bejnarowicz will serve as the lead engineer for the No. 92 Viper GT3-R entry. Bejnarowicz currently serves as the lead engineer for Wittmer’s IMSA TUDOR Viper and the pair previously worked together in the same roles in the World Challenge in 2009 and 2010.

“I spent a lot of time in the World Challenge as a race engineer and for me it’s like going back home,” said Bejnarowicz. “That’s where Kuno and I met and he had a lot of talent and potential. We ended up getting paired up, cut our teeth together and we’ve been together since. It will be like the old days – a lot of fun and we’re going to try to put the Viper up front.”

The Toronto race weekend is the only scheduled appearance for Wittmer and the No. 92 Viper GT3-R entry in the World Challenge. Knox will continue to run the full series schedule in pursuit of the GT-A class championship for Lone Star Racing and the Viper GT3-R racing program.

“Since his first race with us in 2006, we have enjoyed watching Kuno race. We look forward to seeing him racing on the Toronto street course,” said Scott Bove, president and CEO for Pirelli World Challenge/ WC Vision.

The ninth and 10th rounds of the Pirelli World Challenge will be contested at 11:25 a.m. EDT on Saturday, July 19 and 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, July 20. The race television broadcast will be aired on NBC Sports Network on August 10 at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

Additional Quotes from SRT® Driver Kuno Wittmer

Kuno Wittmer, driver of the No. 92 Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R
Are you excited to enter the Toronto doubleheader?
“It’s definitely a great step for the Viper program. I think the Pirelli World Challenge has evolved a lot over the past four or five years. The last time I raced in it was 2010 and it was already very competitive. Seeing how the championship has grown, it’s more competitive in all the right ways and it will be fun.”

Is it realistic to think you can win in your first appearance in the series since 2010?
“We can’t forget that this is a one-off appearance on a street course and we don’t get much track time. It’s tough. There are half hour sessions and if you get a red flag from another class, you can lose a lot of track time. It’s very vital that we get all our laps in as quick as we can, get the right setup right away and it’s going to be very, very important that everything goes as perfectly as possible. Luckily, it’s two races and not just one race – it’s a doubleheader, so we can afford to play around a little bit. Ideally, we would like to win. But let’s be realistic, get a solid result and showcase what this car can do.”

Is the purpose of this entry to showcase the Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R program?
“That’s exactly the purpose – to showcase this Viper GT3-R. The thought is, ‘Hey, there’s a Viper here that’s being built by Riley Technologies, so let’s show what it can do.’ This Viper has been on the market for sale to race teams and drivers for less than a year and we need to start showcasing that this car is a very competitive car against world class manufacturers and talent.”

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SRT Hellcat Challenger Runs 11.2 w/ Factory Tires & 10.8 w/ Drag Radials

Lisa — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:26:47 +0000

2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: The Fastest Muscle Car Ever With A 1/4-Mile Elapsed Time of 11.2 Seconds (10.8 Seconds with Drag Radials)

Watch the video here: http://youtu.be/28krt9RCFj8

Dodge is giving its Challenger owners full on bragging rights at the drag strip and racing to the front line of the horsepower wars with its new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the fastest muscle car ever with a National Hot Rod Association-certified ¼-mile elapsed time of 11.2 seconds at 125 miles per hour (mph) with stock Pirelli P275/40ZR20 P Zero tires. With drag radials, the run dropped to just 10.8 seconds at 126 mph!“It wasn’t long ago that a 10-second car, was a full-on race car. The new 2015 Dodge Challenger raises the bar to a level some of us never thought we’d see,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO, Dodge and SRT Brands. “With the new Challenger SRT Hellcat, we’re reaching deep into our history and bringing back the notion from the muscle car era of the street and strip dual-purpose car. Not only can Challenger run 10s on the drag strip, but you can also fit your family and drive cross country. This new 2015 Dodge Challenger is the ultimate GT muscle car.”The fastest muscle car ever is also the most powerful muscle car ever, thanks to the Challenger SRT’s HEMI Hellcat, which delivers an unprecedented 707 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque. The Challenger’s new 6.2-liter Supercharged Hellcat HEMI engine is also the first factory supercharged HEMI.

In addition to the awe-inspiring 707 horsepower of the new Hellcat HEMI, the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has been redesigned and totally re-engineered to be the most true-to-form muscle coupe on the market with performance-enhancing technologies inside and out, including the new TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual and an all-new interior inspired by the classic 1971 Challenger.

The Dodge and SRT brands now offer the most complete lineup of muscle cars in the market, including the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SXT with its standard powerful and fuel-efficient Pentastar V-6 engine combined with the TorqueFlite eight-speed transmission that delivers 300 horsepower and an estimated 30 miles per gallon; the 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T with the high-torque 5.7-liter HEMI now paired with the TorqueFlite eight-speed or six-speed manual transmission; and the all-new 6.4-liter HEMI Challenger Scat Pack that delivers 485 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of torque with the TorqueFlite eight-speed or six-speed manual.

The 2015 Dodge Challenger and Challenger SRTs are built at the Brampton, Ontario, Assembly Plant and will start arriving in Dodge dealerships in the third quarter of 2014.

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Viper Team w/ 2 Podiums Finishes at The Glen

Lisa — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 03:06:57 +0000

SRT Motorsports Post-Race Report – Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen

SRT (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports brought classic Viper Red livery back in a big way by doubling up on podiums in Dodge’s return to major league sports car racing in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen where the team’s Dodge Viper SRT GTS-Rs finished second and third in Sunday’s race on the New York’s Watkins Glen International circuit.

No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R driver Marc Goossens chased race winner Antonio Garcia to the checkered flag in a thrilling one-lap dash to the finish, crossing the line a scant .185 of a second behind to earn runner-up honors with co-driver Dominik Farnbacher. The sister No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R, with Jonathan Bomarito at the wheel, then crossed under the checkered flag just two seconds later for a third-place showing with co-driver Kuno Wittmer.

Both Dodge Viper SRT GTS-Rs worked towards the front in the first hour with Kuno Wittmer taking the lead 52 minutes into the race, and both teams would battle non-stop for the victory for the entirety of the race’s final three hours. All four drivers led at least one lap in the race and Dodge Viper SRT GTS-Rs led seven different times in the race’s six hours for a combined total of 21 laps in front of the GTLM class.

The double podium was the second for SRT Motorsports since returning to major-league sports car racing in 2012. In last year’s race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Canada, Goossens and Farnbacher finished second in the No. 91 and Bomarito and Wittmer took third in the No. 93. Following the double podium in Canada, SRT Motorsports claimed its first victory in the next race at Wisconsin’s Road America, the team’s first since returning to competition in 2012.

The Watkins Glen results kept a perfect podium streak going for SRT Motorsports in this year’s IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship endurance races. The No. 91 team finished third in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and the No. 93 squad finished second at the 12 Hours of Sebring. With today’s results, SRT is the only manufacturer to have a podium finisher in each of the three endurance events run to date. The final endurance race of the year, and the closing round of the North American Endurance Cup, is October’s season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

SRT Motorsports next competes in the SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario near Toronto on Sunday, July 13. The event on the 2.459-mile circuit is the sixth event for the GTLM class in the 2014 season. The race can be seen live on FOX Sports 1 at 2 p.m. EDT/11 a.m. PDT.

SRT Motorsports Driver and Team Quotes

Marc Goossens, driver, No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R
How would you describe today’s race?
“It was an interesting race. I really took it easy at the beginning of the race because there was a lot of fighting going on – a lot of door banging in the beginning, which I didn’t think was worth getting involved with and the car was good at the end. It’s a shame the yellow came out because the 3 car already confirmed to me that they were not going to make it on fuel. But then again, it happened to us last year at Road America. That’s part of racing. That’s part of the strategy, the gambling and they had a great car. They pulled away on every restart, so I think they did a great job. For us, I think the team did awesome. Pit stops were – the first one was maybe not the best, but all the others were spot on and I can’t thank the SRT guys enough for giving us such a great car. I’d also like to thank my teammate for driving a fast race, but also a clean race, which makes it easier at the end if you’re in for that final double stint. It did get to me physically, but I don’t think I was the only one doing double stints that was struggling at the end. We should be pretty happy coming away from here with second and third place and both cars on the podium.”

How did the heat and humidity impact the race?
“It was hot and I tried to find that little bit of extra power there at the end by turning off the AC for a little bit at the restart and you can’t describe how the heat gets to you at that point, but you have to get going. It’s a shame that a prototype dive-bombed me on the inside of turn one on the second-to-last restart because I think I could have made a good run on the 3 car. It’s also shame the last yellow came out because I was going to be in a position to put pressure on him. To bring this Dodge team back to the podium the first time we’re in the red-and-white livery, I think we should be very pleased with that.”

Dominik Farnbacher, driver, No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R
What did you think of today’s race?
“It was up and down, up and down. We were a little bit unlucky at the end with the cautions. It allowed the leader to make it on fuel. It was really, really tight at the end. It was a little bit overwhelming. Marc (Goossens) did two double stints in the car, which was really tough on him. He did a great job. I’m really proud of my team – the mechanics, Bill (Riley) and all the guys for having an awesome strategy.”

How does it feel to finish on the podium with your teammates?
“We both finished on the podium at Mosport last year and now we’ve done it again – second and third here at Watkins Glen. It’s awesome. It’s great for the points and great for the team.”

Jonathan Bomarito, driver, No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R
How was your race today?
“It was tough, hot and challenging both physically and mentally. The guys did a great job. We have two Vipers on the podium – second and third – and we did it in a tough race. It was six hours on a tough course with a lot of traffic, but I’m really happy with the crew. We worked hard on the car today making changes and we had one of the fastest cars at the end. It’s a shame we lost a little bit of track position because I think we had something to fight with at the end. It was good. I’m happy. We earned great points and we’ll move on to the next one and I think we’ll be real strong at Mosport as well.”

Kuno Wittmer, driver, No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R
How tough was today’s event?
“The conditions were exhausting. My body just was not acclimating to the heat today. I was rejecting everything I put in my stomach. I have no explanation for it other than I drove my heart out when I was in the car. I tried forgetting about everything and I had the adrenaline level to compensate for all the issues going on with my body today. Either way, we finished second and third. We opted not to go to Le Mans to focus on this championship and here we are finishing second and third after a good month break during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Everything is paying off and everything is moving in the right direction now.”

Would the Vipers have caught the winner if it weren’t for the caution?
“Yeah, we were going to get them. We definitely would have gotten them. I think we out-foxed a lot of teams today with fuel strategy considering that I got sick and the conditions and the yellows that we had, which were very limited. The crew is really, really good and the engineering is really sharp at determining new strategies as we go along. That’s really, really important at this point of the year. We’re just at the midpoint of the season.”

How do you feel moving forward to Mosport?
“I think we can aim for the highest step on the podium from now on. Not that we aren’t already, but the fact that we got so close and we were working really well together on track is encouraging. When I was racing with Marc (Goossens) or Dominik (Farnbacher) on track with the 91 Viper, we were just dancing together through the corners. We weren’t doing anything stupid, we didn’t not take any major risks and we were working as teammates and that’s what we need to keep doing.”

Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of SRT Motorsports
What do you take away from today’s race?
“It was an excellent race for us. The vehicle demonstrated winning capability throughout the whole race and we found our groove. It seemed like at the back end of the stints our tires would come in and the cars would really grip and be consistent. Traffic was a challenge. The guys did a nice job racing through a lot of back markers. It was a very exciting race to watch, but it was bittersweet. We know that with couple more laps we could have had the win. We finished with less than half a car length between P1 and P2, but I couldn’t think of a better way to run today going from P5 and P6 to where we finished. I’m really proud of this team and how far we’ve come in the last few months.”

Why have the Vipers had continued success in the endurance format?
“The Viper seems to be pretty bullet proof. We’ve had some very good runs and a lot of great reliability. Nothing went wrong and the pit stops were near perfect. Just a little bad luck here or there with regards to traffic, but otherwise the cars ran great. Endurance racing is the ultimate proof of mettle.”

Bill Riley, lead engineer, No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R
How was your race?
“The good thing is the Dodge Viper was really strong. The paint scheme is great and the fans loved it. We had a good day and great strategy. Those last two yellows just hurt us and I think we would have had them and we worked hard on saving fuel the whole race so that we could play that strategy out. Unfortunately it just didn’t play out for us today.”

Did you change strategies during the race?
“When we saw what was happening with some of the cars speed wise, we figured this is what we need to do, but it started pretty early. We were surprised at the beginning of the race how few yellows there were and we thought it was going to go green for long periods of time, so we backed the strategy up pretty far on saving fuel to see if we could make it.”

Matt Bejnarowicz, lead engineer, No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R
How was your race?
“I don’t think you can complain about two and three. We’ve been hunting for that top spot for a while. Coming out with the classic look kind of reminds me of the old days when I started with the Viper racing program back in 1998 and 1999. For me, I don’t know how you can complain about two spots on the podium with the classic colors.”

How significant is today’s finish?
“I think this is a good result, especially in an endurance race. I think what you’re seeing is that we tend to do pretty well in the endurance races and I think a lot of that is the strategy and the engineering that puts us in that position. I don’t know that we were the fastest cars out there, so we had to really think about how we could in position to win that race and I think the 91 did a really good job of that. I’m pretty sure if that yellow didn’t come out they would have probably ended up in front.”

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Long Beach: SRT Pre-Race Release

Lisa — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 01:11:17 +0000

SRT Motorsports Pre-Race Release – Sports Car Showcase at the Long Beach Street Circuit

After claiming a pair of podium finishes and a pole in the season’s opening two endurance races, SRT (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports will look to continue its success on Saturday, April 12 at the Long Beach Street Circuit, a track where the team achieved a number of firsts during the 2013 season. Run on Saturday, April 12, the Sports Car Showcase in Long Beach, Calif., will be the third event of the 2014 IMSA TUDOR United Sports Car Championship (TUSC).

In the team’s inaugural appearance in Long Beach in 2013, SRT Motorsports claimed its first pole position when Dominik Farnbacher recorded a record time on the track of 1:18.845 (89.857 mph). The No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R of Farnbacher and Marc Goossens finished third in the race, the team’s first-ever podium finish. While the success at Long Beach in 2013 propelled the two-car team to continued success in 2013, including a win, five podiums and three poles, SRT returns to Long Beach with momentum coming off an even stronger start to the 2014 season. The Sports Car Showcase will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 on April 12 at 6 p.m. EDT.

SRT Motorsports Storylines for Long Beach

FIRSTS AT LONG BEACH: SRT Motorsports tallied three team firsts at Long Beach in 2013. Dominik Farnbacher claimed the team’s first-ever pole position when he posted a GT class track record lap of 1:18.845 (89.857 mph) in the No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R. The No. 91 team of Farnbacher and Goossens went on to finish third in the event, the team’s first podium finish, and held the overall lead for two laps in the event, also a first for the two-car team.

STREAKING SUCCESS: The SRT Motorsports team arrives in Long Beach, coming off consecutive podium finishes – one by each Viper team – in the season-opening endurance races in Florida. After winning the pole for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the No. 91 team with endurance race addition Ryan Hunter-Reay, finished third, and all six SRT drivers led the GTLM class in the race. In the next event, The Twelve Hours of Sebring, the No. 93 Viper finished second with drivers Jonathan Bomarito, Kuno Wittmer and endurance addition Rob Bell, and four Viper drivers led the GTLM class during the race. Dating back to the fifth race of the 2013 season, the two-car SRT team has totaled six podium finishes in the last nine events, including a win and three pole positions during that span.

LONG BEACH VICTORIES: In 2010, Wittmer captured a World Challenge event victory at Long Beach when he led flag-to-flag in a Dodge Viper Competition Coupe after winning the pole position, his first pole in the World Challenge GT class. Prior to joining SRT Motorsports in 2012, Farnbacher claimed a GT2 class victory at the track in 2008. After starting 17th overall, Farnbacher and his co-driver picked up four positions during the sprint race to finish 13th overall and first in the GT2 class.

SPRINTING TO THE FINISH: The TUSC race at Long Beach presents a new challenge for race teams coming off consecutive endurance battles – a sprint race on a street circuit. After 24-hour and 12-hour events, the series will battle on Long Beach’s 1.968-mile street circuit for only 100 minutes – an event that is less than seven percent of the length of the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Dominik Farnbacher, driver, No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R
Does SRT Motorsports have momentum entering Long Beach?
“We’ve had a very good start to the season with podiums for both cars in Daytona and Sebring. The Viper GTS-R is solid and our results are strong in a very competitive class. Long Beach was a good one for us last year and we feel encouraged heading back to the street circuit. We definitely know how to set-up a car at Long Beach because we had the pole position last year. After a third and second place so far this year, we badly want to reach the top step of the podium at Long Beach.”

How special was last year’s pole at Long Beach?
“It was the first pole for SRT Motorsports and it was good. I remember when I got out of the car everyone jumped on me. It was a great experience. It was important for the team and for that race. At circuits like Long Beach, they are only two-hour races – they are more or less sprint races for us and it’s very important to be in the top spot because it’s hard to overtake. It was important for us to be on the pole and lead the field for the first time and in that race.”

Marc Goossens, driver, No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R
What experience do you have at Long Beach?
“Believe it or not, I have very little experience at Long Beach. Last year was my first time there. With the minimum amount of track time, I didn’t get to do that many laps. Dominik (Farnbacher, co-driver) qualified our car and took the pole position in 2013. My job was to start up front and remain in the lead until the driver change. I managed to do so and Dom drove a great race to score our first podium finish since the Viper’s return to this level of racing. Although I have very little experience there, I already have some good memories.”

Jonathan Bomarito, driver, No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R
How would you describe the Long Beach race?
“Long Beach is fun. It’s enjoyable for me for a lot of reasons: a lot of friends and family get to come to that race, whether they’re traveling down from Monterey or already in Southern California; it’s a fun atmosphere; the weather is usually nice and hopefully it will be this year. It’s just a good event. For the fans, it’s a big party and for the racers it’s one of the best street courses there is, so it’s a lot of fun.”

What is the circuit like from the driver’s seat?
“Long Beach is a street course. It’s pretty bumpy. Street courses are typically a lot of 90-degree corners, relatively slow speed, but Long Beach actually incorporated some pretty long straightaways, some medium-to-higher speed corners and then you have the famous, really slow-speed hairpin leading on to the big, front straightaway. It’s a fun track. To be quick there, the car has to deal with the bumps, have good power down on the low-speed corner and still have some stability in the medium speed stuff.”

Kuno Wittmer, driver, No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R
Why do you enjoy the Long Beach race weekend?
“I love Long Beach. Ever since I won there in 2010 in a Viper Competition Coupe, the track has held a special place to my heart. Looking back at last year, we did very well there, so Long Beach is a circuit that I am strongly looking forward to. Throughout my racing career I have always enjoyed short race weekends. I know that the teams, our tire sponsor Michelin and the engineers would like to see more track time, but there is always something special about a good old fashioned sprint race where you are flat out at 110 percent.”

Matt Bejnarowicz, lead engineer, No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R
What makes Long Beach challenging?
“Long Beach is a very tough race. The race time is very short, so you must be mistake free – there is simply no opportunity to recover for any mistake whether driver, crew or strategy. Passing is very difficult and damage can occur very quickly – typically due to the hedges in the fountain corner. Historically, Long Beach is won by the team with the best strategy in the race. Because track position is so crucial, the timing stand needs to make the best strategic decisions to capitalize from any yellow flag conditions and the pit crew needs to be flawless to ensure no positions are relinquished on the one or two pit stops that the race will see. The engineering staff needs to setup the car to absorb the very rough street circuit and protect the tires for a long stint. Finally, the driver needs to be aggressive but make smart quick decisions. Starting from the front row on the grid is of course an advantage as well.”

What did it mean to win the pole and take a podium at Long Beach last season?
“Last year was a very special moment when we claimed the pole and climbed the podium for the first time. It was a firm confirmation that we were moving up in the competition and the result of hard work by many people. We knew we were on the right track after Petit Le Mans the previous year and also at Sebring, but we finally proved it at Long Beach 2013. It was a well-needed boost for the entire team.”

SRT Motorsports Team Lineup for the Long Beach Street Circuit

No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R
Driver: Dominik Farnbacher (Germany)
Driver: Marc Goossens (Belgium)
Lead Engineer: Bill Riley

No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R
Driver: Jonathan Bomarito (United States)
Driver: Kuno Wittmer (Canada)
Lead Engineer: Matt Bejnarowicz

Race Information
Name: Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach (race three of 11 for GTLM)
Date: April 12, 2014
Time: 6:10 p.m. EDT for 100 minutes
Track: Long Beach Street Circuit in Long Beach, Calif., 1.968 miles
Broadcast Information: FOX Sports 1 at 6 p.m. EDT, pre-race show begins at 5:40 p.m. EDT on IMSA.com

The post Long Beach: SRT Pre-Race Release appeared first on Modern Mopar Magazine.

SRT Viper Sebring Winter Test Report

Lisa — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 00:17:42 +0000

No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R Records Third-Fastest Overall Lap in GTLM

The SRT ® (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R recorded the third-fastest overall GTLM-class lap time of 2:00.496 (111.738 mph) during two days of testing at Sebring International Raceway that concluded on Friday in preparation for the upcoming 12 Hours of Sebring, March 12 – 15.

SRT Motorsports drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Marc Goossens participated in all four scheduled practice sessions in the No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R on Thursday and Friday. Each day featured morning and afternoon test sessions that spanned more than two hours each in preparation for the second event of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship schedule at Florida’s legendary Sebring road course.

The SRT Motorsports No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R recorded the third-fastest GTLM overall lap time of 2:00.496 (111.738 mph) across four test sessions in Thursday afternoon’s test. The lap was also the second-quickest GTLM time of that session.
The team’s second-best showing in one of the sessions came in Friday afternoon’s fourth and final practice of the test when the No. 93 SRT Viper team posted a best lap time of 2:01.099 (111.182 mph) to rank fifth among GTLM entries.
The two-day test was the final IMSA-sanctioned GTLM test session for series competitors prior to the 12 Hours of Sebring, March 12 – 15.
The SRT Viper GTS-Rs finished fifth and 10th at Sebring in 2013 and the race marked the first event in the first-full season for SRT Motorsports since returning to sports car racing with the Viper.
In the 2014 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, the No. 91 and 93 Viper GTS-Rs finished third and sixth, respectively, and the No. 91 claimed the GTLM pole position. Both SRT Viper entries and all six SRT Motorsports drivers led the GTLM class during the race.
The No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R did not participate in the Sebring Winter Test.

SRT Motorsports Driver and Team Quotes

Jonathan Bomarito, driver, No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R
How was the test?
“It was a very positive test just from a systems point of view. We had a lot of things to try – not necessarily making the car go as quick as we could. Toward the end of the day, we started putting all those pieces together and working on pace and race stuff, but we got through a lot of stuff. The guys did an awesome job. The car ran perfect for two days and I think we have a good race car. A couple of our competitors went pretty quick there at the end, but we’re still pretty optimistic and positive looking forward.”

What did you learn in last year’s 12 Hours of Sebring?
“Last year in the 93 car was my first 12 Hours of Sebring. It’s a tough race. You think, ‘Oh, well 12 hours is half as long as a 24, so it should be half as hard.’ It’s equally as hard as a 24-hour race. It’s very physical. It’s bumpy. It’s usually pretty warm and humid and takes a toll on the man and machine, but I learned a lot as a driver what to do physically for the race. We had some bad luck here last year. We had a drive pin issue – we lost some laps and it kind of ended our race – but we pushed through and we had a good car and I feel very confident for the race coming up.”

Marc Goossens, driver, No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R
How did you prepare for the test?
“In the beginning of this week, we were in Markham close to Toronto for simulator work. Spent some good time with Kuno (Wittmer, co-driver of the No. 91) together and Matt (Bejnarowicz, lead engineer of the No. 93), Jim Kasprzak (track engineer for the No. 93) and Tyler (Hook, track engineer for the No. 91) were there to help with engineering. We learned a lot in the simulator and then we came here, carried it over, tried to confirm and then take on the next step with regards to the testing program. I think everything is on schedule. We just have to bridge that gap to the leaders now.”

How was the test?
“We were kind of surprised by the speed the top guys were doing in GTLM – really surprised – but then again, you never know what people are testing when you come here for two days. We had a nice test program laid out prior to coming here. I’m not going to tell you that we panicked yesterday, but that first morning session with all the red flags there was a lot of stoppages going on. We were kind of worried that if that would have kept going on for two days we would have a hard time going through our program. Luckily enough today, the weather stayed good and we didn’t have so many red flags. From everything that we worked on prior to coming here – the whole program that we lined up – we could go through all that. With what we learned and what we found for an ideal platform, we could actually start working on fine-tuning toward the end, but it’s all a matter of what the track conditions are. Yesterday to today with the heat, it was such a big difference. Once again, we were very, very surprised about the performance of the guys in the front. Hopefully we have enough for them by the team we come here for the race.”

Bill Riley, lead engineer, No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R
How was the test?
“I think the team worked well. The cars all ran pretty flawlessly – we didn’t have any mechanical issues to keep us from running, which is pretty good. The car had a good test and ran a lot of laps. We went through a bunch of different things and we’re not where we want to be speed-wise, but the car is comfortable to drive. We just have to see what happens for the 12 Hours. I think we have a strong pace, so we can for run a long time, but we just have to see – on ultimate pace, we’ll just have to see where we’re at. All of the normal unknowns.”

How does this test allow you to prepare your race setup?
“Setup is a challenge here at Sebring for a lot of reasons. You have (turn) 17, which has some huge bumps to deal with. Turn one is always challenging and then you have the pavement that changes from the backside of the track to the concrete part of the track and then you have the IndyCar rubber that they put down on the test course on top. You’re really fighting quite a few different challenges throughout this event.

Matt Bejnarowicz, lead engineer, No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R
Did you get to where you need to be during the test?
“Our competitors are looking pretty fast, but we definitely got pretty happy drivers and I think we made a lot of small steps in the test. Whether it’s going to be enough for the race, we’ll have to find out.”

Have there been any surprises?
“No, not really, actually. We unloaded and we’re getting to the point where we’ve got a lot of experience under our belt and we’ve been to tracks several times now, so we unloaded at a pretty good state and our drivers were pretty happy right of the bat. I think we progressed through the test. I think we probably chased the track a little bit. I don’t know if our lap times reflect the improvements we made in the car, but I wouldn’t say there were any big surprises. The big unknown I think is a little bit of tire compatibility – we’re not really sure how the Michelin tires work with Continental rubber down on the track and I think we keep on seeing a little bit of influence there, but that’s hard to quantify.”

The post SRT Viper Sebring Winter Test Report appeared first on Modern Mopar Magazine.

Mopar Takes on ‘King of The Hammers’

Lisa — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:23:15 +0000

HEMI® Crate Engines to Power Spec Class in ‘Every Man Challenge’ Race

Mopar joins the 2014 Griffin King of The Hammers off-road race in a new spec class to debut on Feb 6 in the California desert
8th annual “King of The Hammers” is an off-road event combining desert racing and rock crawling with four competitive classes
Mopar to provide six Gen III 5.7L HEMI® crate engine for first spec class vehicles in the “Every Man Challenge” race category
Mopar is committed to participating in the 2014 and 2015 editions of event as well as four other Western Regional ULTRA4 Series events
More than 35,000 spectators are expected on site and 500,000 will tune into the live online broadcast on ultra4racing.com/live/

Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand, will be testing its mettle in the southern California desert at the 2014 Griffin King of The Hammers, an event built around what many consider the toughest one-day off-road race in the world that combines desert racing and rock crawling.Organized by the ULTRA4 Racing Series, the week-long event is held every February on public lands in Johnson Valley, Ca. in an off-highway vehicle area known as “The Hammers.” Competitors, divided into in four distinct categories, race on a 100+ mile course that runs over terrain that includes sandy washes dotted with creosote bushes, flat dry lakebeds, sand dunes and, of course, the world-famous rock canyons and trails from which it derives its name.

Competing in the Every Man Challenge race category, which allows off-road enthusiasts a chance to race their stock and modified stock vehicles, Mopar’s GEN III 5.7 liter HEMI^® crate engine will power the six vehicles competing in a newly created spec class in which each entry is outfitted with the same equipment. These unique “4700 Spec Class” 4×4 vehicles have a custom tube frame design based loosely on a Jeep_® Wrangler, and are outfitted with Mopar’s HEMI crate engine and some of the best industry-leading parts the off-road world has to offer.“We’re excited to supply HEMI engines to the newly formed spec class at King of The Hammers and put our quality products to the test in the toughest conditions,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO — Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “The 5.7 crate engines we are providing are the off-road race version of the recently announced Scat Package performance upgrades for the Challenger and Charger. This event is in essence a proving ground for our engine, set-up, calibration and parts, as we don’t just design and produce quality parts, we want to test them in the field so that customers know that they are getting the very best available.”

Participating in the off- road event is a fitting tribute to the heritage of the revolutionary Gen II 426 race HEMI, which is celebrating 50 years since its introduction after being built specifically to win races. The success of that GEN II race HEMI has resulted in an amazing lineage of quality Mopar engines, which now includes the newest generation of 5.7L crate engines.
“We’ve partnered with the best manufacturers in off-road, and this class required parts that could handle the demands of off-road racing and the brutality of The Hammers,” said David Cole, Executive Director of ULTRA4 Racing Series. “Nobody knows off-road better than Jeep and Mopar, and we’re excited to have the HEMI powering the 4700 Spec Class.””The 4700 Spec Class offers both professional drivers and first-time enthusiasts a chance to experience what ULTRA4 Racing is all about,” said Cole of the turnkey solution the spec class offers. “We wanted to give people an opportunity to race or recreate off-road in a fully capable 4WD vehicle without the expense and headache of having to build or buy one of their own.”

The six unique Mopar-powered 4×4 vehicles make their debut on Thursday, Jan. 6 with an 8:00 a.m. (PT) 30-second staggered start. Behind the wheel of each Mopar-powered 4700 Spec Class 4×4 vehicle are the following drivers:

#4701– Eric Bothwell, from Tuckahoe, NY., is no stranger to the Hammers as he was part of the core Hammerking volunteer team in 2012. Bothwell’s co-driver Robb Pritchard is an international off-road journalist coming all the way from Croatia. They will be driving the Dynomax vehicle.

#4702– Larry Nickell is a Senior Editor at Crawl Magazine and has been an active off-road enthusiast for many years, taking his Jeep vehicle on many of his adventures across the country. Larry has a background in racing boats and drag cars and will be driving the Team Yukon Vehicle.

#4703 – Jessi Combs is the fastest woman on four wheels after breaking the land speed record in Utah’s Salt Lake Flats last year. She is also host of television show “All Girl’s Garage” and autoblog’s The List and will be racing in the Team Falken Vehicle.

#4704 – Ross Stanford is based out of Loveland, CO. as the sales manager for Spidertrax Off Road, and will be racing for Team Spidertrax. Ross is an avid off-road enthusiast and has competed in several Dirt Riot events.

#4705 – Shannon Campbell is the only two time “King of The Hammers” Champion after winning in both 2008 and 2011. Shannon will be racing the Team Fox car on Thursday and then racing his own ULTRA4 car again in the Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire on Friday.

#4706 – Jim Marsden will be traveling all the way from the United Kingdom to compete in the Team Odyssey vehicle. Jim is no stranger to “King of The Hammers” having raced in both the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge and the Griffin King of The Hammers categories in 2013.

Mopar is scheduled to participate in both the 2014 and 2015 editions the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge Race as part of the 8^th Annual Griffin King of The Hammers presented by Nitto Tire. The HEMI-powered vehicles also will compete in the following four Trail-Gear Western Regional ULTRA4 Series events:

May 30-31– Nor Cal Stampede in Sacramento, CA
July 11-12 – ULTRA4 Glen Helen Grand Prix in San Bernardino, CA
July 22-23 – American Rocksports Challenge in Tooele, UT
Oct 17-18 – Nitto Tire National Championship in Las Vegas (Moapa), NV

From its humble beginnings in 2007 as an invitation, non-spectator race involving 12 teams battling for bragging rights, Cole, founder of event, has seen its popularity grow exponentially. It now includes more than 300 teams competing in front of more than 35,000 spectators who descend on the area, creating a small make-shift town dubbed “Hammertown.” An additional 500,000 viewers previously have watched the online live broadcast and even more are expected to log on for this year’s event at ultra4racing.com/live/.

The post Mopar Takes on ‘King of The Hammers’ appeared first on Modern Mopar Magazine.

Mopar in the Staging Lanes for NHRA 2014 Season

Lisa — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:38:17 +0000

Season-Long Celebration of 50th Anniversary of the Iconic 426 HEMI® Planned

Mopar kicks off 2014 NHRA season this weekend in Pomona, Ca.
2014 marks 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Gen II 426 Race HEMI®
Mopar heads into 2014 Pro Stock competition with Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Allen Johnson as back-to back NHRA Champions
Hagan and Beckman looking to battle for their second Funny Car championship titles in 2014 after second and third place finishes respectively last season
Mopar will display a heritage wall at NHRA events, provide prizes packages to fans, a HEMI merchandise product line, and more in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the HEMI this season

With a total of four world championship titles won in the past three years, Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand, has plenty of reasons to be excited about the upcoming 2014 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season which will feature 24 national race events and is set to kick-off this coming weekend in Pomona, Ca. at the historic Auto Club Raceway. Adding to the anticipation are Mopar’s plans for a year-long commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of the legendary Gen II 426 Race HEMI^® engine.

First introduced in 1964, a new second generation HEMI engine measuring 426 cubic inches was built specifically to win races. There were two versions– one called the “Circuit” or “Track” engine and the other the “Acceleration” or “Drag” engine.

While it made its racing debut with a win at NASCAR’s Daytona 500, that same year in NHRA competition, legendary driver Don Garlits became the first to break the 200-mph barrier with a Gen II 426 Race HEMI-powered car travelling the quarter-mile straight-line distance in 7.78 seconds at 201.34 mph. Garlits then went on to use that HEMI power to win the first of eight titles at the prestigious U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.

Five decades later, Mopar heads into a new season of NHRA drag racing after celebrating back-to-back HEMI-powered Pro Stock world championships title in 2012 and 2013 by Allen Johnson and Jeg Coughlin Jr. respectively, along with Funny Car World titles in 2011 and 2012, earned by Don Schumacher Racing drivers Matt Hagan and Jack Beckman.

Mopar returns to Pro Stock competition this season with just two entries powered by HEMI engines tuned by Roy Johnson. Defending world champion Coughlin and teammate Johnson finished 1-2 in the points standing in 2013 and had four national title wins apiece. Both are looking to battle for the title once again this year.
“We are really jacked up,” said Coughlin who will once again pilot the JEGS.com Mopar Dodge. “We’re ready to start the fight, and for sure it’s going to be a fight, just like every season. We’re looking at the Winternationals as Step 1 of the many steps it will take to win our sixth Pro Stock championship.

“There have been changes across the Pro Stock spectrum, not just with our team, with lots of mergers and drivers moving around so it should be interesting to see how all these moves work out,” added Coughlin. “We’re down to two cars now, so the focus will be even more intense, which should be good all the way around. The support from Mopar and the staff over there remains at a phenomenal level. It’s our job now to go out there and win them a third straight title.”

“Mopar is celebrating 50 years of the HEMI and we aim to add some more Wallys and battle hard for another Championship as our contribution to the festivities,” said Johnson. “We’re focused and excited and ready to go. Ideally we’ll be shooting to finish 1-2 again but it would be nice to do it in reverse order this time.”

In the battle for the 2014 Funny Car world championship, Don Schumacher Racing will once again have four Dodge Chargers R/T entries vying for the crown. Hagan, who won his first NHRA championship for Mopar in 2011, will premiere a new Mopar Express Lane scheme on his Funny Car this season after coming so very close to winning a second world title by finishing runner-up with nine final round appearances and five victories in 2013, the most of anyone in the class.

“2013 was a great year of us and we finished really strong with a win at Pomona in the end,” said Hagan after beating the John Force, the 2013 NHRA champion, in the final round of the season. “We won more than anyone in the class, but it’s just the way the cards fell in the Countdown.”

In contrast, Beckman raced hard without a visit to the winner’s circle in defense of his 2012 world title but still ended up right behind his teammate with a third place finish in the championship.

Fellow DSR driver Ron Capps returns behind the wheel of his Mopar for his 20^th season as a professional driver after finishing sixth in the standings last season. He has had four runner-up finishes for the championship in that span, but his hope this year is to go just a step further and win that elusive world title.

The new addition to the Mopar line-up is veteran driver Tommy Johnson Jr., a nine-time national event winner in the series, who takes over from Johnny Gray who finished ninth last year for Mopar with his career best season total of four wins.

At various NHRA events throughout the season, fans are encouraged to visit the Mopar display to view a beautiful heritage wall celebrating the 50 year legacy of the GEN II 426 Race HEMI, participate in contests with special HEMI merchandise as prizes, put their signature a HEMI birthday card and much more as part of the numerous marketing initiatives and events nationwide.

As part of the celebrations, at both NHRA events and on-line at WearMopar.com, a new product line of Mopar merchandise featuring the HEMI 50th anniversary logo will be available with items that include clothing, decorative lighting, clocks, a pub table, stools and much more.

The post Mopar in the Staging Lanes for NHRA 2014 Season appeared first on Modern Mopar Magazine.

On the Podium at Daytona: #91 SRT Viper GTS-R

Lisa — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 20:37:30 +0000

The No. 91 SRT^®Motorsports Viper GTS-R team claimed a third-place GTLM class finish in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, the inaugural event of the new IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, with drivers Dominik Farnbacher, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay piloting the car to the podium result.

Each driver of the No. 91 led laps in their opening stint after the team started from the pole. However, the group had a power steering fluid line rupture in the overnight hours and rushed to the garage for repairs. The SRT team returned to the track after a rapid, 15-minute repair in the garage and fought constantly for the rest of the race to regain positions and laps while also keeping an eye on the attrition of the GTLM competition. The team was down a number of laps to the leader at one point before engineering the comeback for a podium finish.

“The performance was good, but the kind of racing this is now you have one little mishap and you have to fight your whole way to get back,” said Bill Riley, vice president and chief engineer of Riley Technologies, after the race. “We had a power steering line fail. We got 12 laps down and we ended up four laps down by just continuing to fight. It’s a shame because we didn’t have any other issues besides that. After that, the hood or the body never had to come off the car, so it was pretty much a flawless run besides that. We fought all day, we didn’t give up and we’re on the podium.”

The podium finish was the sixth for SRT Motorsports team since returning sports car competition in the 2012 season. The third-place showing also put Viper back on the podium at Daytona International Speedway after winning the 2000 Rolex 24 overall in the marque’s last appearance at the World Center of Racing.

The sister No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R finished sixth after the team started the race in a similarly competitive situation as the No. 91. After starting third in class and seeing each driver – Rob Bell, Jonathan Bomarito and Kuno Wittmer – each lead at least one lap in their respective race-opening driving stints, the No. 93 quickly joined the No. 91 as the primary class pacesetters in the first third of the race.

Coincidentally, just minutes after the No. 91 returned to the race after the nighttime repair, a contact incident forced the No. 93 from the lead lap and into a lengthy run of pit-side repairs to fix the front end. Like the No. 91, Bomarito, Bell and Wittmer fought back from several laps down and back into the top five top-five in class by mid-morning on Sunday.

By then, the No. 91 had worked its way up to fourth place, one spot ahead of their teammates, but any hope of the No. 93 moving even further up in the running order quickly came to an end when a second problem emerged. The entry came to a stop on course with a driveshaft flange issue that put an end to any SRT dual podium aspirations as the No. 93 lost several laps back in the garage for additional repairs.

Despite the No. 93’s disappointing finish, SRT Motorsports should be well positioned in the early season point standings for the TUDOR GTLM Team Championship.

The IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship moves on to race at Florida’s Sebring International Raceway on Saturday, March 15, for the annual 12 Hours of Sebring.

Source: driveSRT.com

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