Archive for the 'Dodge' Category
March 17th, 2010 by Bill Cawthon
Two-time Formula Drift (FD) champion Samuel Hübinette is returning to the FD series with his own factory-backed Dodge team in 2010. A native of Jokkmokk, Sweden, who became a U.S. citizen in 2006, Hübinette spent six successful seasons with the NuFormz Mopar/BFGoodrich team but has decided it’s time for to turn to a fresh page in his illustrious career.
Hübinette’s racing organization, Samuel Hübinette Racing (SHR). will field two cars this season, supported by sponsors including Dodge, BFGoodrich, Mopar and others. The veteran Hübinette will drift his new Dodge Challenger, while FD newcomer Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard will take the wheel of the team’s veteran Dodge Viper SRT10. Comrie-Picard is an accomplished rally driver who won the 2009 North American Rally Championship. Brad Manka will be the team’s crew chief. Manka cared for the NuFormz Viper during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
“This is a new chapter for us,” said Hübinette. “I’m very excited to be back in competition and to take on a new role as team owner this year.”
Hübinette has carried the NuFormz Racing banner in the FD Series since the series’ inception in 2004. He earned two championships in his first three seasons. His nine wins are the most of any FD Series driver. The two-time FD champion was dealt an enormous blow last October when a genetic heart disorder struck down NuFormz team owner Shaun Carlson at the age of 35. Hübinette will carry on in memory of his friend and colleague, saying, “We hope to do him proud out there this season.”
“We’re looking at a strong year and a strong team for 2010,” said Hübinette. “We’re pleased to bring the Dodge Challenger into the series, while still showing off the capabilities of the Dodge Viper. I’m excited to see what ACP can accomplish.”
When he’s not on the track, Hübinette is a working stunt driver who counts the Fast and the Furious franchise, Crank2 and the upcoming Knight and Day among his credits. He is also reserve officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. His wife, Stina, also drives competitively and will be a member of Hübinette’s new venture.
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March 17th, 2010 by Bill Cawthon
After waiting two days for his first NHRA Super Gas competition, NASCAR driver Kurt Busch went home Sunday after being eliminated in the opening round of the Gatornationals. Busch was racing in the 9.90-second division but his HEMI-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger sputtered shortly after the start and Busch posted a 10.10-second run, coming in behind Wes Neely’s ‘67 Camaro. (Thanks, “MoparBob”).
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March 12th, 2010 by Bill Cawthon
A bad run left NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series driver Allen Johnson in the No. 12 spot after the first day of qualifying at the 41st Annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Johnson recorded a pass of 6.670/207.62 in in his Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger during the only qualifying session held today due to rainy weather. The Team Mopar driver from Greeneville, Tennessee hopes to improve his slot in the final two qualifying sessions tomorrow.
“We didn’t make a very good run at all. We’re still trying to find out why,” said Johnson. “The car was just way off in the 60-foot mark. Hopefully, that’s all it is, and we can fix it and jump right back up there.”
Tomorrow’s qualifying sessions will also mark the rain-delayed elimination rounds of the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Johnson faces Jason Line in the quarterfinals as he attempts to win the Arizona event and claim the Gatornationals No. 1 Qualifier spot.
“We’ve got to correct what happened today, or we won’t be doing that,” said Johnson, who earned a runner-up finish in the 2009 Gatornationals. “I’ve got faith in everybody on my J&J Racing team. We’ll fix it. We’ll go out there tomorrow and run a 6.62, or close to it, in the Mopar Dodge Avenger, move up towards the top and win some rounds.”
Vinnie Deceglie and his Mopar-powered Stratus did better, taking the No. 4 position with a pass of 6.631/207.53. V. Gaines came in at No. 21 and hopes to make Top 16 tomorrow in his Dodge Avenger.
Wet weather also postponed the highly anticipated debut of 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch in NHRA Super Gas competition. Busch will have to wait until at least Sunday to debut his Mopar HEMI-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger.
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March 12th, 2010 by DaveAdmin
The upcoming “lifestyle truck” version of the slow-selling Dodge Dakota will be based on the next generation Chrysler minivans, according to a source. The same engineers are being hired to work on both projects, and the vehicles are both expected to be built at the flexible Windsor manufacturing plant, much as the minivans were built alongside the Chrysler Pacifica crossover. The Dakota would likely have features from the Rampage concept shown in 2006.
The Dodge Dakota was launched in the 1980s, filling the space between the small Ram 50 (from Mitsubishi) and the full-sized Ram pickups. It initially had a four-cylinder engine and a 3.9 liter V6 created for the Dakota’s relatively small engine bay. The Dakota sold fairly slowly compared with the Chevrolet and Ford small pickups; it grew with each new generation, reaching a peak of critical acclaim in the mid-1990s. The current generation has been critiqued for being too close in size and cost to the full sized Ram 1500.
If the Dakota were to be based on the minivan platform, it would likely be similar in size to the Honda Ridgeline, and considerably larger than the Dodge Rampage, Ford Ranchero, and the iconic Chevrolet El Camino. It could be sold as a Dodge rather than as a Ram.
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March 12th, 2010 by DaveAdmin
KGP caught this wicked one-off Dodge Ram as it left Chrysler’s test track, looking as if it was out searching for a Ford Raptor to slap. Emblazoned with a “Powerwagon” badge on its tail-end, this Ram was clearly immensely powerful and made hair-raising sounds to go with its concept truck looks. The bed and cab configuration is like nothing in the current Ram lineup.
The prototype was out running with a Jeep JT pickup matching the 2007 concept vehicle, right down to its band-aid brown color. This Ram clearly has several cues from the current-generation Ram, telling us it’s something much more current–or “future.”
See our full set of photos and more information.
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March 10th, 2010 by Bill Cawthon
Fresh off his Sprint Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kurt Busch will swap his NASCAR Dodge Charger for a Mopar-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger Super Gas car. The 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champ is set to do battle on the drag strip in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at the 41st Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals March 11–14 at the Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida.
Busch is taking a rare break in the hectic NASCAR schedule to race his rebuilt Dodge Challenger, powered by a stroked, 1,167-horsepower Mopar 6.1-liter HEMI, in NHRA competition. Qualifying is set for Thursday, March 11, with eliminations beginning on Friday, March 12.
“Gainesville is one of the marquee events on the NHRA calendar, and it’s a privilege to compete against the best Sportsman racers out there,” said Busch. “I spent over 30 hours at Roy Hill’s drag racing school, and have had two tests in my own Dodge Challenger, but that’s nothing compared to the seat time many of these guys have in their own cars. We are going to go out there and do our best competing against these talented Sportsman racers.”
On Saturday, March 13, Busch will take part in a Team Mopar autograph session at the Mopar Image Center located in the manufacturer’s midway. The time of his appearance will be announced at the track. Mopar HEMI-powered Pro Stock drivers Allen Johnson, V. Gaines and Vinnie Deceglie will appear from 10:30–11:30 a.m. on Saturday and NHRA Funny Car racers Ron Capps, Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan and Melanie Troxel will visit for a signing session following the first round of qualifying on Saturday.
On Friday, Mopar racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits will make his own appearance at the Mopar Image Center at 3 p.m.
Two hours of qualifying coverage will air on Sunday, March 14, beginning at 12 a.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more information, log on to the NHRA website.
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