[hemi_magnum]

Just saw this very nice summation of Chrysler Corp's history in ARCA, right here on Allpar. Sometimes things go unseen on the front page, so I figured our members in this section of the forum might appreciate taking a look at it. Thanks to MoparBob & Co. for reminding us of Chrysler's great history in that series.

http://www.allpar.com/racing/arca/mopar-in-arca.html

I've always loved the look of those LeBarons...

And, in case it also went unnoticed, here's an interview with our most notable Dodge drivers in the series, conducted by Bob and Mike V earlier in the year:

http://www.allpar.com/racing/arca/self.html

 

[Beentherebefore]

I go back to the days when Iggy Katona and Ramo Stott were Mopar legends. They got coverage in all the racing publications of the day (no TV coverage, back then) and contributed greatly to the Mopar performance image that still survives today.

Viewing the later names on the list just saddened me. Chad Blount, Shelby Howard, Joey Miller, and, of course, Kligerman, all showed great potential as Dodge development drivers. Did they get any factory support to continue their relationships with Dodge? Of course not. All Dodge did was invest in their training so they could go on and race for Toyota or "Brand C" teams.

 

[Beentherebefore]

Ramo Stott

 

[MoparNorm]

That's a lot of car, great looking body work on that one, must be a pre-race photo? Not a mark on it.

 

[Beentherebefore]

That's a lot of car, great looking body work on that one, must be a pre-race photo? Not a mark on it.

Publicity card handout. They obviously weren't going to show the car after the beatin' and bangin' of an ARCA race. Ramo Stott also ran in Nascar a few times and I believe he got a top 10 finish @ Daytona one year.

Do you remember a series called IMCA? It ran in the Midwest, mainly on dirt tracks - Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and that area. Ramo Stott was a power in that series before he moved over to ARCA. He finished runnerup multiple times - maybe 5 or more, most of them to a Dodge driver named Ernie Derr. I'll do some research when I have time.

 

[MoparNorm]

Don't remember the IMCA series, but Stott was a well know name back in the '70's. At least in my circle of friends.

 

[Beentherebefore]

Here is a photo of about half of the drivers mentioned in Bob's linked article all together in an ARCA trophy dash. The Mopars of Andy Hampton in the #2, Les Snow in the #6, and the incomparable Iggy Katona in the #30. The one Ford that snuck ( ) into the trophy dash, #98, is Benny Parsons. Photo was posted on the HAMB board by "Vegas Old Timer" and has been reposted to several other sites so I'm presuming that it's OK.

 

[Beentherebefore]

Don't remember the IMCA series, but Stott was a well know name back in the '70's. At least in my circle of friends.

Here is a link that I found to an IMCA historical site with some pictures of the Mopars that ruled this series in the 60s and early 70s, particularly Ernie Derr. A poster on another board told me that the original IMCA went belly-up circa 1977 and then the name was bought up by some promoters that still use the name today, but that the series is now limited to open wheel and what we would call modifieds. From the info/pictures that you can find on the web for the "modern" IMCA, it is indeed as he told me.

http://www.racingfromthepast.com/imcaglorydays.html

 

[Beentherebefore]

Picture of Mopar ARCA drivers Iggy Katona (#30) and Les Snow (#6) @ Winchester Speedway which I believe is still on the current ARCA circuit.

 

[Beentherebefore]

Not only did Chrysler support drivers in Nascar (including the regional series) and NHRA in the 60s and early 70s, the company also provided at least tech support (usually through Ray Nichels' operation) for it's top drivers in ARCA and IMCA. When those drivers won championships, Chrysler was not hesitant to feature them in company ads showing real pride in it's racing accomplishments. The bottom right photo in this ad is of many time ARCA champion Iggy Katona and multi time IMCA champion Ernie Derr.

 

[MoparNorm]

Yeah, I don't get the silence after the 2012 Championship.
I think it was pure temper tantrum for Chrysler to remain silence and not capitalize upon a great achievement.
FYI, did anyone notice that the 2012 Dodge Championship driver, failed to make the 2013 Chase, in a Ford?
THAT my friends, is a benchmark.

And if anyone thinks this is a dig at Penske, it isn't. He used the term benchmark, while still in shock from M's decision, while trying to be gracious and not burn any bridges. By seasons end, it was obvious to nearly everyone that Dodge would not be back and Penske's remarks at the Victory Press Conferance, with innuendo's of Trophy placement in M's office, showed his true feelings and gave an insight into what really happened.
Penske would have stayed at Dodge, given the chance.

 

[Beentherebefore]

If true. that's an expensive tantrum, Norm. Over 13 years of expense & effort (since Dodge's "return" to Nascar was announced in summer of '99) and then they run off and hide like a whipped dog after reaching the pinnacle of US motorsports. They could have lived off the publicity of last year's Cup championship till at least speedweeks @ Daytona and, with some sharp marketing, might have been able to still milk it till this week's banquet in 'Vegas seeing as how BK had such a down year after switching to Ford.

 

[MoparNorm]

The strangest thing is, I do not believe there are official press release photos from Dodge of the 2 in Vicrory Lane at Homestead?
Those are now, also "historic".
Back to ARCA, what is the most recent victory lane visit by a Dodge?

 

[Beentherebefore]

The strangest thing is, I do not believe there are official press release photos from Dodge of the 2 in Vicrory Lane at Homestead?
Those are now, also "historic".
Back to ARCA, what is the most recent victory lane visit by a Dodge?

According to the link in post #1, it's Alex Bowman, 7 - 13 - 2013, I think in a Cunningham car. It's the only one this year.

 

[moparbob]

According to the link in post #1, it's Alex Bowman, 7 - 13 - 2013, I think in a Cunningham car. It's the only one this year.

Incorrect!


It was # 77 Tom Hessert! Spring Salem Race 2013.

 

[MoparNorm]

According to the link in post #1, it's Alex Bowman, 7 - 13 - 2013, I think in a Cunningham car. It's the only one this year.

...and that was a true Dodge, with Penske Engine, or was it a re-skinned car with a Roush, or other engine???

 

[moparbob]

...and that was a true Dodge, with Penske Engine, or was it a re-skinned car with a Roush, or other engine???

See my post above Norm.

It was a R-6 Dodge Engine. Cunningham Cars do NOT have Ford Engines.
Roger Carter - Carter 2 Motorsports will drive a Toyota in 2014 as the older Dodge cars & engines are depleted.

 

[MoparNorm]

See my post above Norm.

It was a R-6 Dodge Engine. Cunningham Cars do NOT have Ford Engines.

Thanks. It's getting hard to tell anymore, because of the lack of factory support. Remember we thought the TORC Rams were Dodges because they were sponsored by Mopar..turned out to be one Mopar build by Roush and one Ford built by Roush.

 

[Beentherebefore]

Thanks. It's getting hard to tell anymore, because of the lack of factory support. Remember we thought the TORC Rams were Dodges because they were sponsored by Mopar..turned out to be one Mopar build by Roush and one Ford built by Roush.

That's why, I for one, do not celebrate "Mopar" victories till I know for sure what's under the hood. Too many racing series nowadays allow spec motors or "mismatched" brands of bodies/motors. I know your story Norm, but virtually all stock bodied series that I attended in the 60s through mid 70s required the bodies and motors to be from the same manufacturers - even the old 6 cyl "hobby" classes that used to run the West Coast circuits. The one class that did allow any engine/ body combination was what were then (and I believe still today) known as "modifieds" and most of those bodies were so chopped up that few could tell what they originally were anyway.

 

[MoparNorm]

My story comes from the Sportsman class, today we know that as Super Late Model.
Tech inspection in 1973 wasn't like today!