• Rising stars and experienced veteran drivers will drive the Mopar® effort
• Information about the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship
Center Line, Mich. — Several of the top young open-wheel drivers in America and a pair of proven champions will lead the Mopar® charge when the United States Auto Club (USAC) Mopar Midget National Championship kicks off on Feb. 15–16 at the Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix.
Kasey Kahne Racing teammates Brady Bacon and Brad Sweet will not only carry Mopar engines beneath their hoods, but also fly the Mopar colors on their flanks, signifying KKR’s status as Mopar’s short-track standard-bearer. In 2007’s USAC Midget standings, Bacon finished fourth in his first year of national competition. Though new to the Kahne outfit at the end of ’07, Sweet brings a strong résumé – having tasted success in both winged and non-winged Sprint Cars. Last year, the 22-year-old Californian was electrifying in a handful of Midget events with other teams.
Two-time defending USAC titlist Jerry Coons Jr. hopes Manzanita’s “Copper on Dirt” event begins a “three-peat” for him and the Wilke-Pak team. Last season, the Arizona driver steered Mopar-powered Midgets owned by the renowned Wilke clan to nine feature victories – including two of Midget racing’s cornerstone events: “Belleville Midget Nationals” in Kansas and the “Firemen’s Nationals” in Sun Prairie, Wis.
Brad Kuhn, defending champion of the Wisconsin-based Badger Midget Auto Racing Association, will also be a force. Though he has changed teams – moving from the New Zealand-based Quin Racing entry into the potent West Coast ride fielded by team owner Mike Sala – Kuhn will again rely on Mopar power.
Also expected to put up a fight will be young Californians Ryan Kaplan and Michael Faccinto, as well as rising Indiana driver Dakoda Armstrong. Kaplan teams with Kuhn in a second Mike Sala entry while 17-year-old Faccinto will steer the Midget fielded by NHRA drag racing legend Gary Scelzi (Faccinto will not compete in the Phoenix event). Armstrong, who at age 16 shocked the Midget world by capturing the “Mopar/PRI Classic” in Orlando last December, will drive his family’s entry.
Others sporting Mopar engines at Manzanita include five speedsters from California: C.J. Sarna, Scott Pierovich, Alan Ballard and brothers Bradley and Alfred Galedrige.
Among the heavy favorites for the first-ever Mopar-sponsored USAC title will be Coons, Bacon and Sweet. And though his national Midget plans have yet to be finalized, Kuhn has made a habit of becoming an instant contender in every series he enters.
“Mopar is pleased to begin its title sponsorship of the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship Series,” said Rob Richard, Director of Global Mopar Parts, Sales and Service Marketing, Chrysler LLC. “Our new and expanded role in the Series gets the Mopar brand message to more grassroots circle track racers and enthusiasts.” Richard added, “Mopar power has proven its performance and reliability in the Series where it counts — at the track. The last three Series titles were claimed by Mopar-powered midget cars. With a talented 2008 roster of drivers as well as Mopar engine builders such as Gary Stanton, Bob Wirth and Van Dyne Engineering, Mopar is primed to continue its legendary run in the Series.”
Information about the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship
The 2008 Mopar Midget National Championship will feature a 30-event schedule at tracks across the country. The series will visit 10 states at such famed tracks as Ohio's Eldora Speedway, Iowa's Knoxville Raceway, O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis and the Belleville High Banks in Kansas. The 2008 Mopar Midget National Champion will be crowned at the season-ending “Turkey Night” event in November at Southern California's Irwindale Speedway. For more info on the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship, visit http://www.usacracing.com.
70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “Special Parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.
Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler Engineering standards.
• Information about the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship
Center Line, Mich. — Several of the top young open-wheel drivers in America and a pair of proven champions will lead the Mopar® charge when the United States Auto Club (USAC) Mopar Midget National Championship kicks off on Feb. 15–16 at the Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix.
Kasey Kahne Racing teammates Brady Bacon and Brad Sweet will not only carry Mopar engines beneath their hoods, but also fly the Mopar colors on their flanks, signifying KKR’s status as Mopar’s short-track standard-bearer. In 2007’s USAC Midget standings, Bacon finished fourth in his first year of national competition. Though new to the Kahne outfit at the end of ’07, Sweet brings a strong résumé – having tasted success in both winged and non-winged Sprint Cars. Last year, the 22-year-old Californian was electrifying in a handful of Midget events with other teams.
Two-time defending USAC titlist Jerry Coons Jr. hopes Manzanita’s “Copper on Dirt” event begins a “three-peat” for him and the Wilke-Pak team. Last season, the Arizona driver steered Mopar-powered Midgets owned by the renowned Wilke clan to nine feature victories – including two of Midget racing’s cornerstone events: “Belleville Midget Nationals” in Kansas and the “Firemen’s Nationals” in Sun Prairie, Wis.
Brad Kuhn, defending champion of the Wisconsin-based Badger Midget Auto Racing Association, will also be a force. Though he has changed teams – moving from the New Zealand-based Quin Racing entry into the potent West Coast ride fielded by team owner Mike Sala – Kuhn will again rely on Mopar power.
Also expected to put up a fight will be young Californians Ryan Kaplan and Michael Faccinto, as well as rising Indiana driver Dakoda Armstrong. Kaplan teams with Kuhn in a second Mike Sala entry while 17-year-old Faccinto will steer the Midget fielded by NHRA drag racing legend Gary Scelzi (Faccinto will not compete in the Phoenix event). Armstrong, who at age 16 shocked the Midget world by capturing the “Mopar/PRI Classic” in Orlando last December, will drive his family’s entry.
Others sporting Mopar engines at Manzanita include five speedsters from California: C.J. Sarna, Scott Pierovich, Alan Ballard and brothers Bradley and Alfred Galedrige.
Among the heavy favorites for the first-ever Mopar-sponsored USAC title will be Coons, Bacon and Sweet. And though his national Midget plans have yet to be finalized, Kuhn has made a habit of becoming an instant contender in every series he enters.
“Mopar is pleased to begin its title sponsorship of the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship Series,” said Rob Richard, Director of Global Mopar Parts, Sales and Service Marketing, Chrysler LLC. “Our new and expanded role in the Series gets the Mopar brand message to more grassroots circle track racers and enthusiasts.” Richard added, “Mopar power has proven its performance and reliability in the Series where it counts — at the track. The last three Series titles were claimed by Mopar-powered midget cars. With a talented 2008 roster of drivers as well as Mopar engine builders such as Gary Stanton, Bob Wirth and Van Dyne Engineering, Mopar is primed to continue its legendary run in the Series.”
Information about the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship
The 2008 Mopar Midget National Championship will feature a 30-event schedule at tracks across the country. The series will visit 10 states at such famed tracks as Ohio's Eldora Speedway, Iowa's Knoxville Raceway, O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis and the Belleville High Banks in Kansas. The 2008 Mopar Midget National Champion will be crowned at the season-ending “Turkey Night” event in November at Southern California's Irwindale Speedway. For more info on the USAC Mopar Midget National Championship, visit http://www.usacracing.com.
70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.
Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth “package cars” equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of “Special Parts” for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.
Today, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components and accessories for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler Engineering standards.
