Garlits to receive first Challenger Drag Pak vehicle

Mopar®, Chrysler LLC’s Global Service and Parts division, will present drag racing legend "Big Daddy" Don Garlits with a special certificate recognizing Garlits’ purchase of the first production Dodge Challenger Drag Pak Vehicle at the 21st Annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show. The ceremony will take place on the Mopar Stage following the presentation of the Economaki Champion of Champions award, scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The PRI show will be held Dec. 11–13 at Orlando, Florida’s Orange County Convention Center.

"It’s an honor to get the very first Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak," said Garlits, who has claimed 17 world championships and 144 national event wins during his storied racing career. "I am going to have fun competing in a car my wife will actually let me drive."

Garlits plans to race his Dodge Challenger Drag Pak Vehicle in NHRA Division 2.  (photo courtesy Mopar) [12/8/2008]

Piedmont Dragway sold to former owners Turner and Harris

Jim Turner and bob Harris, both former owners of the central North Carolina facility, have bought Piedmont Dragway. Turner owned the track from 1982 to 2001 and Harris partnered with him in 1995 then bought the track outright in 2001. Mike and Herb McCandless Jr. had run the track since 2007 and agreed to the sale last week.

The legendary Big Dog races, which were started by Turner and Harris, will change a bit this second time around.

“For starters, we’ve got to wrap things up event earlier on Thursday night,” said Turner. “People have to work the next day, and it’s also about being respectful to our neighbors.”

Harris said that in order to move the show along, the test and tune cars will likely be eliminated during Big Dog events. “We’d like to continue with the fast car theme on Big Dog night,” he said. [12/8/2008]

Murry goes hemispherical

The Running Wild AA/Fuel dragster team of Brendan Murry will debut a Nick Arias Hemi Chevy engine in early 2009 for the Nostalgia Top Fuel wars on the west coast and the NHRA Heritage series.

This engine has been around since the early 1970s when it made history in the Over The Hill Gang Top Fuel car and set numerous drag boat records. It is a cylinder head conversion that gives the Chevrolet racer a hemispherical cylinder head with incredible torque and RPM potential.

The San Jose, Calif.-based team will be bringing Steve Montrelli on board as an advisor/tuner. [12/8/2008]