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NHRA Southern Nationals Preview


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May 2, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - For the last of three consecutive national events in as many weeks, Mopar heads to Atlanta Dragway this weekend to compete in the 33rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the seventh of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series

Prior to this weekend's on track activities, Mopar executives will attend the induction ceremonies at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame gala on Thursday evening in support of Don Schumacher who is being recognized for his many contributions to the NHRA and motorsports.

Schumacher’s legacy began with the first of many trips to the winner’s circle behind the wheel of a Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car at the 1970 U.S. Nationals, and his loyalty and relationship with Mopar continues to present day. In addition to being part of the 11 NHRA World Championships and the milestone of more than 200 event title wins, Mopar is honored to be associated with Schumacher’s passion, principles and high standard of excellence, both on and off the track.

But while Schumacher’s accomplishments and contributions are a big part of why he was selected for induction into the prestigious International Motorsports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013, Mopar feels it is his qualities as a person that make his recognition so commendable.

“On behalf of everyone at Mopar, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Don Schumacher who is very deserving of this special induction honor,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “Not only has Don, as both a team owner and driver, been a long-time loyal supporter and friend to the Mopar brand, but he represents everything that our brand strives for. There is no doubting his passion, work ethic, commitment and determination have made him a tremendous asset to world of drag racing but it is the combination of his trademark sportsmanship style and his personification of class that differentiates him as a true gentleman in the world of motorsports.”

Schumacher joins NHRA legends including Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, and Don Prudhomme as members of the Hall of Fame who have also have long relationships with Mopar. Schumacher will be inducted into the class of 2103 along with NASCAR legends Dale Inman, Rick Hendrick, and Rusty Wallace.

Heading to Atlanta’s Dragway, Mopar is hoping to get back on a winning track after its streak of 13 title victories in 11 events, dating back to the Nationals in Charlotte in September 2012, came to an end last weekend in Houston. After earning six title wins in the first five events of the 2013 season, the SpringNationals marked the first time this year a Mopar did not make the final elimination round in either Funny Car or Pro Stock.

Despite the difficult weekend, Pro Stock driver Johnson has two wins this year in the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Avenger and remains second in the NHRA Mello Yello series points standing after six events. Mopar teammate Coughlin is right behind him in a third place with two runner-up finishes and a No.1 qualifier honors but hoping to cap off a good season start by putting the Jegs.com Mopar in the winner’s circle as soon as possible.

Matt Hagan, who is second in the Funny Car championship points standings after his own strong start and a win under his belt in the “Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar” Dodge Charger R/T, is ready to hit the track after a first round loss to his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps last week. Capps, for his part, is the defending Funny Car title winner at Atlanta, where he won the first of five event titles last year, and is currently fourth in the standings.

This up-coming weekend, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will provide coverage of the 33rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals with two hours of qualifying highlights on Saturday, May 4, at 8 p.m. (ET) and then a three hour telecast of elimination rounds on Sunday, May 5, starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET) from Atlanta Dragway.

About Mopar Motorsports
Mopar’s commitment to professional motorsports competition was established in the 1950s when a partnership ignited with drag racing pioneer Don Garlits, resulting in the breaking of numerous speed and performance barriers in HEMIŽ-powered vehicles over the next several decades. In 2013, Mopar looks to defend its two NHRA 2012 World Championship titles in Pro Stock and Funny Car categories, and celebrates 25 consecutive years as title sponsor of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Colorado. While Mopar remains involved in a various professional motorsports series, it continues to honor its roots by being a proud supporter of amateur racing within the NHRA with its sponsorship of the HEMI Challenge and Mopar Sportsman Cup.

 

Mopar-first Features
Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:
  • Vehicle-information apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with consumers
  • Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format and first to offer complete vehicle-information kits in Spanish
  • Wi-Fi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
  • Wireless charging: first to introduce in-vehicle wireless charging for portable devices
  • Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to market with a new interactive vehicle tracking device that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on pre-set parameters
  • 2011 Mopar Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race package car
  • Brand-specific customer care telephone lines: first to offer Sunday service hours for customers
  • WiTECH: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network

About the Mopar Brand
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. With the creation of the Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. partnership, Mopar is extending its global reach, integrating service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Combined with Fiat S.p.A., Mopar’s global portfolio includes more than 500,000 parts and accessories that are distributed in more than 130 countries. Mopar is the source for all genuine parts and accessories for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. brands.

 

Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. vehicles — a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.

 

More than 75 Years of Mopar
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for antifreeze product in 1937. 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. The brand has expanded to include technical service and customer support.

 

About Magneti Marelli
Based in Italy (Corbetta, Milan), Magneti Marelli was established in 1919. The company is a subsidiary of Fiat Group and has a presence and reputation in racing, including Formula 1 and World Rally Championship (WRC) and now the NHRA. With 2012 revenues of $7,5 billion and approximately 36,900 employees, Magneti Marelli designs and produces advanced automotive systems and components. The company has 83 production facilities, 12 research and development centers and 26 application centers in 19 countries. The group supplies leading automakers in Europe, North America, South America and the Far East. Magneti Marelli USA coordinates the activities of all Magneti Marelli divisions in the NAFTA region from its North American headquarters, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Magneti Marelli has established a significant presence in the world of aftermarket and service networks in the US, thanks to the partnership with MOPAR

Mopar Express Lane Service
Mopar Express Lane service, offered at participating Chrysler Group dealerships, provides a dedicated service lane for fast oil changes, and much more, in order to maximize customer convenience for all make and model vehicles. Available services include oil and filter changes, multi-point vehicle checkup, tire rotation with brake inspection, air and cabin filter replacement, wiper blade replacement, headlight and light bulb replacement and battery testing. Mopar Express Lane service is a consumer’s best choice for vehicle maintenance, with highly-skilled Chrysler Group dealership technicians ready to get to work and get you back on the road in no time. No appointments. No waiting. No worries.