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Mopar® Will Turn Up the Heat with its $10,000 Bonus at the 22nd Annual
Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals
from Darren Jacobs, Center Line, Mich. (January 4, 2008) — For the seventh
straight year, Mopar® will turn up the heat at the 22nd Annual Dodge Chili
Bowl Nationals by offering its $10,000 bonus check for any Mopar-powered
midget car driver who takes home a win in the prestigious event. More than 35
Mopar-powered entries (among a current field of 277 midget cars) will compete
for the Mopar $10,000 bonus at the Chili Bowl Nationals’ 50-lap main event on
Jan. 12, 2008 at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Oklahoma. Combined with the
$10,000 winner’s check, the Mopar bonus offers drivers with a Mopar power
plant the opportunity to double their purse with a victory.
Both Tony Stewart and Tracy Hines banked the Mopar $10,000 bonus with
their victories at the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2002 and 2005, respectively.
“Our Mopar bonus has become a tradition at the Chili Bowl Nationals,” said
Rob Richard, Director of Global Mopar Parts, Sales and Service Marketing,
Chrysler LLC. “Only Mopar offers this type of bonus purse at the event. With
more than 35 Mopar-powered midget entries, Team Mopar will be a threat to
claim the ‘Golden Driller’ trophy once again. Drivers running our Mopar power
plant have a chance for a very handsome payday if they can bring home the
event win.”
Kasey Kahne, Gary Scelzi and Jerry Coons Jr. are part of the Team Mopar
contingent vying for the Mopar $10,000 bonus
A number of high-profile drivers are among the more than 35 Mopar-powered
entries ready to battle it out for the Mopar $10,000 bonus.
NASCAR Nextel Cup standout Kasey Kahne begins his second year as owner
of Mopar’s factory-backed team in World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint and USAC
Sprint and Midget competition, Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR). In addition to his
own ride, Kahne will also field midget cars piloted by his rising young USAC
hotshoes, Brady Bacon and Brad Sweet. Rounding out the KKR “Four
Horseman” at the Chili Bowl is WoO veteran Joey Saldana, fresh off a career-
best season that included 13 wins and a runner-up WoO Series finish.
Four-time NHRA POWERade champion Gary Scelzi drives the Mopar/Oakley
Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, and was one of
only four Funny Car drivers to qualify for the 2007 NHRA POWERade
Countdown to 1 two-race title shootout. Scelzi will have the rare chance to
pursue his other passion – circle track racing. Owner of the Gary Scelzi
Motorsports Mopar/K&N Filters/Oakley midget piloted regularly by his 17-year-
old phenomenon driver, Michael Faccinto, Scelzi will seize the chance provided
by the NHRA off-season to take the wheel of his midget car at the Chili Bowl
Nationals.
After scoring his second straight USAC Midget championship under the Team
Mopar banner in 2007, Wilke-PAK Racing’s Jerry Coons Jr. will seek to kick off
the 2008 season in grand style by capturing the $10,000 Mopar bonus and his
first-ever Chili Bowl Nationals championship. Coons’ stellar 2007 season was
recognized by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters
Association with first team honors in the “Short Track” category.
Several other Mopar-powered drivers scheduled to compete at the Chili Bowl
Nationals include 2007 Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (BMARA)
champion Brad Kuhn, young NASCAR-bound and former KKR driver Kevin
Swindell, and two additional future stars, 16-year-old Dakoda Armstrong and
17-year old Darrin Bolton.
The 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals event details
The 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals begin on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008,
with pre-qualifying. Qualifying is set for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The
Bass Pro Shops Championship Saturday will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-
View for the first time. The live broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday,
Jan. 12, 2008. For ordering information, visit www.hbo.com/events/chili/.
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.
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