The Mopar® HEMI® Challenge Race Series made its debut back in 2001 at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Fast forward to 2010 and the popular racing series is still going strong and set to return to the place that started it all. The second of three 2010 Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series events is scheduled to take place on Sept. 2–3 during the 56th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

“The Mopar HEMI Challenge event at the U.S. Nationals has experienced remarkable growth and popularity since its inception in 2001,” said Jim Sassorossi, Director — Mopar Parts, Sales and Marketing. “The Mopar HEMI Challenge has flourished for 10 years due to the passion and dedication of the grassroots racers and enthusiasts who purchase Mopar parts and spend their spare time preparing their Mopar HEMI-powered cars for competition.”

The Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series pits Super Stock/A HEMI (SS/AH) 1968 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas against each other in fierce quarter-mile competition. Bucky Hess etched his name in the record books in 2001, taking the first Mopar HEMI Challenge event win by defeating James Keyes for the $10,000 winner’s purse. The Bunker Hill, W.Va., resident will return to the scene of his historic Indy triumph as one of nearly 30 SS/AH competitors in what could possibly be a record field of Mopar HEMI Challenge entrants.

The Mopar® HEMI® Challenge Race Series made its debut back in 2001 at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Fast forward to 2010 and the popular racing series is still going strong and set to return to the place that started it all. The second of three 2010 Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series events is scheduled to take place on Sept. 2–3 during the 56th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

“The Mopar HEMI Challenge event at the U.S. Nationals has experienced remarkable growth and popularity since its inception in 2001,” said Jim Sassorossi, Director — Mopar Parts, Sales and Marketing. “The Mopar HEMI Challenge has flourished for 10 years due to the passion and dedication of the grassroots racers and enthusiasts who purchase Mopar parts and spend their spare time preparing their Mopar HEMI-powered cars for competition.”

The Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series pits Super Stock/A HEMI (SS/AH) 1968 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas against each other in fierce quarter-mile competition. Bucky Hess etched his name in the record books in 2001, taking the first Mopar HEMI Challenge event win by defeating James Keyes for the $10,000 winner’s purse. The Bunker Hill, W.Va., resident will return to the scene of his historic Indy triumph as one of nearly 30 SS/AH competitors in what could possibly be a record field of Mopar HEMI Challenge entrants.

Joining Hess in competition will be Charlie Westcott Jr., a three-time Mopar HEMI Challenge event champion at the U.S. Nationals who is coming off a HEMI Challenge victory in June at the NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Ky. Westcott Jr. will compete in a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda as will his father and fellow Parma, Mich. native Charlie Westcott Sr., the defending HEMI Challenge champion at the U.S. Nationals.

“The Mopar HEMI Challenge has been a great deal and I’m glad Mopar supports it,” said Westcott Jr., who along with his father tested last week at 131 Raceway Park in Martin, Mich. in preparation for the U.S. Nationals. “It’s impressive that so many cars have entered for Indy. The event always has a good turnout and it’s a fun race.”

Jim Daniels, owner of three HEMI Challenge wins and the current record-holder in the class with a 8.331-second pass, will compete at the event. Former HEMI Challenge U.S. Nationals champ Rick Houser will look to bring home his second win at the venue and Don Bales, winner of the NHRA Best Appearing Car Award at the 2009 U.S. Nationals for his 1968 “Silver Bullet” Plymouth Barracuda, will attempt to capture his first HEMI Challenge trophy. Other drivers currently entered include David Barton, Stephen Hebert, Jim Pancake, John Rains and Joe Teuton Jr.

The Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series will conclude at the Jegs Northern SPORTSnationals, Sept. 25–27 at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio.