The Mopar® HEMI® Challenge Race Series Dodge Darts and Plymouth
Barracudas go head-to-head for a $5,000 payout this weekend in
Columbus, Ohio, at the NHRA JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals at National
Trail Raceway. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, with final
eliminations set for Saturday, Sept. 26, starting at 1:00 p.m.
The team of Charlie Westcott Sr. and Charlie Westcott Jr. is the
odds-on favorite to take the money. Westcott Sr. won the recent Mopar
HEMI Challenge at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in an epic thrash on Labor
Day Weekend. It was the fourth time in five years that a Westcott took
the Indy title. The Westcotts have claimed numerous Mopar HEMI
Challenge victories over the last four years.
Westcott Sr.’s engine suffered damage during a bye run into the Indy
finals. His son and a host of their fierce HEMI Challenge competitors
ganged up and swapped John Rains’ spare Westcott-built 426 HEMI engine
into Westcott Sr.’s ’68 Barracuda in 90 minutes. The car made it to the
line with no time to spare. Westcott Sr. then left a surprised David
Barton on the line to take the win.