Garlits debuts Challenger Drag Pak at U.S. Nationals
Posted Tuesday, Sep 8, 2009, 4:46 pm in Employee News
The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis is also known as “The Big Go.” Appropriately enough, a number of Mopar-powered drivers made a big splash at what is arguably the most prestigious event on the 24-race NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule.
Front and center was “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, an eight-time winner at the U.S. Nationals, making his comeback to NHRA competition for the first time since 2003. Garlits drove his Dodge Challenger Drag Pak by Mopar, the first production Drag Pak ever made, in A/stock automatic qualifying on Sept. 2.
The event marked the competition debut of the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak by Mopar. A parade of Drag Pak by Mopar vehicles was staged on Sept. 4, prior to the pro qualifying session. The Drag Paks of Garlits, Randy Warford and Larry Griffith, whose Drag Pak was on display at the Mopar Direct Connection trailer, were paraded up the return road toward the finish line. Fans greeted the new Mopar package cars enthusiastically, standing and cheering while Garlits waved from his Drag Pak.
Unfortunately, the 77-year-old Garlits was unable to qualify for the stock eliminator field, posting a run that was 0.868 seconds below the class index. Warford qualified No. 6 in his Drag Pak by Mopar with a 10.013 elapsed time. Irv Johns also qualified in his Drag Pak by Mopar, as did Doug Duell in his production Dodge Challenger race car. The trio was unable to advance deep into the stock eliminator elimination rounds.
The top alcohol class was witness to a Mopar-powered champion at Indy. Bobby Martin drove his Lane Automotive Dodge Charger all the way to the winner’s circle, scoring a top alcohol funny car victory at Indy. Martin defeated Steve Harker with a pass of 5.670/254.18 in the final round. The triumph was the second of the 2009 season for Martin.
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