WILSON TO PILOT PRO STOCKER IN HONOR OF LATE TEAM MOPAR DRIVER GEOFFRION
NEWS RELEASE July 13, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TEAM MOPAR CONTACT: Misha Geisert J.R. Thompson Company (317) 432-4110 MoparPR@aol.com WILSON TO PILOT PRO STOCKER IN HONOR OF LATE TEAM MOPAR DRIVER SCOTT GEOFFRION AT MOPAR MILE-HIGH NATIONALS EVENT Center Line, Mich. - Race fans will see a familiar sight take to the track of the upcoming 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, as Mopar and Don Schumacher Racing have announced that a Scott Geoffrion tribute car will compete in the event. The DSR Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T will compete carrying the colors of late Team Mopar driver Geoffrion, who passed away on May 8. Race driver Gene Wilson has been selected to pilot the car in the upcoming event at Bandimere Speedway. "It's an honor to be selected to drive a car in tribute of Scott [Geoffrion]," Wilson said. "There are several great drivers who have been part of the Mopar family that could have been chosen, but I'm really looking forward to getting to being a part of this effort. Don Schumacher Racing and Mopar have a great pro stock effort put together, and I'm looking forward to getting back to racing as part of a great team." Wilson is no stranger to the NHRA Pro Stock ranks, having earned the series' Rookie of the Year title in 2002. He also won the 2001 IHRA Pro Stock championship, winning a record-tying eight events en route to the title. Wilson is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a pro stock machine and feels the Mopar Mile-High Nationals is the perfect event to do so. "I'm really looking forward to returning to the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals this week," Wilson said. "Being in Golden, Colorado, for the Mopar Big Block Party and being in the Denver area for five days is really a great way to start the weekend. This event is really an all-Mopar event, and it's going to be great to get reacquainted with a lot of people. I'm really excited to drive the tribute car, and we're going to work hard to run well all weekend. I'm looking forward to racing on Sunday." Team owner Don Schumacher is also pleased that the Geoffrion Tribute car will take part in this week's Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals event with Wilson behind the wheel. "We at DSR are proud to field a car at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals which will commemorate the outstanding contributions made by the late Scott Geoffrion to the sport of NHRA drag racing as part of the Mopar racing family," Schumacher said. "He was a remarkable competitor and we hope this special entry will help Scott's friends, family, fans and fellow racers remember him as warmly as we do." Geoffrion is remembered as a part of the "Dodge Boys Era" that carried Mopar's domination in the NHRA Pro Stock Series in the 1990s. He joined David Hutchens' Wayne County Speedway/Dodge Boys team in 1992. Geoffrion captured his first NHRA Pro Stock event at Memphis Motorsports Park, defeating Bob Glidden for the win. He was the series' runner-up in 1992 and 1994, and was named Car Craft Driver of the Year in 1994. The fifth driver to join the Holley 6-Second Club, Geoffrion's best performance was a 6.983/198.63. His last ride in the series came in 1993. The late driver is survived by his children Kyle and Alexa, his brother Rick, his sister Michelle and his parents Richard and Jeanne. The tribute paint scheme that Wilson's car will carry for the 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals was designed by Competition Graphics of Farmington Hills, Mich. Competition Graphics is one of America's premier motorsports graphics suppliers. For more information regarding Mopar, Wilson, Geoffrion or Competition Graphics, log on to www.moparspeed.com, www.mopar.com, www.shoeracing.com or www.competitiongraphics.com. Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep® vehicles. -30-