NHRA - The Mopar 2007 HEMI Challenge Race Series Continues at Jeg's Cajun SPORTSnationals

The second-to-last leg of the 2007 points season will take place on Saturday, April 21 at the Jegs Cajun SPORTSnationals.

The first 2007 HEMI Challenge race saw Rick Houser drive his Jim DeFrank & Sons 1968 Barracuda Fastback to a win over Jerry Jenkins at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March at the 5th Annual Mopars at the Strip. Another large contingent of HEMI-powered cars is ready to mix it up again this weekend at No Problem Raceway.

The HEMI Challenge race series spotlights 1968 Plymouth Barracudas and 1968 Dodge Darts from the NHRA Super Stock/A-HEMI (SS/AH) division. Following the Jeg's NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals, a race series champion will be crowned at the final 2007 season points event on Aug. 29-Sept. 3 at the U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.

The 2008 HEMI Challenge points season will begin at the Jeg's NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, Ohio on Sept. 28–30, 2007. Two additional 2008 HEMI Challenge points events will take place in 2007: at the NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, Calif. on Oct. 5–7; and the Northeastern Division Dutch Classic at Mohnton, Penn. on Oct. 18–21.

The Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series continues to expand With an increasing number of events and competitors, the HEMI Challenge continues to grow from its beginnings as a one-race event. This year, the event lineup will feature six races of SS/AH drivers. Last year's champion, Charlie Westcott Jr., pocketed the $10,000 bonus from Mopar for taking home the HEMI Challenge U.S. Nationals win after he piloted his 1968 Plymouth Barracuda through a tough field of 25 SS/AH drivers.

“The HEMI Challenge at the Mopars at The Strip event was an overwhelming success,” said Jon Clark, Mopar Performance's Department Manager. “It was a great kickoff for the season, and the Jeg's Cajun SPORTSnationals will be another great leg for the HEMI Challenge. The enthusiasts who compete in the HEMI Challenge and who have put their time and money into these legendary HEMI-powered machines are the integral component to the popularity and expansion of this authentic event. As we draw closer to the 2007 championship at the U.S. Nationals, fans will not want to miss the competition between these grassroots racers in their SS/AH HEMI-powered Mopars. ”

Jeg's Cajun SPORTSnationals HEMI Challenge event details For information on the HEMI Challenge event being held on Saturday, April 21, 2007 at the Jeg's Cajun SPORTSnationals, visit www.noproblemraceway.com. For event coverage of the HEMI Challenge, visit www.moparspeed.com.

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, the Chrysler Group'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 DaimlerChrysler engineering standards.