AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand, will join thousands of Mopar drag-racing fans as they roll into Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo., for the 31st Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 23–25. To kick off the weekend’s festivities, Mopar will reveal its new Mopar ’10 Challenger at its Big Block Event gathering on Thursday, July, 22 at 6:30 p.m. (MDT) in Golden, Colo.
Every year, Mopar fans and racers descend on the Bandimere family’s picturesque drag strip, set 5,800 feet high in the Rocky Mountains. Mopar’s sponsorship of the event is the longest, continuous-running sponsorship in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
"We’re looking forward to bringing Mopar Nation to Thunder Mountain," said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC. "This is a premier stop on the NHRA circuit and a great place to showcase the Mopar brand and reveal our new Mopar ’10 Challenger."
"Bandimere Speedway is proud and honored to have Mopar call our track home," said John Bandimere Jr., president and CEO of Bandimere Speedway. "Our unique venue and the forward-thinking people at Mopar make this one of the top fan experiences on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. We are eager to have our friends return to Denver for this long-running partnership."
Mopar-powered racers will attempt to duplicate recent successes at Mopar’s marquee event. NHRA Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger driver Allen Johnson will seek to defend his 2009 event title. He’ll be joined by Mopar-fueled drivers in the professional and Sportsman classes, including NHRA Funny Car star Matt Hagan, who will sport a special Mopar paint scheme on his Dodge Charger R/T.
Mopar’s Direct Connection trailer will again take center stage on the Manufacturers Midway at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals. Special Mopar vehicles will be on display including the Ram 3500 Heavy Duty, a "Moparized" Dodge Challenger, Mopar Ram Runner and the Mopar Direct Connection Test Lab Vehicle — a Dodge Challenger converted into a performance parts development "mule." The Dodge Motorsports display rig will also be at Bandimere Speedway.
The 31st Annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals festivities will commence with the annual Mopar Big Block Event, scheduled for Thursday, July 22 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. MDT on the streets of downtown, Golden, Colo. The Mopar Big Block Event is the "Official Starter" of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.
Admission to the event is free for fans, with food and drink available for purchase at booths hosted by local vendors. Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson will be joined by NHRA stars Tony Schumacher, Cory McClenathan, Ron Capps, Jack Beckman, Matt Hagan, V. Gaines, Vinnie Deceglie, Danny Gruninger, Judy Lilly and Roy Johnson in a free autograph session.
For more information on the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
