Mopars stand up and salute the Chrysler flag at the 2017 NHRA Winternationals.
The NHRA kicked their season opener Winternationals in Pomona on February 9 -12, and despite being outnumbered by the Chevy and Ford camps in the Stock and Super Stock classes, the Mopar contingent put on a great show by running fast and going rounds. This year’s event had scores of iconic Dodge and Plymouth muscle that included Hemis, Max Wedges, 440 Six Packs, and numerous small-blocks in various configurations, blasting down the strip and hangin’ ’em high.
The Winternationals is steeped in tradition as it’s been held at the same location since its inaugural event in 1961. The starting line at the LA County Fairgrounds (now called Auto Club Raceway at Pomona) has seen its share of Mopar heroes like Garlits, Sox, and Landy, who dumped the clutch and turned their slicks in anger. They assaulted the quarter-mile with the intentions of putting the opponent in the next lane on the trailer and sending them packing.
It might be 2017, but the staging lanes at the Winternationals were filled vintage Mopars from the last 50 years that were ready once again to do battle on these sacred grounds. But don’t let the appearance of the vintage Chrysler racing iron fool you. Under the hoods, the engines have the latest technology in cylinder head, camshaft, piston ring, and block machining to squeeze the last ounce of power while making sure it passes the NHRA’s Tech Department litmus test for Stock and Super Stock legality.
But forgot all the techno-babble for a moment and just enjoy this awesome collection of images of Mopars doing what they do best when they hit the strip and do battle at the NHRA Winternationals!
Longtime Mopar racer Don Little and his ’70 Hemi Challenger Stocker is the car we’d like to take to the cruise night and car show. He qualified his E-Body in the number four spot with a 9.849 at 133.22 mph.Stock and Super Stock have some interesting combinations and John Dourlet’s ’70 Plymouth Duster is one of them. Take the approved 5.9L Magnum from the Mopar Drag Pak, drop it into a Duster, and you get a FGT/J combo. John went four rounds and received the Dodge Top Finisher Award for Super Stock.“West Coast” Jerry Stein’s 440 Dart was dialed-in and on target during the Winternats. It clicked off a string of consistent 10.70 e.t.s while breathing through the factory Carter AVS carb. He made it to the quarterfinals.Steve Wann’s ’62 413 Max Wedge Plymouth Sport Fury was the oldest Mopar in the pits but then again, the first Winternationals was held in 1961.Don’t tell Mike Cotton from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma that you can’t make a 383 run. He’s extracted a ton of power from the B-engine all while adhering to the strict NHRA Super Stock rules.Still kicking ass and taking names at the Winternationals for over 50 years, the 426 Max Wedge still remains a killer package in Stock Eliminator. John Shaul’s AA/SA ’64 Fury launches like a guided missile.This ’71 ’Cuda E/SA Stocker stood out from the pack. A stout high-compression 340 sits under that Shaker and when driver Chad Landon whacks the Thermoquad, it moves out in a hurry.Second-generation Mopar racer Jon Irving may have had his ’71 Demon 340 tamed down, but it still left the starting line like a bat out Hell.The slowest Mopar competing at the NHRA Winternationals was Bill O’Connor’s ’80 Horizon EF/S entry. It traveled the quarter-mile in 16.94 but fell victim in round one.Recent NHRA rule revisions allow the 1966-’67 Street Hemi Dodge Coronets (and their Plymouth counterparts) running in Stock Eliminator the use of “RO/WO Package Car” goodies such as hood scoop, Vanke Intake, battery in trunk, and other cool things. Dwight Machael’s A/SA entry puts them to good use.Darrin Smith knocked the dust off his ’68 440 Dart and brought it to the Winternats. The SS/FA machine had been parked for while as Darrin built his ’64 383 Dodge Stocker. It’s good to see the machine again.We’re jealous of Steve Wann; he entered the Winternationals with two Plymouth Max Wedge cars. His super clean white ’63 Super Stocker (and his ’62 413 Max Wedge Stocker) both mean business.This ’67 Plymouth Belvedere II Street Hemi Super Stocker was simply stunning. It made its NHRA national event debut at Pomona and Ryan Mangus wasted no time breaking it in.Once again, West Coast racer Randy Loge brought his ’72 Demon 340 to play with the Chevys and Fords. The high-flying A-Body hooks hard, goes straight, and is super consistent when it comes to running the numbers.This ’63 426 Max Wedge Plymouth Savoy looks like a time machine that could transport us back in time. With low 10 second e.t.s, it would be a quick trip.Wagons in all body styles are cool. A low-compression 318 breathing through a Carter Thermoquad might power John Irving’s ‘78 Dodge Aspen, but it will plant you firmly in the seat when the gas pedal gets mashed.Tim Hall has been racing his ’74 Dart Sport 360 for years. The “smogger” small-block clicks off low tens at ease without breaking a sweat.It’s not 426 Hemi, 426 Max Wedge, or even a 426 Street Wedge. Darrin Smith, always up to a challenge, built a 383 for this ’64 Dodge Stocker. Based on the time slips we’ve seen, he’s got it figured out.
We love the variety of engine combos in Super Stock and the ’65 Dodge of John Winslow Sr. is a prime example. He runs the lowly 426 Street Wedge but has no problem making the competition look twice when he leaves the starting line.Small-block Darts make killer race cars, and Larry Gilley’s ’69 Swinger is a prime example. Its high-compression, high-winding 340 runs heads-up with various big-block Chevys in the E/SA class and in most cases, puts them on the trailer.Former NHRA World Champion Chuck Rayburn usually runs his cross ram Race Hemi ’64 Plymouth in Stock Eliminator, but he wanted to try out some new parts. He moved over to Super Stock during the Winternationals but was sidelined early.The semi-final B/SA matchup featured Chad Loge’s ’70 440 Six Barrel GTX up against Jerry Emmons’s 396/375 Camaro. Loge had a killer .018 light but the Chevy just got him at the top end.Another semi-final race had two A-Bodies going at it. Justin Jerome’s ’73 Duster 340 got the win as John Irvin’s ’71 Demon 340 broke out by a mere 0.003 of a second. Justin was on his way to the finals.Justin Jerome’s Duster 340 marched all the way to the finals but had to settle for R/U against Emmons big-block Camaro. Justin had a better reaction time but took too much of the stripe and broke out by 0.045. Justin didn’t walk away empty handed, he got a check for $500 from Dodge for being the Top Finisher in Stock Eliminator.
