Mopar(R) Announces Debut of NHRA Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger
Mopar(R) announced it will launch a new Pro Stock Dodge Avenger to compete in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Attendees at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nov. 3–6, got the first glimpse of the new Pro Stock Dodge Avenger. The 2010 NHRA Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger of Team Mopar driver Allen Johnson was on exhibit in the Mopar display at SEMA.
The new Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger has been officially approved for competition by the NHRA. The Dodge Avenger is targeted for its competition debut at the 50th Annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 11–14, 2010. The Mopar Dodge Avenger replaces the previous Dodge Stratus R/T body, which had been in use by Mopar HEMI(R)-powered NHRA Pro Stock competitors since the midpoint of the 2003 season.
The new Pro Stock Mopar Dodge Avenger was developed in-house at Chrysler Group LLC. The project utilized Chrysler Group LLC tools and resources also employed to build the production Dodge Avenger, creating a connection between the street and the quarter-mile.
The greatest challenge to the Dodge Motorsports Engineering team tasked with the project was maintaining maximum identity of the Dodge Avenger in the new body without forsaking performance on the drag strip.
"Our team worked within NHRA's rules to balance aerodynamic performance goals and maximize Dodge Avenger identity," said Joe Vitous, SRT & Motorsports Aero-Thermal Manager. "The new Mopar Dodge Avenger meets or exceeds the aero goals we established."
"I'm very excited to race the new Mopar Dodge Avenger," commented Allen Johnson. "We've been racing the Stratus since mid-2003. Just having a change is an upgrade. We feel we've been at a disadvantage with some of our competitors who have been racing in newer bodies for the last few years. I was fitted for the new body in late September. NHRA was there, and we spent a lot of time going over the templates. That was exciting. I'm glad we're going ahead full bore."