WEATHER OR NOT – Mopar Action Article Extra

While the forecast of some drizzle would cast a pall of discouragement over a lesser Mopar show, the Nats folks put on their smiley faces and shrugged off even the rain that shortened the racing activities. ‘Course you know how show car folks are, freaking out if their cars get damp, but only a couple of cars actually dissolved into molten pools with bits of upholstery floating around in them due to the rain.

In racing, participants got a crack at the Nats’ 20 grand payout . New this year was 1/8-mile running in the Quick 16 and Super Pro categories. More and more tracks are doing this and since the cars are setup this way. The Nats had no complaints on this so they’ll do it again next year. New for this event was a Gamblers race, with two classes, “1/8-Mile Box” and “1/4-Mile No Box”. The turnout was huge. Winner in the “Box classification was Jim Anthony, of Baltimore, OH in his 1985 Omni, running a 6.05@112.95 to R/U Eric Deakin, of Venetia, PA in his 1968 Dart which ran a 5.8@116.81. In the “No Box” category, it was an all Barracuda final with Jason Wheatcraft, of Jamestown, OH running a 10.03@131.10, beating out Rob Nixon, of Westchester, OH in his 1969 Barracuda, 10.41@127.02.

Show highlights saw Best of Show – Car, going to John Thayler, with his bright orange 1970 Road Runner. Best of Show – Truck, was won by Joanna Bartosh, Webster, WI with her 1958 W100 the exhibition cars. A complete list of winners see “2013 Nationals Results”.

Here are some show snippets that did not appear in print captured by TheBruntBros as they made their rounds between the food stands and Port-A-Potties.

Packed staging lanes saw National Trail Raceway’s strip being put to good use.

Mo’fan oogles the MyClassicGarage/Mopar Action giveaway 1970 Hemicuda.
He entered the contest but, alas, didn’t win.

This Super Bird is either under construction or is completed and came down from The Bronx (NY).

Leigh Fragnoli Edition SRT8 Challenger comes with a Kenne Bell blower,
tons of mods and a cannoli which TheBruntBros helped themselves to.

Up for sale at 85 grand was this ’73 Cuda with a 528 crate Hemi. Purported to be a ground-up restoration coached by Arlen Vanke. Features include a Viper 6-speed and a powder coated chassis.

A big less expensive ($14,500) was this ’33 Plymouth street rod packing a .030-over 340 hooked to a 727.

Pretty wild Gen 3 Hemi-powered Valiant.

’68 ‘Cuda super Stock replica packs a For Hemis Only 650 HP 540-inch Gen 2 Hemi with factory corssram and 770 Holleys. Wilwood front discs help in the braking dept.

Nats’ excitement was just too much for some Mo’fans.

1978 Dodge Aspen Kit Car survivor has only 18,161 miles if you can believe the sign.

Even less miles (11,000) are on this ’66 273 Dart survivor which still sits on its original tires

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