MnChallengers.COM

MnChallengers Potluck Picnic – Saturday May 19th

WHAT: MnChallenger Potluck Picnik
WHERE: Crosby Farm Regional Park
WHEN: Saturday, May 19, 2012
TIME: 10am to 2pm

UPDATE: Cruise! Meet at Stockmen’s Truck stop in SSP at 9am. We will leave from there for a nice cruise to the picnic.

DETAILS: Crosby Farm is a little hideaway on the banks of the Mississippi River. Amenities include a fire pit, barbecue grill, electricity and restrooms. I have no idea how to grill, so if someone is willing to grill or handle the fire pit that would be fantastic.

Please bring a dish to share. We will have pop, ice, chips, paper plates, forks, and napkins. If you have a comfortable chair, please bring it.

CRUISE:
Stockmen’s Truck Stop
501 Farwell Avenue
South St. Paul, MN 55075-2489
(651) 455-9719
MAP

PICNIC:
Crosby Farm Park
2595 Crosby Farm Rd.
Saint Paul, MN 55116
MAP

REFERENCE:
Stockmen’s Map
Crosby Farm Park
Facebook Event Page
City Cruise 2011

Guinness World Record Attempt – Largest Parade of Challengers

WHAT: Largest Parade of NEW Challengers Ever Assembled
WHERE: 28th Annual Midwest Mopars in the Park
WHEN: June 2nd
TIME: 3:00PM

If you own a new Dodge Challenger, this is an event you do not want to miss. We plan to assemble the largest parade of Mopars ever recorded. And we didn’t just pick any car to do it with, we picked the 2008 to present Dodge Challenger. We will need at least 250 cars to break the record. On top of that we’ll need to drive the cars in a parade for no less than 2-miles. Last year’s attempt got us close with 185 Challengers but this year we intend to get in the record books. Mopar will be on hand to lead the parade in a “special” Dodge Charger and Rick Berecz, Mopar’s Accessory Planning Manager will lead us into the record books.

To participate in this event with your 2008 to present Dodge Challenger, register for the 28th Annual Midwest Mopars in the Park and use class code 4200 on the registration form. Participants in the record attempt will have there own designated parking area. The parade will start at 3:00PM on Saturday June 2nd. All participants are eligible to purchase a high quality commemorative t-shirt.

This Guinness World Record Attempt is going to be a something spectacular to see let alone participate in. You’re not going to want to miss this. We look forward to seeing you there.

28th ANNUAL MIDWEST MOPARS IN THE PARK

Date: Saturday, June 2nd – Sunday, June 3rd

Location: Dakota County Fairgrounds 4008 220th Street, Farmington, MN

Event Details:
Jump-start your summer family-fun events and plan to attend the largest ALL MOPAR car show in the upper Midwest. The 28th Annual Midwest Mopars in the Park National Car Show & Swap Meet will be held on Saturday, June 2nd and 3rd, 2012. This year’s show is being held at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington, Minnesota. This great location offers a large show field, a large swap area and a huge FREE spectator parking area with free trolley rides to all areas of the fairgrounds.

The two-day car show and swap meet will feature something for every member of the family including children’s activities, music, non-stop entertainment, and a full line-up of vendors and special events.

Don’t miss your chance to see hundreds of pristine Mopar show cars including Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler, Jeep, AMC, Willys of every year make and model that are expected for this two-day car show vying for 33 class awards.

Special Guests:
Buddy Martin
Bill “Maverick” Golden
Arlen Vanke
Judy Lilly
Don Grotheer

Special Guests Race Building:
Our 2012 special guests are Bill “Maverick” Golden and Buddy Martin. In addition to meeting these legendary racers, you will be thrilled to see a collection of their special racing machines including Maverick’s Little Red Wagon and 1964 Super Stock Hemi Dodge, and the Sox and Martin 1968 Super Stock Hemi Barracuda, Super Stock Hemi Belvedere, Super Stock Pro 200 1973 Duster and the Ramp Truck & Trailer Tribute. Plus, back by popular demand will be fan favorites, Judy “Miss Mighty Mopar” Lilly, “Akron” Arlen Vanke and Don Grotheer and their cars including the Miss Mighty Mopar 1978 Volare, the Vanke 1963 Super Stock Dodge and 1965 Super Stock Dodge, Roy Clark’s Super Picker 1965 Hemi Belvedere, Herb McCandless’ 1968 Hemi Dart, Don Grotheer’s 1968 Hemi Road Runner, Fred Hurst’s 1970 Cuda Gasser, John Hagen’s Hemi Arrow, and the RatRoaster 1967 Hemi Barracuda. You will also see the first Dodge 330 Lightweight ever produced!

World Record Attempt:
Challenger Challenge – Don’t leave your sweet Challenger sitting in the parking lot. A Guinness World Records attempt will be made by assembling the largest parade of LC platform Dodge Challengers from 2008 to present on Saturday June 2nd. If you own one of these beautiful Challengers, you need to be a part of this attempt! Use Class Code 4200 on the registration form.

Specialty Car Building:
This year we are featuring the 1966 to Present Dodge Charger in the specialty building. We will feature Chargers from all Eras and we still need a few more. If you own a 68, 70-78, 79-87, 06, or 08-12 Charger that you would like to display, please contact Glenn Larson at 952-447-4702. Your car will be parked in the speciality building during the show.

Burnout Contest:
The burnout contest has become a huge draw. A lot of people like to gather round and watch these cars show off their muscle by laying down some rubber on a cement pad. It is cool. This year the contest is only going to be held on Saturday, but even more importantly the prizes for the burnout contest are being expanded. All prizes will be cash, and they are as follows:

1st: $1000.00
2nd: $500.00
3rd: $400.00
4th: $300.00
5th: $200.00
6th: $100.00

These are some pretty sweet prizes, and the money can go toward a new set of tires! If you want to participate in the burnout contest please contact the contest coordinator, Richard Burton, at 651-755-7946.

Show Location:
The Dakota County Fairgrounds is located in Farmington, MN. Please watch for signage to the fairgrounds as you enter the City of Farmington.

Driving Directions:
From the West – I35:
Take I35 to CR 70. Take CR 70 4 miles East to Cedar Ave. Turn left (North) approx ¼ mile to Hwy 50 turn right (East) approx 3 miles to Denmark Ave. Turn right on Denmark Ave. approx 3/4 mile (South) to 220th Street. Take 220th Street (left) to fairgrounds.

From the East:
Take Hwy 52 to Hwy 50. Take Hwy 50 West approx 8 miles to Hwy 3. Cross Hwy 3 approx ½ mile to fairgrounds.

From the North or South:
Take Hwy 3 to Farmington. Take 220th Street (West) ½ mile to fairgrounds.

From the Mall of America (494 & Cedar):
Take Cedar (Hwy 77) South to Hwy 50 turn left (East) to Denmark Ave. Turn right on Denmark Ave. approx 3/4 mile (South) to 220th Street. Take 220th Street (left) to fairgrounds.

The Spectator Gate opens at 8 am on Saturday and Sunday

(The Spectator Gate is the first gate from the East across the front of the fairgrounds.)

FREE parking on grounds – please do not park on city streets.

Show Hours:
Saturday, June 2nd
9 am – 3 pm: Car Show Registration
9 am – 6 pm: Car Show, Swap Meet & Show Events

1 pm : Burn-Out Contest
3 pm : Challenger World Record Attempt

Sunday, June 3rd
9 am – Noon: Car Show Registration
9 am – 4 pm: Car Show & Events
9 am – 5 pm: Swap Meet
3 pm: Award Ceremony

Entry Fees:
Daily spectator admission is just $10.00 per person at the gate and children under 12 are admitted free. FREE parking is available on the fairgrounds. Parking on city streets is discouraged.

Please use the Spectator Entrance off Hwy 3 when you arrive.

Spectator (Per Day) $10.00
Children under 12 FREE
Pre-Registration Non-Judged Display Only $15.00
Day-Of-Show Non-Judged Display $20.00
Pre-Registration $20.00
Day-Of-Show Registration $30.00
Swap Space (20×20) $80.00
Additional Swap Space (10×20) $30.00
Single Only Swap Space (10×20) $40.00
Car Corral $25.00

Note: Show and swap entry fees include two admissions for both Saturday and Sunday!

Contacts:
This event is hosted by the Midwest Mopars car club. If you have any questions please call the Show Chairman Renee Quimby at 612-210-1752 or Gary Richgruber at 952-884-9804.

Hotels:

GrandStay Residential Suites
7083 153rd St. W.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952-953-6111 or 877-388-STAY
MAP
Mention “MOPARS” for show rates

Comfort Inn – Lakeville
17605 Kenrick Avenue
Lakeville, MN 55044
952.898.3700
MAP
Mention “MOPARS” for show rates

Stay Bridge Suites
4675 Rahncliff Road
Eagan, MN 55122
651.994.7810
MAP
Mention “MOPARS” for show rates

Hilton Garden Inn
1975 Rahncliff Court
Eagan, MN 55122
651.686.4605
MAP
Mention “MOPARS” for show rates

Holiday Inn Express
1950 Rahncliff Court
Eagan, MN 55122
651.681.9266
MAP
Mention “MOPARS” for show rates

Show Grounds Camping:
RV and trailer camping is available on the grounds of the Dakota County Fairgrounds. Reservations for camping are handled directly by the Fairgrounds management.

Camping with Hook-up $30/Day
Camping with Hook-up $100/Week
Camping without Hook-up $20/Day
Camping without Hook-up $75/Week

Please email Fair@DakotaCountyFair.ORG or call 651-463-6900 for reservations.

Event Registration:
Record Attempt Registration Form: LINK

Reference:

Midwest Mopars Website: LINK
Photo Slideshow from 2010 (808 Photos): LINK
Photo Slideshow from 2009 (614 Photos): LINK
Youtube Video Promo for 2009: LINK

Breakfast Cruise to Cars & Coffee – Saturday April 7th

WHAT: Breakfast Cruise to Cars & Coffee in Chanhassen
WHEN: Saturday April 7th
TIME: 6:30am-11am

START LOCATION: Wampach’s Restaurant in Shakopee
START TIME: 6:30am
WAMPACH’S: MAP

UPDATE: In effort to get everyone breakfast, I would encourage people to show up at 6:30am if you want to eat. Wampach’s has space for maybe 40 people in the restaurant. If we all show up at the same time, we are going to be waiting for tables. If you want to skip breakfast, you can just jump in on the cruise when we leave downtown Shakopee at 7:45am.

WAMPACHS PARKING: We have plenty of room for parking on the east side of Wampach’s then east along 1st Ave. The cruise will exit east down 1st avenue to the light on Hwy 101. Park anywhere along 1st avenue and we can all exit together without a fuss. I have marked up an aerial photo to show parking areas. The red represents recommended parking areas. The bright yellow represents the route we will take out of downtown Shakopee. Park anywhere in the red areas and it will be easy for you to jump in with the group. Note: Wampachs is on the left side of the photo.

SHAKOPEE PARKING: Aerial Photo

DETAILS: Meet at Wampachs restaurant in Shakopee for breakfast at 6:30am. Eat breakfast. Head over to the Automotorplex in Chanhassen for Cars & Coffee. We should arrive at the Automotorplex around 8am. Once everyone parks, we can disperse and look at cars, have some coffee and hang out. At 10am, we will leave the Automotorplex to continue our cruise to a second destination. This second cruise will be scenic and last approximately one hour.

MORE: Wampach’s is an old diner located near the 101 bridge in downtown Shakopee. They serve a great breakfast. The first cruise will be short but scenic. The second cruise will be longer. If the sun is out, this should be a great event.

AUTOMOTORPLEX PARKING: The Automotorplex added space for an additional 250 cars this year with capacity for 1000 cars. We should be good for space.

10-DAY WEATHER FORECAST

REFERENCE:
Wampach’s
AutoMotorplex
Photos from 2011
Photos from 2009

Northside Campfire Cruise – Saturday April 21st

WHAT: Northside Campfire Cruise
WHERE: Elk River
WHEN: Saturday April 21st
TIME: 3pm to 10pm

START LOCATION: Target in Maple Grove
START TIME: 3PM
MAP: LINK

BRIEF: Scenic river and lakeside cruise thru northern Minnesota followed by pizza, a campfire and an outdoor movie.

DETAILS: You are invited to make a drive from Maple Grove to points north and west on Saturday, April 21st. We will gather at the Target Maple Grove location (15300 Grove Circle N Maple Grove, MN 55369) and depart at 3 pm. Taking backroads and avoiding 94 we will travel through Rogers, Alberville and Monticello before visiting the Clearwater Travel Center as our first planned stop. The drive is nice with several lakes, rolling countryside and fast roads. We will make a spectacle of ourselves by driving through the heart of Monticello on our way to Otsego via CR39 which follows the mighty Mississippi. There is photo opportunity I would like to take a quick look at and a Cold Stone Creamery if there is interest. From there we make a run down Dayton River Road then on to Darin’s new place in Elk River. Pizza should be waiting on us by the time we get there (5:30-6 pm estimated). With 10 acres and a long driveway there is off street parking for everyone! Check out his “Speed Shop” and new hydraulic lift. Ask him to explain why he has three trucks (all Dodge of course) if he has a work vehicle and, if he gives you a good answer, please explain it to me! Enjoy some time together talking all things Challenger and Mopar and sit by the fire. We plan to screen the original Vanishing Point on a large outdoor screen when darkness falls. We will have chairs but please bring your own if you can so nobody is left standing. Adult beverages are welcome but it is BYOB.

MnChallengers car club President Steven Benson describes the club, it’s history and events, and the Dodge Challengers members own. Based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis – St. Paul, MN Challengers is open to Dodge Challenger owners, new or old. Filmed during fall of 2011, a B5 Blue Challenger R/T is featured in road footage- and in the studio. Produced and filmed by Joel Schnell – Photographer on a Canon 5D MKII. Music by Nathanael Lew.

Minnesota Challengers from Joel Schnell Photographer on Vimeo.

Kenne Bell has sponsored MnChallengers with a donation of one of their Boost A Pump Kit’s, part number KB89069. The kit allows you to safely increase fuel delivery by tapping into your existing fuel pumps potential, and allows you to make adjustments from the drivers seat. This part is standard equipment included in all Kenne Bell Supercharger kit’s and is ideal for anyone considering upgrading their injectors or thinking about a bottle! The Boost A Pump will also be raffled off at Mopars in the Park 2012.

More information about Boost A Pump can be viewed at the below link:

http://www.kennebell.net/KBWebsite/Accessories_pg/Boost%20A%20Pump/layouts/boostapump.htm

Gunslinger Shifters has sponsored MnChallengers in 2012 with a donation of one of their Carbon Fiber Automatic Transmission Shifter Handles. If you have ever experienced holding an “old School” pistol grip in your right hand, this is a modification that is sure to bring back the memories of your youth. If you have never held one before, once you do, nothing will ever feel the same. The pistol grip will be raffled off at Mopars in the Park 2012.

Hemi Shootout Update from Bradenton Florida by Todd Wilson

Okay it’s time to post the Bradenton Racing trip outcome. Without going into the details of the winter work performed on the car the plan was to take it easy by means of increasing my launch technique each run so that I got used to the new tires and tune. After the 3rd run of the day we had a 10.111 time which placed us in the top 3 of the qualifying rounds. The car felt great the first three runs. The 4th run of the day was my first elimination run in the “Index” category. I listed my time at a 10.000 and told myself that if I broke out all is good because I would then be in the 9′s which is our 2012 goal. I made a decision that I was going to get on this thing at the launch for the 4th run. I wanted to see if we could plant the new tires and get the front end off the ground. As it turned out I busted the yoke on the two-part drive shaft. We just got the thing up in the air and there is no other damage. I’ve been contacted by Arrington Performance and they informed me that the drive shaft will be covered under warranty. This is great news. I’m now looking at possible other options to include having a single tube drive shaft custom made. I do not want this to happen again. All in all we had a great trip. My friend John Lewis had the fastest qualifying time and he too broke his car. It would have been great to race John head to head but unless I add the NOS it will be tough to catch him. ~ Todd Wilson

Drive it like you stole it. In someone else’s Challenger or other SRT vehicle. That sure sounds like a blast for a day…and absolutely is!

The SRT Track Experience is a one-day event that allows participants to experience the performance of the SRT vehicles. There are many events and locations to select from throughout the country. Several top NASCAR and road courses are included in the venues. There are two to four straight days of events at each stop.

This was my third year at the SRT Track Experience and I went back to Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI – five to six hours from the Twin Cities. It is one of the top road courses in the US holding races for several top racing series. The track is described as wicked fast. It is a 4-mile road course consisting of all racing aspects from straightaway speed to braking and cornering. The SRT Track Experience pass is included in the purchase of any SRT vehicle. The events are also open to anyone purchasing a pass through SRT or from owners who choose to sell their pass. I had so much fun the past years that I bought passes for two straight days in 2011. There are passes available for non-drivers too. These participants get to ride with the instructors.

Road America. Beautiful weather and scenery.

Entering the track at Road America.

Start/finish line from pit area.

On my first day this year, Dodge had the ACR Viper at the track. The race team was going across the US setting track records. I heard he got the record at Road America. We were sitting in a tent 50 feet from the start/finish line when he flew by at 170+mph – just a loud blur! He could be heard accelerating, shifting and squealing around the entire four miles from the tent. Awesome!

ACR Viper.

I would love to watch the video from the GoPro camera on the grill. I was the first one in black 392 in the background on my first day and got to wear the stickers off of those new tires.

Another bonus was other club members and Challenger owners also attended the events. They were Dave Arndt, Rick Gakewski, Ryan Reimers and Larry Kjellberg. Ryan and Larry attended the same two days I was at the events. Dave was my on-track partner the last day. Rick attended the last day, but was on a different team than the rest of us. Dave and I got the first run of the 392 Challengers on the last day and I can’t even describe the excitement and look in his eyes after we got out of the cars. It took a couple of hours for Dave to wipe the perma-grin off his face! There were two Challengers that joined us in Nelson on the cruise to Elmers this past fall. These were guys I met from SE MN and NE IA on my first day at the track. Hopefully they will join us again on cruises in 2012.

Dave and Orlin.

The SRT Experience is put on by Petty Enterprises – a real class organization. The opening of the program includes an introduction video where Richard Petty drives and describes the SRT vehicles as racecars with blinkers. Participants are fed a fantastic breakfast and lunch. There is all the pop, water, coffee, hot chocolate and candy you want in tents at the modules all day long.

Main tent for ceremonies and eating.

Overwhelming majority of participants owned Challengers! This has been true every year.

The SRT vehicles included in the 2011 program were the Challenger, Charger, Chrysler 300C and Jeep Cherokee – all automatics. Only the Challenger had the new 392 (6.4) Hemi. The Challenger is the only SRT vehicle built for the 2011 model year. The others were the 2010 models with the 6.1 Hemi. There were some 2011 R/T Challengers and Chargers used in some of the events this year. The only thing they do to the vehicles is increase the air pressures so they handle better on the track. Otherwise, the vehicles are exactly the same as we have in our garages. I was told they have an endless supply of F1 tires and sets are usually changed every three or four days – depending on the track. The first year I was there, the lineup included the SRT4 Caliber with a stick which was used only in the Autocross. In all the years they have run this program, there has never been any major engine or transmission failure in any vehicle. This program is actually one of their best testing grounds and means of feedback for the SRT vehicles. The vehicles get absolutely pounded, but they are bulletproof. For 2012, they will have their new fleet – all with 392s. Can’t wait!

The SRT fleet.

Chrysler 300C SRT8s.

Challenger 392 SRT8s. Now you know where and why I got my SRT windshield logo.

Jeep Cherokee SRT8s.

There is a limit of 40 drivers each day which are broken into 2 groups of 20 and led by crew chiefs. I was on Team Buttercup both days with Ryan and Larry and the last day with Dave. Each group rotates through the modules during the day. There is a team competition for the best total combined times for all autocross team members. Awards are given to the winning team and individuals at the closing of the program. There are parting gifts for all participants. The gift this year was a nice SRT duffle/trunk bag.

The day consists of four different driving modules.

1) Driving Dynamics – This starts with the basics of racing techniques. You are taught how and where to brake and accelerate. Then you get on the track to get a feel for the vehicles and track. The speeds are limited in this session – generally up to 100 mph (unless the instructor likes what he sees or knows you). Drivers run in packs of three with the instructor leading two participants – all in the same SRT model. They want you to keep a three car length separation from the car in front of you.
2) Autocross Challenge – This is an obstacle course set up with over 4000 small orange cones. It is a timed event. You get two runs in the Challenger and one run in the Jeep. The best time of the three is your time. Hitting any cone is a costly two second penalty. There were a couple of participants that hit double digits on the cone meter.
3) Challenger Head-to-Head Challenge – This is similar to autocross except you are racing another participant in Challengers. It includes making complete stops in boxes. Again, hitting cones or not stopping completely or out of the box is a penalty. A clean run is more important than speed. This is an elimination competition.
4) Performance Drive – This is Driving Dynamics stepped up a few notches. This is where you really get to test and feel the performance of the SRT vehicles. If you keep within the recommended spacing, the instructors will push you to the next level. Safety is first, but drivers can really hammer down. It helps to have a good partner. This will test you and see where you are willing to go. It will include putting the vehicle on the edge and probably sliding sideways through some corners. This ain’t no MnChallengers cruise! There was rain and wet pavement at times during both days so the top speeds on the track were about the mid-120s. Last year, we reached speeds in the mid-130s on a dry track. I did a couple of ride alongs with the instructors for advice and see how real racers attack the course. Being a stick owner and not having driven an automatic in a Challenger other than at this event, it was nice to see how effective the instructor was with the paddle shifter. I copied this shifting for the rest of my runs. All driving must be done with the ESP on or they will send you home…period.

The first year I was at this event, one of the modules was 1/8 mile drag racing with a real lighted starting tree. We were even given printouts of runs and reaction times. Everyone wanted to see the Challenger and Jeep in a drag race so we lined them up. The pavement was wet and the Challenger did a lot of spinning, but it was not even a contest for the Jeep. This module has since been eliminated so we get more track time. In addition, we now make two laps at a time on the track instead of one. The drag racing was fun, but I like their choice of more track time.

Rules of the road for Driving Dynamics and Performance Drive.

The Autocross winner.

Ryan in the Challenger Challenge.

SRTs on the track and heading to pits during Performance Drive.

On my first day, I was the first one out in our group for the Autocross. This initial clean run ended up being the third fastest time for the day. I made the podium and won a nice SRT T-shirt. My Jeep run was actually faster, but I hit one cone. Our team had the three fastest times of the day for both groups, but lost the team competition. I just missed the podium in the Challenger Challenge on the second day. I raced the same team member four times before a winner could be determined. I won the fourth race, but unfortunately I stopped a few inches short in one of the boxes.

Autocross winners – 2nd, 1st, 3rd.

Autocross times.

My favorite SRT vehicle to drive was the Challenger. Maybe a bit biased because I own one. It has a stiffer and more “squirrelly” ride than the others. It was more unstable – especially on the wet pavement. It is amazing how well the Charger and Chrysler 300C drive for a “sedan”. I really enjoyed the 300C ride. Believe it or not, the Jeep, which sports AWD, will run circles around all other vehicles. The launch of the Jeep is just incredible and you would not believe its handling and control of the road. The new 392 Hemi has 40-50 more HP than the 6.1 Hemi. Being a 6.1 owner, I could definitely notice the increase in power. Until you have driven on a course like this, you will never experience the braking power of the Brembos. It is amazing how they can woe down a two-ton plus muscle car much less a heavier sedan or truck. The steering is also incredible. Driving on the wet pavement was actually a good thing being able to experience how the vehicles will react and engage the ESP.

The last thing drivers get to experience at the end of the day is Hot Laps. Participants get to ride shotgun with the professional drivers at full speed, with the ESP off. This is the ride of your life! Speeds can reach 150 mph and it is unbelievable these vehicles can go through corners the way the instructors drive them. This year the Vipers did not come out for hot laps. One drop of rain keeps them in the trailer. In past years, seven lucky people get a ride at speeds over 165 mph. No luck yet for me.

Participants are given a flash drive so they can enjoy their driving experience again later. These are plugged into the recording devices in the cars as you drive them. There is one camera out the front windshield and another camera on you in most vehicles. Speeds, tach, times and location on track are also displayed on the video. I have some good video of me this year almost sideways in the 392 Challenger in the rain – just a bit aggressive getting on the gas out of a corner. I still do not know how I did not spin out. I have some great video of Dave quite “loose” in the rain. Unfortunately, my hot lap from each day did not get recorded. The violent driving most likely shook the flash drive loose. All I can say is the first day hot lap in the Challenger was the best ride I have ever had in any car! As we took off, the instructor told me he was going to give it everything he could…and he did. I was hanging on to anything I could through some of the corners. WOW!

Hot Laps – Strapping in for the ride of my life!

SRT became a separate division within Chrysler. This is only a good thing for the Challenger. The Challenger is currently scheduled to run production through 2014. With the Challenger being the flagship car of this fleet, I can only see them wanting to continue production beyond that year. The muscle car wars with Camaros and Mustangs are hot like back in the day. While talking with Chrysler this past fall, I was told this is the feeling around Chrysler as well although nothing has been announced at this point. I have to believe the real 426 Hemi is on the drawing board somewhere at Dodge. Maybe a ‘Cuda? A new Viper will be out. There has been some talk of bringing the Magnum and Caliber back into the SRT program. The recently released Dart could also be a part of the future.

The SRT Experience is not only a blast, but it is where I found out about MnChallengers last year. I saw a couple of participants with MN plates and told these guys I had heard about a pack of Challengers cruising around the Twin Cities area. They told me about the club and the threads on ChallengerTalk. I went on my first cruise a week later on the Oct 2010 Fall Cruise. Those two guys were Ryan and Larry.

I plan to go back again for all three days in 2012. The full schedule including Road America is not available until the end of January. I will be buying some passes once registration is open. If anyone has a valid SRT Experience pass from the purchase of a Challenger (or knows someone who does) that is not going to use it, please contact me and we will work something out. I would love to have a club member who wants to go fast as a partner…I guarantee you will enjoy every minute of the event!

Additional information :
Map of Road America
driveSRT.com – Official site for SRT Track Experience
driveSRT on Facebook – Lots of pics

driveSRT will be doing a tour of the US again in 2012 with their new SRT vehicles. They are looking for clubs as they cross the US. I sent an email to the contact I was given for the tour while at the SRT Experience and told them about MnChallengers (site and Facebook) and how we would like them to come to the Twin Cities area and join our club on a cruise. Hopefully I will hear back and our area will be on their upcoming tour schedule.

If you are interest in seeing the new 2012 SRT vehicles, tune in to the Speed Channel and watch program Test Drive – The SRT Group. They take out all four vehicles driven at the SRT Track Experience. Tommy Kendall gets the Jeep over 160 mph on the Autobahn. The new Yellow Jacket SRT8 Challenger on the program is really cool!

MnChallengers – Swag

You want it, we got it. Jackets, patches, hoodies, shirts, can coolers, stickers. We’ll have it all at Mopars in the Park. See Steve Benson or Mike Hewitt and we’ll get you what you need.

Jacket with Sewn Patches – $135
Patches Only – Large $60 or Small for $10
Jackets Only – $40
Hoodies – $25
Full Zip Sweatshirts – $35
Shirts – $15
Can Coolers – $20
Stickers – 1 for $4 or 3 for $10

NOTE: Large patches are sold out. We will place the next order when 6 pre-orders are received.

01) Stacy Hanson
02) Ron Olson
03) Linda Scharffbillig
04) Scott Woolley
05) Bill Conrad