(Photos by Mike Burghardt) – The hugely popular Mopar HEMI Challenge at the U.S. Nationals continued again this year with 16 of the drag racing’s best period SS/AH Hemi Darts and Cuda’s, fighting for Mopar bragging rights and a $15,000 payout.
Pennsylvania’s Jimmy Daniels continued his undefeated streak at Indy by driving his Super Stock ‘68 Dodge Dart to a record fourth consecutive event victory, racing among some of the toughest Hemi cars on the continent. Ray and Dave Barton provide the Hemi’s horsepower for Daniels.
Daniels, the event’s No. 1 qualifier, defeated Ohio’s Rich Locker (below) driving his ‘68 Plymouth Barracuda with a run 8.576 seconds at 156.01 mph in the final round of the 19th running of the Shootout at the U.S. Nationals.
Daniel’s victory was the sixth time a driver piloted a 1968 Dodge Dart to victory in the event. Daniel’s father, Jimmy Daniels, Sr., won the event in 2010 and David Barton won driving the same machine in 2000.
“We had some tough battles to get this fourth win, including that semifinal,” admitted Daniels. “This HEMI Challenge is everything. We work all year for this. It means a lot for us. Special thanks to Dodge for continuing to support these cars and to the NHRA for allowing them to have the HEMI Challenge here in Indy.
Factory MOPAR HEMI racer Herb McCandless is still known as Mr. 4 Speed!
Take a look at this awesome gallery of HEMI Challenge photos!
I bought that Dart from behind guys house–front suspension was half way off wedged firewood chunks between control arms and frame to load it–got home washed it out with a hose and delivered to a buyer that sent it straight to Ken Keirs for the SS treatment! Well They did not have it long and it went to Bartons and the rest is history–It is a lot of fun to think I saved it and that it is such a great car now–You get crazy looks with a junker on the trailer when you just snatched it from the weeds and are heading home–but what do they know?
Several owned it in the early days with big dreams for it–maybe some Cragars and Hookers and a 340! Then a rich man spent like crazy on it and dreamed of wheeling it to a Wally–Then guys that finally knew how to make it happen did just that! And for sure in the future some newly rich $$$$$$$ guy will buy it for all of the history etc
I just think of the $$$$$$$ that has been spent on that ONE car by dozens of guys over decades since it was made–want to help the economy??–sell some Dreams!!!!!
That is a cool story about the Dart David.
Great picture of Herb; one of the nicest guys in the business!