Sets NHRA Class Record, Wins Third Career Event

Mohnton, Pa. — Bristol , Pa. , dentist Jim Daniels left no stone unturned during the 2009 Mopar® HEMI^® Challenge Race Series Dutch Classic event at Maple Grove Raceway, lowering the NHRA class record and convincingly winning the event.

In an all-Ray Barton-powered final on Sunday, Daniels faced off his 1968 HEMI Dodge Dart against teammate and Ray Barton’s son, David, of Robesonia , Pa. , in his 1968 HEMI Plymouth Barracuda. Daniels ran a stout 8.284 seconds at 159.53 mph, even though David Barton fouled at the start.

“I’ve never driven a car that ran like that for the whole weekend,” Daniels said. “It was a ‘no-lose’ final, but it is awesome to have won the race and set the record. It was a total team effort all season long and it feels great.”

It marked the third time in Daniel’s career he has claimed a Mopar HEMI Challenge event win and backed up his first career win at this event in 2008. He also won a rain-shortened Columbus event last month. Daniel’s pocketed a $6,250 winner’s purse.

Daniels set the NHRA Super Stock/A HEMI class record run in qualifying Thursday, with a pass of 8.331 seconds at 157.96 mph. In setting it, Daniels also took home a $2,000 bonus from record sponsor Penske Truck Leasing. He ran quicker three times on Sunday, but according to NHRA rule, class records cannot be set after the first round of eliminations.

Daniels ran his first contested round in the semifinals against Darien , CT driver Bob Wolkwitz in a ‘Cuda, who earlier had defeated his brother, Gary Wolkwitz, of Annandale , NJ , in the quarterfinals. He bested Wolkwitz 8.297/158.84 to 8.418/156.84. David Barton ran 8.44/155.40 for an easy win against red-light victim Stephen Herbert of Westlakes , La.

David Barton defeated Delaware , Ohio driver Jim Pancake and his Dodge Dart in the quarterfinals with a run of 8.38/157.15. Herbert advanced with a quarterfinal solo pass of 8.487/156.06 when Wendell Howes of Rothesay , New Brunswick , Canada broke at the line.

The Dutch Classic is the largest all-sportsman event on the east coast featuring 467 entries in all classes. This was the final Mopar HEMI Challenge event of the 2009 season.

First Round Completed, Sunday Racing to Decide Winner

Mohnton, Pa. — Mother Nature held off long enough for a little bit of racing Saturday, but persistent rain eventually pushed the final three rounds of the 2009 Mopar® HEMI^® Challenge Race Series Dutch Classic event at Maple Grove Raceway into Sunday.

Bristol, Pa., dentist Jim Daniels is still the driver to beat after qualifying at the top of the Dutch Classic field in his Ray Barton-built 1968 HEMI Dodge Dart with an NHRA Super Stock/A HEMI class record run of 8.331 seconds at 157.96 mph. Daniels had a bye run of 8.508 seconds at 155.65 mph in the first round Saturday when Chuck Comella of Sanibel, Fla. could not answer the call.

Ray Barton’s son, David, of Robesonia , Pa. , also had an easy first round win of 8.56 seconds at 151.26 mph in his Plymouth Barracuda when Mark Howes of Rothesay, New Brunswick, Canada red-lighted the start. Barton will face Delaware , Ohio driver Jim Pancake and his Dodge Dart in the quarterfinals.

The other quarterfinal match-ups include Bob Wolkwitz of Darien , CT in a Plymouth Barracuda vs. his brother Gary Wolkwitz of Annandale , NJ in a Dodge Dart; and an all-‘Cuda matchup of Wendell Howes vs. Stephen Herbert of Westlakes , La. HEMI Challenge quarterfinal eliminations are set to begin at 10:15 a.m. Sunday.

The Dutch Classic is the largest all-sportsman event on the east coast, with the Mopar HEMI Challenge taking Saturday’s center stage. Participants will vie for the $5,000 winner’s purse at the final Mopar HEMI Challenge event of the 2009 season.

The List of sponsors for the Dutch Classic is a long one.  Here's the complete run down!

Champion

$5000 from Mopar

$1,250 from Penske Truck Leasing

$6,250 total

Runner-up

$2,000 from Maple Grove Raceway

$750 from Penske Truck Leasing

$2,750 total

Semifinalists

$500 from Penske Truck Leasing

Quarterfinalists

$200 from Maple Grove Raceway

HEMI at The Dutch contingency awards

ATI

Product posted: $300 to win, $100 to runner-up for balancer.

Requirement: Product and decal on both sides of car.

ATI

Product posted: $300 to win, $100 to runner-up for converter.

Requirement: Product and decal on both sides of car.

Bucky’s Ltd. Auto Body

Product posted: $500 to winnner

Requirement: Double prize if car was painted by Bucky’s.

Cam FX

Product posted: $500 gift certificate toward product for winner.

Requirement: Decals on both sides of car.

Diamond Pistons

Product posted: $500 gift certificate toward product for winner.

Requirement: Decals on both sides of car.

Jesel

Product posted: $1,000 to winner; $500 for runenr-up; $250 for semifinalists.

Requirement: Use of Jesel rocker arms and decal.

Jim Daniels

Product posted: $500 to set SS/AH record

Manley Performance

Product posted: Set of Nextek valve springs to winner ($1,000 value).

Requirement: Decal of both sides of car.

Mickey Thompson

Product posted: Radial slicks to winner ($650 value), front tires to runner up ($320 value).

Requirement: Decals on both sides of car.

Moroso Performance

Product posted: Moroso custom HEMI wire set to winner and runner-up ($200 value per set).

Requirement: Moroso contingency size decal on both sides of car.

Penske Truck Leasing

Product posted: $2,000 to set new SS/AH record.

Portatree

Product posted: Eliminator practice tree to winner and runner-up ($230 value each), pocket practice tree to quarterfinalists ($100 value each).

Royal Purple

Product posted: Certificate for 5 gallons of oil to winner ($236 value).

Requirement: Decals on both sides of car.

VP Racing Fuels

Product posted: 54 Gallons of C-25 supplied to shootout contestants ($1,054.62 value).

Requirement: Decal on both sides of car.

The Hemi Super Stock boys have taken to the track today in preparation for tomorrow's Hemi Shoot Out in Martin.  With the cool temperatures, the racing should be well, hot!  We'll have round by round coverage of the event, right here on HemiShootOut.net.