Take a good look at the vague outline of taillights on that
grey mule car from recent NASCAR release photos.It looks as though this is a sneak peak of
what we can expect to see from the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2009.
While the teams in the Sprint Cup have gone to their “Car of
the Future” with a more equal playing field as far as chassis and body design,
the Car of the Future for the Nationwide series is planned to keep a distinct
manufacturers shape when the final bodies are accepted.
This picture shows the rear end of what we can safely assume
is the Dodge Challenger entry, and it will be joined by a Toyota Camry, and an
entry from Ford and Chevrolet to be named later on.Ford’s test photos would appear to be a
Fusion, and there have been rumors that Chevrolet may roll out a Camaro fascia
to do battle with the Challenger, which leads you to wonder why the Mustang
isn’t joining in the NASCAR fun, but time will tell what will happen as we near
the February beginning of the 2009 season.
The images of this Challenger give hope to many Dodge
die-hard fans who were concerned that Dodge pulling out of the Craftsman Truck
Series may suggest another slide in Dodge Motorsports, but with the popular new
Challenger hitting the track for the Nationwide Series this could bring about a
new chance for Dodge to flex its muscle.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
