I have an appreciation for all sorts of cars, but deep down I’m a
Mopar man. I’ve owned Fords and Chevys, but my favorite cars have been
my 1983 Dodge Mirada 340 and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340, and when I get to
events like SEMA I’m always very excited to see what Mopar has in store
for me.
This year, I have to admit that the indoor Mopar display was a little bare, although cars like the Challenger 1320 (click here for more info) and the new Dodge Avenger pro stock car (more info coming soon!) made the display worth the time.
But
there was still Mopar Alley. The area connecting the Central Hall and
South Hall runs you through a parking lot and atop a busy overpass, but
for years now Mopar has bridged the gap with a variety of new and
vintage Mopars – both privately owned and featured vehicles owned by
Chrysler Corporation.
This year was no different, as Mopar featured a good sized group of
new models, along with the winners of their 2009 Top Eliminator
contest. These six vehicles were chosen from a large group of entries
and were selected as the winners of Mopar’s Top Eliminator contests
across the country at events like the Woodward Dream Cruise, and the
prize was the chance to be featured at one of the world’s most visited
automotive trade shows.
"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.
