"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.
Today’s Tech Thread Spotlight takes a look at the do-it-yourself starter replacement write up by long time DF member and Durango tech guru hydrashocker. Replacing a starter is one of those jobs that many shade tree mechanics and Durango owners might shy away from, but this step by step DIY with pictures shows just how […] More »
There is just something magical about watching a really, really fast Dodge Ram pickup roar down the quarter mile and that certain something is amplified when that fast Ram is powered by the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine. In this week’s Truckin Fast Wednesday feature we get to see a collection of Cummins Rams ripping down […] More »
Have you been told that the front shocks on your 3rd generation Dodge Ram 1500 need to be changed? If so, you likely shuddered when you heard how much it will cost to install new shocks but fortunately, the 3g Ram 1500 front shocks are easy to change with only some basic tools and a […] More »
This week’s Tire Shredding Tuesday clip takes a look at a 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T somewhere in Holland doing a big, smokey burnout. This black and silver Mopar muscle car is powered by one of the big block V8s of the 1971 R/T package and that allows it to very easily destroy the rear tires. […] More »
Today’s Cool Thread takes a look at a truly unique 1997 Dodge Ram B2500 Van that has been modified to serve as the ultimate hunting machine. DF member HogSWAT uses this full size Ram Van to take hunting grounds out into the woods to track down wild hogs and to make it as capable as […] More »
When the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat arrives, it will be the most powerful non-Viper car from the Chrysler Group in the history – a history that includes a great many very impressive, very powerful vehicles. The Challenger SRT Hellcat is guaranteed to have a stunning output of at least 600 horsepower and 575lb-ft of […] More »
This week’s Muddy Monday feature takes a look at a 2nd gen Dodge Ram 2500 powered by the mighty Cummins Turbo Diesel engine as it tackles a watery mud hole in the middle of a very rough looking gravel pit. The steep terrain around the mud pit would make it impossible for many trucks to […] More »