This week’s Truckin Fast Wednesday feature takes a look at what appears to be a 2nd generation Dodge Dakota R/T drag racing against a 1964 Ford Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt is a purpose built vintage style race car complete with a lifted front end to make room for the straight front axle while the Dakota is said to be supercharged. There are no details on either of the vehicles but based on what sounds to me like the whine of a blower right before the two vehicles launch – I would guess that this Dakota is packing a supercharged 5.9L V8 Magnum while the Thunderbolt is likely powered by a 427 cubic inch big block V8.
I have to warn you all that he drag racing action between this blown Dakota and the vintage Ford Thunderbolt is pretty jenky. There is no Christmas tree and the vehicles leave on an old school arm drop and as they progress down the track you can see that there are no timing boards or win light…there aren’t even walls on the outer edges of the track. The absence of a win light makes it hard to tell who wins but it looks as though the starting line advantage allowed the Dakota to get to the finish line first – wherever it might be.
"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.
