The Mopar display of SEMA 2008 featured a panel of Mopar Performance celebrities, from NHRA Funny Car Champ Gary Scelzi to drift champ Sam Hubinette. Behind them, this dimly lit stage with a menacing form hidden away under the car cover. The Mopar folks were tight lipped about what was under the cover, telling media to come back at 4:30pm for the unveiling, but Sam Hubinette was kind enough to give a hint along the lines of “it’s the next Mopar drift car…and it might be a Challenger.”
Well , DodgeForum.com was there when the covers were pulled away, and what we were shown was one of the hottest modified Challengers we’ve seen so far. Even though the whole Mopar display was packed full of modded new Challengers, this gorgeous Challenger, finished entirely in a polished chrome finish and wearing the familiar Mopar drift paint scheme, drew a crowd like no other vehicle at the show thus far.
Hundreds, if not thousands, packed around the stage to get a glimpse as Hubinette spoke briefly about the car, mentioning that it was a naturally aspirated engine making around 850 horsepower, and upon further information, I was shocked to see that it’s using the Mopar sprint car crate engine.
Drifting has gradually gained popularity in the US, and with the tuning experience gained from the Mopar drift Charger last year, the NuForms team should be a top contender again this season.
Stay tuned to DodgeForum.com for complete 2008 SEMA Show coverage!!!
"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.
The Mopar display of SEMA 2008 featured a panel of Mopar Performance celebrities, from NHRA Funny Car Champ Gary Scelzi to drift champ Sam Hubinette. Behind them, this dimly lit stage with a menacing form hidden away under the car cover. The Mopar folks were tight lipped about what was under the cover, telling media to come back at 4:30pm for the unveiling, but Sam Hubinette was kind enough to give a hint along the lines of “it’s the next Mopar drift car…and it might be a Challenger.”
Well , DodgeForum.com was there when the covers were pulled away, and what we were shown was one of the hottest modified Challengers we’ve seen so far. Even though the whole Mopar display was packed full of modded new Challengers, this gorgeous Challenger, finished entirely in a polished chrome finish and wearing the familiar Mopar drift paint scheme, drew a crowd like no other vehicle at the show thus far. 
Hundreds, if not thousands, packed around the stage to get a glimpse as Hubinette spoke briefly about the car, mentioning that it was a naturally aspirated engine making around 850 horsepower, and upon further information, I was shocked to see that it’s using the Mopar sprint car crate engine.
Drifting has gradually gained popularity in the US, and with the tuning experience gained from the Mopar drift Charger last year, the NuForms team should be a top contender again this season.
