{"id":47232,"date":"2021-01-18T07:00:19","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T12:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/?p=47232"},"modified":"2024-03-25T11:21:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T15:21:38","slug":"remembering-larry-henry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/showcase\/2021\/01\/remembering-larry-henry.html","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Larry Henry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are numerous names and faces that make up Mopar\u00ae<\/sub>\u2019s\nillustrious 70-year history, with their contributions to the brand\u2019s success\nboth on and off the race track. Many of you have heard of these guys and gals \u2013\nRonnie Sox, Buddy Martin, Jake King, Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, Dick Landy,\nShirley Muldowney, Judy Lilly, Don Garlits, Butch Leal, Tom Hoover, Larry\nRathgeb and many others. These folks drove racecars, turned wrenches, or\nengineered and designed great engines and vehicles that brought Chrysler many\nworld championships. But one such individual, instrumental to the success of\nMopar through his hard work, dedication and passion, was someone you have\nlikely never heard of. That person was Larry Henry and on Monday, January 4,\n2021, he lost his battle with cancer, and the Mopar faithful lost an unsung\nhero. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Classic<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Larry was born in Ohio, but ended up in California by the early 1960s. Always the gearhead, Larry raced Max Wedge-powered Mopar vehicles at many SoCal drag strips during his youth. When the opportunity to join Keith Black Racing as the parts manager came up, Larry jumped at the chance to work with this iconic engine builder who revolutionized the Chrysler 426 HEMI\u00ae<\/sup> V8 for both Top Fuel and marine applications. By 1969, Larry moved to Detroit to join Chrysler\u2019s fledgling performance and race parts group, where he would end up staying for 30 years. Initially, Larry helped develop the first Chrysler Performance Parts catalog in 1970. It was a very simple black-and-white typed brochure of hardcore racing parts for Mopar vehicles. With the \u201cHustle Stuff\u201d catalogs focused more on street performance, the decision was soon made to combine efforts and consolidate the race parts under one masthead. In 1974, Direct Connection was launched with Larry Henry managing many of the numerous parts programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mopar<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

By the mid-1970s, Direct Connection had created the Chrysler Kit Car program for stock car and modified racers competing on paved and dirt tracks across the country. This step was revolutionary for its time, and Larry Henry took this project under his wing as it was the first over-the-counter complete racecar kit offered from an automotive manufacturer. While Petty Enterprises did most of the engineering for Mopar, Larry was an integral part of the development team and he would go on to manage the program from start to finish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n