{"id":55300,"date":"2021-09-09T07:27:29","date_gmt":"2021-09-09T11:27:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/?p=55300"},"modified":"2024-03-25T11:21:04","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T15:21:04","slug":"mopar-express-lane-nhra-nationals-presented-by-pennzoil-launch-the-countdown-to-the-championship-playoff-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/racing\/2021\/09\/mopar-express-lane-nhra-nationals-presented-by-pennzoil-launch-the-countdown-to-the-championship-playoff-series.html","title":{"rendered":"Mopar<sub>&reg;<\/sub> Express Lane NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil Launch the \u2018Countdown to the Championship\u2019 Playoff Series"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The 36th annual Mopar<sub>\u00ae<\/sub> Express Lane Nationals Presented by Pennzoil are set\nfor this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pennsylvania, with Mopar\nand Dodge\/\/SRT<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>-supported racers staged and ready to begin their drive for\nNational Hot Rod Association (NHRA) world championship titles in the first of\nseven \u201cCountdown to the Championship\u201d playoff series national events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2129-04780.jpg\" alt=\"Ron Capps and Matt Hagan drag racing\" class=\"wp-image-55304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2129-04780.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2129-04780-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2129-04780-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2129-04780-992x661.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This weekend\u2019s competition marks the fourth of five national events\nsupported by Mopar and Dodge\/\/SRT title sponsorship during the NHRA\u2019s 70th\nanniversary season and the first of two playoff contests, which include the\npenultimate event at the Dodge\/\/SRT NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil in Las\nVegas Oct. 29-Nov. 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-04075.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Hagan drag racing\" class=\"wp-image-55309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-04075.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-04075-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-04075-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-04075-992x662.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re pleased to be back at Maple Grove Raceway with our Pennzoil partners for the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals to kick off the NHRA\u2019s \u2018Countdown to the Championship\u2019 playoff series,\u201d said Mark Bosanac, North America Vice President, Mopar Service, Parts &amp; Customer Care. \u201cWe look forward to watching our HEMI<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>-powered racers compete while showcasing the Mopar brand to ultra-passionate drag racing enthusiasts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2126-13619.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Hagan drag racing\" class=\"wp-image-55307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2126-13619.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2126-13619-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2126-13619-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2126-13619-992x661.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Mopar Express Lane provides quick in-and-out, high-quality, factory-backed\nservice by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations across the\nnation. Racers and fans will see the familiar blue, white and yellow Mopar\nExpress Lane signage at Maple Grove Raceway as NHRA returns to one of the\nfastest tracks on the circuit Sept. 12-14. After a year hiatus from both the\nvenue and the playoff format, record runs and high-horsepower performances\nfacilitated by cooler fall weather conditions are anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4432-e1631185619144.jpeg\" alt=\"Mopar display at an NHRA race\" class=\"wp-image-55308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4432-e1631185619144.jpeg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4432-e1631185619144-576x432.jpeg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4432-e1631185619144-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_4432-e1631185619144-992x744.jpeg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Fans are invited to visit the Mopar exhibit at the track\u2019s Manufacturers\nMidway to peruse a selection of the brand\u2019s quality performance part offerings\nand experience what it feels like on track aboard an actual Dodge Charger SRT\nHellcat Redeye Funny Car simulator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1652-992x744.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"992\" height=\"744\" src=\"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1652-992x744.jpg\" alt=\"Mopar Funny Car simulator\" data-id=\"55311\" data-link=\"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/img_1652\" class=\"wp-image-55311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1652-992x744.jpg 992w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1652-576x432.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1652-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1652.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1641-992x744.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"992\" height=\"744\" src=\"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1641-992x744.jpg\" alt=\"Mopar Funny Car Simulator\" data-id=\"55310\" data-link=\"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/img_1641\" class=\"wp-image-55310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1641-992x744.jpg 992w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1641-576x432.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1641-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1641.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Leah Pruett\u2019s HEMI-powered Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Mopar Dodge\/\/SRT\ndragster will be dressed for success in the familiar Mopar blue and white\nprimary paint scheme as she works to take home her first Wally trophy from\nReading. She takes to the track as the No. 4 seed in the Top Fuel ranks after a\nquarterfinal appearance at last weekend\u2019s Dodge\/\/SRT U.S. Nationals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1675.jpg\" alt=\"Dodge SRT Demon simulators\" class=\"wp-image-55312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1675.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1675-576x432.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1675-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_1675-992x744.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Leaving there fourth in points, heading into Reading for the Mopar\nExpress Lane Nationals and starting the Countdown from there, we feel good\nabout that,\u201d said Pruett, who scored a win and a runner-up finish in the second\nhalf of the regular season. \u201cRight now we have the most capable and consistent\ncar that we&#8217;ve had all year long and that is responding to what we want it to\ndo. That&#8217;s exactly where we want to be going into the countdown.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07213.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Hagan drag racing\" class=\"wp-image-55318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07213.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07213-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07213-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07213-992x662.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Reigning Funny Car World Champ Matt Hagan will remain sidelined for this\nweekend\u2019s event as he recovers from COVID-19. Tommy Johnson Jr. will slip into\nthe driver\u2019s seat of the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car in Hagan&#8217;s\nplace as he did at the Dodge\/\/SRT U.S. Nationals when the entry did not qualify\ndue to a mechanical issue on Friday and rain on Saturday. Johnson was the clear\nchoice after finishing runner-up to Hagan in the 2020 NHRA Funny Car World\nChampionship with DSR, powering to three wins and three No. 1 qualifier\npositions last season. The points Johnson accumulates during this race weekend\nwill be awarded to Hagan, who starts the Countdown ranked fifth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03182.jpg\" alt=\"Ron Capps drag racing\" class=\"wp-image-55316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03182.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03182-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03182-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03182-992x661.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>DSR driver Ron Capps arrives at Maple Grove Raceway in his HEMI-powered\nDodge Charger SRT Hellcat fresh off a runner-up finish at the Dodge\/\/SRT U.S.\nNationals and as the top seed for the Funny Car world championship after points\nwere reset for the playoff battle, giving him a 20-point lead. Capps earned the\nNo. 1 qualifier position and set Maple Grove\u2019s current elapsed time and speed\nrecords in 2019 with a 3.837-second pass at 339.28 mph. He also took home a\nWally from the venue in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGoing to Maple Grove to start the Countdown and having a race car as good\nas our\u2019s is right now with consistency and performance is exciting,\u201d said\nCapps. \u201cI\u2019m really pumped to get to Maple Grove to start the playoffs. We won\nthe championship in 2016 without winning a race in the Countdown but we were,\nby far, the most consistent car. We put the pressure on people and that\u2019s what\nyou have to do. We have a great team with John Medlen and Guido (Dean\nAntonelli), they\u2019re firing on all cylinders and it\u2019s really great to drive this\nHellcat Funny Car.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03003.jpg\" alt=\"Cruz Pedregon drag racing\" class=\"wp-image-55317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03003.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03003-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03003-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2130-03003-992x661.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, fellow Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver Cruz Pedregon has two\nwins at Reading (1992, 2010) and is working to build on his semifinal\nperformance last weekend at the Dodge\/\/SRT U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis to\nwork his way up from an eighth place position in the championship battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07902.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Hagan's car coming off the trailer\" class=\"wp-image-55319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07902.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07902-576x384.jpg 576w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07902-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2118-07902-992x662.jpg 992w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re really optimistic about going into the Mopar Express Lane Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, which is a fast race track. I looked at the weather and it\u2019s expected to be in the 70s (degrees Fahrenheit) so it&#8217;s just going to be a \u2018just hammer down\u2019 kind of event. The fall temperatures are going to cool down but the action is going to heat up. One thing we did prove at Brainerd two races ago is that we can hammer out the fast times and run in the high 3.80s (elapsed time passes). That&#8217;s probably what it&#8217;s going to take to win down the stretch here. We&#8217;re just going to take one race at a time and keep this momentum going that we&#8217;ve enjoyed. I\u2019ve talked to (crew chiefs) JC (John Collins) and Rip (Reynolds) and everybody&#8217;s excited and just looking forward to it.\u201d On-track action at the Mopar Express Lane SpringNationals Presented by Pennzoil begins with one qualifying session in the late afternoon on Friday and two sessions on Saturday to determine the lineup for Sunday\u2019s final eliminations rounds. Coverage of the event will be available via online streaming at NHRA.TV, while television coverage will be broadcast on FS1 on Sunday, Sept. 14, with qualifying highlights 12-2 p.m. ET and race coverage 2-5 p.m. ET. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 36th annual Mopar\u00ae Express Lane Nationals Presented by Pennzoil are set for this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pennsylvania, with Mopar and Dodge\/\/SRT\u00ae-supported racers staged and ready to begin their drive for National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) world championship titles in the first of seven \u201cCountdown to the Championship\u201d playoff series national events. This weekend\u2019s competition marks the fourth of five national events supported by Mopar and Dodge\/\/SRT title sponsorship during the NHRA\u2019s 70th anniversary season and the first of two playoff contests, which include the penultimate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":55313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[575],"tags":[528,849,615],"class_list":["post-55300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-racing","tag-drag-racing","tag-dsr","tag-nhra"],"acf":[],"custom_fields":{"post_thumbnail_image":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ReadingFeature.jpg","icon_selection":"article","external_link":"","featured_article":[],"upload_background_image":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55300"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55300"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59029,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55300\/revisions\/59029"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}