Westcott Jr. Wins Hot Rod Reunion Mopar(r) HEMI(r) Challenge
Wire-to-Wire Finals Battle With Rival David Barton another Classic
Bowling Green, KY - Charlie Westcott Jr. had hopes that hard work in the
offseason would pay off Saturday night in the finals of the Mopar(r)
HEMI(r) Challenge Series at the 8th Annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod
Reunion at historic Beech Bend Raceway.
Despite giving up a .64-second advantage to David Barton of Robesonia,
Pa., off the starting line, the Parma, Mich. native used some of the
horsepower he built into the engine of his new '68 Plymouth Barracuda
last winter to drive around at the finish. Westcott's 8.512 pass at
157.63 mph bested Barton's '68 'Cuda run of 8.633 seconds at 153.51 mph
for the win.
"We worked really hard all winter," Westcott Jr. said. "The Barton's
really stepped up their program last year and had basically caught up.
We've always had, I believe, a horsepower advantage. We're making more
horsepower than we ever have and the car is getting down the track
really well."
Westcott Jr. and his father, Charlie Westcott Sr., build performance
racing engines as a business, much like David Barton and his father, Ray
Barton. The tandems have had their share of battles on the track
throughout the Mopar HEMI Challenge Series history.
"He's (David) beaten me a couple of times and I've beaten him a couple
of times," Charlie Jr. said. "I think the Westcotts have the advantage
in victories, at least for now."
Westcott Jr. made his way to the finals in relatively easy fashion after
qualifying No. 1. He had a single pass in the opening round of
eliminations after Russ Campbell broke the motor in his new '68 'Cuda on
Friday. He also had a single pass in the second round after his father's
car broke a transmission in his first round run. In the semifinals,
Westcott Jr. beat Team Barton driver Gary Wolkowitz of Annandale, N.J.,
in a '68 Dodge Dart with a run of 8.562 at 156.81 mph vs. 8.697 at
152.49.
Barton made his way to the finals by downing the '68 Cuda of Don Bales
of Connersville, Ind., in round one 8.773-9.097 and the 'Cuda of Larry
Perkins Sr. of Collegeville, Pa., in the quarterfinals with an 8.650
second run. Barton had a single pass in the semifinals to set up the
showdown with Westcott.
Westcott Jr. pocketed the $5,000 purse for the event. The Mopar HEMI
Challenge Race Series also will visit the NHRA U.S. Nationals in
Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 3-6, and the Jegs Northern SPORTnationals,
Sept. 25-27, at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio.
Wire-to-Wire Finals Battle With Rival David Barton another Classic
Bowling Green, KY - Charlie Westcott Jr. had hopes that hard work in the
offseason would pay off Saturday night in the finals of the Mopar(r)
HEMI(r) Challenge Series at the 8th Annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod
Reunion at historic Beech Bend Raceway.
Despite giving up a .64-second advantage to David Barton of Robesonia,
Pa., off the starting line, the Parma, Mich. native used some of the
horsepower he built into the engine of his new '68 Plymouth Barracuda
last winter to drive around at the finish. Westcott's 8.512 pass at
157.63 mph bested Barton's '68 'Cuda run of 8.633 seconds at 153.51 mph
for the win.
"We worked really hard all winter," Westcott Jr. said. "The Barton's
really stepped up their program last year and had basically caught up.
We've always had, I believe, a horsepower advantage. We're making more
horsepower than we ever have and the car is getting down the track
really well."
Westcott Jr. and his father, Charlie Westcott Sr., build performance
racing engines as a business, much like David Barton and his father, Ray
Barton. The tandems have had their share of battles on the track
throughout the Mopar HEMI Challenge Series history.
"He's (David) beaten me a couple of times and I've beaten him a couple
of times," Charlie Jr. said. "I think the Westcotts have the advantage
in victories, at least for now."
Westcott Jr. made his way to the finals in relatively easy fashion after
qualifying No. 1. He had a single pass in the opening round of
eliminations after Russ Campbell broke the motor in his new '68 'Cuda on
Friday. He also had a single pass in the second round after his father's
car broke a transmission in his first round run. In the semifinals,
Westcott Jr. beat Team Barton driver Gary Wolkowitz of Annandale, N.J.,
in a '68 Dodge Dart with a run of 8.562 at 156.81 mph vs. 8.697 at
152.49.
Barton made his way to the finals by downing the '68 Cuda of Don Bales
of Connersville, Ind., in round one 8.773-9.097 and the 'Cuda of Larry
Perkins Sr. of Collegeville, Pa., in the quarterfinals with an 8.650
second run. Barton had a single pass in the semifinals to set up the
showdown with Westcott.
Westcott Jr. pocketed the $5,000 purse for the event. The Mopar HEMI
Challenge Race Series also will visit the NHRA U.S. Nationals in
Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 3-6, and the Jegs Northern SPORTnationals,
Sept. 25-27, at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio.
