HEMI® ENGINE EARNS BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR MOPAR

November 23, 2015 by Mopar

◾Pietro Gorlier, Head of Mopar, accepts award at ceremony in United Kingdom

◾Global Achievement Award honors legacy of Mopar brand drag racing heritage and legendary HEMI® V-8 engine

◾Donna Garlits, daughter of drag racing legend and Mopar brand ambassador 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits, on hand to present award to Gorlier

November 23, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The drag racing legacy of the Mopar brand and its iconic HEMI® V-8 engine was honored by the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame (BDRHoF) with the organization's Global Achievement Award during a ceremony held on Saturday, November 21.

Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service (Mopar), FCA - Global, accepted the award during a ceremony at the Savill Court Hotel in England. In his remarks, Gorlier paid tribute to Tom Hoover, recognized as the 'Father of the 426 HEMI,' for the role he played in the development of the legendary Mopar engine. Hoover passed away earlier this year at the age of 85.

'It was an honor and a privilege to receive this important award in recognition of an engine that still means so much not just to our company and to Mopar, but to the entire drag racing community,' said Gorlier. 'The spirit of performance and passion that inspired people like Tom Hoover to bring the HEMI engine to life still powers and inspires the Mopar brand to this day.'

'The 2015 BDRHoF ceremony was made even more special with the honor of presenting the Global Achievement Award to Mopar and Pietro Gorlier,' said Stu Bradbury, Chairman of the BDRHoF. 'More than an engine, the HEMI is an icon, one brought originally to the drag strip by Mopar and then adopted for the streets. We are proud to recognize the legendary motor that still fuels drag racers and performance lovers around the world.'

Donna Garlits, daughter of living legend 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits, who helped cement the Mopar HEMI V-8 engine's successful reputation at the drag strip, represented the Garlits family in presenting the Global Achievement Award to Gorlier.

Mopar's commitment to professional motorsports competition was established in the 1950s when a partnership ignited with drag racing pioneer Garlits, resulting in the breaking of numerous speed and performance barriers in HEMI-powered vehicles over the next several decades. In 1964, Garlits' Swamp Rat 8 featured the then-new 426 cubic inch HEMI engine.

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In 2014, Mopar celebrated the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the GEN III 426 race HEMI engine. Mopar continues to honor its roots by being a proud supporter of amateur racing within the NHRA with its sponsorship of the Mopar HEMI Challenge and Mopar Tom Hoover Sportsman Award, which recognizes the top Mopar Sportsman racer in honor of the 'Father of the 426 HEMI.'

About BDRHoF Global Achievement Award

Introduced in 2014, the BDRHoF Lucas Oil Global Achievement Award is presented for achievements in the world of drag racing that have had a global impact. It can be presented to a person, a team, a company, an institution/organization or any other body that in the opinion of the judges has increased the awareness and stature of drag racing on a global basis, or contributed to the technical development of the sport that has resulted in advances on a worldwide basis.

A unique aspect of the crystal trophy is the inscription 'In Memory of Pat Garlits' on the base, engraved each time the award is presented. It is a tribute to Mopar brand ambassador Don Garlits' wife, Pat Garlits, who passed away early in 2014. Garlits was the first person to receive the award; Pat was his constant companion at the drag strip throughout his amazing career, and as such the trophy marks the role played by all family members associated with drag racing.

About Mopar Brand

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked in 1937 with the launch of an antifreeze product, but it truly made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era. From Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use, the brand soon expanded to include technical service and customer support.

Today, Mopar is FCA's service, parts and customer-care brand and distributes more than 500,000 parts and accessories in over 150 markets around the world. With more than 50 parts distribution centers and 27 customer-contact hubs globally, Mopar integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Mopar is the source for genuine parts and accessories for FCA brands.

Mopar parts are engineered together with the same teams that create factory-authorized specifications for FCA vehicles. This offers a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.