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Texaco/Havoline NASCAR History with Jamie McMurray

In 2003 Texaco/Havoline decided to make the move from Robert Yates Racing to Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS), as primary sponsor for the No. 42 Dodge and rookie Jamie McMurray.

McMurray blazed onto the NASCAR Nextel Cup scene in 2002. McMurray raised eyebrows when he subbed for an injured Sterling Marlin and recorded his first win at Lowe's Motor Speedway in only his second start. After that impressive run, McMurray was selected to move from the Busch Series to the Cup series in 2003 and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.

Highlights in Texaco/Havoline Car:

2003

• Competed in his first full year in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, captured one pole at Homestead Miami Speedway along with five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes

• Became the third driver of the Texaco/Havoline car to earne Rookie of the Year honors

• Finished 13th in the final championship standings

2004

• Nextel Communications becomes the new sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Series events and the 'Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup' was created as new point system to determine the overall series champion

• Recorded nine top-five and 23 top-10 finishes en route to his 11th-place finish in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

• Earned the million dollar bonus for finishing 11th

2005

• Recorded four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes

• Finished 12th in the final championship standings

• Parted ways with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates to make the move to Roush Racing in 2006

Source - Texaco

Casey Mears Selected To Drive No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) and its sponsor Chevron Products Company announced today that they have selected Casey Mears to pilot the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge starting in 2006. In addition, CGRFS has agreed to release Jamie McMurray from his contract to drive for the organization through the ‘06 NEXTEL Cup Series season.

'We've been working hard to find a driver solution for Texaco/Havoline and we are fortunate that we could offer them Casey,' said team owner Chip Ganassi. 'Some recent positive developments have allowed us to make this move and we couldn't be happier with how things are shaping up for the 2006 season. Casey is a driver and a person that we think a lot of and have a lot of faith in.'

Mears has been with CGRFS since being selected by the organization to drive its No. 41 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series entry in 2003. He has competed in 106 races and recorded two poles, three top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes.

'I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity to drive the Texaco/Havoline Dodge next season,' said Mears. 'Texaco/Havoline has been a sponsor in this sport for a long time and they've had an impressive list of drivers compete and win in their cars. I look forward to joining that group and taking them and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates back to Victory Lane.'

In 2006, Texaco/Havoline will embark on its 19th season as a NASCAR sponsor. Its honor roll of drivers includes Davey Allison, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, Kenny Irwin, Ricky Rudd and Jamie McMurray, who combined have amassed a total of 27 victories in Texaco/Havoline cars. The addition of Mears is certain to carry on Texaco/Havoline's winning tradition and most importantly reinforce the quality and performance that the Texaco 'Star' symbolizes.

'Our relationship with Ganassi Racing is built on communication and mutual trust,' said Mark Nelson, president, Chevron Global Lubricants. 'We were fortunate that an attractive opportunity surfaced that was not possible three months ago. We are very happy to have Casey Mears as the new driver of the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge. His talent behind the wheel, and his appreciation of our 18 years in racing make him a driver we hope to see shine behind the wheel of the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge for years to come.'

About Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, based in Concord, N.C., currently operates four race teams in two of NASCAR's national touring divisions; three in the NEXTEL Cup Series with drivers Sterling Marlin, Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears and one in the Busch Series with driver Reed Sorenson.

About Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading energy companies. With more than 47,000 employees, Chevron subsidiaries conduct business in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing and distributing fuels, lubricants and other energy products. Chevron Global Lubricants is a division of Chevron Global Downstream LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation. Chevron Products Company is a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif.

Source - Chip Ganassi Racing

Meet Casey Mears

The first race for Casey Mears in a Texaco uniform was a win. Mears led the Chip Ganassi Racing team to victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona on January 29. Find out more about the son of a racing legend -- who's out to leave some big tire marks of his own.

Tradition and heritage are the two words that best describe Texaco/Havoline and the new pilot of the No. 42 Dodge Charger in 2006, Casey Mears. Mears grew up in racing, his father Roger Mears excelled in off-road racing and his uncle, Rick Mears, won the Indianapolis 500 four times. His last name and family history transcends any one racing series, much like that of the Texaco and Havoline brands.

The 2006 season marks Mears' fourth season on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit. His steady improvement over his first three years at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has prepared him for the pressure that goes along with racing the famed 'Texaco Star' car.

'It's an honor for me to drive the Texaco/Havoline car,' said Mears. 'Having a sponsor like Texaco/Havoline that's been in racing for so many years is a privilege for someone who grew up in racing. So many talented drivers have driven this car on the NASCAR circuit -- Davey Allison, Kenny Irwin, Ricky Rudd and Dale Jarrett. The list goes on and on.

'I grew up on the IndyCar side of racing, so my early memories of Texaco/Havoline were its relationship with Mario and Michael Andretti. It has a heritage and history of success, and that's something I'm looking to restore. I think the whole organization of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is going to continue to get better, and I want to get Texaco/Havoline back in the winner's circle this season.'

Learning On the Job
The 2005 NEXTEL Cup season was a roller coaster ride for the Bakersfield, Calif., native. He watched two potential victories at Texas and Homestead, where he led 75 laps, slip away after late-race cautions. Mears ended the season on a high note accumulating three top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 2005, including five top-10s in the final nine races.

Mears's season-long strong performance in 2004 earned him his first career top-five finish at Watkins Glen International. Mears followed the path set by his uncle Rick, winning the pole position in track-record time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 6, 2004. He won his first career pole just one week earlier at Pocono, making him the first driver since 1964 to post his first two career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup poles in consecutive races.

While tallying one top-five and nine top-10 finishes in the NEXTEL Cup Series in 2004, Mears also competed in 17 NASCAR Busch Series races including the race at California Speedway. He captured the pole for the race and went on to earn a career-best finish of second in the Busch Series. In his 17 starts in a Busch car, Mears accumulated one top-five and six top-10 finishes.

In his rookie season in 2003, Mears competed in all 36 Cup Series races and ended with five top-20 finishes and placed 35th overall in the driver points standings. He also competed in 13 races in the Busch Series in the No. 19 Dodge as part of a partnership between Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and a single Busch Series team. He scored one pole and three top-10 finishes during those 13 races.

Mears also competed in four ARCA races during the 2003 season, winning three of them and giving him his first win in a stock car. The additional driving assignments helped Mears adjust to stock car racing after competing in open wheel racing in 2002.

An Early Start
Mears began his racing career in 1982 at the age of four. He started out racing BMX bicycles and then moved to racing ATVs at his hometown speedway in Bakersfield, Calif.

Mears moved on to racing go-karts in 1991 and jumped to the SuperLites Off-Road Series in 1992, where he notched a couple of top-three finishes. Soon after his successful SuperLites season, Mears stepped up to compete in the Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship and took home a victory at Mesa Marin Raceway. He eventually finished third in the series and continued his successful run the following year.

In 1995, Mears improved on the previous year and captured the Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship. He made his Indy Lights debut in 1996 at the Cleveland Grand Prix and finished eighth. By 1997, Mears was competing full time in the Indy Lights Championship Series and looking to challenge for a championship.

Mears had an impressive year in the Indy Lights Series in 1999. He became only the fourth driver at the time to complete every lap in a single season. He also scored 11 top-10 finishes, eight top-five finishes and four podium finishes, including second-place finishes at Milwaukee and Michigan. He placed second overall, only 14 points shy of the championship.

In 2000, Mears won the Grand Prix of Houston and began testing IndyCars for multiple teams. In October, he was offered a chance to drive a third entry for Team Rahal in the CART Series at California Speedway. He qualified 15th, led 10 laps and finished fourth in his CART debut.

Next, Mears ran three races in the Indy Racing League in 2001. He finished the season as a replacement for the injured Alex Zanardi, a former Chip Ganassi Racing driver, and the Morris Nunn CART team. In those four CART starts, Mears posted one top-10 finish.

A Key Decision
In 2002, Mears faced a difficult decision. After driving for a NASCAR affiliated team in the final ARCA stock car race of 2001, Mears had the opportunity to race in both stock and open wheel cars. He looked for advice about his future from his father and uncle, and decided that NASCAR held the best opportunities.

Mears competed in the NASCAR Busch Series full time in 2002 driving the No. 66 Dodge. He finished in the top five once, while also securing seven top-15 finishes during his first season driving a stock car.

The young driver proved to the NASCAR world that he was a legitimate threat for victories, as he carries the momentum from the 2005 season with him into the black and red Texaco/Havoline car to Daytona.

Source - Texaco

The Dodge Charger was produced from 1966 through 1978, 1983 through 1987, and again beginning in 2006. Since its inception, the impressive performance and stylish bodies made the Charger an instant success. During its introductory year, 37,344 examples were produced.

The Dodge Charger was based on the Dodge Coronet platform, but with a fastback roofline. The headlights were retractable which resulted in a sportier appearance for the vehicle. The interior had four bucket seats with the rear seats able to be folded down that provided ample space for cargo. Under the hood was a 318 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine that produced 230 horsepower. Optional was the 361 and 426 cubic-inch Hemi, available in various configurations. The 426 Hemi produced 425 horsepower and would set the buyer back $1000, a considerable cost considering the base price was $3122. Only 468 of the Hemi option were purchased.

In 1967 Dodge added the 440 cubic-inch Magnum to the Charger model line. With 375 horsepower, it was a cheaper option than the Hemi, easy to tune, and came standard with the R/T package. The 318 cubic-inch was still the standard option with the 426 Hemi the top-of-the-line producing 45 horsepower and 490 foot-pounds of torque. The production total for the Charger in 1967 was around 15,000 with 118 of those selecting the Hemi engine.

The 1968 Charger was redesigned, now with hidden headlights and a curvy body. The design was a success and sales soared to over 92,000 units. The Hemi option was available, with around 470 buyers opting for the option. The R/T package was a popular option with 17,665 buyers. Standard on the R/T performance package was the 440 Magnum engine producing 375 horsepower. Many argue that the 1968 was the most appealing muscle car of all 1960's era.

For 1969, Dodge decided to make only minor improvements to the Charger. The grille now had a chrome center divider. Two new Charger models were available. The Charger 500 was a performance machine with some styling cues similar to the Dodge Coronet. The big news was the Dodge charger Daytona which is easily identified by its larger vertical tail stabilizer and front nose extension. With just over 500 examples of the Daytona produced, the $4000 vehicle was available with either the Hemi or the 440 engine.

The Charger was redesigned in 1970 and became available in new colors. The SE version added leather seats and an electric sliding sunroof. Dodge introduced the 440 Six Pack which featured three Holley two-barrel carburetors and produced 390 horsepower. In total, there were just over 10,300 Chargers sold in 1970 with 42 of those sales including the 440 Six Pack and 116 opting for the Hemi.

The muscle car era was coming to a close. Government safety regulations, emission controls, and insurance premiums were beginning to force manufacturers into detuning their engines. This was the last year for the mighty Hemi engine, which retained it 425 horsepower rating. The 440 cubic-inc engine was now rated at 370, down by 5 horsepower. The 440 Six Pack also lost five horsepower. The Charger was redesigned and lost a few inches at the wheelbase. Available in SE and R/T trim, it now shared a body with the Super Bee. This body-style design lasted until 1974.

The Rallye was the performance model for the Dodge Charger for the years 1972 through 1974. The Rallye was equipped with the detuned 440 cubic-inch engine with four-barrel carburetors, hydraulic lifters, and five main bearings. The result was 280 horsepower for the years 1972 through 1973. In 1974 the horsepower dipped to 275.

For 1973, Dodge offered the base 318 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine, now rated at 255 horsepower. The 440 was producing 255 horsepower while the 440 Six-Pack produced 330 horsepower. The decrease in horsepower was due to the detuning to comply with government safety and emission regulations and because horsepower was no longer being quoted in terms of gross output but rather in terms of net output. The suspension was reworked resulted in a quieter and more comfortable ride.

The Charger's appearance became sportier in 1974, with minor aesthetic changes and larger quarter windows. The 318 V8 was rated at 175, the 440 V8 produced 280, and the 440 Six Pack produced 330 horsepower. The engine choices remained the same for 1974 but it would be the final year for its sporty persona. In 1975, Dodge repositioned the Charger as a luxury vehicle. They introduced the Charger SE, a near-clone of the Chrysler Cordoba. The SE came equipped with lots of standard equipment and a 360 cubic-inch engine producing 180 horsepower. The slant-six 318 and 400 were available in various configurations. The 360 fitted with a four-barrel, instead of the standard two-barrel carburetor, would increase the horsepower to 200.

In 1978, Dodge replaced the Charger with the Magnum which was basically a name change because the Magnum was identical to the Charger SE. The Charger name has reappeared in recent times, a tribute to the muscle-car phenomenon of the 1960's. The name was also used in the 1980's on the Dodge Omni.

L-Body
The Charger was brought back in 1981 as a performance package on the Omni 024 (and Plymouth Horizon TC3), called the Charger 2.2. The Charger 2.2 option may have improved the styling and performance of the Omni, but it was nothing like the Charger of the 1960's. The Charger 2.2 was given a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine that produced 85 horsepower. A hood scoop and a rear spoiler added to the performance look, but did little to improve the overall performance. The aesthetics were updated in 1982, improving upon the performance persona with the addition of side scoops mounted behind the front wheels.

The base engine, a 1.7-liter unit that produced 70 horsepower, was produced by Volkswagen. In 1983, Volkswagen ceased production of the engine. A new engine was found at Peugeot. Upon the addition of the new engine, Chrysler renamed the Omni 024 to Charger.

In 1984, quad headlights were added to the Charger making it easier to distinguish from its sibling, the Omni.

In 1987 production ceased for the Charger, Turismo, Omni, and Horizon.

Shelby Charger
In 1983 Carroll Shelby made modifications to the Charger that included both mechanical and aesthetic improvements, increasing the performance of the vehicle. All major aspects of the vehicle were updated, including the suspension, brakes, steering, engine, and transmission. The front-end was modified and racing stripes traversed the entire length of the vehicle. In its first year, over 8200 examples were sold.

In 1984 the engine was again addressed, this time horsepower improved by around 5. An automatic transmission was became available, as did a new red exterior paint color. The other colors available were black with silver stripes, blue with silver stripes, and silver with blue stripes.

In 1985 a MPFI turbo-charged was installed, raising horsepower to nearly 150. Little was changed in the following years with production ceasing in 1987 after nearly 16400 examples of the turbo-version produced. 1,000 of the last Dodge Shelby Chargers were purchased by Carroll Shelby and converted them into the Shelby Charger CLHS. The vehicles were rebadged with the Shelby logo replacing the Dodge logo. Using Knoi adjustable shocks and struts, the suspension was greatly improved. The tires were improved Z-tires and the intercooler and components of the Turbo II engine were installed. All were painted in black.

2005 Charger
source: Dodge
One of the biggest names from the muscle car era – powered its way out of its storied past and onto the stage at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Charger coming off the line and out of garages create a new reputation for the Dodge legend, featuring a modern design to back up its 21st century muscle car power, sports car handling and cutting-edge technology.

With a 250-horsepower High Output V-6 engine or the optional 340-horsepower HEMI® engine powering large 18-inch rear wheels, the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger races into the car market with bold, provocative styling and substance without losing the convenience of a modern sedan.

The all-new 2006 Dodge Charger features rear-wheel drive with near 50/50 weight distribution and advanced technologies that offer superb ride and responsive handling in all surface and traction conditions.

The Multiple Displacement System (MDS) on the Dodge Charger's HEMI engine seamlessly deactivates four cylinders in just 40 milliseconds – quicker than a blink of an eye – when full V-8 power is not needed, improving fuel economy by up to 20 percent. The HEMI engine with MDS completed more than 6.5 million customer-equivalent miles through the Chrysler Group's development and durability testing.

After a 30-year absence, Charger returns to the track beginning in February 2005. The historic Dodge Charger nameplate returns to NASCAR Nextel Cup competition as the successor to the race-winning Dodge Intrepid race cars of 2001- 2004, and to the storied Dodge Charger race cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s that earned several national championships.

Following the adage that 'racing improves the breed,' motorsports competition has long been part of the Dodge heritage. From engineering labs in Auburn Hills, Mich., to shop floors in Charlotte, N.C., Dodge, its teams and its dealers live the philosophy it takes to be successful in the ultra-competitive world of racing.

Photos grouped by event
Watkins Glen HSR	Watkins Glen Historic Sportscar Racing

2005 Dodge Charger NASCAR
Year	2005
Make	Dodge
Model	Charger NASCAR
Engine Location	Front
Drive Type	Rear Wheel
Production Years for Series	2006 -
Weight	3400 lbs \| 1542.2 kg
Combined MPG	0.00

Engine
Engine Configuration	V
	90-degree
Cylinders	8
Aspiration/Induction	Normal
Horsepower	800.00 HP (588.8 KW) @ 8000.00 RPM
Torque	550.00 Ft-Lbs (745.8 NM) @ 6500.00 RPM
HP to Weight Ratio	4.3 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio)
Fuel Type	Gasoline - Petrol
	Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight

Standard Transmission
Gears	4
Transmission	Manual

Dimensions
Standard Payload	0.00
Fuel Capacity	22.0 Gal
Seating Capacity	1
Exterior
Wheelbase	110.001 in \| 2794 mm.
Front Track	60.501 in \| 1536.7 mm.
Rear Track	60.501 in \| 1536.7 mm.

Tires / Wheels
Tires	Goodyear

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2005 Dodge Charger NASCAR