Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty was born on June 2nd of 1960 in Randleman, North Caroline. He is the son of Richard Petty and the grandson of Lee Petty, making this a family of racing legends. Growing up, Kyle excelled in sports, including football and basketball and was offered scholarships to many colleges. For this reason, he did not want to follow in the family business. Eventually, he went with tradition and won his first stock race at the ARCA 200 event at the Daytona International Speedway in 1979. He tried his luck at the Winston Cup Series, but he crashed during qualifying in March, May and July. He qualified for the Talladega race in August and managed to finish the race in an impressive ninth place. He raced as much as he could during the 1980 season, using spare cars when they were available.
In 1985 he left Petty Enterprises to join the Wood Brothers Team. A year later he had secured his first Winston Cup victory at the Richmond International Raceway. A short time later, in 1997, he formed his own team in partnership with Petty Enterprises, which he dubbed PE2. PE2 later merged with Petty Enterprises with Kyle sitting as the CEO.
Charging Off the Line in NASCAR Nextel Cup Competition
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.
'We're very excited about the new Charger. Not only does it bring back one of the great names in racing history, but it also reinforces the racing heritage of the Dodge brand,' said John Fernandez, Director — Dodge Motorsports Operations, Chrysler Group. 'Our goal is to return the Charger to the winner's circle, which is where I first saw it as a boy watching Richard Petty, Buddy Baker and Bobby Issacs dominate the early days of NASCAR.'
Charger to Build on Dodge Presence in Passenger Car Market With a U.S. market share of approximately seven percent, Dodge is the fourth-largest nameplate in the United States and the eighth-largest nameplate in the automotive industry. In 2004, Dodge sold more than 1.1 million vehicles. Dodge continues to lead the minivan market segment with a 20 percent U.S. market share and maintains an 18 percent share of the highly competitive truck market.
A Modern Interpretation of a Legend The 2006 Dodge Charger races forward with modern coupe styling and four-door functionality.
A bold front, strong shoulders and fastback grab the attention of muscle car enthusiasts, while the car's performance, handling and power complete the package.
'The all-new Dodge Charger is here – with a bold and stunning design, and the performance to back it up – and it's worthy of the Charger name,' said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President — Design, Chrysler Group. 'The muscular body form, bold front end and coupe-like profile make the new Charger very fresh and contemporary in its execution.'
The Dodge Charger interior has a driver-oriented cockpit designed with a performance mind-set. It is sporty, functional and simple, featuring a sleek instrument panel and Viper-inspired tunneled gauges highlighted with white faces and satin silver accent rings.
A silver trim bezel surrounding the shifter and additional silver accents in the center stack add just the right touch of brightness to the comfortable interior. The two-tone interior features a darker upper color and a lighter lower color, giving the cabin an open feeling.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2007
The Dodge Charger – one of the biggest, well-known names from the muscle car era – has powered its way back to streets and racetracks across America, paying homage to the muscle cars of the '60s, and adding 21st century performance and functionality.
Available with a 250 horse power High-Output V-6 engine or the legenday 340 horsepower HEMI V-8 engine, the all new 2006 Dodge Charger races into the car market with contemporary, provocative styling and substance with all the convenience of a modern sedan. (concept carz)
With powerful world-class hardware and software beneath the Charger's skin, Dodge designers sculptured a car that celebrates all that is good about American cars in a thoroughly modern way. The all-new 2006 Dodge Charger has a long character line that defines the front corners, runs back to the rear door and makes way for a huge rear fender that gives notice that the car is rear-wheel-drive powered.
The 2006 Dodge Charger is offered in several versions designed specifically for all levels and desires of modern muscle-car enthusiasts. The Dodge Charger SE, SXT, R/T and the Dodge Charger Daytona R/T are all available in the first year of production.
MotorsportsThe legendary Dodge Charger race car is roaring again in 2005 as Dodge Motorsports revealed its modern-day version of the Dodge Charger for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The Dodge Charger for NASCAR Nextel Cup Series competition features the same body styling, signature grille and powerful performance found throughout the Dodge lineup. It takes its design cues from the new Dodge Charger production vehicle with its instantly recognizable crosshair grille, bold rear fascia and signature rear side windows. Riding the waves of Dodge's success in NASCAR Nextel Cup series racing since returning to the sport in 2001, the new Dodge Charger race car made its NASCAR Nextel Cup Series debut at the Feb. 20, Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Four Dodge factory-backed teams, including 11 drivers, are competing in NASCAR Nextel Cup Series racing in 2005.
Source - DodgeKevin Lepage was born on June 26th of 1962 in Shelburne, Vermont. During the 1980s he drove for the Busch North Series and the American Canadian Tour Series. He raced in these leagues, with some success, for fourteen years. In 1986 he made his racing debut in the Busch Series at Oxford Plains Speedway. He started the race in 41st position, and ended it in 15th. By 1994, he had become and owner/driver in the number 71 Vermont Teddy Bear Company car. He finished the season 24th in points.
In 1995, he managed to score five Top 10's and ended the season in 18th in points. He lost his sponsorship at the end of the season, but continued to run his car until April. He then joined David Ridling with sponsorship from Famer's Choice Fertizlier.
Lepage's first Busch Series victory came at the end of the season, at the Jiffy Lube Miami 300. He concluded the season with 3 Top 5 finishes, 10 in the Top 10, and a single victory. This earned him eight in points. The following season, he finished 12th in points.
By 1998, Lepage was racing in the Winston Cup Series. There was minimal sponsorship for the team, though he was able to manage two fourteenth-place finishes. In June of 1998 he left LJ Racing, sat out the next six races, and then signed a contract with Jack Roush of Roush Racing. After Lepage was hired, Ted Musgrave was fired and Lepage was given his number 16 Primestar Ford Taurus. Lepages best finish came at Charlotte, where he finished in sixth place. This, along with a pair of Top Ten finishes nearly earned him the Rookie of the Year award.
In 1999, Lepage raced with sponsorship from Primestar, which later switched to TV Guide in April after Primestar was sold to General Motors owned DirectTV. He finished the season 25th in points.
In 2000, he was unsponsored for a short time before picking up some much needed help from Familyclick.com. He finished the year 28th in points, after failing to qualify on two occasions. He had 1 Top 5 finish and 3 Top 10s throughout the year.
The following season, he finished 42nd in points after starting just 10 races. In those races he had 1 Top 5 and 2 Top 10s. He returned to the Busch Series to run his own team, Matrix Motorsports, driving the #71 car in 2001.
In 2002, Lepage found himself again without sponsorship. He later joined the Bewco Motorsports driving the #37 Timber Wolf Chevrolet. He started 24 races that year, finishing in the top ten on six occasion and finishing 25th in points.
He ran at the Cup level on one occasion in 2003, finishing 32nd at the Coca-Cola 600. He teamed with Morgan-McClue in 2004, which lasted for just six races before sponsorship dried-up. He signed with Competitive Edge Motorsports, and left the team shortly thereafter.
In 2005 he finished ninth at the Daytona 500. Near the close of the season, he signed with Peak Fitness Racing and managed a sixth-place qualifying position at Kansas. He also drove with the MacDonald sponsored car for six races in the Busch Series.
In 2005, Brent Sherman was given the duties of driving the #49 Dodge for BAM Racing with sponsorship from Serta Mattresses and State Water Heaters. He was later replaced by Lepage, who had started the season in the #61 Peak Fitness Racing car. The car had been #66 the prior year.
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.
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 ChargerIn 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 Chargersource: DodgeOne 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.
By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2006
