2005 Racing Issue - UAW-Chrysler.com

RACING
pretty
A TRIP TO THE RACETRACK offers more than
just a high-speed chase to Victory Lane.
Along with the excitement of roaring engines
comes a mesmerizing swish of color from
the vehicles on the track.
Over the years, paint
schemes of racecars have evolved from racing
stripes to logos to special themes. Race fans
can’t always count on easily spotting their
favorite driver’s car because, as in the case of
the No. 9 and No. 19 Dodges, the cars could
carry up to six special paint schemes determined
by their sponsor per season.
When it’s time for the No. 9 and No. 19 Chargers to dazzle
fans with a new theme, Dodge and the Dodge Dealers work with
Competition Graphics and Action Performance to come up
with a design. Once a design is chosen, it
takes six to eight hours for a car to be
decaled. If a car is being converted from a
special paint scheme and requires a new
color, the makeover can mean two to three
days in a body shop.
All Evernham Motorsports cars are painted
with PPG paint, unless a particular paint
scheme or timing warrants a different technique.
For example, at the October 2004 race
in Charlotte, Kasey Kahne’s No. 9 Dodge
Intrepid was sporting a Mopar paint scheme,
which was created with a vinyl wrap. Because
Kahne had competed with the same car the
prior weekend in Kansas, it was not possible to
repaint and redecal the vehicle before the starting
gun in Charlotte six days later.
Though Kahne and No. 19 driver Jeremy
Mayfield are the ones who bring the themes
to the public, they have little say in what is
painted on the cars. Dodge and Evernham
Motorsports drive these decisions and then
must submit the designs to NASCAR for
final approval.
PAINT SCHEMES FROM TOP: SPY VS SPY; MOPAR; SUMMER SALES DRIVE; HEMI; MOUNTAIN DEW
VroommMagnum!
It’s not surprising that the Chicago Speedway
chose the Dodge Magnum for its
pace car at the 2004 Tropicana 400.
Between its jaw-dropping curb appeal and
the power it represents, the flashy Magnum
is a fitting vehicle for the racetrack. But if
you find yourself checking out the pace car
more than the No. 9 or No. 19, you might
want to head to your Dodge dealer and see
how you look sitting in the driver’s seat.
What makes the Magnum so great? For
some, it’s the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine.
For others it’s the return of rear-wheel
drive performance to the Dodge line. Then
there’s the 1,000- to 3,800-pound towing
capability. As mighty as the Magnum is,
engineers had more than brawn in mind
when designing the vehicle. For them,
safety is as high a priority as performance.
In fact, the Dodge Magnum has received
the highest government frontal crash test
rating for both driver and passenger safety.
The attention to detail visible throughout
the Magnum’s interior is just as
impressive as its performance. The front
seats are set two inches higher than most
vehicles’ seats to give the driver a clear
view out over the road. The rear seats,
too, are positioned higher, giving those
passengers a front view as well. Versatility
reigns in the 2005 sedan: 27.2 cubic
feet of cargo space grows to 71.6 cubic
feet once the rear seats are folded down;
the bilevel cargo floor and removable trifold
upper divider store valuables out of
sight; and the cargo management system
includes a floor liner and net separators
to keep items in place during travel.
For more information on the Dodge
Magnum, go to www.dodge.com.
TOMORROW SPECIAL RACING 2005 5