Since its start in 2012, the Mopar Hall of Fame has taken place in conjunction with the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals weekend. This year's Chrysler show will run July 15-17 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and on Saturday night, July 16, the Mopar spotlight will shine on an all-new class of Hall of Famers. The ceremony will take place at the Radisson Hotel in Camp Hill, PA and welcomes one legendary car and even more legendary individuals.
After the smoke clears in Carlisle after the ever-popular burnout contest on Saturday, a few hundred Mopar enthusiasts will make the 20 minute drive to welcome the Blues Brothers' Dodge Monaco, Bill Hancock, Richard Sias, Della Woods, The Missile Group and The John Petrie Racing Team. Each inductee and the car have a unique place in the history of Mopar either on the track, on the big screen, or as a designer. Their accomplishments will be recognized during the ceremonies and guests as well as those who wish to honor the legends can purchase tickets and learn more about the new class here.
The Mopar Hall of Fame is a unique experience in the hobby. It gives almost every Mopar fan the opportunity to hear the stories firsthand from the people who made history. Before and after the ceremony, each of the inductees as well as other current members will be available to attendees. Not only is it open to the public, but by making it part of the Carlisle Chrysler weekend, it is relatively easy to attend. During the day, guests can experience the thrills of the Chrysler Nationals including over 2,500 show cars then enjoy an intimate evening with the heroes of the Mopar world.
"As a lifelong Mopar fan, I have to say I can't think of anything cooler than the Mopar Hall of Fame," said Ed Buczeskie, the Event Manager for the Chrsyler Nationals. "Even after working insane hours in the days leading up to the show, I always look forward to attending. Even after more than 35 years in the hobby, I always hear stories at the Hall of Fame that I've never heard before. The best part is, these stories are coming directly from the source with no editing."
The weekend will feature many great aspects aside from the Hall of Fame ceremonies. The weekend will be enjoyed by tens of thousands of guests from over three dozen states, Washington D.C., and Canada. there will also be tour groups coming from Australia to be part of the show.
This year's Hall of Fame inductees are:
The Blues Brother's ex-police interceptor Dodge
Richard Sias - the Chrsyler designer behind the look of the second generation Charger that came out in 1968
Bill Hancock - former NASCAR engineer and operations overseer for NHRA, IHRA, Formula 500, USAC, etc.
Della Woods - the first woman to drive a funny car in pro class
The Missile Group - formed in 1970 and shared many of The Ramcharger talent you'll recognize. Acted as Chrysler's real-world drag race testing entity in the seventies
The John Petrie Race Team - put together performance car clinics for all of Canada
Robert Tarozzi - instramental in the design and testing of the '68 Hemi Super Stock Cars. Also designed the first Keith Black aluminum 426 Hemi engines alongside Keith Black himself