Dodge Lends Title Sponsorship Support to NHRA’s Third Consecutive Indianapolis-based Event

Matt Hagan Dodge SRT

Mopar and Dodge//SRT brands continue to show their support of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) by adding the Dodge name as title sponsor to the upcoming Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national event at Lucas Oil Raceway. This is the third consecutive Indianapolis-based race weekend since the return to racing action after a four-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the fifth race of the 2020 season.

The Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals Presented by Pennzoil will take place Aug. 6-9, an event with limited fans in attendance in accordance with Indiana state and health guidelines. Mopar and Dodge//SRT will have signage and a display in the midway to showcase production vehicle offerings to fans.

Dodge’s sponsorship of the event, the most recent addition to the reworked 2020 schedule in response to the ever-changing challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic, is a complement to other title sponsorship commitments planned for this NHRA season:

Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals (Denver, Colorado): Postponed/rescheduled for later this fall
Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals (Reading, Pennsylvania): Sept. 11-13
Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented By Pennzoil (Houston, Texas): Oct. 23-25
Dodge NHRA Nationals (Las Vegas, Nevada): Oct. 30-Nov. 1

“I just can't say enough about Dodge stepping up and sponsoring this race," says Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver Matt Hagan, who earned a race win and advanced to the final elimination round leading up to this weekend’s event in his Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car. “It's pretty cool to see Dodge and Mopar show their support and really stand behind what we're out here trying to do, which is put fans in the stands and race cars on the racetrack."

DSR Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett, who sits in second place atop the Top Fuel championship points standings after solid gains at the two previous Indianapolis races, echoes her teammate’s sentiments and is also pleased to be back at Lucas Oil Raceway with title sponsorship backing from Dodge.

“I don't care if you run at Indianapolis 100 times a year or just once during Labor Day weekend, racing at Indy carries a certain weight and prestige," says Pruett. “To see Dodge step up (as title sponsor), makes my heart even happier than it already is when it’s pounding hard from nitro and 11,000 horsepower. It just reinforces what a great company it is and where their values lay; with their fan base and their customers.

“Given the circumstances, knowing the importance it has to fans attending a race in person or watching on TV, and helping getting the series back on track, it’s great to see Dodge bring this extra level of support to the series," she added. “They had their dedicated number of races, but when times got tough, they showed what a true partner is."

Hagan and Pruett both premiered new sinister “Demon-possessed" Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye-themed race cars at the previous event. The fierce-looking red, black and chrome paint schemes for the two DSR entries come on the heels of the early July public unveiling of the new 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world.

With a top speed of 203 mph and quarter-mile elapsed time of 10.6 seconds at 129 mph, the 2021 Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye is designed and engineered to appeal to muscle car enthusiasts who want even more — more power, more performance and more bragging rights at the drag strip.

Carrying the SRT Hellcat Redeye livery, Pruett feels even more motivated to continue to build on her most recent strong performances.

“It's one thing to look good and it's another to perform well while looking that good; those are two attributes that Dodge has cornered all of the time," says Pruett. “I’m very happy with how we debuted our SRT Hellcat Redeye-themed dragster (at Lucas Oil NHRA SummerNationals) with a No. 2 qualifying spot and a semifinal finish. We’re looking to continue that momentum and take that a step further this weekend at the Dodge Indy Nationals Presented by Pennzoil. This is our second shot to put the Top Fuel dragster in the Winner's Circle. It looks good in the shop, it looks good in the pit and on the track, but it won’t look any better than in the Winner's Circle and that's where our focus is at."

Qualifying highlights will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, while television coverage of the elimination rounds, including LIVE finals at the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals, will air starting at 1 p.m. ET on the FOX national broadcast network.