More Mighty Avengers

The all-new 2010 Mopar® Dodge Avenger has been the talk of the class within NHRA’s demanding pro stock category this season. While it is true that the successful efforts of the Flagship J&J Racing/Mopar Avenger continue to pace the class, there are also two other Avenger teams, with very different approaches to racing, that are also making big waves.

Words: Bruce Biegler

The opening of the 2010 NHRA racing season marked the start of the third season in Pro Stock class racing for the talented and potential ridden California-based team owned by Nick Mitsos. Mitsos, along with his driver Vinnie Deceglie, hit the trail with a spectacular new ‘10 Avenger right out of the season gate last February. But then unfortunately they lost that car in a high-speed incident (due to suspect track conditions) during the second NHRA Full Throttle Series event of the season. While that setback was significant, the team was quick to order an all-new replacement Mopar® Dodge Avenger from Illinois-based RJ Race Cars, with the intent of returning to business as usual as soon as possible.

“We are very pleased with the race cars that Rick Jones has built for us and racing in the Pro Stock class is a dream come true,” said Mitsos, who owns the Mountain View Tire chain of 30 stores, spread out in Southern California. “It did take us a couple of years to get our feet wet and to understand the competition and what we are facing. There is definitely a real learning curve in the Pro Stock class.”

Mitsos’ team is in fact a strategic partner of the Mopar-sponsored J&J Racing team car. They utilize a J&J HEMI® engine and are supported directly by that team’s technology and personnel. As a result they also exchange information, which has proven to be a very important strategy within many successful Pro Stock racing ventures.

“AJ and Roy (Johnson) are doing our motor program and Mark Ingersoll is our crew chief,” Nick confirmed. “With all that quality on our team I believe we have moved to a higher level in the class and we will be players this season in Pro Stock.”

News Flash: As we go to press, we’re pleased to announce that Vinnie Deceglie’s new 2010 Mopar Dodge Avenger has recorded the quickest run in history by a Mopar Pro Stock vehicle! The HEMI-powered car ran an incredible 6.548 secs at 210.93 mph on June 11, 2010, at NHRA’s SuperNationals held in New Jersey.

Another new Mopar Dodge Avenger making fantastic strides this season is that of Colorado’s 
Vieri Gaines. For the man affectionately known as simply “V,” his all-new Kendall-sponsored and Mopar-powered machine is in some contexts, “outside the box thinking.”

Gaines’s machine features a Lazarus race car chassis—somewhat of a rarity within the Pro Stock class—as well as his own independent HEMI engine program.

“Last year was a bit of a development year for our team and our HEMI engine program,” admitted the 15-year class veteran. “It was really a year of trial and error but we were prepared for that. It all led up to some great progression during the past off-season. We are now making a tremendous amount of power with our HEMI engine and that has been a wonderful fit with our all-new Mopar Dodge Avenger.”

Gaines’ reputation within Pro Stock racing is highly respected, coming from both his competition and his fan base. “V” in fact thrives on a somewhat rogue reputation.

“I have invested a tremendous amount of time and money into this,” Gaines continued. “I have elected to keep running independently because there are fewer diversions and I think that keeps the focus where it needs to be. We are doing what we need to do to contend for a championship. That is something I am taking very seriously.”

Gaines, who first switched to the Mopar brand during 2006, is the founder and owner of the very successful Denver-area Madcap Racing Engines Company. That company has for many years—and continues to be—the choice of champions for numerous NHRA Sportsman class racers. It now also serves as the headquarters for Gaines’ impressive in-house HEMI engine development project.