Race team

One afternoon at lunch in 1959 at the Chrysler Engineering Institute, a group of young engineers hatched a plan to build a Mopar that would outrun the fastest GM vehicles. From these simple beginnings came not only one of the most successful drag racing teams in history but also a new model for factory support of racing. The Ramchargers’ success in quarter-mile competition helped revitalize Dodge’s image and made the word “Hemi,” a global watchword for performance. Just as importantly, the Ramchargers helped develop and inspire the corporation’s young engineers. Among the team’s members were Tom Hoover, Dick Maxwell, Wayne Erickson, Bill Shope, George Wallace, James Thornton and Gene Meyers. Together they dominated the NHRA’s Stock and Super Stock classes in 1963 and ‘64 with their Max Wedge “Ramcharger” 413 engines and “Super Stock 426” solid-lifter Hemis. In ’65, they helped trigger today’s Funny Car category when they and other Mopar teams showed up at the season-opening Winternationals with their drastically-altered-wheelbase Dodges — the rear axles were moved forward some 15 inches — the first “funny” cars.