Las Vegas: New Dodge Dakota R/T set for competition

LAS VEGAS (April 6, 2001) - Veteran driver Todd Patterson will unveil Dodge's latest Pro Stock Truck creation during this weekend's SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

After months of development, testing and revisions, the next generation Dodge Motorsports entry will make its competitive debut during today's first-qualifying session. The truck, built by chassis specialist and part-time Pro Stock Truck driver Jerry Haas, is an updated version of the Dodge Dakota R/T most recently driven at Houston Raceway Park two weeks ago.

Eaton Enterprises, which fields the Mopar Parts Dodge Dakota R/T of Dale Eaton and the Dodge Motorsports Dakota R/T of Craig Eaton, will take delivery of their new trucks later this year.

"To speed up the development process, we actually compromised on taking the first Dodge truck, which happens to be the steel one that the molds were made from," Patterson noted. "The Eaton's will be getting their lighter, carbon fiber trucks in the near future."

DaimlerChrysler drag racing program manager Brett Fischer talks about the new truck.

"The truck is now a lot closer to size with our competition," Fischer said. "We were at a marked disadvantage on the track and on paper. We're now on equal ground."

- Dodge Motorsports