Mopar’s swoopy new Dodge Dart Pro Stock entry debuted in grand style just two races ago at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, as perennial title contender Allen Johnson drove his Mopar-backed entry to victory in convincing fashion, and that certainly must have veteran racer V Gaines excited as he nears the competition debut of his very own Dart, the last of the three cars expected to hit the track in the near term.
Gaines and his Western Motorsports team unveiled their brand new Dart on Wednesday, carrying the colors of longtime sponsor Kendall Motor Oil and its Liquid Titanium product and featuring a scheme similar to that found on his current Dodge Avenger, complete with the familiar teeth in the grille that are the inspiration behind his ‘Mean Teeth Tour 2014’ and even chrome stripes, all applied by the crew at 1320 Wraps.
The new Dart was constructed by Gaines’ own in-house chassis shop, Lazarus Race Cars, and is slated to undergo shakedown runs and testing runs before its debut, which could come as soon as the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston later this month.
Gaines currently sits fourth in the Pro Stock points standings after four events, just 68 points back of leader Erica Enders-Stevens, on the heels of a pair of runner-up finishes at the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona and at the series’ second stop in Phoenix.