Charlie Westcott Jr., perhaps for the first time since entering the Hemi Super Stock fray, rolled into the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis without the car to beat in the performance department, but as he’s done so many times before, the Michigan native had just enough horsepower and talent behind the wheel to capture a record sixth victory in the Mopar HEMI Challenge on Friday evening at the Lucas Oil Raceway.

Westcott Jr., who had won five times previously as a driver and six times as an engine builder (his father, Charlie Westcott Sr. won the event in 2009) in the 13-year history of the Mopar-sponsored shootout, powered his familiar “War Fish” 1968 Plymouth Barracuda to the win over Wendell Howes with an 8.55 to Howes’ right-there 8.66, aided by a huge .006 to .104 starting line advantage. In addition to the $15,000 winners prize, Wescott Jr. also collected a special 50th anniversary 426 HEMI Challenge trophy — appropriately weighting 42.6 pounds — and a custom Mopar winners jacket.

“This win in a way was bigger than the others because we didn’t come in with the performance advantage we typically have,” said Westcott Jr., whose father Charlie Westcott Sr. also won the Mopar HEMI Challenge event at Indy in 2009. “I had been fighting some kind of gremlin all weekend in my car. I never could get it right, but the final round was a little better. We got the job done, and that’s all that matters. We’ve won this thing six times, and seven if you count my dad. It’s always a good event for us.”

“It’s great that Mopar supports this class,” said Westcott Jr. “People really appreciate Mopar putting up the money and also coming out here to support the event. This is one of the biggest fields (26 cars) we have had in years.”

On his road to the final round, the younger Westcott downed Fred Henson, Steve Comella, Joe Teuton, and Steve Kent.

Video courtesy NHRA/ESPN