Mopars at the Strip

Thank you for making the 2010 Mopars at the Strip another great event!

The Painter Family
JP Motorsports

Wow it's that time again, and we hope that you are as excited for the upcoming Mopars at the Strip event as we are. There is an old saying that say's "Nothing is more constant than change". The older I get the more meaning that saying has on my life. But with change there is opportunity to learn and grow. One thing that I have noticed about change, is that with it we often find ourselves forgetting about some of the constant cool stuff that makes us smile every time we see or experience those constant things that make life so interesting. For example as many of you know as event promoters my family puts a lot of effort in Mopars at the Strip to insure the quality of this event and the passion we all have for it.

Vendors please note!

The Super Chevy Show is the weekend before Mopars at the Strip if you would like to attend back to back events please click on www.superchevyshow.com.

I recently was at the fall NHRA meet here in Las Vegas selling raffle car tickets to this years give away car. After the drags were over, I was asked repeatedly how I liked the races. Well, I heard them but never saw them. So my answer was "They were great". The next weekend again commitments kept me from attending the Divisional at LVMS. I made it to the track late in the day when most of the competitors were finished. Now things were getting interesting for those still in to see who was going to win each class. Lucky for me I heard that my good friend Les Norton was still in, in Stock Eliminator in his beautiful Black Savoy. I had heard Les's name over the PA the previous weekend as he worked his way down to 4 cars before going out.

I heard it, but I didn't see it. This time I had a few minutes to make it to the starting line to watch Les work his magic. As his black Savoy did its burn out and then proceeded to stage, it was as if I were at one of my kids ball games. Les launched hard and the wheel's came of the ground and soon the win light came up in Les's lane. It doesn't matter how many times I have seen this before, it was as if it were my first time again. Les ended up as the runner up in the final round after a whole weekend of racing. The chill's and excitement that this experience gave me, verified that things may change, but what I had just experienced was still cool as Hell. Way to go Les.

For some going to the races would never cross their minds. It's too bad we can't get some of our politicians to the drag's to see that this is our hobby, it is what we do. This is what we are passionate about. This is our chosen life style. When I have taken family and friends to the drags for the first time they agree to go because I persisted. It may have never previously crossed their minds, but the experience sure blew their minds. Over 300 miles an hour in 4 seconds. What the Freak! It is one of those things that you just have to experience live; TV just doesn't do it justice. But it is cool, every time I see it. My personal favorites are the wheels up Super Stockers. It still sends chills up my spine when the thump of a big nasty motor in a well done muscle car rolls by. Again this is our life style and where our interests lie, with the Muscle Car Heritage.

The Painter Family is always looking for ways to improve the event for each of you. Several exciting things have happened in the past couple of months that we are going to integrate into the show. Recently I was lucky enough to drive one of the Mr. Norm Challenger Convertibles, with over 600 Horse Power, Wow what a ride! Just before SEMA I was contacted by friends of mine at Husky Liner to secure a new Camaro for the booth at SEMA, which I did from our GM dealership in Utah, again driving the car was a blast just like the Challenger.

Chip Foose autographed stool Auction winner Bill Sefton. (L to R) Phil Painter, Bill Sefton, Chip Foose, Chris Jacobs

The technology and safety built into these new cars is amazing. I took my kids for a ride in both cars, and they were impressed. I then let them experience the Give away car a 67 Dodge Coronet with the 383, manual 4 speed. Again they thought it was cool. Hot Rods and Muscle Cars have the ability to transcend time. They are just plain Fun. Which brings me to my 2 show announcement? New for 2010 Keisler Engineering is Sponsoring a Class for all manual transmission vehicles with a clutch. So sign up today. This open to trucks, cars etc. We think this will be a lot of fun for the participants as well as the contestants. The second class that we are adding to the race program is PONY CAR WARS, after driving the new Camaro, I thought back when they were originally introduced.

I was 8 years old, I can still remember seeing a light yellow 68 Camaro in my home town with a black strip across the front of the car, with black spider mags, thinking the car was neat, but I was sure my older brother Randy could kick his butt in a road runner. Most of us have waited roughly 38 years for those days to return, and folks they are here again. When was the last time you could buy a new Pony Car from the 3 American Automakers? 1968-1974. Well this is the year that all three manufacturers Ford; Chevy and Dodge again have a Pony Car for sale. If most of you were like me in 1968, I had a favorite brand, and I knew which one I thought was king. So we are going to do it. How many of you have brought a Ford or Chevy friend to the event to hear them brag how their brand could still beat up your brand. Well let's stop talking about it, and let's get it on. Invite your friends with new Camaro's and Mustangs, we are welcoming them to the Pony Car Wars against the Challengers. All participating cars have to be late model from 2007 thru 2010, they have to be street legal, and all participants have to run on a dial in the class. All power adders are legal. So please bring all your bench racing, trash talking buddies and let's line em up, and let the fun begin, it gets me excited even thinking about it. Welcome our Muscle Car counter parts. This is as American as apple pie, so encourage your friends to come participate in the Inaugural Pony Car Wars at the event.

Our hobby and our heritage will remain strong if we all continue to support events like Mopars at the Strip. Why would I bring this up? I will try to explain: Most of you are probably like me, I am busy raising a family, working a lot of hours each day to support my family. Daily my inbox is filled with opinions and thoughts concerning this great country of ours. Many times I get bogged down in my mind about all that is going on around me, the things that I have no control over. Then I remember that I have to get away from my computer, shut of the 24 hour news and go outside and experience the good things in life like family and friends. That's what Mopars at the Strip is all about, a big family reunion, packed with Fun (remember Fun?) well it will be waiting for you in sunny Las Vegas in March. Just to refresh your memory, while you are locked face-to-face with your computer, take a break and click on to www.youtube.com and then type in the words Mopars at the Strip. One of the best video's on there is the cruises from last year's event. If over 125 Muscle Cars cruising down the freeway with the tunes on, windows downs and grins from ear to ear doesn't get you excited, then maybe you need to click on to 09 Mopars at the Strip racing. There is plenty of stuff on You Tube to get you all jacked up about attending the 2010 event. So start to make your plans to attend today. You will be glad you did. If you have never attended Mopars at the Strip, what are you waiting for? Stop right now, Click on www.moparsatthestrip.com, buy your tickets, get the travel plans made and let's get to it. Again do you remember Fun? I will personally guarantee you that you will have a ton of Fun at the event.

Here is a quick run down of what you will be experiencing. By the way did I mention we are holding the event in the most exciting city in the world? Las Vegas! You will see sunshine, wheel stands, burnouts, cruising, old used parts, new horse power adders, celebrities, bright colors, awesome hot rods, a car shows, Quarter Mile of Mopars, two rock bands. You will hear the following, laughing, cheering, Hemi's redlining, torque converters launching, Tire's screaming, good old fashion Rock and Rock, Freebird, later you will hear lots of snoring in your room. What you will do, will keep you talking to your friends for months to come about how glad you are that you attended. With. events like Drag Racing, Car Show, Swap Meet, Manufacturers Midway, Auction, Jeep Off Road Poker Run, Cruises, True Street Challenge, Pony Car Wars and Concerts. Isn't it time you treat yourself to a vacation, and some Fun, Vegas Style? This event has more to do and see than any other event in the country. So start packing!

In closing we look forward to seeing you at the 2010 Mopars at the Strip for some good old fashion Fun. We want to thank everyone for their support of the event. It is your support and passion that have been the driving force behind this event's success.

As always without U there is no Us.

We welcome all motor sports enthusiasts to "The Wildest Mopar party in the West".

The Painter Family
JP Motorsports