Dodge, Travis Pastrana Team Up Again in Global Rallycross

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --  

• Pastrana Racing to Field Two Dodge Dart Rallycross Cars for 2013 Season

Dodge and SRT Motorsports today announced they're teaming up with action sports legend Travis Pastrana again for a second season of competition in the Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) Series.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130409/DE91284 ) 

Building on the strong relationship created last year, Pastrana Racing will now field two Dodge Dart race cars for 2013. Bryce Menzies will drive the second Dart. The duo will drive Red Bull / Discount Tire-sponsored Dodge Dart Rallycross cars in the season opener April 21 in Brazil.

"At Dodge, racing is an integral part of our heritage and embodies our competitive spirit, so we're very excited to have Travis Pastrana back in the Dodge Dart for the 2013 season," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO - Dodge Brand. "With a 0-60 time of less than 2-seconds, the Global Rallycross series is the perfect platform to showcase the Dart and the Dodge brand's passion for performance on and off the track."

Global Rallycross, a spin-off of the X Games rally races, was introduced in the United States in 2009 and combines the skill of rally racing with the excitement of X Games. The series features high-flying extreme competition between cars that are relevant to today's youth.

One year ago, Pastrana piloted his Dodge Dart to victory in the fourth race of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, crossing the finish line 1.431 seconds ahead of Samuel Hubinette, a victory Pastrana called "bigger than you could ever imagine." He finished 10th in the final series standings.

"Travis Pastrana exemplifies what action sports activities are all about and he fits perfectly with the Dodge brand and the SRT Motorsports team," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports. "There is no doubt that Travis' personality and driving skills will continue to bring energy and excitement to this season."

The series incorporates bumper-to-bumper competition among 600 horsepower All Wheel Drive vehicles. There are 70-foot jumps over racing traffic, creating a "motocross with cars" action.

Pastrana, 29, is a four-time Rally America Champion and 17-time X Games Gold Medalist. He also competed fulltime in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and owns multiple Supercross and Motocross championships plus Nitro Circus, an empire which includes a television show, live tours and film projects.

http://www.dodge.com/en/2013/dart/grc/

About Dodge Dart
The 2013 Dodge Dart compact car redefined performance with an agile, fun-to-drive experience, compliments of its Alfa Romeo roots; the interior comforts of larger, more expensive cars and the value and fuel efficiency of a compact car with three technologically advanced and fuel-efficient powertrains. The all-new Dodge Dart is a thoroughly modern vehicle that's beautifully designed and crafted. It is loaded with state-of-the-art technology and class-leading safety features drivers and passengers desire including, 10 standard air bags, available ParkView rear back up camera, blind spot monitoring and rear crosspath detection. The new Dart GT model builds on that foundation and offers attributes compact car buyers appreciate such as a 2.4L engine with 184 hp, a sport-tuned suspension, available hyper black 18-inch wheels, along with class-exclusive features like an 8.4-inch Uconnect Touchscreen media center and LED racetrack taillamps. The Dodge Dart offers a unique style that allows consumers to further customize their ride while enjoying the drive.

The 2013 Dodge Dart is built in America at Chrysler Group's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Ill. Production of the 2013 Dodge Dart GT begins in the second quarter 2013.

About Dodge
For nearly 100 years, Dodge has defined passionate and innovative vehicles that stand apart in performance and in style. Building upon its rich heritage of muscle cars, racing technology and ingenious engineering, Dodge offers a full-line of cars, crossovers, minivans and SUVs built for top performance - from power off the line and handling in the corners, to high-quality vehicles that deliver unmatched versatility and excellent fuel efficiency. Only Dodge offers such innovative functionality combined with class-leading performance, exceptional value and distinctive design. With the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart offering up to 41 miles per gallon, the all-new Dodge Charger paired with the ZF eight-speed transmission that achieves a class-leading 31 miles per gallon on the highway, the new Durango and the significantly revamped Grand Caravan - inventor of the minivan - Journey, Avenger and iconic Challenger, Dodge now has one of the freshest dealer showrooms in the United States.

About SRT and SRT Motorsports
The Chrysler Group's SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand uses a successful product development formula featuring five proven hallmarks: awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots.

The SRT lineup in the 2013 model year features five vehicles that are world-class performance contenders and bring the latest in safety technologies and creature comforts. The Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 are joined by the SRT flagship Viper and Viper GTS models, which are making their highly anticipated return to the high-performance sports car market.

The engineering expertise within SRT extends well beyond its high-performance street vehicles. Technical support for the Chrysler Group's various racing programs is provided by the astute engineers at SRT Motorsports, where lessons learned on the race track directly translate to improved vehicles for the company's customers.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC