HUBINETTE To Pilot MOPAR DODGE CHARGER in 2006

[INFO]

HUBINETTE TO PILOT MOPAR DODGE CHARGER IN 2006

Center Line, Mich. — Samuel Hubinette will kickoff his Formula Drift Series season in 2006 with a brand new look. The “Crazy Swede” is set to switch to a Hemi-powered Mopar Dodge Charger in the season-opening event at Long Beach, Calif., in April. Hubinette, who notched the inaugural Formula Drift Series championship in 2004, posted a runner-up finish in 2005 drifting an SRT10 Dodge Viper.

Hubinette’s new Mopar Dodge Charger was unveiled during the Mopar press conference at the SEMA trade show in Las Vegas last November. Hubinette will campaign the Charger for Shaun Carlson and his NuFormz Racing team. Carlson, who maintained the Mopar Viper Competition Coupe that Hubinette piloted to the 2004 championship, will also serve as Hubinette’s crew chief.

“I think it was time for a change, and I’m really looking forward to taking the wheel of the Mopar Dodge Charger in 2006,” Hubinette said. “Mopar and SRT in Detroit had been working hard to prepare the car before Shaun Carlson got his hands on it, and his team at NuFormz Racing has really impressed me with what they’ve done. I haven’t been disappointed so far. The thing has got power!”

Hubinette contended for the 2005 Formula Drift championship until the final event, and ranked only 40 points behind the champion in his runner-up finish. He scored two wins in 2005 at Atlanta and Chicago.

[Slapshotnerd]

very interesting.

Especially since it's rumored that Carlson will be driving an IHRA Pro Stock car for Mopar this year as well... I hope there aren't any scheduling conflicts!!

and dayum, the charger is a freakin landbarge! that thing is HUGE! should be quite a change for Sam!

Shaun tuning Sam's car at D1

[Nixon]

i love it that theres a big 4 door american v8 thats going to compete.
now if only i could get sponsored by ford to drift my crown vic

[Pennyman]

Yeah, that Charger's a behemoth, pretty ugly too IMO. Should be quite a change going from one of the fastest American cars to a 4 door family car EDITED.

One thing's for sure: With that thing clogging up the track, Mr.Hubinette won't have to worry about other drift cars passing him!

[Octagon]

Leaf springs??? You REALLY know nothing, don't you?

The 300C/Charger/Magnum and the other cars on the LX platform use a modified version of the past Mercedes Benz E-Class sedan's five link independent rear suspension.

Sheesh, when did somebody make a 3 drink minimum mandatory for posters on this site?

[JA92S13]

More pics please..

[Slapshotnerd]

from SEMA:

[Pennyman]

EDITED. Thanks for clearing that up. Still don't like the car. There are more interesting vehicles to learn the inner workings of. No drinking for me though, haha.

Jeez, it's large. It's probably bigger than Ueno's Soarer.

[Tsunami]

I'm diggin the retro powerplant. Early Hemi displacement and a hi-ram intake, 450-500hp. The suspension and chassis is good, Benz stuff, but they are going to have a challenge to get the weight down, I see it weighing in at about 3300, unless they go with composite bodywork. That puts at a power/weight ratio a tad lower than that of the other domestics out there.

To me it would make more sense to use the smaller, lighter Challenger, but the Charger makes more sense from a sales standpoint. I.e. mom and dad see it at Daytona, jr. sees it at the D1.

[Drift Brick]

HORK!

GOD I hate those cars.

[aaronlosey]

i don't like the cars either, but i think the variety is awesome. i think its really cool sam is going to pilot something else this year. i hope he stays competitive in it though, and doesn't pull a taniguchi.

[brainfood]

Good I was pretty tired of the viper glad to see him in something else he has mad skillz. Speaking of Mad Skillz what is Reese driving next season?

[nasty nate 7]

the american version of a chaser,mark2, laurel, cefiro??? guess this is what we came up with, though i was hoping the dodge challenger wouldve been a lot more interesting....

[MonkeySlide]

I think its a cool car..I just wonder if it can be as competitive as the viper was..

I heard that Rhys might be running the new pontiac solstice GXP (turbocharged) roadster this season.

If its true that would be pretty sweet.

[A.Kors180]

word on the street is they are cutting the chassis length down by 5%...