|
Dan Arneson – The Lone ‘Charger’ On The Local Racing Scene
(Eleva, WI) – There’s an interesting phenomenon in Auto racing; and that
is the dual facet of fans allegiances. Just like other sports, fans quickly
and fervently align themselves as followers of a certain driver, or drivers.
But, quite different from other sports are the fans who will quite fervently
align themselves as followers of a certain type of car used by the drivers.
The chasm fans who follow drivers who use Ford products versus drivers who use
General Motors products is just as wide as the gulf that separates fans of
Troy Langowski from fans of Troy Brand.
Look out over the crowd at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY, or any race track for that
matter, and you’ll see the familiar blue oval of Ford, the blue Bowtie of
Chevrolet, maybe a few Pontiac Arrowheads . . . and over the past ten years,
another emblem has been reintroduced to the race fan’s attire – the
rounded blue M or Mopar symbol of DaimlerChrysler.
Back in the 60s and early 70s it seemed the HEMI engine ruled supreme. Then
the Chrysler family quietly dropped off the radar of the average racing fan
for a while. Around about the turn of the century, Dodge returned to the world
of big league NASCAR racing in the truck series and now the Grand National and
Cup series and the love-affair has been re-ignited all the way down to the
‘grass roots’ level of local dirt track racing.
But, even through the ‘dark era’ of their absence, there were some who
just wouldn’t give up on the Chrysler brand.
Enter Dan Arneson.
“When I was a kid, I had an uncle who worked at a Chrysler Garage in Eau
Claire,” explains the Eleva, WI WISSOTA Super Stock driver, “And even way
back then, I guess I was mature enough to understand the mechanics of engines
and cars like that, and I just KNEW that the HEMI engine was great.”
And ever since then it’s been Chrysler products on the mind, and beneath the
heavy right foot, of this man who’s gone on to make a living working on, you
guessed it, Chrysler products at Bothun Chrysler Center in Eau Claire.
“I became a real fan of the engine and the brand,” continues Arneson, “I
became a fan of Richard Petty when he was driving Chrysler products. And then
when I got into racing, even though they weren’t involved in Motorsports, I
built a Chrysler racecar.
Arneson’s first race car is one that any automotive enthusiast wishes they
had sitting in there garage today, “My first year racing was ’81 and my
first stock car was a ’68 Barracuda”, explains Dan looking back over his
near quarter of a century of racing Chrysler products, “That was a great
car, my first night out, I won a heat race at Marshfield and lead the feature
up to just the last couple of laps – the defending track champion kind of
nudged me out of the way and took the win.”
“At first,” confides Arneson, “Maybe I liked ‘em cause they were just
something different, ya’ know? I mean, every where you looked there was
Chevy’s and Chevy’s and more Chevy’s.”
And it’s topic such as this that race fans simply love – the aspect of
something different. ‘A race car is a race car, right? No big difference . .
.” Oh heavens no! Don’t get caught even breathing that thought near a fan
or, worse yet, an owner or you’ll be escorted from the premises post-haste!
It’s brand loyalty at it’s deepest level, “I know a racer who was
offered a late model ride,” offered Arneson as testament to the loyalty of
racers, “He said he’d only take the ride if it was Chrysler powered.”
Now that’s loyalty, turning down a coveted Late Model ride based upon engine
brand.
So every Friday night Arneson lines up his Chrysler powered #20 Dodge Charger
on the starting grid and prepares for the ‘David and Goliath’ battle. His
lone Chrysler vs. a group of 19 other cars, most of which are Chevy powered -
a couple Fords.
And Arneson has been doing his season after season and having a blast,
especially at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY. “I won a heat race that very first night
that FOX RIDGE opened and I’ve enjoyed the track ever since,” reminisces
Arneson, “I had a pretty good run there early on, I won six heat races in a
row at one time. In my opinion FOX RIDGE is the greatest track around. The way
it’s laid out suits my driving style.”
But, after a few great years at FOX RIDGE Arneson struggled a bit in 2004 and
early this year, so a change is coming, “I’ve been running this Xtreme
chassis last year and this year,” he explains, “and I’ve just been
struggling with it. So, I’ve got a brand new Gator Chassis in the garage
that I’m getting ready right now. I hope to have that on the track in a week
or two.”
This is the same type of chassis with which Dennis Earney and Rodney Dregney
have won the past four features at FOX RIDGE; but Arneson’s will, of course,
still sport the Dodge body and the Chrysler power plant.
To see if Dan Arneson can return Chrysler to the Victory Lane at FOX RIDGE
SPEEDWAY, stop out to the track this FRIDAY NIGHT to cheer him on during
‘FOX RIDGE RACERS - RACING FOR A CURE’ night at the track. Not only can
you enjoy the racing action, but you can also get involved in the events
taking place at the track in association with the American Cancer Societies
‘Relay for Life’. Events include a Personalized Balloon release, Kids
rides in real racecars, Light-Up Luminaries, and a Survivors Recognition
reading during intermission!
We’ll see you at ‘The Ridge’!
|
|
|
