THE DOCTOR IS IN

2nd Generation Racer S teve Comella Wins the 20th Anniversar y Dodge Hemi Challenge.

story and photos by GEOFF STUNKARD

“I got lucky against things popping up that should’ve knocked me out on the way,” noted Steve Comella, seen here in the winner’s circle celebrating at the 20th Anniversary Dodge Hemi Challenge during NHRA’s Dodge U.S. Nationals. His dog, father Chuck (right), and Mopar rep David Hakim (left) are in the foreground. That’ll be 15 grand, pal! N O RACER SHOWS UP at Indy with the idea they will leave before the final round. 2021 marked the 20th running of the SS/AH Dodge Hemi Challenge, traditionally held on the Friday of the NHRA Dodge SRT U.S. Nationals during Labor Day weekend at Indianapolis. The class is reserved only for the 1968-release Hemi Darts and Barracudas and was even part of this year’s television package. For Steve Comella, preparation was a big part of getting ready for that evening final of the legendary “race within a race.”

Steve Yantus was ready to follow up his 2020 crown when electrical issues made him forfeit in the semifinals. However, the car’s new paint scheme got the team “Best Appearing Car” honors at the event

“Yeah, I would drive over to the shop at night, put on my suit and helmet. and sit in the car,” Steve laughed in the winner’s circle as he stood next to the Comella family’s 1968 Super Stock Barracuda. “Sometimes I would turn on the practice tree and make just one “pass” each time, doing the drill over and over, just thinking about how I would do it in the final round.”

Steve, who works as an anesthesiologist as his day job, was no stranger to the possibility of being here, as he was in the darkness for the final last year against Steve Yantus, who won the 2020 title. This year, it was a familiar name in the other lane beside

Comella. Jimmy Daniels, who advanced to the money round yet again following his uncharacteristic first-round loss in the Ray Barton shop-backed Dart last year, has won 4 of these titles. At the green in

‘21, Daniels got a .039-second lead at the start, but Stevie C’s red Barracuda chased him down and won the race by only 5 feet a quartermile further, 8.364 at a big 161.17

MPH to the Dart’s 8.423 at 158.02. “We tested in Michigan all this week, and I couldn’t sleep at all, so

WANT TO SEE ALL THE SS/AH CARS FROM THE 2021 DODGE HEMI CHALLENGE! Go to moparaction.com!

Jack Peterson came out from South Dakota for this event in one of the old Mr. Motech cars. He didn’t get past round 2, but did burnouts like we have not seen since the 1990s.

Slate Cummings, in the Drag Pak owned by the Johns family, got everyone’s attention, including his own, with this monster wheelstand during Stock class eliminations on Thursday. He carried it out almost 200 feet, landed without problems, and still won; the Chevy boi redlit. it’s been a long week,” said Comella. “I knew it was close, because when I got into fourth gear, I couldn’t see him, but I could hear him.”

This car is one Comella and his father Chuck have been racing for a couple of seasons. Father Chuck has been seen in Mopar Action on occasion for many years, as he bought a 1968 Hemi Dart brand-new. After decades of racing it in the northeast (and this factory car still makes occasional appearances in NHRA competition), the father-son team got very serious about winning the Hemi Challenge after Steve started driving in 2012. Building this Barracuda from the ground up, the hot-red Mope is set up as a four-speed package.

In addition to the $15,000 and unique 42.6pound cylinder head trophy from Dodge, bragging rights were on the line as well, since the team uses Wescott power, while Daniels runs Ray Barton’s finest. The final had come from five rounds of action this year, with 17 of 18 cars making the call for round 1. Comella had dominated qualifying, running an 8.431 to go to the top. Stephen Yantus’ Carolina ’Cuda Plymouth was second at 8.480, Daniels third with an 8.503, and the event’s first-ever winner from 2001, Bucky Hess in 4th at 8.525 with his Jason Line-powered Psycho ’Cuda. In 5th at 8.565, Big Jim Pancake made it 2 Darts and 3 Cudas. When the first two rounds were over, these were the only five cars still standing as well.

That quarterfinal found Yantus clocking a wheels-up 8.42 single, Comella dropping Hess with an unexpectedly-slow 8.52 to Hess’ troubled 8.69, and then Daniels serving up a “yeah, I’m here” 8.400 to Pancake’s 8.91. However, the semifinals would end up as two

Ron Capps sealed his position going into the playoffs with a runner-up here at Indy in the NAPA Dodge Charger funny car. When the season had ended, he finished !st, Matt Hagen was 2nd and Leah Pruett came out at 7th in Top Fuel.

singles when Yantus had to forfeit the call due to an electrical issue he could not resolve in time in his Anthony Rhodes-owned car.

There was some quiet talk that the semis could be the final instead, but both Daniels and Comella agreed they would each be happier making their singles, especially Comella. Steve and Chuck had found a problem with the timing system wiring after pulling the dash from his car between rounds. So, Daniels drove alone to an 8.41, while Comella clocked a telepathic .001 reaction time and his day’s best 8.386 in the repaired car to set up the final. Daniels had been even quicker at 8.380 in the first round of the actual overall Super Stock eliminator, and Comella admits the close-to-red reaction time affected the final.

“That .001 light in the semis was really tight, and it was in my head, that I could beat myself here in the final. So, a .079 was not great when I normally cut .020s, but we had the power to win. And I will tell you what drives me to do all of this— I hate losing more than I enjoy winning!”

And that stated, winning on this 20th Anniversary of the Hemi Challenge was fitting for the team, as Chuck has been involved since the beginning with the legendary Hurst Hemi racecars and Steve’s passion for victory is focused. When it was all said and done, we would say he deserved it.

OTHER INDY NOTES

Just before the first qualifying session at the Dodge SRT U.S. Nationals, Matt Hagan was announced to have contracted the Chyna virus, so Tommy Johnson, Jr. would be driving the DSR Mopar-backed Charger here. However, a mechanical problem prevented his first effort on Friday night, and when rain eliminated the final two qualifying rounds Saturday, the SRT funny car was a DNQ at the brand’s own event! However, Johnson would win for Hagan at Maple Grove Raceway the following weekend, and Ron Capps’ final-round appearance at Indy in the DSR NAPA Parts Dodge put himself and Hagan atop the nitro funny car points. At season’s end, the Dodge duo finished 1-2 as well. Both have now went their own way from the Don Schumacher Racing camp for 2022, with Capps fielding his own one-car team and Hagan joining Leah Pruett and her husband Tony Stewart in a new fuel drag racing enterprise as well. The new NHRA season will be interesting...

2021 Dodge Hemi Challenge Qualif ying

1. Steve Comella, Webster NY ’68 Barracuda 8.431 159.04 2. Stephen Yantus, Charleston SC ’68 Barracuda 8.480 156.64 3. James Daniels, Yardley PA ’68 Dart 8.503 155.83 4. Bucky Hess, Bunker Hill WV ’68 Barracuda 8.525 155.78 5. Jim Pancake, Cardington OH ’68 Dart 8.565 155.22 6. Eldon Baum, Wellsville PA ’68 Dart 8.582 155.13 7. Eric Bell, Chandler AZ ’64 Barracuda 8.626 152.14 8. Tony DePillo, Dayton OH ’68 Barracuda 8.654 154.26 9. Gary Wolkwitz, Whhouse NJ ‘68 Dart 8.660 152.23 10. Steve Kent, Belle Rose LA ’68 Barracuda 8.679 154.32 11. Richard Locker, N.Royaltn OH ’68 Barracuda 8.684 151.66 12. Rick Johnson, Wayzata MN ’68 Barracuda 8.702 152.38 13. Russ Campbell, Springfld MO ’68 Barracuda 8.730 153.49 14. Stephen Hebert, Westlake LA ’68 Barracuda 8.743 155.17 15. Marlin Bogner, Kearney NE ’68 Barracuda 8.933 146.81 16. Jack Peterson, Hartford SD ’68 Barracuda 9.242 145.27 17. Benny Kimberly, Springfld LA ’68 Barracuda 11.78 96.58 18. Harold Leiter, Troy OH ’68 Barracuda 12.06 121.23