This year’s Mopar Nationals in Hebron, Ohio was the destination for a few old buddies to catch up, hunt for parts, watch some racing, check out a ton of cool Mopars and do a little cruising. We set out from Nashville, Tennessee in our 6-speed ’15 Hellcat-powered Challenger early that Friday. Our buddies left from eastern Kentucky a short while later in their pickup so they could haul home any “finds” from the swap meet.

After rolling in and securing a good parking spot for the Hellcat, we hit the swap meet equipped with a short list of parts – not just for ourselves but for several other friends. Thankfully, the swap meet did not disappoint, and we found most everything we needed [well, except for a ‘70 B-body Rallye dash and a ’69 Coronet fender. If you happen to have one, hit us up in the comments below –Ed.].

For those that enjoy the art of bartering, there is no shortage of booths to try your best to snag a deal. Mixed in with the swap meet were several familiar vendors, including Passon Performance where we looked some of his beautifully rebuilt manual transmissions and got some much appreciated 4-speed education from Jamie Passon and his knowledgeable team.

Several other vendors also had set up camp in the swap meet area – including Stephen’s Performance, Steer & Gear, and several others – providing a great opportunity to buy anything from sheet metal parts, trim pieces, hardware and all sorts of odds and ends in person. There’s nothing like holding the parts in your hand before handing over that cash (not to mention avoiding shipping costs).

We made our way from the swap meet into the car corral where we found folks selling anything from rotted-out hulks to fully restored show cars and even a monster truck. Yes, there was a monster truck for sale and even participated in Saturday’s burnout competition, earning second place overall. We scanned over a few would-be projects but frankly, the asking prices were a bit on the optimistic side.

As we wandered towards the grandstands to check out manufacturer’s midway and watch some racing we took an extremely long zigzagging route to ogle whatever shiny (or not so shiny) car caught our eye. The number of beautiful cars there was astonishing; everything from stock restorations to Gen III Hemi-swaps to big boosted monsters could all be found.

Whether it had slick and shiny paint or barely any paint at all, pickup trucks, muscle cars, sports cars, race cars – you name it – was here. It was a great smattering of automobiles with something for everyone (assuming you like Mopars of course). It was nice to see the number of folks camped out under pop-up tents near their cars having a good time and usually more than willing to talk your head off about their ride if you indulged them.

Our friends at Auto Metal Direct (AMD) were on display with a slick black Dodge Charger and the Northeast Ohio Dukes’ showcars. AMD’s team was ready to chat and walk a customer through a restoration. A few spots down, Indy Cylinder Heads put out a big spread of some incredible engines, and all of the cylinder heads, intake manifolds and other small parts you might need for you build. A&A Transmissions and Brewers were also on site with a large display, ready to talk transmissions and sell some parts.

The racing was just that – racing! It was great but we didn’t watch long enough to know what classes were running or who the front runners were but the sounds and sights of Mopars running down the track were just perfect. Nothing like seeing a nice wheel standing classic muscle car on a perfect 75º day. We watched racing on and off throughout our two days and caught some great cars going down the track. The sounds of the track proved to be the perfect soundtrack while wandering around the event.

The grand finale on Saturday was the Dukes of Hazzard chase and jump by the Northeast Ohio Dukes. The crowd was warmed up by a police chase in the grass in front of the track resulting in one very damaged police cruiser after it soared through the air. It was a wild display of aerial acrobatics by the cruiser that had everyone on their feet as it hit the ground hard. Everyone was okay and the crowd cheered!

Next up, they snuck in the burnout competition while setting up for the big General Lee jump. Vehicles of all shapes and sizes melted copious amounts of rubber and covered the grounds in tire smoke. A rowdy panel van and the Ram Rod monster truck from the car corral were among fan favorites, but a trusty old Cummins diesel stole the show with what may have been the longest burnout we’ve ever witnessed.

As the smoke cleared, a large ramp appeared on the racetrack. The announcer teased the crowd before the General Lee sped off at full throttle towards the ramp. The Charger soared through the air 216 feet, flanked by two perfectly timed explosions. It hit the track with a thud, skidding down to the barrier set up at the end of the landing zone. The crowd roared and then cheered again when the sign was given that the driver was okay. It was a heck of a show and well worth the wait.

This was our first time back to the Nationals and remember the nightlife outside the venue was just as entertaining; a lot of cruising, some burnouts, maybe a few quick rips away from stop lights here and there and folks set up on roadsides cheering cars on. To our surprise, there was very little of that. Local law enforcement ensured that things remained quiet all the way from Heath to Buckeye Lake.

The scene on Brice Road was dead as well, that is besides one parking lot known to the locals that has been known to allow crowds to shred tires. A big thanks to John Hinderer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram who provided a refuge for those looking for some fun by offering a burnout pit with grandstands and all. The dealership cleared their inventory from the lot and allowed cars to hang out and melt tires.

All in all, the Mopar Nationals did not disappoint. We had a great time, saw some awesome cars, met some great people and hauled away a stash of much needed parts. We’ll be back next year and hope you will too!

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