Back in late October, the Modern Street HEMI® Shootout held their final points event of the year at Maryland International Raceway, sponsored by East Coast Moparts. After two days of racing to finish up the season, the MSHS crowned their class champions for 2023 – the series’ 14th season – and Dodge Challenger drivers claimed most of the titles. Over the course of the season, racers came from 28 states as well as Canada and Puerto Rico to participate in what has become the leading all-Mopar® racing series in the world, with the quickest and fastest modern HEMI engine-powered vehicles in the world, with some racers routinely traveling thousands of miles to race alongside the best of the best in the community.
Today, we bring you a look at the drivers and the cars that took home a championship title from the Modern Street HEMI Shootout in 2023.
Cometic 12.50 Index
The 12.50 class, sponsored by Cometic, was won by Al Scanlan and his Dodge Challenger 1320. Scanlan won the class at the Legmaker Intakes season opener, along with participating at the Sipple’s Speed and Performance event at Rockingham Dragway, Hemi’Nsanity at Milan Dragway and the East Coast Moparts event at Maryland International Speedway, leading to the class title.
Legmaker Intakes 11.50 Index
The Legmaker Intakes 11.50 class championship was won by Matt Broyles and his Dodge Challenger SRT® Hellcat. Broyles participated in five of the six events on the schedule (not counting the event at Cecil that was rained out), including the season opener in Florida, the two events at The Rock and the Hemi’Nsanity in Michigan, where he won the class. That big win in Detroit allowed him to claim the top spot in the class championship race.
Cam Motion 10.50 Index
The Cam Motion 10.50 class title was claimed by Justin Rems and his Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT8. His title run was fueled by a win at the first MSHS event at Rockingham earlier in the year.
Sipple’s Speed and Performance 10.00 Index
The Sipple’s Speed and Performance 10.00 class was also claimed by a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 driver, with Eskle Collier taking home the year-end trophy in this group. Collier attended five of the six events (again, excluding the rain-out at Cecil County), finishing 3rd at the season finale and winning the class at the early Rockingham race.
Flyin Ryan Performance 9.50 Index
The Flyin Ryan Performance 9.50 index class was won by Mike Vanzile in a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Vanzile attended four of the six events, winning the class at the season opener and gathering several other podium finishes en route to the championship title.
Demon Performance 8.50 Index
The Demon Performance 8.50 index class was won by Tommy Falk and his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Falk attended four of the six Modern Street HEMI Shootout events on the 2023 schedule, winning the season opener in Florida, Hemi’Nsanity in Michigan and the season finale in Maryland to claim the class championship.
ThiTek Heavyweight Heads-Up
The ThiTek Heavyweight class was won by Sumit Goyal and his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Goyal participated in the first race at Rockingham and the season finale in Maryland, winning the class at both events and claiming the class title.
DiabloSport HEMI Outlaw Heads-Up
The Diablosport HEMI Outlaw eighth-mile class was won by Kevin Helmick and his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat that is known throughout the community as GRMPYCAT. Helmick raced at four of the six events and won twice – at the first Rockingham event and at the finale in Maryland.
East Coast Moparts Bracket
The East Coast Moparts Bracket class, which is essentially a mix of all of the vehicles from all of the index classes, was won by Chris Jones and his modern HEMI engine-powered 1968 Plymouth Satellite. Jones raced his classic Mopar muscle car at four of the events this season, winning the huge class at the first Rockingham event and at the season finale in Maryland.
Innovative Machining Solutions King of Kings
Finally, at every Modern Street HEMI Shootout event, the winners of all of the index classes go head to head in a bracket format to create the King of the Hill group. The championship title for the King of the Hill class results in the King of Kings title, sponsored by Innovative Machining Solutions. This year, the King of Kings title was claimed by John Govenettio and his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Govenettio participated in the King of the Hill class at the first Rockingham event, Hemi’Nsanity in Michigan and the finale in Maryland and he won the class all three times – leading to his King of Kings title for 2023.
