Olympia Charger

Oly Express 08 sponsors list keeps growing

For our third year racing in Europe, popularity of our Dodge Charger keeps growing. The same goes for media coverage, as a five page feature just appeared in Motoraver. Sponsor interest follows the same route. We are now happy to announce that Hippopotamus Le Mans steakhouse will be supporting us too! I can tell you that there are not many spots left on the car and we are still two month away from our first race in Monza!

Chateau Claymore with us for press party

As in 2006, we will again hold a press and fans party at Chiron in Le Mans. We expect about 50 reporters, some TV crews and at least 150 fans to show up at the event, which will be hosted during race week on Wednesday, July 9. This years inside scoop is that we'll be presenting more than just our Charger... In order to serve y'all right, we'll have Chateau La Claymore, a great red wine from the Bordeaux region. We happy and proud to have a sponsor with such a great tradition with us now. There are more great news about our sponsors to come, so stay online!

MOPARSHOP is back with us for 2008

We are happy and proud to announce that the MOPARSHOP, Europe's leading Mopar garage located in Olfen Germany, will be back to support us for the new season. Next to completing the pitcrew, the MOPARSHOP will also service the Charger between races and optimize the technical components of our HEMI racecar.

MOTUL back to support Oly Charger in 2008

We are happy to announce that MOTUL has renewed their sponship with us for Classic Endurance Racing and Le Mans Classic. Our Charger will, for a third season in a row, be all lubed by their excellent race proven products, like 15W50 300V racing engine oil, racing gear lube and RBF600 braking fluid. We are happy to continue this great cooperation with MOTUL!

Pixeleye Interactive sponsors us in 2008

We are happy to announce that Pixeleye Interactive will be with us in 2008. Known for his state of the art car photography, Pixeleyes boss and author of Speed Kings, Dirk Behlau has volunteered to be our team photographer. On top of that, Pixeleye Interactive will provide a huge supply of our official autograph cards. You better be at the track to get yours or leave a comment here, if you want us to send you one home!

A big thank you for our sponsors

After two great races, I wish to take the time to thank our sponsors. On the operationnal level, next to KFZ-Transporte Erkrath, who handled the logistics, and Camtecs Engineering, who provided the testing facility, I'd like to thank MOTUL for their great lubricants and the MOPARSHOP for their work between the races and during the week-ends. Our media sponsors MOTORAVER and NITRO also played a key role with coverage and material support. Last but not least, DODGE and Zakspeed helped us with a team car and on site service. Thank you so much! Your combined support allow us to race and make a good show for the fans!

MOPARSHOP readies Charger for next race

As our next race at the Nürburgring in Germany approaches, the guys at the MOPARSHOP are busy working on the Oly Express Charger. Since Monza, Oliver and his crew have made a few changes to improve the Dodge's brake cooling and the front spoiler setup. Everything else has also been double checked. Having a professionnal partner like the MOPARSHOP taking care the car gives us the necessary freedom to concentrate on our racing. Thank you, guys!

Hot Laps at Rocroi prior to Monza CER Race

We took our Charger to GTS Automotive's test site at Rocroi (F) in order to do a complete shakedown before Monza. Needless to say that we had a great day.

Oly Express at Techno Classica Show

The Oly Express Charger is now at the Essen Techno Classica, Europes biggest vintage car show. The fans, of which more than 350.000 are expected, get a chance to see the Dodge at the MOTORAVER booth next to an all aluminium 1934 Austin. MOTORAVER, also one of our sponsors, has definetly the coolest booth of the entire show, in excellent light, cool gear for sale, two cool cars and with a fridge full of cold beer!

Motoraver features Oly Express at Le Mans

Not only are they one of our sponsors, but they also feature us! Thanks to Dirk Behlau's photos and yours truly writing, the latest issue of Germanys Motoraver Magazine has the Oly Express at Le Mans on 7 great color pages. If you are in Germany by the end of this month, be sure to visit the Motoraver booth at the Techno Classica. Your favorite Dodge will also be there!

Taking care of the sponsor all the way!

Another part of our job was to enhance the image of our sponsor, not just wear the uniform but to enhance their image. We made commitments to our sponsors as far as where we would race and when we would race there. We would always try to correspond with an event that our sponsor was involved in or could be involved in.

Oly Express 2007 Team shirts out now!

Our team shirts for the 2007 season have just come in today. These shirts, made thanks to our sponsors MOTORAVER, MOPARSHOP, MOTUL, NITRO and CAMTECS, will be our official team wear. Based on the same pattern as the original 1976 and our 2006 Le Mans shirts, they withstand pit work and look good at the drivers meeting.

MOTUL, NITRO and CAMTECS back for 2007

We are proud and happy to announce that three of our major 2006 sponsors are back with us in 2007. MOTUL will provide their excellent lubricants and fluids for our engine, transmission, rear axle and brakes. Engineering support for track testing and at the races will be provided by CAMTECS. Last but not least, part of our team budget will be covered by NITRO, France's premium V8 publication.

MOTORAVER Magazine joins 2007 sponsors

We are proud to announce that Germany's gasoline culture magazine MOTORAVER  will sponsor our racing in 2007. To celebrate that great support, the Olympia Charger will be on display at MOTORAVER's booth at the Essen Techno Classica car show from March 29 to April 1st. Be there or be square!

MOPAR SHOP supports Oly Express in 2007

We are pleased to announce that the MOPAR SHOP will take care of our Charger during the 2007 season. MOPAR SHOP, a leading restoration and racing outfit, located in Olfen Germany, is specialized in vintage MOPAR's. Aside from maintaining and optimizing the Charger between the races, MOPAR SHOP will also be with us at the CER competition in Monza (April 13 - 15) and at the Nürburgring (June 29 - July 1st), to team up with our pit crew. We are happy that such a professional sponsor has joined our effort!

Oly Express HEMI Dodge Charger on DVD

Thanks to our Cyber-Son and CAMTECS Engineering, we had this little DVD made as a souvenir for our team members and for our sponsors. It shows the team with the car in the pits, as well as some cool inboard camera footage.

Vintage NASCAR Team Shirts for 2007

Sticking to our approach of having a period correct appearence at the track, we plan on having new 70s NASCAR type team shirts made for 2007. Our sponsors logos will again be on the front, on the sleeves and on the back. Some sponsors will be new, some other from 2006 are staying on board our Oly Express in 2007.

Now comes an important question: Of what color(s) should our team shirts be next year ?

Where to race the Oly Express in 2007

After our great racing at Le Mans Classic, we are all set to be back there in 2008. Now you may ask where we will race in 2007? Well, we give you a chance to help us make that choice. Leave a comment below to tell us where you'd like to see the Oly Express next year!

A great BIG thank you to our sponsors

We would not have gotten anywhere without the help of our families, friends and you fans. Thanks for supporting our crazy project, being patient and encouraging us at home.

We could also only make it thanks to our sponsors. Before I go on with photos and reports from Le Mans Classic 2006, I'd like to thank and mention them in alphabetical order.

Agitatum
Brown and Balsley
CAMTECS Engineering
CHIRON Publicité
Cyber-Son
DAIMLERCHRYSLER France
Elektro KRENZ
Everitt Boles Motosports Insurance
FLEXCELL
Hippopotamus Le Mans
KNIGHT FIRE
NITRO Magazine
MOTUL
PROJECT 100
Van Dorm Realty

Oly Express Magazine is out now !

Thanks to our sponsors, we now have our own Oly Express magazine. Come either buy this first issue at our pits at Le Mans Classic or order your copy now ! Only 2000 of these have been printed and that'll be it. On 16 full color pages, you'll learn about the historical background, the team and the Charger back at the Le Mans 24 hours track after 30 years. To order send $5 or 4 EURO by PAYPAL to christophe.schwartz@free.fr and leave your adress in the comments box.

MOTUL to supply our lubes and pit gear

We are happy to announce that MOTUL has joined us as a sponsor for Le Mans Classic. Our Charger will be all lubed by their excellent products, like 15W50 racing engine oil and RBF600 braking fluid. On top of that our pit crew, namely Kevin Pierson, Thierry Senges and Jeff Chiron, will also be dressed in MOTUL gear to work on the Charger!

The Oly Express has landed

After an extensive sea and land travel, our Charger has arrived in France. It is now at the shop of one of our sponsors. It will appear to the french public at Le Mans on saturday June 24. Stay online to learn where you'll get a chance to see it in action!

CAMTECS to provide technical support

We are pround to announce that the technical assistance of our Charger is now in good hands. CAMTECS, a leading engineering services supplier and project management office to the automotive industry, has joined our team. CAMTECS engineers will be with us during our track testing and our racing at Le Mans. CAMTECS will also run a drivetrain and suspension setup program of the Charger at a facility where OEM's test their latest prototypes. We are happy that such a professionnal sponsor has joined our effort!

Brown and Blasley complete lettering

Putting together a project like the Olympia Charger would not be possible without sponsors. Brown and Balsley from Olympia are with us from the beginning. They did make and position the period correct decals, as done here by Tim Brown himself, and they also supplied the white and gold DuPont paint free of charge to our team! Thanks again to Brown and Blasley for such great support!

Olympia Beer NASCAR Chevelle

Before Hershel McGriff headed out for Daytona and Le Mans, he was highly succesful with his 1969 Chevelle in the Winston West Championship. This car helped him set the record for most ever wins at Riverside. As former crew member Dick Pierson recalls it "the Chevelle was lightning fast and nobody could pass Hershel, when he was in that car on a road course".

Olympia Beer Bronco Off Roader

Next to the Charger and Hershel McGriff's Nova and Chevelle, Olympia sponsored also the famous Stroppe/Jones Ford Bronco. Built by Stock Car specialist Bill Stroppe (aka the "Holman Moody of the West Coast"), it was entered at the gruelsome Baja California off road race. Parnelli Jones took over the driving chores, while Bill Stroppe himself acted as navigator. Olympia Beer sponsored the whole act of what was, as vintage expert Sam Barer calls it, the "Superbird of Off-Road Racing"!

Read more about it on the Baja Bronco website!

Brown and Balsley Signs and Decals

After our photo session, that was inspired by Doug and Hershel’s promotional posing in 1976, we rigged up our Charger on Dick’s new trailer and took it downtown Olympia. Our first stop was of course at Brown and Balsley Decals. They did an outstanding job in re-doing all the period correct stickers that were on the Charger in 1976! Both enjoyed working for our Charger project and appreciated that we took down the car to their shop. Being a true vintage MoPar fan, Tim Brown liked the way our Charger sounded when we started it up on the trailer right in front of the shop! We really want to thank them for their support, worth close to 1000$ of work and products. With such great support to our project, it is only a natural that their brand will be displayed on our Charger!