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Expanded Maritime Mopar Muscle!
Bruce Biegler - December 2, 2007
 Canada's most prominent Mopar drag racing camp has extended it's already formidable racing operation for 2008.
Long-time veteran Super Stock racer Wendall Howes, has now taken delivery of a brand new SS/AH '68 Hemi Barracuda. That revolutionary machine, which was in construction for about a year and a half at F.J. Smith's Performance Specialties (Cayuga, ON) will compliment the team's '68 Dodge Dart (which was also built by Fred Smith) that Wendall's son Mark began to campaign last season.
 Wendall's new Barracuda will replace his familiar '68 Cuda which he raced in various configuations for over 20 years.
"I raced that Barracuda for a long time and it was time for something newer and more modern," said Wendall. "I was very happy with the way Mark's Dart turned out. In fact our plan all along was that this new Barracuda would be the next chapter for our team."
Wendall's new Smith Performance Specialties Barracuda is the 2nd modern day Mopar Super Stocker fabricated by Smith. It of course features spectacular craftsmanship and also some very innovative design.
"Our Dart is a square tube car but our new Barracuda has a full tube chassis," Wendall revealed. "So it is a little different from the Dart on the back side of the car. It is also very light weight and that will give us the opportunity to move weight around. My old Cuda ran a best of 8.78 secs but with my new car I will be targeting 8.5 secs elapsed times."
 The team's motor program is also a rather creative one. The planned 426 CID Hemi will be machined and assembled by fellow Maritime drag racing stalwarts John and Allyn Armstrong. That Hemi will feature the latest in Westcott Mopar racing components and technology.
"Our operation will be a little different to the mainstream in our class to be sure," added Wendall. "It is a real Canadian effort involving FJ Smith and the Armstrong's both of who we have developed very strong relationships over the years."
 Fans can expect to first see Wendall's new '68 Cuda in action testing early next spring in Florida.
The new Barracuda brings the total number of Mopar race cars campaigned by the team to five. That includes a A/SA '68 Challenger driven by Wendall's other son Chris. Wendall also revealed plans to retro-fit two of the teams existing cars; his last '68 Cuda and Mark's '64 Belvedere. Both of those machines will receive single carburetor engine programs that will put the Cuda into SS/GTA and the Belvedere into SS/DA.
The Howes Racing team remains a self-funded family operation from their giant and very successful Global Convention Services (Saint John, New Brunswick).
For more background information on Howes Racing check out their race team profile: Here.
(Bruce Biegler Photos)
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