The can't-miss event for Mopar fans has returned, as the 27th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals, the longest running sponsorship in the NHRA, is primed to hit Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo., this weekend. As usual, Mopar is pulling out all the stops to make the week a memorable one for the Mopar Nation.

The Mopar Big Block Party, which serves as the "official starter" of the Mopar Mile-High Nationals, kicks things off on Thursday, July 13, from 6 to 10 p.m. MDT. Mopar will host an open press conference on the stage from 6:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. MDT, followed by newly ordained minister Gary Scelzi leading a Mopar-crazed couple in taking their vows. Ron Capps and Angelle Sampey will look on as the couple's best man and maid of honor.

An autograph session featuring more than 20 of the top drivers and crew chiefs in the NHRA will headline the Mopar Big Block Party. The autograph session is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. MDT. Also, race fans can get an up-close view of some of DaimlerChrysler's hottest new concept vehicles, including the Challenger, Gladiator, Hornet and Rampage. Mopar will also debut its latest attraction, a new merchandise trailer, which will give partygoers a chance to purchase Mopar gear on-site. Headlining the entertainment for the Mopar Big Block Party will be Chicago's best cover band, Maggie Speaks.

This year's festivities will be caught on film, as Speed Channel's "SpeedFreaks" will tape a live show from the event. Race fans will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with Kenny Sargent, Crash Gladys, Statt Mann and Lugg Nuttz of the Freak Nation.

After the party subsides it's time to go racing, as Team Mopar NHRA POWERade stars Scelzi, Capps, Richie Stevens Jr., and Allen Johnson, among others, will try to bring home a victory for Mopar in its crown jewel event. Mopar legend Buddy Martin of the Sox & Martin duo will preside as grand marshal on Sunday, while Dennis, Debra and Cody Parker will serve as the official starters of the event on Friday night. The Parker family will be honored as a tribute to Clint Parker, a ten-year employee of Bandimere Speedway who passed away on September 8, 2005, after succumbing to injuries he received while heroically attempting to put out a fire in the basement of an office building at Bandimere Speedway.

Qualifying coverage of the 27th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 this Saturday from 10 p.m. to midnight, EDT, with eliminations coverage set for Sunday from 9 p.m. to midnight.

For more information regarding Mopar, Bandimere Speedway, Maggie Speaks or the SpeedFreaks, log on to mopar.com, moparspeed.com, bandimere.com, maggiespeaks.com or speedfreaks.tv.

Mopar will pay its respects to fallen Team Mopar members Scott Geoffrion and Ronnie Sox, who both passed away earlier this year. Race fans at the 27th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals will have the opportunity to leave tributes to Sox, who passed away in April, and Geoffrion, who passed away in May.

Photo collages of both drivers will be on display at the Mopar Big Block Party and at Bandimere Speedway throughout the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals event. The boards will be located near the Sox car display at the Mopar Big Block Party, and at the Mopar Direct Connection display at Bandimere Speedway. They will be forwarded to the families of the late drivers after the event.

Race fans will see a familiar site at the event, as Mopar and Don Schumacher Racing have announced that a Scott Geoffrion tribute car will compete. Geoffrion is remembered as a part of the "Dodge Boys Era" that carried Mopar's domination in the NHRA Pro Stock Series in the 1990s. The DSR Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T will compete carrying the colors of late Team Mopar driver Geoffrion. Race driver Gene Wilson has been selected to pilot the car.

Buddy Martin, half of the famous Sox and Martin duo that took the NHRA, IHRA and AHRA Super Stock and Pro Stock division by storm in the 1960s and early 1970s, will serve as grand marshal of the event. Race fans will be able to purchase posters made in Sox and Martin's honor, with the proceeds going to the Ronnie Sox Foundation. The foundation benefits both the Virginia Cancer Society and the St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Martin will be on hand to sign autographs and greet fans, from 5 to 7 p.m. MDT.

"It will be very special to return to the Mopar Mile-High Nationals this year," Martin said. "It's been a long number of years since I've attended the event, and with the special tributes to Ronnie and Scott Geoffrion, it will be nice to be a part of the event."

For more information regarding Mopar or the 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals, log on to mopar.com, moparspeed.com or nhra.com .

When qualifying for the 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals begins on Friday, July 14, Team Mopar will have one of the deepest fields in the series' recent events. Of the 23 pre-entries posted for the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Series event at Bandimere Speedway, nine will be propelled by Mopar/HEMI power.

"The resurgence of HEMI power in the NHRA Pro Stock series has led to the record number of teams competing under the Mopar umbrella," said Kevin Miller, Senior Manager, Mopar Brand Performance & Motorsports. "Having earned the No. 1 qualifier position three times in the last four events, we're very proud of the caliber of all of our teams. We're also pleased to welcome Erica Enders to the Don Schumacher Racing team, and we're extremely excited to see Gene Wilson drive the Scott Geoffrion tribute car in this year's Mopar Mile-High Nationals. We wish all of our competitors the best of luck in this week's event."

Team Mopar's entries include Don Schumacher Racing's Richie Stevens Jr., and Shaun Carlson, who will be joined by the recently signed Enders. A fourth Don Schumacher Racing entry will be piloted by Wilson. J&J Racing's Allen Johnson will look to keep his recent hot streak alive, along with privateer drivers Larry Morgan, V. Gaines, Max Naylor and Mike Thomas.

Entering this week's Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, four Mopar drivers are currently ranked in the Top-10 in NHRA POWERade Pro Stock points. Enders will head to Denver in seventh place, followed by Morgan in eighth. Johnson has come on strong of late to take over the ninth-place ranking, with Gaines rounding out the Top-10. The tenth-place standing marks the first time in his career that Gaines has run in the Top-10 in series points.

For more information regarding Mopar or the 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals, log on to mopar.com, moparspeed.com or nhra.com.

The Funny Car trio of Ron Capps, Gary Scelzi and Whit Bazemore has been a force to be reckoned with during the 2006 NHRA POWERade Funny Car season. All three reside in the Top-10 of the Funny Car points standings, with Capps first, Scelzi seventh and Bazemore eighth. The trio has accumulated nine final appearances and five wins in the first half of the season. You can bet the Team Mopar triple threat will do whatever it takes to notch win No. 6 at this weekend's 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals.

"We've got a good race car and we don't look for Denver to cause any problems," said Scelzi, the reigning NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion, who is searching for his first win at the Bandimere track. "We're going to be running our new, lighter Dodge Charger body, so everything has the makings for a great weekend. We're excited after the three-race swing we just completed. Two semifinals and a runner-up make me feel really good about our combination."

Capps, the runner-up at the 1998 Mopar Mile-High Nationals, has been Mr. Consistent, with eight semifinals appearances, seven finals appearances and five wins helping him create a 44-point lead over the second-place John Force. Bazemore, who won the 2000 Mopar Mile-High Nationals event, will look to grab his first win of the year.

For more information regarding Mopar or the 27th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals, log on to mopar.com, moparspeed.com or nhra.com.