[Dwight Southerland]

The negative faction were very critical of Charlie Wescott when he stepped out of Chevy SS into the Hemi wars. I remember it well. There were some pretty extreme comments made on this site about predicting his failure. Since the history of that endeavor is now well known, people should learn not to be hasty or foolish in their comments about this decision he has made.

I do not personally know Charlie (but would like to!), so this opinion is not out of loyalty to friendship. But, it doesn't take a very bright bulb to see the track record he has established with his previous projects. He surely brought a whole new perspective to Hemi racing.

Long before John Force was famous, he said to me that people who consistently build fast cars in Stock or SS could build fast cars in any eliminator and that he hoped to bring the attitudes for detail and for not being satisfied with status quo into professional racing someday. That strategy has definitely been a key component for his success. Charlie executes those qualities and it will be fascinating to see what he does with a program that has languished ever since Glidden (i.e. Ford PS). I personally wish him the best.