The new V-10  “crae engine” from the Chrysler Group’s Mopar Division has chalked up its first racing victory just two-and-a-half weeks after its official introduction at the Specialty Equipment Manufactuers Association or SEMA show in Las Vegas.
 The new 800 horsepower V-10 Competition Race Engine was developed drag racing bu an off-road racing derivativemade its debut in the 44th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, powering Kent Kroeker and Alan Roach to the Class 8 win in the fabled race.
 "What an amazing debut for the Mopar V-10 Competition Off-Road Race Engine to win at Baja," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand. "Our off-road engineers have been working very hard on this engine and it certainly passed its first test with flying colors," he sad.
 "Winning the Baja 1000 means laser-focused excellence that can't be demonstrated any other way," said Kroeker. "The performance of the new Mopar V-10 was superb. We were the only vehicle in the Baja 1000 using Mopar power. Mopar engineers sculpted its characteristics around my description of what is needed to win in long-distance desert racing," he added.
 Kroeker also was instrumental in the development and creation of the Mopar Ram Runner, which was introduced at the 2010 Moab Jeep Safari. The Mopar Ram Runner served as the Official Pace Truck of the Traxxas TORC (The Off-Road Championship) Series this season, where Mopar-powered Ram Truck drivers dominated, winning 27 total races and claiming the championship in all three PRO classes.  By Joseph Szczesny