Steve Waldman who is the Director of the Silver State Classic Road Races has named Dennis "Mad Dog" Antenucci as the Grand Marshall for the 2010 Nevada Open Challenge.  Since the Dog has accepted a deployment opportunity overseas for the next couple of years, this will be his last Open Road Race in the U.S. for some time.  Dennis has been a fixture at both the Nevada Open Road Challenge and the Silver State Classic Challenge for years.

Based on the starting order of classes, and the class Dennis enters his car in, he has been in a position to be the first car off the line on several occasions, many times being closely followed by Steve Waldman himself.  This quiet rivalry goes back years and for Dennis to be selected as the Grand Marshall for the weeks activities is a great honor for both him and the Vintage Pantera.

We caught up with Mad Dog recently and asked him about this great honor:

TPR: How many times have you run in the SSCC events, both NORC and SSCC?
Mad Dog: Together 26 times but 43 times counting Texas, Nebraska and Mexico.

TPR: Can you tell us about your Pantera and what the major modifications are?
Mad Dog: Street Legal stock body with vented front hood and decklid - Carbon Fiber.  Engine is a Russ Fulps 381ci stroker with 302B heads, Mike Trusty IR-EFI system, Tommy Hodges 180 headers, ZF was modified with 3.77 ring gear and taller .655 5th gear. For cooling I run a Ron Davis 2-pass race radiator, Fluidyne heat exchanger, and a modified cooling system. Dick Drenske upgraded or strengthened the chassis and modified the the cooling and suspension systems which includes Aldan double adjustable shocks, delrin bushings, Wilkinson Springs, C4 brakes and the usual bump-steer and sway bar upgrades. For safety it has a Deist fire suppression system, a Drenske 6-point roll cage and 5-point harness. For open road races only I run a bolt on modified air dam and side skirts.  Still it is not a dedicated race car and I still drive it to work sometimes or to the beach on weekends.

TPR: What kind of power and top end speeds are you making with that combination of parts?
Mad Dog: We made 503RWHP on chassis dyno but stopped the dyno pull at 6,000 R's so it may pull more power but 6,000 R's equates to 180 Mph with the gearing and tires I am running. The driver is the weak link. <laughs>

TPR: What kind of speeds are you running at these open road events?
Mad Dog: Depends on the event. At the NORC/Silver State I am averaging 150-155 mph but hitting 175-180 in the straights where the road surface on those 2-lane roads is good. In Nebraska or Texas I am content to run 100-125 average because these ORR's are a lot more challenging.  Idea is to have fun and not get so far out on the edge at speed that you will lose control and crash.

TPR: I understand you were selected to be this years Silver State Grand Marshall for the 2010 NORC?
Mad Dog: I appreciate the honor. I don't think anyone else driving anything else has run more open road races but I think it has more to do with my leaving the country then it does with anything else....(laughs)

TPR: What is your plan for returning to Open Road Racing after your 1-3 year deployment overseas?
Mad Dog: I'd like to restore the pantera to near stock condition  when I return....slow the speeds down and have more fun supporting the veterans who will return or any new blood coming to the events with De Tomaso cars.

TPR: Why do you think you and your Pantera have been such a recognizable fixture at these events?
Mad Dog: I just kept coming back. <laughs>