With the PGA Tour in Detroit this weekend, there is a tribute to American automotive muscle and engineering taking place on social media thanks to Kenny Harms.
You probably know that Harms was gifted the refurbished 1973 Dodge Challenger won by Kevin Na after Na’s victory in the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas on May 26.
The car was a one-off prize by new event sponsor Charles Schwab. In the run-up to the Schwab Challenge, Harms somehow convinced his boss to award him the the car if indeed Na won the tournament.
Well, Na shot 13-under at Colonial and beat Tony Finau by four shots. Na’s win in Fort Worth came with a $1.314 million winner’s check, the Leonard Trophy, a Scottish tartan plaid jacket and the fully restored Dodge.
But Harms got the coolest golf award this side of the Grand Slam, Ryder Cup or Olympics.
Harms got the car delivered to his home in the Lake Nona Estates neighborhood in the southern part of Orlando this past week.
In response to public demand, he offered a quick video tour of the vehicle as it idled in his driveway Saturday.
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The rebuilt Schwab Challenger features a 2006 Dodge Hemi SRT 6.1-liter (370 cubic inch) engine. That was the first year Dodge – then owned by Mercedes-Benz – brought back the Charger into production following a 19-year hiatus and a very forgettable run in the 1980s.
Once he gets the car registered in Florida, Harms will be able to take it onto public roads.
While the Challenger awaits its public debut, Harms enjoyed a cruise in the rain Saturday afternoon on some wide-open Florida sand in New Smyrna Beach, about 15 miles south of Daytona Beach.
They no longer race on the sands of Daytona Beach and its nearby environs as they once did. The speed limit on the 17 miles of drivable beaches in Volusia County is a mere 10 MPH. Drivers are also required to keep at least one window open while driving on the beach, in addition to having their headlines on at all times.
Sunday, the Challenger posed with the rest of Harms’ automotive stable.
Na did not play in Detroit this week at the Rocket Mortgage Open. Na is scheduled to play next week in Minnesota at the 3M Open.
