r group based out of western Washington, gathered in Yelm and Olympia before taking off on a cruise up U.S. Route 101 on Saturday, June 29.
The nonprofit organization connects car enthusiasts, specifically owners of Mopars — muscle cars made up of parts from products from the Chrysler family. Owners enjoy modifying their vehicles to make them their own and sharing stories with fellow Mopar collectors.
The second annual cruise began at Yelm Family Medicine before members stopped in Olympia to pick up additional cruisers. Together, they traveled up U.S. Route 101 through Shelton, Port Townsend and Port Angeles before coming back south through Forks and Aberdeen and finishing in Olympia.
Joe Cangialosi, president of Mopar Nation, said the idea for the event was simply to connect Mopar drivers and enjoy a scenic ride.
“We’re basically just a big family. We just get together and go to car shows. We go to other people’s events and do our own events. We basically like to hang out,” he said.
Cangialosi, who created the group in 2019, proudly sports a blue 2020 Dodge Charger R/T with plenty of cosmetic upgrades. He was the first to lead the loud line of Mopars on the cruise, which included vehicles such as Dodge Ram trucks, Charger SRTs, Challengers and Chrysler 300s, among others.
Cangialosi said he emphasizes a safe, family atmosphere with the club and prohibits any kind of street racing behaviors.
“We’re not involved with any of that street-racing [stuff] or takeovers or any of that. I ban people from the club the minute I see any kind of behavior or hear any talk like that,” he said. “They’re gone. We’re all about family and being safe. We all have our radios. Nobody gets left behind. If one person has a problem, we all pull over and we help that problem.”
Members of Mopar Nation will return at 8 a.m., Saturday, July 20, at Yelm Family Medicine to kick off the Mopar Nation Minors Burger Run, where participants can enjoy food and company with fellow car enthusiasts.
For more information about Mopar Nation, visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Mopar.Nation.2022.
