Current NHRA Top Fuel points leader Rod Fuller will pilot the yellow-and-black Wagner CAT dragster during the 28th running of the Mopar Mile-High Nationals. David Powers Motorsports and Aurora, Colo.-based Wagner CAT have partnered for the Mile-High Nationals, July 13-15, at Bandimere Speedway near Denver, it was announced today. This is the fourth time that David Powers Motorsports and a Caterpillar dealer group have joined to back Fuller’s car.

The relationship between David Powers Motorsports and the CAT dealer groups is designed as a pilot program to increase technician recruiting. Caterpillar dealers are experiencing a shortage of technicians and NHRA drag racing offers a technician-rich recruiting environment to find qualified candidates with experienced mechanical backgrounds. Wagner CAT needs to fill 70 technician positions immediately. Wagner CAT is the authorized Caterpillar dealer for Colorado, New Mexico and far west Texas. Wagner International also serves Mongolia and southern Siberia. David Powers Motorsports partnered with Houston-based Mustang CAT during the Houston race and Fabick CAT for the St. Louis and Joliet, Ill. races.

“We’re excited that Wagner CAT jumped on board for the Denver race,” Fuller said. “It’s a great race and a great market. It’ll be the first time we’ll run the CAT colors out West. It’s always great to have a primary sponsor on the car and we’re very comfortable with the folks at Caterpillar. This will be the fourth time we’ve run the CAT car and we feel we can really benefit the CAT dealer’s in their recruiting efforts.”

Fuller enters the 13th race on the ’07 NHRA schedule, atop the POWERade points standings. He leads second-place racer Brandon Bernstein by 74 points and has led the points chase following nine of the first 12 events this season. Fuller has one victory, Phoenix, in three final round appearances this season. He raced his Fabick CAT-backed car to the final round at the Joliet, Ill. race in June where he also recorded a career-best elapsed time, 4.464 seconds. Fuller also has three poles this season. He qualified the Fabick CAT dragster on the pole at the St. Louis race in May.

"We are excited about taking part in this major event, and especially being involved with a high-caliber team like David Powers Motorsports and Rod Fuller," said Wagner Market Development Manager Pat Dodd. "We have been involved with events at Bandimere before, and we know there are lots of potential technicians and customers who attend."

Wagner CAT will display Caterpillar equipment at the Denver race. They will have a location in the popular Manufacturer’s Midway area of the pits where fans can inquire about a career as a Caterpillar dealer technician, acquire information on the CAT equipment, and meet Fuller.