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Red-white-and-blue-liveried 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak pulling a wheelie on the drag strip
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The Dodge Challenger Drag Pak Can Out-Race the Demon

Now that even the Durango has a Hellcat option, where’s Dodge to take its old-school muscle car, the Challenger? Unfortunately, the rumored track-focused ACR model isn’t happening. But then, Dodge is arguably more synonymous with drag racing. So, while the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak isn’t an ACR, it is a genuine factory-prepped competition-ready drag race …
by Matthew Skwarczek
Published on
3 min read

Now that even the Durango has a Hellcat option, where’s Dodge to take its old-school muscle car, the Challenger? Unfortunately, the rumored track-focused ACR model isn’t happening. But then, Dodge is arguably more synonymous with drag racing. So, while the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak isn’t an ACR, it is a genuine factory-prepped competition-ready drag race car.

The 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak: a factory drag race car

Red-white-and-blue-liveried 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak pulling a wheelie on the drag strip
2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak pulling a wheelie | FCA

Think of the 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak as the Mopar equivalent of the Ford Cobra Jet Mustang and Chevrolet COPO Camaros. It’s not street-legal; instead, it’s the latest version of Dodge’s turn-key factor drag race cars.

Famously, the 2018 Dodge Demon was too fast to be competition-eligible. That’s because, thanks to an 840-hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8 and drag radial tires, it could run the ¼-mile in 9.65 seconds. That time, while impressive, meant the Demon needed a roll cage to be competition-eligible. Since it didn’t offer one, it couldn’t compete in NHRA races.

The Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, though, does have a roll cage, The Drive reports. It’s an SFI-spec one integrated with the car’s body, rated to a ¼-mile time of 7.50 seconds, Hagerty reports. And to get it going that fast, the Challenger Drag Pak has a supercharged 5.8-liter V8 (a nod to the 354 Hemi V8).

Dodge hasn’t released horsepower or torque figures, in order to avoid giving its competitors any hints, Car and Driver reports. However, the 2015 model’s optional 7.0-liter V8 let it run 8-second ¼-miles. And Dodge has been working on the 2020 Challenger Drag Pak since the Demon’s release.

Rear view of the red-white-and-blue-liveried 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak on a drag strip, showing the rear-mounted wheelie kit
2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak rear | FCA

Speaking of the Demon, the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak’s drag race modifications are significantly more extensive. It rides on Hoosier drag slicks and Weld bead-lock wheels, Automobile reports, as well as adjustable Bilstein shocks. Instead of independent rear suspension, the Drag Pak has a live axle, as well as a larger anti-roll bar and a wheelie kit.

Also, the engine’s hooked up to a 3-speed automatic with a Kwik-Shift manual shifter. The engine itself is also lower and further back, to improve weight distribution, The Drive reports.

Pricing and availability

Originally, the 2020 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak was unveiled during SEMA 2019 for a 2020 release. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, that’s been pushed back to 2021, Motor1 reports.

And if you want one, you may have to wait awhile. Dodge is only making 50 of them, and pricing details have yet to be announced. So, if you can’t swing one now, you may have to wait until it shows up at a future auction.

Dodge Challenger Drag Pak vs. the competition

Despite its engine, the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak is going to face some rather stiff competition.

An overhead shot of a blue 2020 Chevrolet 50th Anniversary COPO Camaro does a burnout on the dragstrip
2020 Chevrolet 50th Anniversary COPO Camaro overhead | Chevrolet

Firstly, there’s the Chevrolet COPO Camaro. Outside its optional 630-hp 5.7-liter supercharged V8, it shares a few features with the Challenger. Namely, a 3-speed transmission and a live rear axle. As such, it may also preview the Drag Pak’s pricing details. The supercharged COPO Camaro costs roughly $170k, the NHRA reports.

The prototype Ford Mustang Mach-E drag race car doing a sideways burnout
Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400 prototype | Ford

Ford only made 68 of its latest gasoline-powered Cobra Jet Mustang. However, the automaker’s currently developing a 1400-hp all-electric Cobra Jet to take its place. Actually, it’s working on two. That’s because there’s also a 1400-hp, 7-motor Mustang Mach-E Cobra Jet electric drag race car in the works. As of this writing, both of these EVs are one-off projects. But there’s no reason why Ford couldn’t offer customer versions at some point in the future.

In a drag race, the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak can beat the Demon. But we’ll just have to wait and see if it can do the same to its rivals.

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MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, Producer - Sedans & Coupes

Matthew Skwarczek

Matthew Skwarczek started blogging in 2015 and focuses his writing on motorcycles and engineering science. A graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned his Master’s in Chemical Engineering, Matthew served as an applications engineer for BASF before joining MotorBiscuit in 2019.

In Matthew’s words, the visceral nature of riding requires you to be in the moment. Combined with his fascination in the analytics surrounding the building and designing of cars and bikes, both modern and classic, you’ll find his voice blends functionality and phenomena. He rides motorcycles and bicycles often, photographing them as well.

Matthew has contributed to Oppositelock and is now an alumnus. He plays Dungeons & Dragons and reads sci-fi and fantasy in his spare time, and appreciates the works of Peter Egan, Sam Smith, Brandon Sanderson, and Alex Goy.