NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

“This is the quickest, fastest and most powerful Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak we’ve ever built,” said Tim Kuniskis, Global Head of Alfa Romeo and Head of Passenger Cars – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America. “And, 50 members of the Brotherhood of Muscle are going to be able to buy this 7-second turnkey race car right from their local Dodge dealer.” Kuniskis would know, he’s the Car-Guy-in-Chief that brought the world the Dodge Hellcat and Demon—and now he’s challenged his team to move drag racers to the next level, too.

First, a disclaimer: The 2021 Drag Pak is still undergoing review by NHRA, and as of Sept. 2020, has not yet been accepted for racing in the SAM Tech.edu Factory Stock Showdown. So rest easier COPO Camaro and Cobra Jet Mustang owners, you won’t be lining up against one of these new drag cars when Leah Pruett and Mark Pawuk stage next to you at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil. 

2021 Drag Pak Quick Specs:

Engine: 354-cid Gen-III Hemi with 3.0L Whipple supercharger

Engine controller: Holley Dominator EFI

Wiring: Racepak Smartwire 

Chassis: Roll cage fabricated to SFI Specification 25.5C (NHRA-certified 7.50-second ET)

Suspension: Double-adjustable Drag Pak-specific tuned Bilstein coilover shocks and all-new rear four-link with wishbone upper arm.

Brakes: Strange Engineering Pro Series II racing brakes on the front and rear

Wheels: Bogart or Weld Racing wheels with Mickey Thompson tires

Tires: Mickey Thompson

Interior: Racetech composite seats and harnesses

Price (MSRP): $143,485    

What’s a Drag Pak Challenger? 

The Drag Pak Challenger is a turnkey package with suspension and chassis upgrades for NHRA and NMCA competition. It will feature a supercharged 354-cid Hemi V-8 engine and an all-new SFI-certified roll cage for elapsed times as low as 7.50 seconds in the quarter-mile. The production run of the 50-unit, non-VIN, yet serialized 2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2021. This is a factory-built drag car made to run against Chevy’s COPO Camaro and Ford’s Cobra Jet Mustang.      

“Our new Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak is produced specifically for sportsman racers to secure and own bragging rights at the drag strip,” said Mark Bosanac, Head of Mopar Service, Parts & Customer Care, FCA - North America. “From the supercharged Hemi V-8 power under the hood to the advanced suspension, chassis technologies and an all-new NHRA-certified roll cage, we can’t wait to give our loyal performance enthusiasts another purpose-built muscle car to carry the Mopar flag across the finish line first.”      

New 354-cid Supercharged Hemi

Drag Pak Challengers will be fit with an evolution of the supercharged 354-cubic-inch Gen-III Hemi V-8 engine that won the 2018 SAM Tech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown.  The new engine will include an all-new 3.0L Whipple twin-screw supercharger, upgraded forged internals, new front accessory drive and a new fabricated aluminum ice tank with a clear lid. A unique Mopar K-member offers integrated solid engine mounts and a cutout for easy oil pan removal. The engine combination is said to have been fully validated by Mopar engineers on the dyno, as well as the drag strip. 

Also under the aluminum hood, enthusiasts will see a nod to past 1970-1974 ‘Cuda and Challenger heritage models, with a special red and chrome radiator support fender tag adorned with the silhouette of the Challenger, stating the series number, the vehicle code, axle ratio and engine designation.   

New Suspension

A new rear four-link geometry setup with longer control arms increases the length of the rear swing arm, allowing better anti-squat control and increasing stability. It also incorporates a wishbone upper link for lateral control (replacing a Panhard bar in prior models), and a larger-diameter anti-roll bar (250% stiffer than prior models).   Exclusive, double-adjustable Drag Pak-specific tuned Bilstein coilover shock absorbers support all four corners of the car. The new shocks are intended to improve weight transfer for launches, as well as soak up track bumps and undulations at high speeds down the quarter-mile. The shocks feature 10 settings (front and rear) for tuning of compression and rebound damping with color-coded knobs.  

Rolling Stock

Strange Engineering Pro Series II racing brakes on the front and rear provide stopping power, and there are two wheel and tire combinations available for the Drag Pak: 

Wheel Option 1: (Non-beadlock)

Front: 17x4.5-inch Bogart D-10 wheels with 27.5x4.0-17 Mickey Thompson ET tires

Rear: 15x10-inch Bogart D-10 wheels with 30.0x9.0R15 Mickey Thompson ET Drag Pro Drag Radial tires  

Wheel Option 2: (Come with “Drag Pak” engraved on wheels)

Front: 17x4.5-inch Weld Racing V-Series wheels with 27.5x4.0-17 Mickey Thompson ET tires

Rear: 15x10-inch Weld Racing Alpha-1 double beadlock wheels with 30.0x9.0R15 Mickey Thompson ET Drag Pro Drag Radial tires    

New SFI-certified Roll Cage

The 2021 Drag Pak features an all-new roll cage made from TIG-welded 4130 chromoly tubing fabricated to SFI Specification 25.5C (NHRA-certified 7.50-second ET). The cage is integrated with the factory unibody through attachment points at the front and rear shock towers, B-pillars, vehicle floor, and rocker panels. This integrated chassis approach is a result of Mopar’s involvement in different classes of drag racing, and is designed to work in combination with the rear suspension, channeling the forces from the control arms and coilover shocks directly into the roll cage, versus the body panels.  

Fuel System and Wheelie Bars

A trunk-mounted, SFI-certified 3-gallon fuel cell feeds a brushless fuel pump with dual inline filters. Axle-mounted wheelie bars are standard, as is a 10-foot parachute mounted rigidly to the frame rails via a unique tubular mount.  

Drag Pak Cockpit

The instrument panel features a carbon-fiber bezel with three primary gauges: tach, brake pressure, and oil pressure. The driver bezel also features a Holley EFI Digital Dash with a 7-inch, low-glare, full-color touchscreen display to view vehicle performance.   Buyers will have a choice of lightweight Racetech composite seats and Racetech HANS-ready cam-lock harnesses that are FIA- and SFI-compliant. Both driver and passenger seats feature the Drag Pak logo embroidered on the seat back, while the optional Head Restraint Seat Package features a winged driver seat.   Adjustable mounts are included for the seats and racing pedals and there’s a mechanical floor shifter and lightweight steering column with quick-release steering wheel. On the passenger side, a custom red and chrome Drag Pak serialized badge signifies the 1-of-50 build sequence numbers. Rounding out the Factory Stock racing class feel on the interior are custom-cut lightweight carpeting, carbon fiber tube protectors and SFI-compliant roll bar padding.    

Electrical Architecture

The supercharged Hemi is run via a Holley Dominator EFI vehicle-management system that triggers a programmable Racepak Smartwire Power Distribution Module. These electronic modules are mounted to the body using bespoke mounts that allow for easy service with factory fit-and-finish.  

High-Impact Exterior  

The 2021 Drag Pak comes standard in White Knuckle white, and is available in five optional high-impact exterior colors: Hellraisin, Pitch Black, Smoke Show, TorRed and Frostbite. Full-color or monochromatic Mopar logos and additional “drag pak” or “direct connection” billboard graphics cover the quarter panels. A wide center stripe, with tracers on each side, runs from the edge of the front fascia, over the roof and through to the rear edge of the decklid.  

Want Yours?

Racers can now contact a Dodge//SRT Concierge at 800.998.1110 to register for the opportunity to order the new car. For more info, go to DodgeGarage.com/Drag-Pak