[Geoff Turk]

Ross, while there has already been much dialogue / discussion at PRI this week about these two Drag Paks, that competed in the Factory Showdown in 2017, I’ll offer what I know about it.

There were two primary supercharged engine / air intake packages released when the 2015 Dodge Drag Paks were sold. One at 530 HP and one that parts at time of program car builds were not yet available from production sources, a package at 540 HP. All were submitted, approved and TI sheets existed when I took delivery of my car back in January 2016 (I got car #14). All the SC 2015 Dodge Drag Pak cars were shipped with the 530 HP combination.

My car was a factory 2015 car and I installed the 540 HP combo when parts became available late this summer. 3-4 teams had the parts before I was able to build and install my engine. The car Leah drove started out as the first Drag Pak from circa 2008 and was updated to a 2015 car with the same 540 HP combination. There are some minor differences (my 25.5 cage, etc.) but the air intake, engine configuration, platform components, engine mount position, etc. , etc. are all the same. As most know, there has been very little real change in the current Challenger car platform since its introduction so the underlying cars are very much alike.

The water pump attached to my engine that does not require block modifications was a recent add to my car and is essentially also the same as the car Leah runs. I believe the Cobra Jets actually use a truly remote water pump that they were factory equipped with in the latest SC combination. I have seen zero performance delta from this water pump versus the one run on the 530 HP configuration but I switched because it is the one used in the 540 HP.

I have no real insight to why NHRA chose to allow two configurations of the 2015 SC Drag Paks when they were introduced but it clearly shaped my decision to purchase / compete with it. Although I think we were able to work with and make the 530 HP configuration more competitive than many thought possible while waiting for the 540 HP parts, clearly the 540 HP combination is closer to the Ford / Chevy configurations we compete against. Things including the air intake, SC (now same 2.9l Whipple as a COPO), water pump, AL block and heads (BTW, from the 426 program) etc. are more like those packages. Although we still use a car platform that is two generations older, base weight is heavier, far worse aerodynamically and has only a slightly modified production car hood (cutout underneath as is the radiator support to accommodate air intake without a purpose built hood, for program cost I suppose). So not quite the same playing field but absent a ‘new’ more modern Challenger platform to work with, as close as we will get.

While I don’t know the logic that supported the second configuration, my guess is that NHRA back in late 2015 (when build of the 2015 Drag Paks began) was aware that there would be no 2016 / 2017 Dodge program to accommodate features already in the Chevy / Fords or that were coming in 2016 / 2017, and to give the Dodges a chance to stay on par, they allowed the 540 HP configuration, knowing parts would only be available after the other brands 2016 program cars were out.

I was honored with the opportunity to tear my car down for inspection at Indy this year, an honor bestowed upon two Fords and our Dodge from the ranks of the Showdown cars. Thankfully, after about 11 hours in the barn that included a full tear down and check of engine, SC and various aspects of the car, it all passed.

We look forward to doing our best and hopefully going some rounds in 2018 in the expected tight competition between the Chevys, Fords and hopefully more than a couple Dodges competing in the expanded (and separate from Stock) NHRA Factory Showdown / NMCA Factory Supercars. When I choose to compete (not just go qualify) outside of the Showdowns, it will be in Super Stock because like many others who have expressed their opinion, I do not think I should compete with my car in Stock.