There seems to be this misconception that the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is a bear to drive due to the 275 rear tires and the combination of 707+ horsepower and 650+ lb-ft of torque. In reality, the Hellcat is a remarkably easy-to-drive muscle car considering the power levels, and today I bring you a video of an owner making his first ever run down the quarter mile with his supercharged Dodge Challenger – and running in the 10.80s.
This B5 Blue Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is powered by John Gaddy and when John first got his Mopar monster back in 2015, he added a set of 305 Mickey Thompson drag radials and headed to the drag strip to see what this machine would do. Mind you, FCA claims that with just drag radials, the Hellcat Challenger with the 8-speed automatic transmission will run 10.80s, but some people insist that number can only be achieved with lots of practice.
Well, on this run, John Gaddy and his Hellcat Challenger with drag radials ran…a 10.82 at 127 miles per hour. He ran exactly what FCA said he would on his first run out and a short time later – after he had added a stronger driveshaft – Gaddy ran a 10.62, the quickest time for a Hellcat Challenger without any power-adding features.
So, crank up your speakers so that you can hear the supercharger whine and enjoy this video of John Gaddy proving that the 10.80 tire-only quarter mile claim is 100% legitimate.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
