Demon without the crate parts is still quick enough to beat a worked Hellcat Charger and some random GM products.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the quickest production road car ever offered to the public by any company in the world. With help from the race gas-ready engine computer that comes with the optional crate from Mopar, this car packs 840 horsepower and can cover the quarter mile in the 9-second range, but what about a Demon without the crate and the high performance computer?
In true factory-stock form, this bright yellow Challenger Demon delivered 808 horsepower, which still makes it the most powerful American production car ever, but can this track-ready beast take down tough competition without the crate goodies? According to this footage from The Demon Racing Channel, the answer to that question is a resounding “yes”.
Stock Demon
According to the brief details accompanying the video, this 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is completely stock and it does not have any crate components. This means that it is running on pump gas with 808 horsepower and there are no skinnies up front, with this car instead riding on four 20-inch wheels wrapped in Nittodrag radials.
It should be noted that Dodge officials have stated that in this factory-stock form, the Demon ran a best time of 9.86 while still lifting the front wheels off of the ground on the launch, but as we all know, those official times were made in the best possible conditions. This leaves many people wondering how formidable of a foe the Demon is without the crate parts, but as the video shows, it is still one of the baddest cars on the strip.
Beating Everyone
The racing action begins with a white Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat with an aftermarket pulley, a tune and what appears to be a 15-inch rear wheel conversion package. We don’t know the output of this sedan, but it shouldn’t be too far behind the stock Demon on the pump gas tune. Then again, the race leads us to believe that the Charger is way short of the bright yellow muscle car, as the race starts off close and ends with the Demon at least a length ahead on the short track.
Next, the supercharged Dodge beats a rough Chevy Nova and a clean-looking Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo is named “Vader” and the driver of the Challenger must expect it to be very quick, as on the first run, the Demon gets a half-car head start. That leads to quite the beating for the Chevy, but even when they race from an even start, the modern Mopar muscle car cruises to an easy win.
"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.
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