The world’s quickest Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with the 8-speed automatic transmission is within striking distance of the overall world record.
Earlier this week, we talked about the Epling Garage 007 Dodge Challenger and the their 8.68 Hellcat quarter mile world record. That supercharged Challenger is a three-pedal car, with the factory manual transmission having been replaced by a Liberty racing transmission. That manually-shifted car has spent much of the past year atop the list of the world’s quickest Hellcat cars, but Team Epling has another Challenger nipping at their heels.
Last weekend, Michael Cole and his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat laid down an 8.79 quarter mile with the factory eight-speed automatic transmission, making this the world’s quickest self-shifting Hellcat car. He captured the run on video and uploaded it to his YouTube channel for us all to enjoy.
Michael Cole’s Hellcat Challenger
The fact that Michael Cole’s Hellcat Challenger ran an 8.79 quarter mile is impressive, but the mod list is an even bigger surprise than an 8-second quarter mile.
The factory 8-speed transmission has been electronically tuned, but it is otherwise stock. The rear differential is stock, right down to the 2.62 gear set. He has added smaller rear brakes, allowing him to run a 15-inch rear wheel, but other than the stronger driveshaft – everything south of the engine is stock.
In terms of power increases, this Hellcat Challenger has a smaller upper pulley and a nitrous system, but the rest of the engine components are stock. The added boost and nitrous have been optimized by a tune from Injected Engineering, and while we don’t know the power numbers – this Mopar machine has to be making some serious power to run these numbers.
Finally, we know that the interior of this car has been lightened up, but in the long run – there hasn’t been a whole lot done to this Challenger.
"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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.