Ram 1500 TRX Takes on a Shelby Super Snake Sport F-150

Ram 1500 TRX weighs more and has less power, but the factory truck hangs with the post-title Shelby.

There is no production truck sold in the world that will compete with the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX. From the 702-horsepower supercharged Hemi to the high performance suspension setup and from the unique exterior to the plush cabin, there is truly no production pickup that comes close to the Hellcat-powered Ram in any way. The closest competitor is the Ford F-150 Raptor, but having driven the two back-to-back, comparing the TRX to the Raptor is nothing short of laughable. The TRX is bigger, more comfortable, more luxurious, more powerful and more capable in every way and no other automaker offers a truck that is even worthy of the comparison.

With that in mind, we are starting to see some odd apples-and-orange comparisons, as there simply aren’t any true apples-to-apples competitors for the Ram 1500 TRX. For example, the team at the Throttle House YouTube channel recently got ahold of an F-150 Shelby Super Snake Sport and they compared it head-to-head with the Ram TRX. The Shelby is an aftermarket package for a small half-ton street truck while the Ram is built for off-road performance, making these two very different trucks.

The Shelby is built for drag racing on pavement while the TRX is not, yet they are compared on the tarmac in the video below. The Ram loses, but for an off-road truck, it performs pretty impressively against the Shelby F-150 on the road.

Shelby Super Snake Sport F-150

The Shelby Super Snake Sport is an aftermarket package for the Ford F-150 with the 5.0-liter V8, rear-wheel-drive and the short cab, short bed configuration. The package adds unique brakes, suspension, wheels, Nitto tires and body bits, but most importantly, a Whipple supercharger lifts the output to 770 horsepower. On the Shelby American website, this truck has a base MSRP of just under $94,000.

In other words, it is the smaller, lightest weight configuration of the modern Ford F-150 and it is outfitted with both big power and the upgrades needed to make use of that power. According to official Shelby American materials, the added suspension components and Nitto tires allow the supercharged F-150 to sprint from a stop to 60 miles-per-hour in just 3.45 seconds. That is insanely quick, rival the acceleration numbers of the Hellcat cars. In fact, the man behind the wheel of the Super Snake pickup claims that it was created to drink TRX tears.

Oddly, while Shelby claims that it sprints to 60 in the mid-three-second range, it most certainly doesn’t keep up with the bigger, heavier TRX from a dig.

Shelby F-150 Versus Ram 1500 TRX

After a short introduction to both trucks, the hosts get right down to the action with a race from a dig. As you might expect, the four-wheel-drive TRX makes use of the added traction to jump out to a big early lead. Throughout the majority of the race, the Ram holds the lead, but right before the finish line, the smaller, lighter truck grabs the lead to take a narrow win. The modified Ford wins the race by about a half-truck.

Next, the two race from a roll. Not surprisingly, in removing the launch advantage, the four-wheel-drive system of the Ram TRX only makes it heavier. As a result, the Shelby F-150 is able to walk away, winning by close to two lengths at the finish line.

While the F-150 Shelby Super Snake Sport wins both races, we have to keep in mind that this is a drag race between a truck built for drag racing and a truck built for off-road racing. This challenge is completely slanted in favor of the Shelby F-150, yet the TRX keeps the race close. More importantly, the Ram easily wins the shorter race from a dig, bringing into the question the Shelby claim of the Super Snake Sport truck running from 0 to 60 in 3.45 seconds.

Finally, the TRX driver takes to the road, promising a lap record. He sets that record, but he does so by cutting through the grass, cutting off large sections of the track.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy!

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Patrick Rall

"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.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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