You might be wondering how the 2018 Demon has an official, electronically-limited top speed of 168, but it is clearly capable of going at least 203 miles per hour. This is thanks to the race gas PCM that comes in the crate.
The reason that Dodge went with the crate package rather than installing all of these components at the factory, is that none of the high performance goodies in the box from Mopar are subject to official testing. In other words, when the Demon went through safety and emission regulatory tests, it would have “only” had 808 horsepower and, due to the rules on tire speed ratings, it would have been governed to 168 miles per hour.
However, when the warranty-safe race gas PCM is installed, all 840 horses are unleashed and the speed limiter is removed altogether. As far as the government regulations go, the items in the Demon crate are no different than any other aftermarket upgrade, except the high performance items are certified for road use in all 50 states and they are all warranty-friendly.
"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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