Watch as David Crockett’s 2009 Challenger eclipses the world record for the quickest modern Mopar with the factory manual transmission.
The 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 featured today likely looks familiar, as it’s the same car that we showcased a few weeks back when owner and driver David Crockett set the world record for the quickest quarter-mile by a modern Challenger with the Tremec 6-speed manual transmission. When we first introduced you to this Challenger, Crockett’s record time was a 9.53, but with cooler temperatures and continued tuning efforts, this SRT8 with the face of a Hellcat went a lot quicker this past weekend.
This past weekend while running at Keystone Raceway Park in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania, David Crockett and his Challenger ran a stunning 9.28 at 151.98 miles per hour, beating his previous world record by a quarter of a second and more than 3 miles per hour.
In case you missed the previous piece on this 2009 Dodge Challenger, it is powered by an HHP/BES Hemi measuring 438 cubic inches and thanks to a ProCharger F1A-94 supercharger, this modern Mopar muscle car is making in excess of a thousand horsepower. All of that power travels through the Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual transmission to a 9 inch DriveShaft Shop differential and while that Tremec unit has been built to handle the extra power – this is the same type of transmission which came in this car from the factory.
In the video above, which is posted on my own YouTube channel, the 2009 Dodge Challenger rips down the track in just 9.28 seconds while hitting 151.98 miles per hour. Keep in mind that David Crockett is launching this car and shifting this car just like any other street-driven Challenger, meaning that he uses the clutch to get from gear to gear.
Also, it should be noted that Crockett does drive this car on the street to and from work, so not only is it the quickest modern Challenger with the Tremec manual transmission – it is a legitimate street car. In fact, on the night in which he made this record run, he drove the car to the track.
"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.
