Dodge Car Racing Cars

“That Racing Channel” continues to supply us – the audience – with great automotive content, showcasing some of the most epic builds in the world. We’ve made it clear that we love Dodge Vipers and apparently, so do the people at “Nth Moto”, who are also the creators of “the Juggernaut” – a 3,200 horsepower Dodge Viper GTS. Now, they’ve come up with an even crazier Viper, which also happens to be the roll race champion. - meet “Kratos”.

Dodge’s Viper, arguably Lee Iaccoca’s biggest gift to gearheads ever, has been seen racing on the world’s race tracks for almost three decades and, although the last road-legal Viper rolled off the production line in 2017, its race-bred namesake is still homologated for racing in the GT3 category which is why famed German tuner and race entrant Zakspeed decided to give the Viper one more shot of proving itself in a 24-hour race next January as it will contest the annual 24 Hours of Dubai.

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is not just an event; it’s a festival. Sounds clichéd, but it’s true. It has been the second-longest running race in the States in terms of racing tradition, the 2019 Edition being the 97th Pikes Peak Climb. It is not just about speed here, but it’s about the physical and mental endurance a driver goes through to complete the climb. Nevertheless, it attracts a lot of attention every year and this year is no exception. Arguably, the most exciting thing about this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb is Dodge’s entry to the summit. If you are a Dodge fan, you might have guessed it already. The automaker is bringing its latest creation - the 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody.

Suppose you already have a reservation for the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and you’re just waiting for that precious call from your local Dodge dealer. It’s hard not to get excited about getting your hands on one of the most anticipated muscle cars to be released in recent history. Exciting times, isn’t it? Well, before you get a little too excited about the possibilities, Dodge is dousing that excitement with a three-page Demon Disclosure Form that you’ll have to abide by before you can bring your Challenger Demons home.

The document, acquired by Jalopnik, is essentially a “terms and conditions” waiver that Dodge wants every Challenger Demon buyer to sign, effectively waiving their rights to sue in the event they don’t follow any of the conditions laid out by the automaker. Among the important points that Dodge indicated in the form pertains to passenger seats. Specifically, the form says that “if the vehicle is not factory equipped with a passenger seat, customer shall never attempt to install a passenger seat because the passenger will not be properly protected." Another important reminder included in the form is a warning for owners never to use “any “Track-Use” features, functions, equipment or parts on public roads or any other prohibited area.”There are a lot more conditions laid out in the form, and almost all of which were put in to lay out the simple fact that the Challenger SRT is effectively a street-legal drag car and owners should use it with utmost care and caution.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

In case you missed our in-depth coverage of the Dodge Demon debut last month, here are the highlights: highest horsepower production V-8 ever, first production car capable of doing wheelies, fastest production car in the quarter mile (9.65 seconds at 140 mph), fastest production car 0-to-60 mph time (2.3 seconds), and highest g-force acceleration for a production car (1.8 g). Not too shabby, eh? If that list of achievements sounds like the sorta thing you want in your garage, now’s your chance, as Dodge has officially announced an MSRP for the Demon. Pricing starts at $84,995, which includes a $1,700 gas guzzler tax, but excludes a $1,095 destination charge. Compare that to the “standard” Hellcat’s MSRP of $64,195, and you’re looking at an extra $20,000 to get your hands on a Demon.

“Eighty-five thousand dollars is not just a number in a business case to Dodge,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars at Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA North America. “We know it’s a lot of money and a significant up-charge over a Challenger Hellcat. We worked very hard to build as much value into the Challenger SRT Demon as possible – features, performance and exclusivity that simply can’t be duplicated with a goal of maintaining, and possibly even growing, as much future value as possible.” Fair enough. But beyond the insane power and impressive performance, what do you get for the money? Read on for the details.

Continue reading for the full story.

Labor Day is approaching fast, and that means that it’s time for the 62nd Annual NHRA U.S. Nationals. This year, the nationals are taking place from August 31 to September 5, and will feature six different events leading into the Championship playoffs. This year, Dodge and Mopar are showing up to the scene with a special Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak that will be piloted by Erica Enders during the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology Factory Stock Showdown at Indy.

While this is the first time we’re looking at a Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, this version will feature official Dodge and Mopar graphics and has been prepped by none other than Joe Welch Racing. Pietro Golier, Head of Parts and Service at Mopar, said, “We are thrilled to have an NHRA champion like Erica Enders carry the Mopar and Dodge colors into competition not only in Pro Stock but also in the Factory Stock Showdown. The U.S. Nationals event provides a great opportunity to put Erica in the seat of a supercharged Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak and reach a wider audience of fans at one of the most prestigious events on the NHRA circuit.”

Tim Juniskis, the Head of Passenger Cars for Dodge, SRT, Chrysler, and Fiat, said, “Dodge already has the most powerful muscle cars on the street with the 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcats, and now America’s performance brand brings even more muscle to the track with the supercharged Drag Pak. The ‘Domestic. Not Domesticated.’ Dodge spirit will be at full throttle for racing fans to see at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.”

So, it’s certainly shaping up to be a fun-filled weekend. We won’t get to see Enders and the Drag Pak hit qualifying until Friday night, but she’ll be tearing up Lucas Oil Raceway starting on Wednesday in preparation. With that said, let’s take a good look at the Drag Pak that will grace the Nationals this year.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak.

The Dodge Charger’s return in 2006 following a 20-year hiatus prompted the company to develop a funny car racer wearing the moniker. The Charger R/T Funny Car debuted the same year and went on to win two consecutive NHRA Funny Car championships with Matt Hagan and Jack Beckman behind the wheel in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Although it failed to win titles in 2013 and 2014, the Charger Funny Car added no less than 86 national titles, 77 runner-up finishes and established 12 of the 33 three-second runs in Funny Car history. With such a strong resume to its name, the Charger returns to the drag strip for the 2015 season with an updated body carrying the already familiar front and rear fascias of the facelifted production sedan.

Upgraded inside and out and with a more aerodynamic shell at its disposal, the 2015 Charger R/T Funny Car is set to make its debut at the 2015 Winternationals on February 5th at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California. The Charger will try to win its third Funny Car championships at the hands of Don Schumacher Racing.

Click past the jump to read more about the Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car Competition.

Sometimes there’s no replacement for displacement. That’s surely the case here as this heavily modified Viper with its twin-turbocharged, 8.4-liter V-10 rockets past the competition. Though the other cars running beside the Viper have boost-adding features as well, none of them seem to touch the V-10’s hunger for victory.

The car comes from the guys at nth Moto who specialize in building extreme setups like this one. The event was the Texas Invitational held October 3rd through 5th in Dallas. The Viper competed in 10 full passes, each of which was within four to five miles per hour of another with top speeds nearing the 200 mark.

Unlike drag racing that relies heavily on traction off the line, roll racing allows the cars to get up to speed before crossing the starting line. As turbos spool and superchargers whine, the cars are able to maintain grip and run.

The nth Moto Viper uses huge, 70-mm twin turbos to force-feed air into the 8.4-liter V-10. With custom-built billet intercoolers and wiring harness, full traction control, and a set of wide drag slicks, the Viper is made to run.

Enter full screen, turn HD on and the volume up, and enjoy.

Remember how Dodge retired from NASCAR right after winning the Sprint Cup Championship in 2012? Well, the Michigan-based automaker did it again, this time around announcing it’s pulling the plug on its sports car racing program; effective immediately. Specifically, Dodge is discontinuing the SRT Motorsports Dodge Viper GTS-R racing program following a successful IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship season at the end of which SRT won both the team and driver titles in the GTLM class.

The news is heartbreaking to say the least.

"Our company has made a business decision to discontinue the SRT Motorsports Dodge Viper GTS-R racing program," said Ralph Gilles, Senior Vice President of Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. "We are very proud of the amazing achievements our fantastic teams, drivers and partners have achieved on track the last few seasons."

So how does Dodge explain this decision? Rather briefly, saying it "will redirect its focus and efforts on the brand’s product lineup." Although there’s no official confirmation, what really happened isn’t much of a mystery. Dodge is obviously trying to cut expenses, and the first hint that the Viper racing program is in danger surfaced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Chrysler cancelled the Viper’s trip to France due to lack of sponsorship and ultimately decided to kill the program altogether.

Let’s hope that racing money is going to improve the Viper and make it a better competitor to the new Corvette Z06.

Click past the jump to read more about the Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R.

Introduced in 1969, the first-generation Dodge Challenger was more than just an awesome muscle car. Chrysler also fielded modified versions of the two-door coupe in various motorsport events, including the Trans Am Series. Although it failed to win against strong competition from Ford and AMC in 1970, the AAR-built Challenger finished the season ahead of Chevrolet, Plymouth and Pontiac, a fantastic achievement during one of the most disputed Trans Am seasons. In 2014, 44 years since its debut, the Challenger returns to Trans Am with the facelifted, third-generation model.

The Challenger joins the series mid-season, with only five of 11 races to go, as Miller Racing, last year’s champion in the TA2 class, switches manufacturers from Chevrolet to Dodge. The two Sublime Green-painted Challengers — they’re wearing the same livery as the 1970 entry — are driven by Cameron Lawrence and Tommy Kendall. 21-year-old Lawrence leads the TA2 class with a 35-point margin over second place and will retain his points. Kendall, on the other hand, returns to Trans Am, a competition he already won four times, after 10 years.

The all-new, SRT-prepped Challenger makes its Trans Am debut at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, August 16th.

Click past the jump to read more about the Dodge Challenger SRT Trans Am.

At its core, the SRT Viper GT3-R is a born and bred race car that’s capable of inflicting some serious damage on the track. The car proved as much during the Detroit leg of the Pirelli World Challenge Series in May 2014 when it scored its first-ever series victory. On July 19th and 20th, 2014, the World Challenge Series travels to Toronto and the Viper GT3-R is expected to be front and center once again.

SRT Motorsports is bringing one to the race where it will be driven by Kuno Wittmer, a man who is no stranger to driving the SRT GTS-R, his full-time ride at the IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship. But on July 19th and 20th, Wittmer will be piloting a special SRT GT3-R prepared by Riley Technologies.

He’s also no stranger to driving Vipers in the series, having competed there from 2008 to 2010 and boasting two victories while piloting the Viper. For one weekend, Wittmer returns to the Pirelli World Challenge Series with an even more incredible Viper by his side, ready to take the GTA class by storm.

The car itself looks like a real world beater. That’s a credit to the work put in by Riley Technologies to turn it into a full-fledged, competition-ready race car. With a massive V-10 engine under its hood that produces 680 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque, this SRT GT3-R is ready to take turn some heads in Toronto.

Click past the jump to read more about the Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R By Riley Technologies.

The Dodge Viper debuted in 1991 and arrived in showrooms for the 1992 model year. It was Chrysler’s first venture into the semi-supercar world and it featured an 8.0-liter, V-10 powerplant developed with input from Lamborghini and based on Dodge’s V-10 truck engine. The first-generation model was sold through 1995 and was only offered as a roadster. It wasn’t until 1996 when Dodge created the coupe body, known as the GTS. This second-gen Viper also saw a power increase from 400 horsepower to 450 ponies. The Viper was completely redesigned for 2003. The convertible was joined by a coupe model four years later and output reached into 500-horsepower territory for the first time. Engine displacement was also increased to 8.3 liters. Dodge discontinued the sports car for the 2007 model year, but it brought it back a year later. The fourth-generation Viper only lasted until 2010, and it took Chrysler another two years to introduce a fifth-gen version.

Unlike previous models, the new Viper debuted as a coupe only and had its V-10 engine rebuilt into a 8.4-liter. The current output resides at 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful production Chrysler.

Throughout its short-lived career, the Dodge Viper was also a successful race car, winning numerous events and series championships. To honor its racing heritage, Street and Racing Technology (SRT) launched a brand new iteration of the GTS-R race car for the 2014 IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R.

What happens when you pit a Dodge Challenger SRT8 against a big and heavy luxury limousine? Any rational person would bet heavily on the lighter Challenger, but there is on small exception about the nearly 4,700-pound competitor... it happens to be the Alpine B7 with a snarling V-8 under its hood. Now, that seems like a fair challenge, but that weight difference is a tough one to overcome.

So, here we have two V-8-powered cars; one is a coupe that is built to go fast and the other is a comfortable saloon that also has a little muscle behind it. The Challenger’s 6.4-liter V-8 puts out a very respectable 470 horsepower, but the 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 under the BMW Alpina B7’s hood makes 540 German-engineered horsepower. Now things are looking a little better matched...

So, who wins: raw American muscle or the nearly 550-horsepower luxury rig that is at a 500-pound disadvantage? Watch the above video to find out.

Click past the jump to read more about the BMW Alpina B7

If you’re not too familiar with a McDonnel Douglass MD500, we certainly wouldn’t blame you. That’s because the MD500 is not a car; it’s a helicopter.

So what exactly is a helicopter doing on these pages? Well, if it engages in a race against a Dodge Challenger SRT8, then we’ll hold a special place for it here. The question of this race being fair at all is a matter of conjecture. But quite frankly, we don’t care if one dismantled the other in a fashion that seemed to be all too predictable.

What we enjoyed about this race was, for one, it’s a muscle car versus a helicopter. That in itself is worth the price of watching the whole three-minute video. The other thing is it has a surprise ending. We’re not going to spoil it for you because it’s really worth the watch. So sit back and enjoy the three-minute video.