The Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection is Revealed, Combines New Look Charger and A Supercharged 354 cid HEMI V8 - Can It Win Back the HEMI Nation, or is it Too Little, Too Late?
After more than a decade of modern Charger and Challenger models in their arsenal, including the popular Hellcat and Drag Pak versions, Dodge signaled the end of production to the third generation Challenger and the Charger’s seventh generation in 2023.
A little over a year ago, the eighth generation of the Charger debuted to the public, but without a V8 option able to be ordered. Today, Dodge put a big checkmark in that column, as the first Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection was revealed, with a HEMI in place.
This launch brings the SRT high-performance 354 cubic inch HEMI with a Whipple supercharger, together with a revamped Dodge Charger platform, specifically for drag racing. The engine gets a bunch of upgrades, including Diamond piston, H-beam connecting rods, and a forged crankshaft in the Gen III HEMI aluminum block.
A mere 50 units will be built, and the Next-Gen Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection has already gotten approval for use in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) class.
“The Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak is mission-engineered to equip our FSS drivers with an upgraded, championship-winning, supercharged HEMI race engine wrapped in a next-level race car incarnation of the all-new Dodge Charger,” said Kevin Kidd, motorsports competition director for Stellantis American Brands. “The Challenger Drag Pak’s swan song was back-to-back NHRA Factory Stock Showdown crowns, and this first-ever Charger Drag Pak is purpose-designed to extend Dodge’s legacy of drag strip domination.”
The full specs of this new Charger are available on the Stellantis website by CLICKING HERE, but we’ve got some interesting tidbits for you below:
Engine
Whipple 3.0L twin-screw supercharger
Newly designed cast aluminum GEN III HEMI engine block includes select six-bolt main metal caps for added strength
All-new race forged-steel eight-counterweight crankshaft
All-new high-performance forged H-beam connecting rods
New high-performance, lightweight billet belt tensioner
Diamond aluminum pistons
Mopar spec camshaft with 0.675-inch lift
Jesel solid roller lifters and rocker arms
Billet aluminum, 109mm throttle body
Stainless-steel long-tube headers
Holley EFI lightweight Dominator ECU
Racepak Smartwire power module, 6.86-inch display, V300SD data logger
Wet sump oil pump, fabricated aluminum pan, C&R lightweight radiator and cooling fan, electric water pump
Transmission
Coan Racing XLT three-speed automatic transmission with internal accumulator and lightweight 300M internals
Coan Racing 9.65-inch (245mm), high-performance, bolt-together torque converter
CNC machined billet aluminum stator and billet aluminum cover
Cast deep aluminum pan, Reid SFI case and GEN III HEMI bellhousing
M&M aluminum three-speed safe neutral shifter
Wheels/Tires
WELD Racing lightweight forged-aluminum 17-by-4.5-inch front wheels, WELD Racing Double Beadlock, lightweight forged-aluminum 15-by-11-inch rear wheels
Mickey Thompson ET Front 27.5 X 4.0-17 front tires, Mickey Thompson ET Drag Pro Drag Radial 30.0 x 9.0 R15 rear tires
Options/Packages
18 exterior color options and three wrap/graphic options
Lightweight Engine Component Package includes Blackbird performance front cover and external oil pump kit
Rear anti-roll bar provides a softer rate bar, droplinks and arm kit
Available Data Package includes Holley V300SD logger, suspension travel sensors, O2 sensors, transmission temp, transmission pressure
Racetech Lightweight Carbon Seat Kit achieves an estimated 20 lbs. in weight savings
Driveline Lightweight Package includes a carbon driveshaft, transmission sump pan, aluminum rear axle yoke to achieve an estimated 7 lbs. weight savings
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Stellantis North America / Dodge.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com