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Dodge’s New Performance Division Steps Up
The Drag Pak marks the first major project from Dodge’s revived Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division. To make things more exciting, Dodge is offering a $26,000 bounty — the largest in the company’s contingency history — to the first racer who wins an NHRA Factory Stock Showdown event with the Hustle Stuff Drag Pak.
The message is clear: Dodge hasn’t forgotten its roots.
The Backlash That Forced Dodge’s Hand
When Dodge rolled out its electric Charger Daytona in 2024, fans didn’t exactly rush to embrace it. The EV’s synthetic “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust” — a speaker system that fakes V8 engine sounds at 126 decibels — was mocked endlessly by muscle car loyalists.
Buyers didn’t want a sound system pretending to be a V8. They wanted the real thing.
Dodge executives initially dismissed critics as a “small minority of hardcores,” but those hardcores were the very people who made the Charger and Challenger into cultural icons. As sales lagged and production delays hit Dodge’s new “Hurricane” six-cylinder models, the company found itself under pressure to reignite enthusiasm for its performance line.
Then came the bombshell. Reports surfaced in March 2025 suggesting Dodge engineers were quietly working to bring the Hemi V8 back to the street by late 2026. CEO Matt McAlear fanned the flames when he told The Drive that “V8s are no longer a bad word around the company.” That comment alone sent muscle car forums into overdrive.
Keeping the Hemi Dream Alive
The Hustle Stuff Drag Pak isn’t just powerful — it’s precision-engineered for the track. With extensive carbon fiber components, the car sheds 100 pounds compared to the previous Challenger Drag Pak. The hood, doors, front fascia, and rear hatch are all made from lightweight composites, bringing total weight close to the NHRA’s 3,600-pound minimum.
Despite its race-only design, the cabin remains surprisingly civilized, retaining the stock dash and door panels, plus carpeted floors. Safety comes from an NHRA-approved chromoly roll cage good down to 7.50-second runs.
A Coan Racing XLT three-speed automatic transmission sends power to a Mark Williams Enterprises 9-inch rear axle with 4.30:1 gears. It rides on Weld Racing wheels with Mickey Thompson slicks, stopping with four-piston Brembo brakes and a parachute for good measure.
Buyers can choose from 18 exterior colors, including legendary Mopar shades like Plum Crazy, B5 Blue, and Sublime. Optional graphics packages complete the retro racing look.
The Charger’s Return to Glory?
The new Charger Drag Pak will make its official debut at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, from March 5–8, 2026. And while this track-only model won’t hit public roads, its existence sends a message straight to Washington regulators and corporate executives alike: the American V8 isn’t dead yet.
Dodge’s resurrection of the Hemi — even in limited, track-only form — proves the company still has the capability and courage to keep real muscle alive. Whether a street-legal Hemi Charger will follow remains to be seen, but for now, Dodge has given fans something they haven’t had in years: hope, horsepower, and the unmistakable thunder of a supercharged Hemi.
