Let's say you get behind the wheel of a modded Dodge Challenger Hellcat and take the thing to the drag strip, with an also-massaged Ford F-150 lining up next to you. At this point, an experienced racer might tell you that the mods might be the deciding factor. Still, there's also a much simpler approach towards evaluating the race, which some might even label as superficial: the truck is the underdog.
What's that, no pressure? Sure, you might want to drop the pressure in the rear tires so that supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI, which delivers over 700 ponies straight from the factory, has a chance to put the muscle down.
Then again, this Mopar machine seems to sport a drag-friendly package involving rear beadlock wheels, which hold the massive-sidewall tires in place, along with skinny front units for low rolling resistance.
Oh, and the Challenger Hellcat's factory Widebody seems to have been mixed with a... parachute, so things can be kept under control once the quarter-mile point is passed and the vehicles needs to be brought to a halt.
Then again, the Ford F-150, a previous-generation model with a regular cab and a short bed (just what the racing doctor ordered), sports similar hardware to the one mentioned above. It also features a bed cover to reduce drag. And while YouTuber Can I Be Frank, who brought us this adventure, doesn't mention the firepower of the now race truck, those side pipes should be a hint towards the serious muscle of the thing.
So yes, the premises for a drag race that would keep the audience on its toes were certainly there. Alas, things got complicated.
While the 1:11 timestamp of the clip below showcases the quarter-mile battle of the two, that only lasts for a few moments since the Hellcat stops sprinting almost instantly—it appears that the rear diff decided to exit the game.
And while we're not aware of the Dodge's hardware, the mix between those drag-friendly tires sticking to the prepped surface of the track and the (presumably boosted) muscle coming from under the hood obviously puts a lot of stress on the driveline.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News