Whenever talking about the third-generation Challenger, one has so many subjects of discussion as if dealing with an entire family tree of a major noble house. They’re all pretty worthy of the badge heritage, though, if we consider the facts and figures. Some even more than others, of course.
Dodge’s third-generation Challenger started production way back in 2008, and unlike its major foes (the Ford Mustang and Chevy’s Camaro), it hasn’t switched iterations ever since. Instead, the company went on a different path of upgrading and refining the same recipe, over and over again. That’s how it came up with hero models such as the SRT Hellcat, Demon, or the Super Stock, among others.
Notice we didn’t say anything about the SRT Hellcat Redeye version that came in to fill the void left by the retirement of the Challenger SRT Demon? No worries, it will make a timely entry of its own soon enough (with a twist), thanks to the latest video (embedded below) from the good folks over at the Drag Racing and Car Stuff YouTube channel.
But first, a word or two about the fact that quarter-mile drag racing isn’t for everyone, no matter the ride you’re using to run for straight-line acceleration glory. A couple of quick (or slow, depending on your POV) examples are presented by the D.R.A.C.S. team as we get acquainted with the main automotive characters, a red and black Challenger Demon and a green and black Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye.
Both “duds” are shown in the very beginning, one for each SRT, as the Dodges lined up for glory at a recent event held at the Texas Motorplex racetrack in Ennis, Texas. From the 1:04 mark, it’s time for some real action, first with the Charger against an equally green and black Chevy Camaro SS and then (from 1:54) between the Demon and a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
You would think these interesting foes would present a challenge (pun intended), but the reality is that both didn’t even come close to standing a fighting chance. So, from the 2:42 timestamp, it’s time for the main event, as the red Demon faced the green Charger Redeye menace. And, in true passing of the torch fashion, it turns out the former “master” got beaten by the (newer) “student” with a 9.42s to 9.6s pass... after both showed off a subtle wheelie when off the starting line.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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