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By Patrick Rall Jan 9 2015 - 3:27pm

2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Runs 10.4s with Drag Tires, Race Gas

The news is flowing out of Texas that Burns Motors has gotten a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat down the quarter mile in just 10.4 seconds with nothing other than drag radial tires, high octane gasoline and very good weather – a number which Edinburg Raceway claims is a record for the new supercharged Challenger.
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A front high angle shot of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
A front low angle shot of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
The front 3/4 of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
A head on shot of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

This information comes from the Edinburg Raceway Facebook page, where are are claims of a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat running 10.48 at 133 miles per hour, with nothing more than drag radial tires and 109 octane race gas. There has been no video offered yet, but Edinburg claims that there will be a video on the way that shows the 707hp Mopar muscle car running 10.40s in Texas.

Hellcat Challenger Racing at Edinburg
The details are not totally complete, but on Monday and Tuesday, Edinburg Raceway played host to a pair of 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat production cars during their test and tune sessions. This included a totally stock Hellcat Challenger in white and a black Hellcat Challenger that is fitted with Mickey Thompson ET drag radials and 109 octane fuel.

The stock 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat in white took to the track on Monday night with the weather being clear at 53 degrees. Other crucial numbers during the run included 57% humidity, 30.51 barometric pressure, a density altitude of -843 and a track elevation of 96 feet above sea level. With these conditions, the Hellcat Challenger ran a best time with the stock Pirelli tires of 11.054 at 126 miles per hour. That’s quick for a stock car.

The modified 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in black came out to the track on Tuesday with cooler air (48 dregrees) but higher humidity (71%). With a barometric pressure of 30.43 and a density altitude of -1093, this Challenger that was fitted with Mickey Thompson ET drag radial tires and filled with 109 octane turned out an incredible 10.483 at 133.53 miles per hour.

That was 10.48 at 133 miles per hour for the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat with the 8-speed manual transmission, drag radial tires and high octane fuel. Nothing else and yes, that is incredible.

Some Expected Controversy
As is the case with any stunning performance numbers by any car, there are people insisting that the 10.43 simply isn’t possible from the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat with just high octane fuel and drag radials. These people are insisting that the high octane gas was run because the car was tuned or because it was running nitrous oxide. The reason that the team ran the 109 octane does not necessarily mean that it was tuned (especially since no performance tunes have been released for the Hellcat Hemi yet), but rather, the high octane gas just goes to insure that the engine is running at the peak of its performance.

2015 Challenger Galleries:
The 2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack in Sublime
The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in TorRed
The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in Sublime

If you were to put crappy gas in the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, the computer would make the necessary adjustments to prevent any engine damage. This usually includes the computer pulling engine timing, which results in a power loss. You don’t need to run 89 octane instead of 93 octane to experience this power loss – even running crappy, low quality 93 octane can cause the engine control computer to dial down the power a little. Running the 109 octane gasoline guarantees that the Hellcat Hemi is running at its best possible timing configuration, essentially serving as insurance against low quality gas reducing power during the run.

As soon as the videos of these runs hit the internet, you can expect to find them here on TorqueNews.com, but in the meantime, feel free to tell us in the comments why you think that these times are incredible…or why they are too incredible to be true.

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Comments

Rod D wrote on January 9, 2015 - 4:10pm
According to the article: "That was 10.48 at 133 miles per hour for the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat with the 8-speed manual transmission" The Hellcat does NOT come with an 8-speed manual. It comes with an 8-speed automatic, or a 6-speed manual. Any clue which transmission it actually was?
Jayc wrote on January 9, 2015 - 6:22pm
It was an A8
WILLIAM C WAYNE wrote on January 9, 2015 - 6:53pm
It was the auto. The manual is slower.
Johnnyreindeer wrote on January 10, 2015 - 11:07am
It was an automatic , they used the manual mode and paddle shifted!!!!!
Kapu Media wrote on January 9, 2015 - 4:21pm
A word of advice to everyday Hellcat owners: running high octane (or high-octane additive/boosters) is not a good idea in any long term. Among other things, the Oxygen Sensor will get funky and this leads to sudden stalls.
Eric wrote on October 24, 2016 - 3:30pm
Go ms109 is UNLEASED 109 OCTANE RACE FUEL. NOT LESS D. FOR MODERN TURBO AND SC ENGINES WITH SENSORS.
Don B wrote on January 9, 2015 - 6:49pm
A good tuner can custom tune any time, they are already doing it on the new Z06 cars. I would believe the car was tuned for the high octane fuel
David mercer wrote on January 10, 2015 - 12:30pm
Not Chryslers. Their PCMs are virtually impossible to crack now. The 2011- up cars had to wait 2 years for Mopar to lisence a couple of companies to tune them. No one has tuned a Hellcat yet.
larryc7777 wrote on January 9, 2015 - 8:06pm
VP makes an unleaded 109 octane fuel.
HellcatInfo wrote on January 9, 2015 - 9:36pm
Both cars have 8-speed automatic transmissions.
JeffS wrote on January 10, 2015 - 9:31am
If tires were a key component of what is an incredible 1/4 mile time, (the time posted seems perfectly feasible), then why the heck does Dodge not put some better rubber on it from the factory? It's either an oversight, (not likely), or a cost consideration. Putting better meat on the thing would not only help make use of the HP and torque, it would make it a safer car. After spending 60,000.00 plus, I guess Dodge is leaving it up to the owner to shell out another 2-3 grand for tires/rims that should be on the car in the first place. Don't get me wrong, the Hellcat is an awesome muscle car, just strikes me as a half baked tuner from the factory that should come out of the box a mite more, "finished".
Hellcatinfo wrote on January 11, 2015 - 9:49pm
Also, the Drag Tires were Nitto 555r and the Stock White Hellcat was also using VS MP109 Race Fuel. The key difference was the Stock White Hellcat was going in to a 10mph headwind and the Black, Nitto 555r, Race Fuel Black Hellcat had calm wind conditions. It was definitely an ideal day and a great day for Moparians!
halcat wrote on January 26, 2015 - 10:31pm
Saw the video for black car ... what is the white one ... where etc?
kevin wrote on March 19, 2015 - 9:40am
i dont care what you say that car was on squeeze, gas and tires 1 second faster than car and driver and 1.4 faster than motor trend gas and tires really some fool will believe whatever you tell them lol...
David wrote on March 19, 2015 - 4:00pm
And some people will deny the sky is blue. SMH Go read about air density and altitude effects and how the NHRA does it's corrections. You obviously haven't a clue about that or cars.
wasthataneon wrote on June 9, 2015 - 9:17pm
And i'll bet you drive a prius!.......
wasthataneon wrote on June 9, 2015 - 9:19pm
And i'll bet you drive a prius!.......
halcat1 wrote on March 22, 2015 - 12:24am
Dodge ran a 10.8 NHRA CERTIFIED TIME. Burns Brothers Dodge ran a 10.43 ... both cars were running nt555r street drag radials while Burns ran 109 octane. I am a retired professional paid driver. I ran Chevy Super Stock then onto funny cars. I now own two Hellcats. My wife has the 8 speed auto ... mine is 6 speed manual. I can tell you the Dodge Hellcat would run the wheels off my L88 427 66 Chevelle which turned mid 11's. Burns Brothers used 2 customer cars . so no juice was used. I have personally talked with the driver and he stated that there was no way to add anything being a customer car. Google hellcat 10.48 133 mph and watch for yourself. These cars are crazy fast. If you still doubt. .. drive one. We have raced 2 new Z06 Vettes and beat them handily. I would not be surprised if we see a Hellcat with gears and slicks going in the high 9's. We will see. Bottom line ... both of these cars set national records.
ron wrote on April 11, 2017 - 8:17am
thanks for the tips. I have a 2016 hellcat and read lots of these articals. yes traction is the problem. does anyone have the answer to what tire / size /brand to buy. I don't mind buying a set , but wan't to get it right the first time. also will the current drive train need to be upgraded ?? please help me get it correct the first time----slicks / drag rad. / brand / size / 18-19-20 not looking for adds----summet / jegs / ect. thanks in advance. Ronnie