[ENGINE STARTS] [ENGINE REVS] STEVE MAGNANTE: Dodge's
legendary Direct Connection High Performance
Parts Program is back. If you know your
Dodge history, you'll remember that in 1974 the
Direct Connection Parts Program was launched to help
Dodge owners get even more performance from
their classic muscle cars. If you're a newcomer, just
know that Direct Connection means you get factory
developed and validated components that take
the guesswork out of making performance upgrades
to your late model Dodge muscle car. Ever since the first
Dodge Challenger LC22 Drag Pak arrived on
the scene in 2009, NHRA drag racers have proven
the time honored adage, win on Sunday, sell on Monday. Today, Direct Connection
is happy to announce that the Drag Pak's winning
ways on the NHRA drag strip have pushed sales of road going
challengers to all time record highs.
But if you're hoping to get
one of the 50, 2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Paks
built, sorry, Charlie. You're out of luck. They're all sold out. But Thanks to Direct Connection,
you can build one yourself. Let's take a look at
how Direct Connection can help you build your own
NHRA legal race ready pony car crusher. Like all Direct
Connection parts and kits, the Drag Pak 750 body kit
eliminates the guesswork in building your own Challenger
Drag Pak equivalent drag car. Each body comes specially
prepared for race use with an NHRA certified 7 1/2 second
TIG welded chrome Moly roll cage, special lowered
engine cross member, and other modifications designed
to readily accept the rest of the Drag Pak parts
and subsystems recipe. Components include
mounting points for the direct connection
4-link rear suspension and wishbone front suspension
kits, cut-outs in the engine and transmission cross-members
for easy service, an NHRA-mandated driveshaft
safety loop and window net, lightweight aluminum hood
with center scoop and heat extractors, door,
decklid and bumper beams.
And get this– while the
Direct Connection body in white concept is not new– the first one's appeared
in the early 1970s– today's Challenger unit
is available pre-painted in additional factory
offered colors upon request with purchase through the
Direct Connection tech hotline. And, yes, they're fully
accepted by the race sanctioning bodies
as long as you obey the appropriate rulebook. The gen-4 2021 Dodge
Challenger Mopar Drag Pak is powered by the
354 supercharged HEMI engine, which you can buy
right from Direct Connection. This is an evolution of the
engine that won the 2018 NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. Major features include– a Drag
Pak exclusive aluminum engine block, 3 liter Whipple
supercharger, Jesel valvetrain, Moroso oil pan, Carrillo H-beam
connecting rods, and much more.
The Drag Pak 354 supercharged
HEMI is intended for the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class and
comes fully assembled and ready to race. To ensure maximum potential
performance from your 354 supercharged HEMI engine, Direct
Connection offers a 2021 Drag Pak engine ECU kit, which
includes a top-of-the-line, fully programmable
Holley Dominator EFI ECU, and Holley Digital
Dash to tune, run, and monitor the Drag Pak's
fearsome HEMI engine. The goodies include
a fully-potted ECU with sealed automotive and
marine grade connectors, individual cylinder
fuel and spark control, closed loop and
enrichment strategies to allow for very
stable engine operation. The system can also be used
as a complete data acquisition system. The Holley EFI Digital Dash
has a 7 inch, low glare, full color touchscreen display
that's easily viewed even in bright sunlight, user
programmable shift lights, alarms and gauges and
indicators which are all enclosed in a weatherproof
aluminum housing, a pair of Holley
wideband O2 sensors allow users to view,
download, and save Holley EFI data logs to an
external USB memory stick.
This essential kit adds the
brains to Drag Pak's braun. The deep-breathing
supercharged HEMI engine in your Challenger Drag
Pak needs to stay cool in order to run right. The 2021 Drag Pak
engine systems kit contains what you need to keep
the inlet charge and engine coolant as cool as possible. The two-piece air
intake can be split for quick, easy
between-rounds maintenance. The fabricated aluminum
intercooler ice tank has a clear plastic
lid to quickly identify when more cubes are needed to
feed the cubes under the hood. Serving the engine coolant, a
light but effective C&R racing aluminum radiator and 12
inch SPAL electric fan maintain proper temperature
while dual electric water pumps keep the intercooler and
engine block liquids in motion.
Extras include a crankcase
ventilation system with a breather bottle and
mounts to evacuate pressure from within. A 60 inch throttle cable
and all necessary hoses, fittings, and
hardware are included to save you the hassle of
scouting them yourself. Building your own Drag
Pak Challenger race car takes proper wiring and
plumbing to make it complete. The Direct Connection 2021
Drag Pack electrical and fuel systems kit contains
everything needed to set up the electrical system
as well as a plug-and-play fuel system from Aeromotive.
A user programmable
power distribution module eliminates the use of
fuses, relays, and modules giving racers the ability to
make electrical system upgrades without having to
cut into the harness. The kit includes a complete
Aeromotive fuel system with a brushless inline pump,
double in-line fuel filters, braided steel fuel and return
lines, an adjustable fuel pressure regulator capable
of supporting 30 to 120 PSI, and all fittings,
hardware, and hoses that are even cut to length. Also included in this kit are a
three-gallon SFI-certified drag race fuel cell with foam
insert, main body wiring harness with Holley
ignition coil drivers, truck mounted battery harness,
push/pull master power disconnect, line lock
with microswitch, Mopar 12 volt battery, easy
to read Autometer analog oil pressure and brake line
pressure gauges and tachometer. This kit is so complete, it
even includes all associated anti-vibration mounts and
installation hardware. Filling the gap between the
engine and rear suspension, the Direct Connection 2021
Drag Pak race driveline kit includes a shootout
style TH400 three speed automatic transmission
and lightweight one piece driveshaft.
Featuring the most
popular components used by the most successful
racers in the Factory Stock Class, the TH400 uses a Reid
racing SFI 4.1 certified case and SFI 30.1 certified
lightweight bellhousing. Inside aluminum drums, a 300M
input shaft and 4340 main shaft combine low mass
and high strength. An SFI 29.1 certified flexplate
and 258 mm torque converter connect the engine
and transmission. Sold in ready to race
condition with an ATI Tilton starter motor and extended
dipstick for easy fluid level checks, the kit also includes a
CNC machine quick shift shifter with a specific
park, reverse, 1, 2, 3, neutral valve
body shift pattern that prevents unwanted selection of
neutral in the heat of battle.
As good as modern suspension
systems are for daily use, drag racing requires
specific features that the Direct Connection
2021 Drag Pak race suspension kit delivers. Engineered to launch hard,
decimate the 60 foot, and keep the tires
firmly planted all the way to the
finish line, the kit includes an all new four
link rear suspension with a fixed lower link
and adjustable upper link and double adjustable
BILSTEIN coil overs, developed specifically for the Drag Pak. There's plenty of tuning
ability to suit varying track conditions. A Strange Engineering 9 inch
rear end housing and aluminum center section with
heat treated 4.11 to 1 gears and gun-drilled
40-spline high tough axle shafts combine
strength, low mass, and low rotational inertia
to maximize acceleration. The front suspension and
lightweight steering column with quick disconnect steering
wheel work with the four wheel Strange Engineering
Pro Series II low drag disk brakes to handle
with steering and stopping. A set of adjustable wheelie bars
and a rear anti-roll bar help maintain order. And it's a Direct
Connection kit, so you know all the
necessary fasteners and mounts are included.
Every successful drag racer
knows that reducing weight is just as good as
adding horsepower. Direct Connection offers these
super lightweight weld racing dual beadlock wheels
and Mickey Thompson tires pre-mounted, fully
balanced, and ready to be installed on your
Dodge Challenger race car. The 17 by 4 1/2 inch V-series
front wheels carry Mickey Thompson 27.5 by 4 by
17 inch ET front tires. The 15 by 10 inch weld
racing alpha rear wheels mount Mickey Thompson ET
drag pro drag radial slicks. Both sets of wheels are
powder coated black and bear unique Drag Pak
identification engraving. They're what the
well-dressed Drag Pak is wearing this season. And, yes, they're light. When building your own
Challenger Mopar Drag Pak equivalent, having the Drag Pak
7 1/2 second body kit is just half the battle. This Direct Connection 2021 Drag
Pak exterior kit complements the body in white
with Hellcat front and rear fascias, SRT
Performance spoiler, hood latch and cable with gas
struts, rear center lamp and decklid
striker, exterior door handles and lock cables, door
window motors with regulators and cables, hood scoop
bezel and heat extractors, front headlamps, closeouts,
and fender wells, door seals and weather stripping,
and even a pair of carbon fiber delete plates
for the exterior rear-view mirrors.
This convenient kit makes it
easier to fill in the gaps as you transform your body
in white into a quarter mile warrior. You may only be in your Drag
Pak a quarter mile at a time, but why not make it as
comfortable as possible? The 2021 Drag Pak interior
kit balances race car function with factory comfort and finish. Along with a full
dashboard and instrument panel with carbon fiber bezels
and custom Drag Pak and grade block off panels,
this kit also includes mounts for the ECU, racing
pedals, shifter, and steering column. Completing the tidy
factory stock feel are a custom lightweight
carpet, SFI compliant roll bar padding kit,
interior door panels, and all necessary panels to
cover those unsightly gaps. Make your house of
horsepower a home. The Direct Connection 2021 Drag
Pak race tech head restraint performance seat kit includes
an NHRA-mandated driver's and passenger's side
front bucket seat.
A lightweight driver's
seat features winged head restraints, is HANS-ready and
features a 6-point harness. The passenger seat is a
lightweight composite design and features a 4-point harness. Both seats feature Racetech
back and bottom seat brackets and all necessary
mounting hardware. Drag racing is a visual sport. Looks are important, especially
in the world of sanctioned drag racing where spectators and
media outlets favor cars with appealing graphics. Why not add some excitement
and show your brand loyalty with one of the four
livery packages offered by Direct Connection? The full color options include
a blue Mopar logo and red Drag Pak or Direct Connection
badging for installation on the quarter panels
above the rear wheels. While the monochromatic options
include a monochromatic Mopar logo and Drag Pak or
Direct Connection badging.
From fascia to quarter panel
to decklid, that you'll make a statement in style. Don't forget, as a
Dodge Challenger racer, you're part of Dodge's
brotherhood of muscle. And this is war against the
pony car in the other lane. Make sure your race
car looks as good as it runs with the Direct
Connection livery package that best suits your paint job.
The return of Direct Connection
takes power, performance, and bragging rights
to the next level for the brotherhood of muscle. [MUSIC PLAYING].
