Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak Returns With V8 Power And 8-Second Quarter-Mile Speed

After years of teasing and speculation, Dodge has brought real power back to the Charger. The latest version finally gets a proper V8, a move that reconnects the car with its raw, old-school roots.  However, this one is not meant for public roads. The 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection is a dedicated drag racing machine, and only fifty of them will ever exist.

This Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak was built for one purpose: to dominate the quarter mile. It takes over the legacy of the old Challenger Drag Pak and carries it straight into modern NHRA competition. Dodge says it can cover the strip in under eight seconds!

Under the hood sits a 5.8-liter Gen III Hemi V8 with forged internals and a Whipple 3.0-liter twin screw supercharger. It is an evolution of the motor that already holds a 7.6-second NHRA Factory Stock Showdown record. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a Coan Racing three-speed automatic gearbox and a Mark Williams 9-inch rear axle with 4.30 to 1 gearing. Dodge did not reveal horsepower numbers, but it is safe to say there is plenty of it.

To bring the weight down, Dodge replaced the regular steel and plastic panels with carbon fiber parts. The hood, doors, hatch, and front fascia are all lighter, shaving off around 100 pounds compared to the old Challenger Drag Pak. The suspension is new as well. It uses a four-link adjustable rear setup, coilovers at every corner, fresh knuckles, and revised geometry for maximum traction.

The wheels come from Weld Racing and are wrapped in Mickey Thompson rubber. The front rims measure 17 inches but are only 4.5 inches wide, while the rear 15-inch ones are a massive 11 inches across. The steering uses a manual rack, which keeps things simple and direct for racing.

Inside, the Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak still keeps a hint of its original design, but everything feels stripped. The dashboard and door cards remain, yet most of the cabin is focused on performance. There are two racing seats, a full cage, harnesses, analog gauges, and a quick release steering wheel. It feels raw and mechanical, exactly what you would expect from a factory-built race car.

This Drag Pak is also the first project from Dodge’s reformed SRT division. The name Hustle Stuff comes from Chrysler’s performance catalogs of the 1970s, a nostalgic nod to the days when drivers learned how to build and race their own muscle cars. Each car will be assembled by Riley Technologies in Mooresville, North Carolina, with a price tag starting at $234,995 before taxes. 

The Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak will make its racing debut at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, in March 2026. Before that, fans can catch it on display at the NHRA Nevada Nationals and at SEMA 2025 in Las Vegas, where it will appear beside a Mopar-tuned Sixpack Charger concept.

This car might be a farewell to Dodge’s gasoline era. As the brand moves toward electric performance, the Hustle Stuff Drag Pak reminds everyone what Dodge has always stood for.