NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

by David Hakim

It was a moment 15 years in the making. At the 2025 NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, John Winslow piloted his '11 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak — powered by a Dodge Viper-derived 512-cubic-inch V10 engine — to a landmark Super Stock victory, marking the first time a V10-powered Drag Pak has claimed an NHRA national event win. The victory wasn’t just a personal achievement for Winslow, it was a long-awaited validation for one of the boldest factory-built race cars Mopar has ever produced.

Introduced in 2011 as the second-generation Drag Pak Challenger, the V10 model was Mopar’s first turn-key drag car in nearly half a century. It came race-ready from the factory with a Gen 4 Viper V10, a TCI-built two-speed Powerglide transmission, and a Strange 9-inch rear differential.

It stood apart from its competitors — not only for its size and sound, but because it was the first time an OEM offered a 500-plus cubic-inch V10 in a sanctioned drag package. The development of the V10 Drag Pak was a radical departure from Mopar’s traditional Hemi-based builds. With Ford’s Cobra Jet Mustangs and Chevrolet’s COPO Camaros turning up the power in the early 2010s, Mopar needed an answer, and quickly. With no factory-supercharged Hemi yet available, the engineering team took a creative leap: the Viper engine.

“We knew the Hemi wouldn’t be competitive in heads-up eliminations at the time,” said Dale Aldo, former Mopar Motorsports manager. “So, we turned to the V10. It was the displacement answer to the forced induction problem.”

Though its design and execution were daring, the V10 Drag Pak had long remained an underdog. With around 70 cars built and a growing cult following, the car made waves but never broke into the winner’s circle — until now.

Winslow’s win wasn’t just symbolic, it was dominant. His V10 Challenger ran consistent numbers throughout eliminations, capitalizing on the torque and reliability that engineers like Brian Falzon spent years refining. After early test sessions exposed the six-speed manual’s flaws, the team adopted the now-standard two-speed Powerglide and Strange 9-inch setup that ultimately proved to be the winning formula.

“I’ve run this car for years and always believed in its potential,” said Winslow. “To finally take it all the way at a race like Pomona — it’s unreal. This one’s for the team that built it and every racer who’s stuck with these cars.”

The '11 Drag Pak was offered in standard white Bright White, but some were built in optional colors, including Brilliant Black like Winslow's machine.  Mopar also offered bold graphics and a Competition Package that included a roll cage, harness, and window net. Though exotic by Super Stock standards, it was a fully certified race car — delivered with NHRA approval to compete as-is. Now, with an NHRA national win in the books, the V10 Drag Pak steps into the spotlight it has long deserved. Its deep exhaust note may still be unusual in the staging lanes, but its presence in the winner’s circle is starting to sound just right.