Category Archives: Planes Trains and Automobiles

The SR-71 holds the “Speed Over a Recognized Course” record for flying from New York to London distance 3,508 miles (5,646 km), 1,435.587 miles per hour (2,310.353 km/h), and an elapsed time of 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds, set on September 1, 1974 while flown by U.S. Air Force Pilot Maj. James V. Sullivan and Maj. Noel F. Widdifield, reconnaissance systems officer (RSO). This equates to an average velocity of about Mach 2.68, including deceleration for in-flight refueling. Peak speeds during this flight were probably closer to the declassified top speed of Mach 3.2+. For comparison, the best commercial Concorde flight time was 2 hours 52 minutes, and the Boeing 747 averages 6 hours 15 minutes.

Wikipedia Link

The Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak gives you a supercharged 354-cubic-inch Hemi race car with a cast-iron block, forged steel crankshaft, Mopar camshaft and a custom engine management system for an eye-watering $109,354. Or, for almost $10,000 less, the naturally aspirated 426-cubic-inch featuring an aluminum block with pressed-in steel liners and aluminum cylinder heads can be yours at $99,426.

They’re building 60 total. Thirty five of those will come with the supercharged engine, with the remaining 25 packing the naturally aspirated 426 Hemi engine.

Both engines come with an automatic gearbox, a different K-Member and suspension geometry with double adjustable compression and rebound struts up front. At the rear, it’s a four-link suspension with Panhard bar, Strange Engineering housing and 40-spline gun drilled axles with a 9-inch aluminum third member, a 4-inch diameter driveshaft, shocks with adjustable compression and rebound and an anti-roll bar. The rear axle mounting has been beefed up as well for those ultimate launches.

The tires are 15-inch Hoosier drag radials, there’s a full NHRA rollcage of course, plus a Mopar gauge pack, racing seats with a safety net and five-point harnesses.

Mopar claims they also have “more user-friendly hoods.” All the better to see those delicious engines with.

August 6 – 9, 2015
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

Official Site

August 6 – 9, 2015
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

Official Site

August 6 – 9, 2015
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

Official Site