Dodge Challenger gets off to a strong start, but the Shelby GT500 closes the gap. Then opens one of its own.
Fantasy is a big part of sports. A lot of people take part in fantasy leagues to see if their pretend team of players can beat other make-believe squads and win them a cash prize at the end of the season. Then there are debates about whether a legend of yesteryear in their prime could beat a modern superstar (think second-three-peat Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James). This is the automotive version of one of those match-ups. This is the S197 Shelby GT500 Mustang vs. the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
This video from the Wheels YouTube channel answers the question: Would the S197 Shelby GT500 stand a chance against the Challenger Hellcat?
On paper, the answer may seem easy. But watch what happens on the drag strip at the Mission Raceway Park in British Columbia, Canada. Back in the late 2000s, the GT500 was a new high for Mustang performance. Instead of using Ford’s 4.6-liter V8, it rocked the massive 5.4-liter V8 and a supercharger that helped it crank out 500 horsepower.
Dodge made the third-generation Challenger at the time, but output from the SRT8 model’s 6.1-liter Hemi peaked at 425 horsepower. Mopar fans had to wait several years for the supercharged Challenger SRT Hellcat, which stunned the automotive world with 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.
The Hellcat gets off to an absolutely ferocious start and leaves the GT500 behind in a hurry. The Shelby driver doesn’t let that discourage them, though. They keep their right foot planted and change gears with a will. With each upshift, the Shelby bucks as it blasts its power to the track’s surface.
As the end of the strip gets closer and closer, the GT500 reduces the Hellcat’s lead. It soon catches up with the Dodge, then overtakes it. When the displays light up, they show the Mustang driver’s hope and determination paid off in the form of a 10.87-second pass at 126 mph. The Hellcat crosses the line nearly half a second later and five mph slower.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
