{"id":46918,"date":"2021-01-08T09:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-01-08T14:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/?p=46918"},"modified":"2024-03-25T11:21:39","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T15:21:39","slug":"super-stock-duality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/showcase\/2021\/01\/super-stock-duality.html","title":{"rendered":"Super Stock Duality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the introduction of the Dodge Challenger SRT\u00ae<\/sup> Super Stock last year, the brand reaffirms its position as the king of the drag strip. This 6.2L HEMI\u00ae<\/sup> engine-powered machine can travel the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds while making the Nitto drag radials work overtime trying to plant all 807 horsepower to the pavement. Yes, this is a serious machine worthy of the \u201cSuper Stock\u201d moniker bestowed upon it. To fully appreciate and understand the origins of its Super Stock name, whose roots are firmly planted in the hollows of drag racing lore, we need to go way back and examine this class. It has had a major impact on the sport while Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars would dominate it through the decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Super<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The origins of the Super Stock class began in the early 1960s as the Detroit automakers got serious about horsepower. As the sport of drag racing was gaining traction, especially among young enthusiasts, NHRA and other racing sanctioning bodies saw the need to create a class based on the numerous current production vehicles coming through the gates looking to compete. Because this was the age of hot rodding and a growing speed equipment industry, NHRA allowed limited engine and chassis modifications in Super Stock. Remember, the emphasis was still on \u201cStock\u201d and that piqued the interest of the factories to be more active in getting more involved in the sport and to offer bigger and better engines and performance options. If you wanted to reach your target audience of performance car buyers, the drag strip is where you wanted to be. And yes, we\u2019ve all heard the old cliche \u201cWin on Sunday, Sell on Monday\u201d a million plus times over the last 60 years, but never was this truer than in the 1960s when Super Stock showcased the latest Motor City muscle.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ramcharger<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dodge and its sister division Plymouth wasted no time and saw the opportunity as early as 1962 to produce a package for Super Stock. As a move to shake off its \u201cstodgy\u201d and lackluster image among youth, both brands went all in with the introduction of the 413 Max Wedge. With a crossram intake, a pair of Carter AFB carbs and an aggressive mechanical camshaft, this engine meant business. It was a purpose-built engine designed to go fast by Chrysler engineers who just happened to be gearheads with a stout understanding of drag racing. The Beach Boys may have glamorized Chevy\u2019s 409 engine in song, but in reality, it was a dump truck engine adapted for passenger car use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When faced with real competition, the 409 Chevy came to a screeching halt against Mopar\u00ae<\/sub>\u2019s mighty Max Wedge. Soon, the word spread like wildfire and by 1963, the Max Wedge grew to 426 cubic-inches and so did the horsepower. This engine package was dubbed \u201cSuper Stock\u201d in the Plymouth Savoy\/Belvedere\/Fury lineup and \u201cRamcharger\u201d in the Dodge 330\/440\/Polara models. With numerous wins, and championships in the Super Stock class, Chrysler secured its place in drag racing history. And while the engine could be deemed radical by nature, it was still a production piece and totally legal for competition in Super Stock. While the competition tried creating some \u201cone-off\u201d combinations to sneak into the class, Chrysler played by the rules and offered the Max Wedge engine as a regular option across their mid-size vehicle platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n