{"id":61662,"date":"2022-05-17T09:00:08","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dodgegarage.com\/news-api\/?p=61662"},"modified":"2024-03-25T11:20:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T15:20:24","slug":"dan-vanhorns-challenger-is-a-subtle-7-second-beast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.api.dodgegarage.com\/news\/owners-clubs\/2022\/05\/dan-vanhorns-challenger-is-a-subtle-7-second-beast.html","title":{"rendered":"Dan VanHorn’s Challenger is a Subtle 7-Second Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you are a regular DodgeGarage reader, you likely recognize the name Dan VanHorn. He is and always has been the man in charge of the Modern Street HEMI\u00ae<\/sup> Shootout \u2013 the largest collection of the quickest Gen III HEMI engine-powered machines in the world since 2010 \u2013 and we have spoken with him for a variety of articles on the site over the past few years. He will also become the co-owner of Rockingham Dragway with MSHS racer Al Gennarelli in October, making that the official home track of the Modern Street HEMI Shootout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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His role with the MSHS is why most people know of VanHorn, but what many people don\u2019t know is that he owns one of the quickest modern Dodge Challenger drag cars in the community. He spends so much effort focusing all of the media attention on the series and the racers who make the MSHS so exciting, he rarely talks about his own racing efforts. Fortunately, we’ve seen his Challenger run a few times in person and he agreed to provide details on his 7-second monster \u2013 which has a far more subtle look than many cars in that E.T. range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today, we take a look at Dan\nVanHorn\u2019s 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 and what he has planned for Rockingham\nDragway as the new owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twin Turbo HEMI Power<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

VanHorn purchased this 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 a few years back from long-time MSHS racer and fellow LXForums member Rob Gonzalez. Although Gonzalez was located in Florida, he regularly made the long drive to MSHS events in the northeast, such as ATCO. He had modified the car heavily, running in the deep 8-second range, making it one of the quicker competitors in the field. The car\u2019s involvement in the MSHS played a role in VanHorn\u2019s choice to make the purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cBiggest reason I ended up with this car is that I was looking for a twin turbo car that had a solid starting point to grow in to. I had started racing with a nitrous car (2006 Charger SRT8) and wanted to try something different having pushed my second racecar (2016 Charger SRT\u00ae<\/sup> Hellcat) pretty far with the whipple route etc.,\u201d said VanHorn. \u201cI called around and talked to a handful of folks I knew that had twin turbo builds hoping to find one of these cars for sale. It was a cold call that turned into a sale\u2026 Rob just didn\u2019t have the time to run the car like he had been and was very torn but wanted to see it succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This Challenger came to VanHorn with a 6.4-liter HEMI engine fitted with a Gearhead Fabrications twin turbo setup featuring front-facing turbo headers and Precision 76-millimeter turbochargers, ThiTek cylinder heads and an OEM PCM with HPTuners tuning by Gearhead Fabrications. The power was sent to the wheels by means of an ATI TH400 transmission from Stage 6 Motorsports, a Ford 8.8 differential and Driveshaft Shop axles. The car had significant weight reduction measures, but it still had full factory glass and much of the factory interior. Of course, it also had a cage from Gearhead Fabrication, along with the other safety items required to run in the 8s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Since acquiring the 2009 Challenger,\nVanHorn has had the car significantly modified twice, first by Gearhead\nFabrications and then by Chris Dufresne of 1320 Solutions, with help from Andy\nWagner from EastCoastMoparts. Frankly, the list of modifications is too\nextensive to discuss, so below, we have included organized lists of high-performance\nfeatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Drivetrain:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n