First NHRA Factory X Dodge Drag Pak Progressing Toward Debut

First NHRA Factory X Dodge Drag Pak Progressing Toward Debut

NHRA Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) veteran Geoff Turk enjoyed one of his finest outings in the series to date last weekend at the NHRA’s Circle K Four-Wide Nationals when he powered his barrier-breaking 2015 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak to the No. 1 qualifying position at the first-ever four-wide race for the series. Despite his machine — the first in the factory shootout-style class in the sevens — running at top form, the Auburn, Kentucky resident is looking forward not to upcoming FSS events, but the completion of his all-new Factory X 2021 Challenger and its subsequent on-track debut.

The 2021 Dodge Challenger under construction at B&B Race Cars in Tennessee. In a departure from today's current Pro Stock cars, Factory X vehicles will utilize stamped steel body panels directly from the "big-three" manufacturers, keeping them more in line with the muscle cars you can buy on the dealer lot. The cars will, as the lower right image of a Browell bellhousing shows, utilize five-speed, manually-shifted transmissions.

Turk, perhaps the earliest of adopters of the NHRA’s exciting new exhibition category, is watching the progress being made on his machine at B&B Race Cars with great anticipation, as the car inches closer to completion. Turk, historically an innovator, in both racing and in business, made a number of deals at the PRI Show in December for the many parts and pieces needed to build the unique new car, in an effort to get a headstart on the project and debut it in 2022. B&B, with a bevy of world-class Stock/Super Stock and more recently, heads-up style cars to its credit, was chosen to construct the chassis.

RC Components polished wheels were chosen for the project. At right, Turk illustrated the width of the wheel for the FX car alongside the 9-inch tire used on the Factory Stock Showdown car.

Led by Darren Breaud, the shop has been progressing quickly, as Turk shared a series of images taken in March of the steel body being mocked up prior to chassis fabrication. Since that time, he says the chassis has been nearly completed. Meanwhile, Turk and his longtime engine builder, Tony Bischoff at BES Racing Engines, have been stretching the legs of one of his fleet of supercharged Hemi FSS engines to prepare it for its eventual Factory X duty.

The BlackbirdX will look very similar to its FSS predecessor, with the differences largely lying in the addition of the 2021 model aerodynamic features, the larger 33×10.5-inch rear wheels/tires, and wheelie bars.

While a host of orders have been placed with various chassis builders (including some of the sport’s premier fabricators), Turk believes he and one of his Ford peers are the only two with cars underway, suggesting this year’s Factory X exhibition could be a two-car affair. Turk alluded to ongoing conversations regarding potential rule changes that may influence the start date (and ultimately, the completion) of many of the cars of additional hopefuls to the class.

Turk and Bischoff doing their “mad scientist” engine development work at BES.

About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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