A Closer Look at Deshown Luckey’s 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT^® Hellcat Widebody

When we first wrote about Deshown Luckey, he was planning to bring an all-wheel-drive Jeep_® Grand Cherokee to Roadkill Nights to compete in the Direct Connection Grudge Match. However, he showed up in a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT^® Hellcat Widebody with turbochargers sticking up in front of the windshield, so before asking about the Challenger, we asked what happened with the Jeep.

“We had planned to run a 2014 SRT8 Jeep for an event. I drove to Florida to pick it up, brought it back, tore it down, and started a Hurricane I6 swap. I found and modified a transfer case to fit the 8HP75 transmission, but once we got it in the air, we discovered it wouldn’t clear without cutting into the Jeep’s body – something I didn’t want to do to a true SRT.

“So, I called [Dodge] and pitched using my 2018 Hellcat instead. It just so happened the engine was already out for upgrades. Now while moving everything from my old place to my new shop, Luckey Racing located in DFW. In five intense days, my friend Dain from the DIY shop in Fort Worth fabricated mounts, I alone got the car put together, and drove to Michigan to finish the build with friends – Matt from O’Clock Garage, Ed from Vette Lab and Austin of Chasing Performance. From there, we rolled it straight off the lift, got one tune file from Chance Robinson of Jack Stand Fab and drove it from the shop onto the track and made our first pass which ended up being our race with Garrett.”

As you can see in the pictures, Luckey’s Direct Connection Grudge Match car was sporting HPT aftermarket turbochargers for extra power, but this Dodge Challenger has a long list of additional upgrades from its normal duties with a monstrous V8. It has carbon fiber front fenders, doors and wheel flares, a parachute and massive slicks out back. Inside, the factory seats have been removed and a lightweight driver’s seat has been added, and while some trim items have been removed, it still has the dashboard and the center console.

Luckey shared the interesting history of this Challenger with us: “The car we’re talking about is my 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat WideBody, which I bought from a dealership in Greenville, South Carolina. I drove it straight home to Texas, and – true to form – had the rear mufflers chopped off the same day.

“This Hellcat wasn’t my first love, though. Before it, I had a 2016 Challenger with a RIPP supercharged V6. I documented that entire build on my YouTube channel – racing it against higher trims like R/Ts, and even taking down a Hellcat. That’s where my story really started.

“Eventually, I stepped into the Hellcat you see now. Once I linked up with Jack Fab Performance, I finally had access to the right tools and a proper shop, instead of working in my driveway. That’s when things really took off. I was deep into the street racing scene – winning a lot, losing a few – but I showed it all. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And while some people focus on the negatives, I kept moving forward, one step at a time.

“Over the years, this Hellcat has worn almost every setup you can think of – stock supercharger with pulleys and E85, a Whipple supercharger with nitrous – and it’s run as quick as 8.11 in the quarter-mile and 5.1 in the eighth. Now, it’s in the middle of another transformation: a Dart 416 built by KPE Racing in Wichita Falls, Texas, with twin Precision Next Gen 76-80mm turbos.

“It’s been a wild ride – from a supercharged V6 in my driveway to building race cars with friends across the country. And I’m just getting started.”

Unfortunately, his first ever pass in the Hurricane-powered SRT Hellcat Challenger was his first round race against Garrett Dobbs. Luckey’s Challenger wasn’t running quite right as he headed down the track, giving Dobbs the win.