Community-Designed Dodge Challenger Jailbreak Showcases Direct Connection Stage 1

Car clubs are a big part of the automotive world for many people. What those outside of the community might view as nothing more than a bunch of people hanging out and showing off their vehicles is a major part of life for those who love car club culture. For those folks, the people they meet through their car club are more than just other gearheads – they become close friends, almost family, for many members. Kevin Millender is one of those people who has a close bond with the members of his car club, Texas Muscle Cars. In fact, he trusts his fellow car club members so much that when he ordered his 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT^® Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak, he let the club members configure the build.

When Kevin Millender picked up his 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat RedeyeWidebody Jailbreak from Nyle Maxwell Supercenter located in Austin, TX, where he worked as the Lead Power Broker for Texas and surrounding states, he had no idea what the car looked like. He had simply requested that it not have a sunroof. To many people who are buying a car that costs upwards of $100,000, it might seem crazy to not know exactly what you are getting, but Millender trusted his car club members to create something that he would love, and they did just that.

Millender’s 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak is painted White Knuckle with bright red racing stripes running over the top of the body. The exterior also features red badges on the fenders and grille, red Brembo brake calipers, 20×11 Devil’s Rim wheels, the rear performance spoiler and a 2.62 rear gearset. On the inside, the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak – nicknamed “The Big Cat”- features heated red leather seats, red accents along the inner door panels, a red SRT logo in the middle of the Alcantara steering wheel, red seat belts and the premium Harmon Kardon sound system. Finally, for those who don’t know, the Jailbreak package adds 10 extra horsepower over the SRT Hellcat Redeye via a unique engine tune, so this Mopar_® muscle car came from the factory with 807 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque.

When Kevin Millender first got his 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak, he didn’t plan to add power and, if not for the warranty-friendly Direct Connection upgrades, he thinks that he may have left the car stock.

“I was not truly in any rush to upgrade right away performance-wise. The darn car is so robust that I wanted to become acclimated with the stock setup prior to pulling the trigger on anything. Respect is paramount once you jump into the upper echelon of the SRT lineup. I knew from the beginning that I must prepare to become a student for a while,” said Millender. “It was well over a year before I purchased the Stage 1 Kit! If not for the Stage Kit, I probably would’ve left the powertrain stock – at least I’d like to believe that anyways. I’m an advocate for preserving my warranty. Owning one of these is merciless on the wallet.”

Once Millender had become comfortable with the feel of his Dodge Challenger in stock form, he decided to add a bit of power with the Direct Connection Pre-Stage and Stage 1 kits. The Pre-Stage Kit adds the Direct Connection tuning device, the performance air filter and a 180-degree thermostat. The Stage 1 kit then adds high-octane functionality and a tune for that high-octane fuel, leading to advertised numbers of 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque for the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. We asked Millender if the added power was immediately noticeable, and his reply was emphatic.

“Heck yeah it was!! Being middle-aged, I would like to think to a certain degree that I’m a disciplined driver with ridiculous power at my disposal. On the day of installation, I was readily equipped with the race fuel additive upon completion. The moment that I pushed the 100 Octane button on the tuner and hit the gas, I wholeheartedly admit that I transformed into a complete “A-Hole” for about 10-15 miles in moderate traffic. I’m almost certain other drivers probably remember that day as clearly as I do!”

Millender also added a set of American Racing shorty headers, which are a licensed product in the Direct Connection catalog, blower spacers with a thermal blanket, 3-inch T304 stainless catback exhaust with dual Borla resonators and 4-inch dual quad lacquer black exhaust tips, a JLT cold air intake and a crankcase breather with an oil catch can. Those added upgrades have led to even greater power upgrades from the Direct Connection components.

“To date, the best consistent rear-wheel power gains that I’ve experienced with the Stage 1 Kit are as follows: 88hp/102tq which in my opinion is impressive especially given that it was accomplished with simple combo of Top Tier 93 octane and just a few ounces of race fuel additive provided by Boostane Octane Engineering Founder Ian Lehn, who was with us at the shop the day we had The Big Cat on the dyno! I truly believe that there’s more meat left on the bone with Stage 1 as far as rear wheel gains are concerned now that I have a stronger understanding of engine and fuel management. More dyno tests this winter for sure!”

Millender also has some future plans for more Direct Connection upgrades, continuing to preserve his factory warranty.

“Hopefully soon, I would like to start focusing on fortifying my launches by eliminating the excessive wheel hop. I already have my sights set on the rear suspension kit through the DC Catalog from AAD Performance. Eventually, when Direct Connection expands their Power Broker network, I already have a dealership in mind that does mind-blowing work with aftermarket suspensions (Covert CDJR Bee Cave-Austin). As for the Stage Kits, the Stage 1 tune is so robust, that I’ll most likely stick with it moving forward.”

This 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak is Kevin Millender’s daily driver and he has added over 36,000 “wonderful miles” in the three years that he has owned the car. He enjoys taking his Challenger to car shows, where he regularly invites kids to sit in the car for a picture, explaining that “The joy of owning the car is only surpassed by the impression etched in a young kid’s memory.”

However, he doesn’t just drive this Dodge Challenger to work and car shows. He has also taken a liking to top speed competitions, turning on solid numbers in stock form at The Texas Mile. Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t kind on his first trip to The Texas Mile, but he plans to return and run a big number.

“Back in the day before purchasing the Redeye, my wife and I used to hit the drag strip several times a year. Since then, I’ve been more of a top-end racer, leaning more on the longer runs like The Texas Mile with my sights on adding 1/2-mile events to the itinerary in the near future. Prior to installing the Stage 1 Kit, my personal best under good weather conditions at The Texas Mile is 183.4 mph (93 octane) in the fall of 2023. The March of 2024 event was my first time using the Stage 1 Kit. I decided to do trap speed comparisons between 93 octane and the Stage 1 high-octane tune. Temps all weekend were in the high 80s with headwind gusts between 30-40 mph so conditions were brutal. The difference in trap speeds between 93 octane and Stage 1 were substantial (173.1 mph and 180.3 mph respectively). Through Direct Connection, the official trap speed record at The Texas Mile is 190.1 mph by Mr. Tom Simmons in his 2019 Challenger Redeye established in October of 2023 with the Stage 2 setup (High Octane & 3.17” Hellephant Pulley). Tom’s record still stands to this day. It is for this reason why believe that under more favorable conditions that the Stage 1 could make a strong run at the title!”

He went on to share his insight on the Direct Connection Stage 1 kit for Redeye owners.

“Nearly every Redeye owner that purchased the Stage Kits jumped straight into Stage 2 which offers high-octane functionality and the Hellephant Pulley, but so many enthusiasts that could not afford to purchase the Stage 2 price tag either decided to take the chance of going aftermarket and void their warranty or nothing at all, thus neglecting the Stage 1 altogether assuming the gains were minimal. This could not be further from the truth. My advice is simple: Do not neglect Stage 1. For half the price of what Stage 2 offers, there’s an immense amount of horsepower and torque readily/conveniently available at the touch of a button. Moreover, if obtaining race fuel is either not in your budget or challenging to locate, it’s nothing that a few ounces of a high-quality dyno-proven race fuel additive can’t solve. Why wait?”

Millender closed by thanking the people who have been involved with The Big Cat.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank YOU, Patrick, for offering me the opportunity to share my experiences with the Stage 1 Kit. I also would like to thank my supporters: Direct Connection centerpiece Chuck Spieser, Boostane Engineering Founder Ian Lehn, The Texas Mile Staff, Covert Bee Cave Service Manager Eric Tippett and last but certainly not least 50-plus-year Mopar Enthusiast and late Father-In-Law George Nowack. Thanks Dad for recruiting me to the Brotherhood of Muscle!”