Two-time FSS Champion Mark Pawuk Debuts All-new Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak

SIXPACK-powered Dodge Charger Thrill Rides Fuel up for NHRA Gatornationals 

Auburn Hills, MI – The all-new HEMI?-powered Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection fires up for its drag racing debut this week when two-time Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) champion Mark Pawuk wheels the new machine in the 56th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Florida, March 5-8.

For the first time ever, a race-prepared version of the next-generation Dodge Charger unites with SRT race HEMI power to create the all-new 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection. Unveiled at last year’s Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals, the Charger Drag Pak features a high-powered 354 cubic inch HEMI V-8 engine.

Only 50 serialized units of the 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak by Direct Connection, the most technologically advanced Drag Pak race car to date, will be built. The limited-production drag car is engineered for grassroots NHRA Sportsman drag racers, with each of the 50 race cars NHRA-approved for Factory Stock Showdown competition.

The Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak is part of the newly reestablished Street and Racing Technology (SRT) Performance division, responsible for SRT high-performance models, Direct Connection performance parts and American brand motorsports initiatives, including Dodge competition in NHRA and the Ram brand’s return to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2026.

Pawuk, the veteran driver from Richfield, Ohio, has been a leading Dodge competitor for decades and drove his Empaco Equipment Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak to back-to-back series championships in the highly competitive Factory Stock Showdown division, notching four victories during the two-year span. Pawuk’s consistency highlighted his 2025 title run with wins at Bristol and Norwalk as well as a runner-up placing and three semifinal finishes. Now, Pawuk’s excitement for the new Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak has him primed for the car’s competition debut after solid testing runs in Florida.

“I began my racing career in the 1970s with Dodge and Plymouth, and I’ll be wrapping up my career with Dodge and their outstanding Drag Pak car in the future,” said Pawuk, a former NHRA Pro Stock racer. “It’s an honor to be debuting the new Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak this year. The car is much different than the race car (Dodge Challenger) that we won two championships within 2024-2025. We see a lot of potential with this new car. It will take some time to develop it, but I am very excited about the car. It’s NHRA’s 75th anniversary this year, and I really want to win one of those special Wally (Parks, NHRA founder) trophies for the 75th season. I think it’s possible with the new Drag Pak.

“In 2024, winning my first championship, it was a dream I’ve had all my life. I really can’t believe it happened again in 2025. After the first one, my wife, Bonnie, suggested it might be time to retire. But I said, ‘What do you mean? I have to try for a repeat. Now, I have to go for a three-peat with new HEMI-powered Charger Drag Pak.”

SIXPACK-powered Dodge Charger Highlights “Legends” Races, Dodge Thrill Rides at Gatornationals

In addition to the Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak debut at the Gatornationals, four NHRA drag racing legends – Don Garlits, Joe Amato, Kenny Bernstein and Warren Johnson – will pilot production versions of the 550-horsepower, SIXPACK-powered 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack in special “Legends” exhibition races to celebrate NHRA’s 75th anniversary. Round one in the new SIXPACK-powered Charger muscle machines is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. EST on Friday (March 6) with the final round set for Saturday (March 7) at 12 p.m. EST.

In another Dodge first, fan-favorite Dodge Thrill Rides are coming to an NHRA event for the first time ever. Race fans will have the chance to experience SIXPACK-powered Charger Scat Pack Dodge Thrill Rides, hopping in for a front-row seat as professional drivers unleash burnouts, donuts and the full power of the new twin-turbo 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack on a closed course at the top-end of the Gainesville Raceway drag strip.

Running daily all race weekend, fans will experience heart-pounding launches and tire-shredding drifts in the new gas-powered Charger Scat Pack, loaded with performance features including Line Lock, Launch Control and a rear-wheel-drive mode capable of sending 100% of torque to the rear wheels at the push of a button, to name just a few.

In the NHRA nitro classes at the Gatornationals, Tony Stewart Racing drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan will unveil new red, white and blue Dodge livery. Both are leading contenders, with Pruett returning to Top Fuel action after two-year layoff and Hagan, the four-time NHRA world champion, seeking a fifth crown with his TSR Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car when qualifying begins on Friday at 2:30 p.m. EST. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday at 10 a.m. EDT.