Wild Twin

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A vehicle's straight-line, quarter-mile elapsed-time and speed are two of the hot rod hobby's highest performance benchmarks (and today, eighth-mile stats are also highly favored). They're right up there with horsepower and torque, and when you think about that from a big-picture perspective, it's because the values are intertwined. An engine that makes big steam and/or stump-pulling twist typically is the prerequisite for impressive on-track data.

Ten-second dragstrip results arguably are the norm for today's Ford Mustang GTs, Chevy Camaros and Corvettes, and any Dodge that has "Hellcat" in its name (using 2020 to present as the control set here). In the truck sector (keeping in mind we're talking about rigs weighing considerably more than any of the aforementioned sport coupes) Cadillac's supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 Escalade V-Series is no slouch, with 13.1-second/108-mph 1,320 performance, nor is Jeep's naturally aspirated 6.4-Liter Hemi V-8-powered Wrangler Rubicon 392 (12.9/100.4).

However, there actually are bigger dogs on the truck porch—a pair of pickups that, though configured primarily for high-level off-road performance, flirt with entering the 11-second zone … in stock trim! Using a supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 for power, the Blue Oval's F-150 Raptor R is the overall statistical badass on a full-length dragstrip, with 12.1/111.8 performance. Ram's blown 6.2-liter Hemi 1500 TRX is just behind it, at 12.7/107.3.

Of course, it's very important to understand that this cumulative data was compiled by MotorTrend editors using 100-percent unmodified vehicles in controlled test environments. Tables are turned considerably when enthusiasts take the same rides and start pushing the proverbial envelope by modifying cars and trucks, in many cases extensively. Jeremy Brown is one such hot-rodder. He's the owner and driver of the rig shown here, a 2021 Ram TRX that is currently being touted as the quickest and fastest of the species.

On Friday, May 26, 2023, Jeremy drove "Large Marge," his twin-turbocharged, daily driven, all-wheel-drive, 6,200-pound rocket to an insane 9.31 e.t. at 144.75 mph on the quarter-mile dragstrip at Atco Raceway in Atco, New Jersey. Atco is a legendary East Coast track that's renowned for killer traction and absolute-zero density altitude (distance/feet above sea level), better known as "mineshaft air." Although Large Marge lost one mile per hour from its previous best run at Atco (9.42/145.02), the e.t. is a full tenth of a second quicker. Of course, both laps sent an immediate buzz across Facebook and Instagram. And to our knowledge, all of the numbers represent the quickest and fastest quarter-mile runs (to date) by a stock-block TRX … anywhere.

Like any other 2021-up TRX, Jeremy's left the factory with a stock, 702-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 under the hood and an eight-speed automatic transmission linked to it. "I had zero intentions of modifying the truck when I purchased it, other than adding new wheels and accessories for rock crawling and off-road trips," Jeremy says. "But once I felt the power this thing packed, my wants and needs shifted to another realm of speed and violent launches."

After seeing a Facebook post from Steven Ripa of Ripatuned about a twin-turbo kit for the TRX, Jeremy was immediately hooked on the concept of having a compounded setup, highlighted by a pair of 'chargers and the blower, on a truck that can be driven on a daily basis. "The new Whipple 3.0-liter [supercharger] seemed like the most sensible option, but I'm one of those guys who wants to be different and not conform with whatever the general majority is doing," Jeremy says. With 93-octane pump fuel, the combination produced between 875 and 900 horsepower.

The quality that makes Jeremy's rig most impressive is its performance using a completely stock (internally) Dodge Hellcat engine. And, with the exception of Pure Drivetrain Solutions' Stage 2 transmission and a Ripatuned-spec billet-stator race converter, the rest of the drivetrain is original as well. It's amazing that the 6.2's steam (well over 1,000 horsepower) is obtained primarily through bolt-ons that include a hopped-up fuel system (2,150cc injectors, dual Boost-a-Pump), a Ripa-tuned billet air-to-water intake manifold that replaced the supercharger (which ultimately proved to be a major airflow restriction), and, of course, the company's TTRX twin-turbo setup and ECM calibration (using E85 fuel). Traction is managed by four P325/45R18 Hoosier DR2 drag radials on Enkei RPT1 lightweight wheels.

When asked what's next for his wicked-fast work/play rig, Jeremy confesses that he never really set any goals for himself or the truck other than wanting to go fast and to have fun while doing it. "As of right now, I want to get the truck into the eight-second range on the track. We're doing all of this and the truck is still a blast to drive to car meets and the grocery store. As a matter of fact, I'm actually taking it to go pickup a patio set today."

A view from the cockpit of Jeremy Brown's 2021 Ram 1500 TRX as it runs 9.31 at 144.75 mph at Atco Raceway in Atco, New Jersey, raising the performance bar for these trucks into the stratosphere. Check out the 4,000-rpm launch, and shifts at seven grand!

Photos By Jeremy Brown