Why it is meta
Drag (S2, RWD, Stock or 8.9L V8 DSC options): Built for the strip: long body for weight transfer and huge rear tyre width available.
Drag racing is pure straight-line speed. Every upgrade should focus on maximising power and traction off the line. Weight reduction is critical. The car needs to launch hard without spinning the wheels, then accelerate as fast as possible to the finish.
Upgrade Priority
- Biggest Engine Swap Available Drag is pure power. The largest engine you can fit gives the most horsepower per PI spent. V12s, twin-turbo V8s, and supercharged options are all strong.
- Max Power Upgrades Stack turbo, intercooler, exhaust, intake, cam, valves, and displacement on top of the engine swap. Every horsepower matters in a straight line.
- Consider AWD Swap AWD launches harder than RWD because all four wheels put power down. The PI cost is significant but the launch advantage usually outweighs it at most classes.
- Race Transmission (10-Speed) More gears means less time between shifts and more time at peak power. 10-speed is ideal for keeping the engine at maximum output through the entire run.
- Race Differential Unlocks accel and decel lock. Full acceleration lock ensures both driven wheels put power down equally for maximum traction.
- Rear Tyre Width (Max) Maximum rear contact patch for launch traction. This is where your power meets the road.
- Full Weight Reduction Every kilogram removed improves acceleration directly. Lighter cars reach top speed faster.
- Front Tyre Width (Min or Stock) Narrow fronts reduce rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag. The front tyres do not drive the car in a straight line.
- Race Suspension Unlocks spring and ride height tuning for the launch stance: minimum front height for less drag, rear slightly raised so the suspension can squat and plant the tyres on launch.
Best Value Per PI
Spend Here First
| Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|
| Centrifugal Supercharger | Currently the single biggest performance-per-PI item in FH6: it adds huge power for far less PI than it should, almost certainly a bug. If your car can fit one, it is the strongest power upgrade available until it is patched. Expect it to be nerfed in a future update. |
| Race Exhaust | The best power-per-PI upgrade in the core engine tree. Install this on every build. |
| Race Intake | Second best power-per-PI in the engine tree. Pair with Race Intake Manifold to unlock its full gain. |
| Race Ignition | Very cheap PI for consistent gains across the whole rev range. |
| Sport or Race Flywheel | Often free performance: on many cars the weight saving outweighs the PI cost, so PI stays flat or even drops while throttle response improves. Watch the PI counter when you fit it. |
| Sport or Race Driveline | Typically 1 to 3 PI for 10 to 25 kg off the rotating drivetrain. One of the quietest bargains in the shop. |
| Race Transmission (10-Speed) | A 10-speed race gearbox keeps the engine in its power band and cuts time lost between shifts. The extra ratios are cheap PI for a real acceleration gain, and let you tune final drive precisely to the track. A meta pick on almost every build. |
| Weight Reduction | The best PI-to-performance conversion overall: one upgrade improves acceleration, braking, and cornering at the same time. |
| Lighter Rims | Reduces unsprung and rotating mass for very little PI. Experiment with rim style and size while watching the PI counter. |
Poor Value, Usually Skip
| Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|
| Front Aero and Wide Front Tyres | Pure drag on a drag build. Front downforce and front grip do nothing in a straight line but still cost PI. |
| Handling Parts You Do Not Need | Race brakes, ARBs, and wide front rubber spend PI that should be going into power and rear traction. |
Tuning
Tyres
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound | Drag |
| Front Tyre Width | Stock or narrowest |
| Rear Tyre Width | Maximum |
| Front Pressure | 30.0 to 32.0 PSI |
| Rear Pressure | 18.0 to 20.0 PSI |
Narrow front tyres and high front pressure reduce rolling resistance. Max rear width for launch traction. Very low rear pressure grows the contact patch and grabs harder off the line. Drop rear pressure 1 PSI at a time; too low and the tyre gets vague, too high and you spin.
Gearing
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Final Drive (1/4 mile) | 3.76 (assumes ~1050 hp) |
| Final Drive (1/2 mile+) | 3.22 |
| 6-Speed Ratios | 2.97 / 2.07 / 1.6 / 1.3 / 1.1 / 0.96 |
| Strategy | Each gear should hit the rev limiter just as you shift |
Quarter-mile runs want the shorter final drive; half-mile and roll racing want the longer one. Set top gear so you just reach trap speed at the finish, then bring the lower gears up into a smooth curve. Tune 1st gear iteratively on the strip: it should launch hard with controllable wheelspin. With 8 to 10 gears, keep the same 1st and top ratios and space the rest evenly.
Alignment
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| All Camber | 0.0 |
| All Toe | 0.0 |
| Caster | 5.0 |
Zero everything for maximum straight-line contact patch and minimal rolling resistance.
Anti-Roll Bars
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front | Minimum |
| Rear | Minimum |
Minimum ARBs allow maximum weight transfer to the rear on launch.
Springs
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Springs | 375 lbs/in (soft) |
| Rear Springs | 750 lbs/in (stiff) |
| Front Ride Height | Minimum |
| Rear Ride Height | One or two notches above minimum |
Stiff rear springs support weight transfer on launch. The front is halved to let weight shift rearward. Minimum front height reduces drag and front lift at speed, while a slightly raised rear gives the suspension room to squat on launch and plant the tyres.
Damping
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Rebound | 4.0 to 5.0 |
| Rear Rebound | 8.0 to 10.0 |
| Front Bump | 2.5 to 3.0 |
| Rear Bump | 5.0 to 6.0 |
Stiff rear damping resists squat and keeps the rear planted under hard acceleration. Soft front allows weight to transfer rearward on launch. Bump is roughly 60% of rebound.
Aero
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Front Downforce | Remove front aero if possible |
| Rear Downforce | Minimum or remove (add rear wing only if wheelspin is severe) |
Less downforce means less aerodynamic drag and higher top speed. Only add a rear wing if you cannot control wheelspin through gearing and differential alone. Front aero adds drag with no benefit in a straight line.
Brakes
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Brake Balance | 50% |
| Brake Pressure | 100% |
Brakes are rarely used in drag racing, but balanced pressure helps if you need to stop at the end of a strip.
Differential
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Acceleration | 100% |
| Deceleration | 0% |
Full lock on acceleration ensures both driven wheels put power down equally.
Adjustment Tips
- Launch technique is everything. Practice feathering the throttle off the line to avoid wheelspin.
- AWD with full power will usually beat RWD due to superior launch traction.
- Gear ratios matter more than any other tuning setting in drag racing.
- If you are bogging down on launch, shorten first gear. If you are spinning, lengthen it.
- Consider using 8 to 10 gears for drag builds. More gears means less time between shifts and more time at peak power.
- Weight reduction is critical for drag. Every kilogram removed improves acceleration directly.
- Race clutch and driveline are mandatory for drag: shift time is pure lost seconds. They are also some of the cheapest PI in the shop.
- EVs and single-speed hybrids (Regera, Nevera, Taycan) skip shifting entirely, which is why they dominate short drag distances. Against one of them, you need a big top-speed advantage.
- The Series 2 drag tyre nerf does not affect drag racing: only cornering grip was reduced. Straight-line launch grip, drag times, and drag leaderboards are unchanged, so drag tyres remain the correct compound here.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon good in Forza Horizon 6?
Yes. It is a current meta pick for Drag at S2 class, straight from the FH6 Rivals leaderboards.
What class is the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon best at?
It is meta at S2 class in Forza Horizon 6.
How should I run the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon?
Run it RWD with Stock or 8.9L V8 DSC options. The full upgrade order and exact tuning values are on this page.
Tweak this build for a different class or discipline in the FH6 tuning calculator, or read the Drag setting guide.