The classic definition of muscle cars has changed over the past several decades. Although the definition is altered, these cars are still the go-to monsters for drag racing fun. When you think of a muscle car, you might picture V-8-powered machines with big power and performance from the 1960s and early 1970s, but we’ve got ten modern muscle cars that can take you to the end of a quarter-mile in a hurry.

The desire to go as fast as possible from one place to another is instilled in our adrenaline, which rushes forward to provide focus and strength when required. Once you step behind the wheel of these ten muscle cars, that adrenaline rush, coupled with the smell of burning rubber and exhaust fumes, provides an intoxicating cocktail of speed, power, performance, and fun.

What are the ten best muscle cars for drag racing? We’ve gathered information from Edmunds, MotorTrend, and Road & Track to bring you fast and furious machines made to dominate the track, one-quarter mile at a time.

Related: The Fastest Muscle Cars Of The 1960s

10 2023 Ford Mustang Mach 1: An Excellent Drag Racing Muscle Car

Quarter-Mile Time: 12.2 seconds

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is the best of what the Mustang offers. The Mach 1 delights you during the drive, engages your skills on the road, and can be a lot of fun to drive. It’s a great choice to begin our list of some of the best muscle cars for drag racing.

Performance

Although you can hit the drag circuit and finish respectably in the Mustang Mach 1, this muscle car is made for fun on the road or racing around a track. This Ford excels on curvy roads, bringing tremendous grip and confidence to any drive.

9 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody: Thundering V-8 Power

Quarter-Mile Time: 11.8 seconds

The Hellcat engine, coupled with the Dodge Challenger name, has become a recipe for muscle car success in many drag races. The SRT Hellcat Widebody is the basic formula for a car offered in several versions, especially when you review the seven Last Call models from Dodge.

Performance

If you don’t mind buying lots of tires, the thundering V-8 power of the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the perfect muscle car for your track-day fun. This car makes billowing smoke from the tires a lot of fun right before you take off down the drag strip ahead of the competition.

Related: 5 Reasons Why The 2023 Dodge Charger SRT Is A Great Muscle Car ( And 5 Reasons It Isn't)

8 2024 Ford Mustang GT: More Coyote Power Than Ever

Quarter-Mile Time: 11.8 seconds

The 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine is one of the most well-respected V-8 engines in the muscle car world. Ford added more power and performance to the Mustang GT, adding more to this power plant and giving this car items to make it last much longer on the drag strip.

Performance

The GT model packs a punch as one of the best muscle cars for drag racing, but a new Dark Horse trim will deliver more power and higher-grade performance features to be a more powerful Mustang for some quick quarter-mile times. The Dark Horse might have made this list if sprint times were available.

7 2023 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack: Big Hemi Power For Muscle Car Dominance

Quarter-Mile Time: 11.7 seconds

The biggest Hemi V-8 engine in the Dodge Challenger lineup resides under the hood of the R/T Scat Pack model. This big naturally aspirated engine strikes fear in the hearts and minds of those that hear this amazing Challenger roaring at the drag strip.

Performance

If you’re looking at this Challenger to create the best muscle car for drag racing, choose the automatic transmission, adaptive dampers, and Dynamics package to enjoy 20-inch wheels and six-piston Brembo brakes. The R/T Scat Pack could be the best muscle car at the drag strip.

Related: Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger Edition - Old School Swag at its Finest

6 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Superior Speed From A Chevy Muscle Car

Quarter-Mile Time: 11.5 seconds

When Chevrolet created the latest ZL1 Camaro, it set records at Nürburgring, which caused European automakers to pay attention to an American muscle car in a new way. This Camaro ripped off a fast lap time of 7:16.04 with the 1LE track package included.

Performance

The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is more than an excellent track car for some laps, it’s also one of the fastest drag-racing muscle cars. The 1LE package is a fitting addition with an adjustable suspension, extreme performance tires, carbon fiber items, and less weight with the rear seats removed.

5 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500: Where A Pony And Cobra Combine

Quarter-Mile Time: 11.3 seconds

The 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 is easily one of the best muscle cars for drag racing. It is the most powerful Mustang ever made, at least until the new generation models arrive in 2024. This powerful machine is a fitting challenger to the Dodge and Chevrolet muscle cars.

Performance

It’s fitting the Shelby Mustang GT500 wears the Shelby name and has the Cobra badge on the front. This Ford muscle car carries the torch for the brand with high-end performance features, including a rear spoiler with a Gurney flap, front and rear splitters, and a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track tires.

Related: Everything That Ford Missed On The 7th-Generation S650 Mustang

4 2023 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Jailbreak: Taking Us Back To the Old Days

Quarter-Mile Time: 10.6 seconds

The 2023 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Jailbreak is meant to bring an air of nostalgia to the muscle car world. This amazing sedan is not only a fast and capable drag racer, but it also includes parts that come from other trims, reminiscent of how customers could order muscle cars in the early days.

Performance

To enjoy this Charger, a dealership must have an SRT allocation, much the same as in the old days. The Jailbreak is one o the seven Last Call models of the Charger and Challenger before these high-powered machines turn to electrification.

3 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock: Is It Really The Demon Lite?

Quarter-Mile Time: 10.5 seconds

The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock has been the topic of many muscle car conversations. This Challenger has a Redeye hood and the same Hemi V-8 with a red engine block and red eye in the badges to give it away. Still, the Super Stock is its own animal in the muscle car world.

Performance

Dodge intended the Challenger Super Stock to be a dominant force on the open road, not a drag-racing machine. That doesn’t stop owners from scheduling a track day and ripping off some incredibly fast quarter miles in this amazing Challenger.

Related: The Fastest Muscle Cars Of 2023

2 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: Angry Drag Racing Muscle Car Performance

Quarter-Mile Time: 9.65 seconds

Dodge took the Hellcat name and turned it up several notches to bring us the Demon. The Demon was offered for one year and could deliver up to 840 horsepower when fueled by racing gasoline. This incredible Challenger has a racing package with special wheels and adjustments.

Performance

It wouldn’t be much fun to talk about an incredibly powerful muscle car unless there was some controversy. The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is so quick that it requires special equipment to be sanctioned for drag racing on NHRA tracks. Thankfully, that equipment isn’t necessary to beat your friends across an empty parking lot.

1 2023 Chevrolet COPO Camaro: Ready To Dominate The Drag Strip

Quarter-Mile Time: 8.0 seconds

Chevrolet brought back the COPO Camaro name or 2023, offering professional drag racing teams a new and powerful car to rocket down the track. This amazing Camaro is only made for the drag strip and won’t be seen on public roads.

Performance

The COPO Camaro name, became a serious drag-racing machine in the late 1960s when Chevy dealers ordered this car with special equipment to go against some of the most impressive muscle cars of the time. This latest Chevy muscle car shows what drag racing dominance means at the NHRA tracks.