Someone was saying that it takes $100-$150K to make the 2021 car even competitive after you got it from Dodge?
If you want to be competitive in Factory Stock, probably true.
https://patterson-elite.com/engines/stock-eliminator-283-327-350ci-small-block-chevrolet/
Simple SBC for stock. Starts at 27k!!!! Your bone stock Hellcat crate engine makes more power than this.
Lot of rules and restrictions in class racing drives the price up.
Look at it this way - 50 guys go out and buy a Drag Pak and go race. Perfect world, those cars all run within .001 of each other.
But you already dropped what 145k for your DP. You want to win.
So you pull the engine and start poking around on how to make it faster.
You look into the drive line, where can i lose some resistance.
Is this suspension ideal? Can it be better?
Its an arms race.
And if you think Dodge Demon ET record drama and bitching is bad, go hang out in the NHRA sportsman camp for a few weeks.