MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge Returns for Ninth Year, Direct Connection Grudge Match Competitors Revealed

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Jun 04, 2024, 11:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. , June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge will return for 2024 and will once again host legally sanctioned drag racing on Woodward Avenue in Metro Detroit this summer, including another heated battle between online automotive builders in the popular Direct Connection Grudge Race.

MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge brings legally sanctioned drag racing back to Woodward Avenue in Metro Detroit this summer
Direct Connection Grudge Race to headline MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge for fourth consecutive year
Six automotive builders with legions of online followers will do battle on the temporary Woodward Avenue drag strip
Grudge Race competitors will use Direct Connection HurriCrate engines, derived from the high-output 3.0L Hurricane Twin Turbo engine, as foundational building blocks of their respective drag-car builds
More information on Direct Connection available at DCPerformance.com
Additional information on Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, including date, location, event and ticket details, will be shared later this spring and summer at DodgeGarage.com

Dodge and MotorTrend are running back the brands' annual horsepower festival for a ninth edition. MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge will once again host legally sanctioned drag racing on Woodward Avenue in Metro Detroit this summer, including another heated battle between online automotive builders in the popular Direct Connection Grudge Race.

"For nearly a decade Roadkill Nights has brought horsepower enthusiasts together for a celebration of performance like none other, and the 2024 event will add to the legacy of Dodge and MotorTrend's horsepower circus," said Matt McAlear, Dodge brand CEO – Stellantis. "In addition to drag racing and the Direct Connection Grudge Race, we have surprises in store this year that are sure to send a charge through all Roadkill Nights attendees."

Along with the chance to watch some of America's quickest street-legal cars in-person on Woodward Avenue, attendees can expect a classic and modern muscle car show, Dodge Thrill Rides, Dodge displays and Dodge show vehicles, Roadkill talent appearances, a vendor midway and much more.

"Dodge continues to be the engine driving Roadkill Nights for nearly a decade now, and there is simply nothing like watching our fans drag race down Woodward Avenue," said Alex Wellen, CEO and president – MotorTrend. "MotorTrend is thrilled to bring to life its most popular show in the Motor City."

Additional information on the 2024 edition of MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, including date, location, event and ticket details, will be shared later this spring and summer at DodgeGarage.com.

Lineup Set for Direct Connection Grudge Race
For the fourth consecutive year, the Direct Connection Grudge Race will serve as the headline attraction at Roadkill Nights. Automotive builders with legions of online followers will engage in weeks of social media smack talk before finally settling the score on the temporary Woodward Avenue drag strip.

Six competitors recently took delivery of new Direct Connection HurriCrate engines, derived from the high-output version of the 3.0L Hurricane Twin Turbo engine, to use as the foundational building blocks of their respective drag car build projects, giving the racers time to fine-tune their build projects. Direct Connection is the Dodge performance parts brand, offering factory-backed performance parts through the Dodge Power Brokers dealer network.

The mix of veteran and rookie Direct Connection Grudge Race competitors, all vying for their first Grudge Race win, will include:

Tom Bailey: Bailey, owner of the "Sick" media franchise, returns to the 2024 Direct Connection Grudge Race to compete solo after serving as a mentor in 2023, and will also host a burnout contest the day prior to the Roadkill Nights event
Westen Champlin: Coined "sexiest man in Kansas" and a self-proclaimed "horsepower connoisseur," Champlin competed in the 2021-2022 Direct Connection Grudge Race, bringing his energy and antics to millions of Dodge enthusiasts
Morgan Evans: Evans, a rookie Grudge Race competitor known to the social media world as someone who can build anything on four wheels, recently created a YouTube channel, "Torque N Tungsten," where she documents her metal artwork and crazy builds
Allison Kovalik: Kovalik might be new to the Direct Connection Grudge Race, but she's no stranger to Roadkill Nights or building sick drag cars — she grew up rebuilding vehicles and currently owns a 1967 Dart that she rebuilt and races
Garrett Reed: A custom ride builder and creator of the popular American Muscle HD social channels, Reed is excited to make his Grudge Race debut
Herman Young: Young (a.k.a. "Demonology"), a returning veteran in the event, is a passionate member of the Dodge Brotherhood of Muscle gunning for his first victory after coming up short in the 2022-2023 Direct Connection Grudge Race

More information on the full Direct Connection Grudge Race lineup is available at DodgeGarage.com.

All competitors will be linked with a Dodge Power Brokers dealer to assist with their build projects. Competitors will also receive VIP access to the Direct Connection Tech hotline at (800) 998-1110 for assistance. More information on Direct Connection and Dodge Power Brokers is available at DCPerformance.com.

MotorTrend Group
MotorTrend Group, a Warner Bros. Discovery company, is the world's largest automotive media group dedicated to introducing, inspiring, and intensifying people's passions for the motoring world. Comprising more than 50 iconic brands including MOTORTREND, HOT ROD, ROADKILL and more, MotorTrend Group is the ultimate source of entertainment and information for both auto enthusiasts and car shoppers, with a monthly audience over 30 million in addition to over 70 million social followers. Featuring world-class automotive entertainment across the No. 1 television network for automotive fans, digital streaming channels, iconic events, the largest automotive social network, category-leading podcasts, over seven decades of print and digital editorial content, and cutting-edge resources for new car shoppers, MotorTrend embodies every corner of car culture. From electric vehicles to timeless classic customs, MotorTrend Group brings the latest motoring trends to fans of all generations.

Dodge//SRT
For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments in which the brand competes while moving forward to a future that includes electrified muscle in the form of the next-generation, all-new Dodge Charger.

The next-generation Dodge Charger electrifies a legend, with the Charger retaining its title as the world's quickest and most powerful muscle car led by the all-new, all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack. The all-new Dodge Charger will also offer performance choices via multi-energy powertrain options including the 550-horsepower Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O., powered by the 3.0L Twin Turbo Hurricane High Output engine.

Dodge also keeps its foot on the gas as a pure performance brand with the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever, and best-in-class standard performance in the compact utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge//SRT and company news and video on:
Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Dodge brand: www.dodge.com
Direct Connection: www.DCPerformance.com
DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial
Twitter: www.twitter.com/dodge and @StellantisNA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA