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
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.
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