'Roadkill Nights Powered By Dodge' Revs Up With New Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Match

MotorTrend's Alex Taylor to Face Off Against Eight Leading Automotive Personalities

• Tickets for the seventh edition of MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge on Saturday, August 13, are now available at www.motortrend.com/roadkill-nights-2022/
• Popular online automotive builder showdown returns with the Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Match, providing a new twist with competitors using Dodge Direct Connection parts to build their drag cars
• 2021 Grudge Match winner Alex Taylor returns to defend her crown against returning competitors Tavarish, Westen Champlin and throtl, as well as five formidable event "rookies"
• MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge one-day car culture festival includes legal street drag racing, Dodge thrill and drift rides, Dodge Demon drag race simulators, a classic and modern car show and much more
• Enthusiasts can follow automotive personalities as they work on their Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Match build projects at www.dodgegarage.com/roadkill-nights-2022

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tickets are now available for the seventh edition of MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge. The annual event is leveling up from years past by adding a new twist on last year's popular online automotive builder showdown, won by drag racer, mechanic and automotive content creator Alex Taylor. This year, competitors will use Dodge Direct Connection parts in building a drag-race machine under a tight deadline before bringing it to Woodward Avenue to go head-to-head on the strip.

The Dodge brand and MotorTrend announced today the all-star lineup of automotive personalities who will compete in a bracket-style showdown where the winner will go up against Taylor in the Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Match. Automotive content creators will include returning favorites Tavarish, Westen Champlin and throtl, plus five new additions to the cast: Christina Roki, Demonology, Corruptt Builds, Collete Davis and David Patterson. Enthusiasts can follow the Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Match build projects at www.dodgegarage.com/roadkill-nights-2022.

• Freddy Hernandez, better known online as Tavarish, is an automotive YouTuber known primarily for his rebuilding videos
• Westen Champlin is an auto guru from Kansas with a YouTube channel that focuses on rebuilding and fixing pickup trucks and other vehicles
• Mickey Andrade, Rickie Fernandez and Quinn Clark, also known as throtl, focus on car builds and have one of the fastest growing YouTube channels for young car fans
• An engineering student and builder, Christina Roki made a name for herself in the automotive space as a content creator focused on demonstrating how building cars can be affordable and relatable
• Herman Young, also known as Demonology, is an American YouTuber and content creator with a knack for all things Dodge Demon
• Corruptt Builds, otherwise known as Tony Arme, specializes in taking beat-up and run-down hot rods and muscle cars and turning them into high-end, show-winning builds
• Collete Davis is a car builder, racer, TV host and YouTuber known for unique and colorful builds and has competed professionally in everything from open-wheel cars, rally cross, monster trucks and now drifting, with numerous wins under her belt
• ThatDudeInBlue, David Patterson, has been in the film and auto industry for more than 10 years. His content covers everything from car reviews, project car builds, documentaries, drifting and more

"The Grudge Match was a hit last year, so we're bringing it back to Roadkill Nights. But this time, we're giving competitors Direct Connection parts to use as building blocks in assembling their race cars," said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer – Stellantis. "It'll be fun to see if Alex can defend her crown against a mix of returning racers and new blood. Last year, everyone learned that getting traction is the key to street racing on Woodward Avenue. So this year, we're upping the ante. All competitors will be running a Direct Connection crate engine that they can modify however they want, but they will all have the added challenge of competing with a Direct Connection six-speed manual transmission."

"I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to defend my championship from last year," said Taylor. "Everyone participating brings such a unique style to their racing and building – it will be thrilling to see the power and plans they each have for the challenge."

Direct Connection is the Dodge brand's exclusive source of factory-backed performance parts, available through Dodge Power Brokers dealers. Competitors will use Direct Connection parts, including the Hellcrate Redeye 6.2L Supercharged Crate HEMI® engine and a plug-and-play Hellcrate Redeye 6.2L Supercharged Crate HEMI Engine Control Unit (ECU). Grudge Match builders will have VIP access to the Direct Connection Tech hotline at (800) 998-1110 for technical questions. More information on the Direct Connection is available at DCPerformance.com.

Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge brings legal street drag racing to Woodward Avenue, as well as a classic and modern muscle car show, exhilarating interactive experiences and immersive, fun-filled activities at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. Also returning are Dodge thrill and drift rides in Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcats, where participants can go for the rides of their lives on the M1 Concourse. A Direct Connection Alley area at the event will include a display trailer with Dodge Challenger SRT Demon virtual drag race simulators, Direct Connection crate engines and parts on display, and much more.

Read the full press release here. 

For more information, please visit the Stellantis media site for North America at https://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com.

SOURCE Stellantis