The Dodge Brand Races to the Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon, Reveals the All-new 2011 Dodge Durango

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ --

• All-new 2011 Dodge Durango to pace the race at the "Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon presented by SunTrust"
• Dedicated Dodge running team, including Ralph Gilles, Dodge Brand President and CEO, to compete in the half marathon
• Dodge running team to caravan from Auburn Hills, Mich., to Virginia Beach, Va., in Dodge brand vehicles, including three all-new 2011 Dodge Durango SUVs, posting photo and video uploads along the way

The Dodge brand is going the distance as the title sponsor of the "Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon presented by SunTrust." Approximately 30 employee runners are driving a caravan of Dodge vehicles that will grip the pavement from Auburn Hills, Mich., to Virginia Beach, Va., over the Labor Day weekend. The Dodge running team will lace up their running shoes and participate in the Virginia Beach Half Marathon on Sunday, Sept. 5. In addition to being title sponsor of the event, the Dodge brand will proudly show off its all-new 2011 Dodge Durango as the official pace vehicle.

Three all-new 2011 Dodge Durango SUVs will lead the caravan of more than a dozen Dodge brand vehicles on the two-day trek. Employees geared up in Dodge Grand Caravans, Challengers, Chargers and a Journey, will leave the company's Auburn Hills Headquarters on Thursday, Sept. 2, and make the two-day trek to earn their stripes in the Virginia Beach Half Marathon, with plans to stop at the Safford Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge dealership in Fredericksburg, Va., along the way. Dodge brand fans and marathon supporters can go along for the ride via the Dodge brand Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dodge and the Dodge brand Twitter handle (@dodge).

"At the Dodge brand, we are passionate about our products, and we're also passionate about living life to the fullest," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Dodge Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "Running is a fun, energetic and healthy sport that reflects many of our own brand values, and participating in the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series is an excellent opportunity to expose our brand to the more than 1 million people who are somehow involved in or touched by the series."

Marathon runners and attendees will be fully immersed in the Dodge brand experience with interactive mobile applications, such as Facebook and Twitter, throughout the event's two-day Health & Fitness Expo. Running enthusiasts also can check out training tips and runner profiles on the Dodge brand Facebook page. On-site, the brand will have a display that features the all-new 2011 Dodge Durango. The display will be staffed by Dodge running team members, who will answer product questions and provide additional Dodge brand product information.

The Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon is part of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. The series of marathons and half marathons combine entertainment and running in a unique way. Bands stationed at every mile of the race keep runners and walkers energized, engaged and entertained. With more than 300,000 runners participating at 14 events across the nation, it is the largest and most widely attended marathon series in the world.

"The Competitor Group is pleased to officially welcome the Dodge brand into our Rock 'n' Roll family. We share a commitment to quality performance, dedication and passion for a healthy lifestyle," said Peter Englehart, CEO of the Competitor Group. "We're delighted that Dodge has chosen our Virginia Beach half marathon to unveil its new Durango, which will lead more than 20,000 runners across the finish line on Sunday."

This year, the Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon celebrates its 10th anniversary. Approximately 20,000 half marathon runners and walkers are expected to participate.

About Dodge

Dodge is a full line of cars, minivans and SUVs that are agile, daring sensible and inventive. The brand is on a tear for the 2011 model year, redefining itself with six all-new or significantly redesigned new vehicles, introducing new lifestyle packages designed to better meet the needs of its customers, launching catchy new ads that have started conversations with owners and potential owners, actively participating in new events and sponsorships and developing relationships with its long-loyal enthusiast base, as well as reaching out to customers who want cars that leave them wanting more.

The Dodge product line includes the Dodge Caliber, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Journey, Dodge Nitro and Dodge Viper SRT-10. Between the end of this year and early next, the brand will fill dealer showrooms with a vast array of new and updated products. The all-new Dodge Durango will lead the charge, followed by the all-new Dodge Charger and significantly revamped Grand Caravan, Journey, Avenger and Challenger.

About the all-new 2011 Dodge Durango

The 2011 Dodge Durango, jump starts Dodge back into the sport utility (SUV) segment with a three-row vehicle spacious enough to carry the entire crew and performance-tuned to thrill anyone who truly loves to drive. Durango will lead the Dodge brand's new product onslaught for 2011.

From its sleek exterior design to its modern, spacious interior, and intelligent, fuel-efficient and powerful powertrain options, the 2011 Dodge Durango is all-new from the inside out. And the changes are more than skin deep. The Durango's stiffened unibody structure is engineered with the driving enthusiast in mind. The end result is a vehicle that delivers premium driving performance combined with SUV capability and crossover versatility.

About The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series

Organized by The Competitor Group, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series is famous for lining race routes with live bands and cheerleaders, massive participant numbers and rocking post race concerts. The original Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 1998 is still recognized as the largest inaugural marathon in history with 19,979 entrants. Over the 13-year history of the series, more than 75,000 charity runners have raised more than $233 million for a variety of worthy causes and nonprofit organizations. Today, the series of marathons and half-marathons has spread to fourteen cities nationwide. For more information or to register for an event, please visit www.runrocknroll.com.

About The Competitor Group

Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI), headquartered in San Diego, CA, is the leading endurance media and event entertainment company dedicated to promoting the sports of running, cycling and triathlon. CGI owns and operates 36 national events delivering more than 350,000 professional and amateur participants in 2010. CGI publishes four magazine titles with a combined monthly circulation of over 800,000 and has recently launched an online endurance community at competitor.com delivering over 1.5 million monthly unique visitors and over 25 million page views. Further information about Competitor and its media properties can be found at www.cgimediakit.com.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC