Dodge to Reveal New Muscle Ahead of 10th Roadkill Nights, Dodge Badassadors Make Debut at Roadkill Event

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

• Dodge kicks off Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge weekend with public debut of new Dodge muscle on Friday, August 8, with fans able to watch live at YouTube.com/Dodge
• Dodge Badassadors will debut at MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, sharing their passion for all things Dodge and interacting with fans
• Attendees at Roadkill Nights main event on August 9 can experience Dodge Thrill Rides in all-new, next-generation Dodge Charger muscle cars
• Racing legend Tony Stewart joins meet-and-greet autograph session with NHRA stars Leah Pruett, Matt Hagan and Ida Zetterstrom at Direct Connection display from 11:30-12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday
• Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Race returns for fifth year, NHRA stars Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett will perform burnouts on Woodward in 12,000-horspower Dodge drag cars
• Ram display will highlight the brand's Ram 1500 NASCAR concept truck, Raminator Monster Truck and the Bucking HEMI® Experience, plus Ram special builds will make their debut on the strip
• Tickets start at $25 for general admission, with a variety of ticket packages available at hotrod.com/roadkillnights

MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge is just days away, and Dodge is still coming strong with new thrills and fan activities on tap for the 10th year of the big horsepower celebration, which brings street-legal drag racing to Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, Michigan, on August 9.

Dodge will reveal its newest muscle to kick off Roadkill Nights weekend with a media preview event on Friday, August 8. Dodge fans can also catch all the action with a Livestream at YouTube.com/Dodge starting at 11 a.m. ET.

Dodge Badassadors – passionate Dodge enthusiasts who represent America's performance brand at events across the country – will make their debut at Roadkill Nights, sharing their passion for all things Dodge and interacting with fans. The Dodge Badassador program recruits passionate enthusiasts to promote the brand at events, including auto shows, Dodge enthusiast gatherings, NHRA drag races and more.

Racing legend and Dodge NHRA Top Fuel driver Tony Stewart is also joining the fun at Roadkill Nights. The owner of Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) will meet fans and sign autographs along with his wife and fellow NHRA star Leah Pruett, TSR driver and four-time NHRA champion Matt Hagan and NHRA racer Ida Zetterstrom at the Direct Connection rig from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

The new announcements add to a lengthy lineup of action at the Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge main event, scheduled for 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. ET on August 9, including:

• All-new Dodge vehicle reveals and Dodge Thrill Rides in all-new, next-generation Dodge Charger muscle cars
• Street-legal drag racing on historic Woodward Avenue with cash prizes in Big Tire and Small Tire classes with a walkable pit area that brings fans closer to the action and access to talk with racers and check out their drag cars
• Direct Connection Grudge Race, back for the fifth consecutive year, pitting online automotive builders against one another using engines and parts from Direct Connection
• NHRA stars Hagan and Pruett performing burnouts in 12,000-horspower drag cars on Woodward Avenue
• Dodge vehicle display, including all-new, next-gen Dodge Charger muscle cars
• Ram display, featuring Ram 1500 NASCAR concept, Raminator Monster Truck and Bucking HEMI® Experience
• Ram special builds, making their debut on the strip
• Mopar fan and famed blues rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, scheduled to stage one-of-a-kind performance of the national anthem
• Celebrity appearances, including Roadkill's David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan, David Newbern and Mike Cotten of MotorTrend's Road Warriors series, and automotive/TV personality Cristy Lee
• Dodge Direct Connection Alley, showcasing performance parts, crate engines and an NHRA Funny Car simulator
• Dodge Challenger SRT Demon drag race simulators
• Exhibition runs
• United Way silent auction
• Car show with classic and modern muscle vehicles
• Food trucks from local Pontiac vendors, providing great eats all day
• Dodge, Ram, Direct Connection and Roadkill Nights official merchandise for purchase
• Radford Racing School display with cars and crew
• Music and entertainment
• Vendor midway, including Mickey Thompson Tires, Long Drink and more

Fans who can't make it to Roadkill Nights in person can capture all the action from the August 9 main event via a Livestream feed hosted at YouTube.com/MotorTrend, YouTube.com/Dodge and DodgeGarage.com from 4 to 9 p.m. ET. They can also get up-to-the-minute information leading up to the event by following @hotrodmagazine and @dodgeofficial on Instagram.

A variety of ticket packages are available at hotrod.com/roadkillnights.

• Tickets start at $25 for general admission
• Pontiac residents with a valid ID can purchase tickets at a discounted rate of $20 at the gate
• Children 12 and under receive free admission
• Stellantis employees presenting an ID badge at the gate will also receive free admission, along with free admission for up to one guest
• Veterans receive $5 off regular general admission. To redeem the veteran discount, type "VETS5" at ticket checkout

Badassadors With Attitude

Dodge Badassadors will make their debut and bring their passion for the brand to Dodge's backyard, capturing content and shining a light on the brand all weekend during Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge.

The roster of Dodge Badassadors, which includes a number of competitors in the Direct Connection Grudge Race, share a love for all Dodge performance vehicles and use their platforms to share that love with the world. Dodge Badassadors will be at the forefront of sharing what's special about Dodge events, with job perks that include a Badassador Card that provides entry to Dodge enthusiast and motorsports events, exclusive access to Dodge vehicles to create content, elite VIP-level access at Dodge events, Dodge gear and more.

Enthusiasts can still apply to be a Badassador at dodgegarage.com/badassador.

The current team of 2025 Dodge Badassadors includes:

Hooligan Brothers: Hooligan Brothers, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a group of four "hooligans" who love anything about going fast, sideways or airborne. If it has a motor in it, they're going to find out how to give it that extra "umph."

Megan Coontz: A photographer, content creator and devoted vintage car collector with a deep love for all things Mopar, Coontz is passionate about showcasing the lifestyle, people and heritage that drive automotive culture.

Sal Cordova: Cordova, born in raised in Chicago, has been into cars since he was a kid. His daughter and amazing family always come first, and working in the garage on his car – always trying to find a way to take it to the next level – is just the kind of adventure that fuels him.

Garrett Dobbs: Dobbs' true passion lives at the drag strip. He's the proud owner, mechanic and racer of a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Dobbs, who served honorably in the United States Marine Corps for eight years, brings grit and precision to every part of racing.

Cody Espinoza: Espinoza is a lifelong Dodge enthusiast with more than 20 years of military service and an unshakable passion for driving. From the day he got behind the wheel of his first Dodge Dakota to now owning his incredible SRT Demon 170, he's been hooked.

JC Fernandez: A lifelong car enthusiast and the creator of the YouTube series "Cars, Shops & Collections," Fernandez spotlights classic cars and the people behind them. He's also a familiar face in Las Vegas as part of the Good Day Las Vegas morning team on CBS.

Deshown Luckey Jr.: Known as boostedluckey, but before he had 445,000 YouTube subscribers and more than 47 million views, he was (and always will be!) Deshown Luckey, Jr. The 26-year-old automotive enthusiast is best known for his videos about modifying and racing his Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.

John O'Malley: O'Malley, a born racer who grew up competing in motocross and snowcross and who competed in the 2008 Winter X Games before taking his racing career to four wheels, runs @BoostedMotorsports and is known for swapping SRT Hellcat engines into many vehicles.

Jose Pretel: Pretel is the mind behind OneBadHellcat, a high-octane social presence built around modern Mopar muscle. What started in 2021 as a passion project quickly turned into a full-blown movement with more than 700,000 followers and millions of monthly views.

Ricky Radford III: Originally from Jacksonville, North Carolina, Radford currently serves in the United States Marine Corps and has a passion for raw power and speed. His self-modified, daily driven Charger SRT Hellcat is proof of that.

Rochelle Richmond: Richmond has had a wrench in her hand since she was a carefree kid, now passing her passion down to her three children. From working with the next generation of car kids, to empowering women in the car community as an exec at Modified Chicks, she aspires to inspire.

Jonathan Rimbo: With his birthday on 4/26, national HEMI Day, Rimbo was destined for a big life revolving around his passion for cars. With over half a million followers collectively, he's best known for his fire-breathing Dodge Challenger Scat Pack.

Stefan Williams: Coming from Brooklyn, Williams (AKA: Mod2Fame) is everything you think a car enthusiast would be. He brings the excitement to any room he enters and is always ready for whatever challenges are thrown at him.

MotorTrend

MotorTrend has chronicled the auto industry's past, present, and future since 1949, catering to in-market shoppers and enthusiasts through authoritative, entertaining storytelling, world-class photography, and engaging video presentations. In addition to in-depth coverage of the latest in automotive technology, reporting on breaking news, and features on the biggest personalities, MotorTrend reviews hundreds of new cars every year, leveraging objective testing and the team's extensive expertise. Its renowned MotorTrend Car of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Truck of the Year awards are also internationally recognized as among the most prestigious in the industry. Follow MotorTrend on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Dodge//SRT

For 110 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge, America's performance brand, 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 2025 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 gas engine 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

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

 

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SOURCE Stellantis