Dodge has lots of news at the 2022 SEMA Show, but one piece pertains to the Roadkill Nights event held each year in Pontiac, Michigan. Rather than waiting until next spring or summer to announce that Roadkill will be happening in 2023, the brand opted to announce it well in advance. The decision to announce the event so early is due to the format of the Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Race, which includes an all-new engine.
Rather than using one of the Hellcat engines like they have for the past few years of Roadkill Nights, Dodge will instead provide each team with one of the new HurriCrate, 3.0-liter twin turbocharged inline-six engine. This engine is currently only available in the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, but with the inclusion of the new engine family in the Dodge-related Direct Connection catalog, it seems more likely than ever that some Dodge vehicle will be getting this engine in the near future.
“Roadkill Nights just continues to evolve and get better each year, and we knew we were going to run it back next year, so we thought, ‘Why wait?’ We’re announcing right now that our horsepower circus will be coming to town in 2023,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer – Stellantis. “Next year, Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Race competitors will have at the heart of their build projects new Direct Connection HurriCrate engines. Since this is new tech for our enthusiasts, we’re going to give them more time to dial in their race car builds. We can’t wait to see the results next summer during Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge.”
For the 2023 Roadkill Nights Grudge Match, teams will consist of a newcomer to the builder/racer world and a veteran, presumably someone who has participated in a prior Roadkill grudge match race.
There will be plenty more information on Roadkill Nights 2023 in the future, but for now, we know that the event will be happening and it will feature the new Hurricane inline-six engine in the Direct Connection Grudge Match.
Patrick Rall is a professional writer and photographer with a passion for all things automotive. Having grown up in his father’s performance shop, he spent extensive time at the oval track and drag strip – both driving and wrenching on various types of vehicles. In addition to working as a writer, Patrick previously worked as an automotive technician before moving on to a business office position with a chain of dealerships, and this broad spectrum of experience in the industry allows him to offer a unique look on the automotive world. Follow Patrick on Twitter, Facebook and on Youtube.
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