Roadkill Nights To Return In 2023 With Builds Based On Newly Announced HurriCrate Engine

Dodge and Motor Trend announced today that the Detroit-based Roadkill Nights event will return in the summer of 2023 with a new “Grudge Race” race designed to highlight its latest products from its aftermarket subsidiary, Direct Connection.

“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.

The grudge match will see personalities from Motor Trend shows like “Roadkill” take an amateur builder under their wing. Together, the “Mentor,” as the show hosts are being called, will help their protégé build a Dodge or Plymouth project car with the HurriCrate engine at its heart.

Read: These Guys Are Dropping A Hellcat Redeye Engine Into A Dodge Viper For Roadkill Nights

Unveiled today at SEMA 2022, the HurriCrate series of crate engines is based on the Hurricane inline-six engine. Offered in two guises (for now), the Cat 1 engine makes an estimated 420 hp (313 kW/426 PS) and 468 lb-ft (635 Nm) of torque.

The builders participating in this new challenge will likely prefer to go with the Cat 3 version of the HurriCrate engine. Thanks to twin Garrett turbochargers that can produce up to 26 psi of peak boost and oil-jet-cooled forged aluminum pistons, it makes 550 hp (410 kW/558 PS) and 531 lb-ft (720 Nm) of torque.

Dodge, though, has also promised a third variant intended specifically for racing. The Cat X HurriCrate’s performance figures have not yet been announced, but it is expected to be unveiled in 2023 and make more than 1,000 hp (746 kW/1,014 PS), which would likely make it the basis for a great Grudge Match racer, too.

Whatever version of the crate engine they opt for, once it’s cozily nestled in their project car, it will then be put to the test. The amateur builders will compete in drag races at Roadkill Nights 2023 to find out which build is the best.

“Since this is new tech for our enthusiasts, we’re going to give them more time to dial in their race car builds,” said Kuniskis. “We can’t wait to see the results next summer during Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge.”