DodgeGarage is passionate about our grassroots racers — those guys and gals who put in a lot of hours perfecting their craft. In 2018, Dodge announced that they would sponsor 50 late model HEMI^® engine-powered vehicles at each and every NMCA race for the year, and so The Dodge HEMI Shootout was born. DodgeGarage livestreamed each race for the fans, and the response was overwhelming.

In 2019, we wanted to get to know these racers on a more personal level. So many questions were swirling through our heads, so we went to each NMCA race in 2019 to ask these racers our burning questions and came up with a fun series we call Weekend Warriors. After all, that’s exactly what these people are. Work hard during the week and race harder on the weekends. Check out some of the videos from this year’s Weekend Warriors series and keep checking back for future installments!

Herb

Herb was the first Weekend Warrior we featured on the site. He’s gone from watching his dad race a ’68 Charger R/T during his childhood to racing a Dodge Challenger SRT® Hellcat today. Through the years, Herb has owned several Dodge Brand vehicles and raced every single one. Let it all hang out, Herb, and we’ll see you at the drag strip in the new year!

Jeff

Jeff started drag racing right out of high school in 1977 and hasn’t slowed down since. Today, Jeff daily drives his Dodge Challenger 1320 during the week, but make no mistake, he is burning rubber on the track on the weekends. See ya next year, Jeff!

Simon

We met up with Simon at Lapeer Dragway and Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge. He’s got a passion for drag racing, a group of friends he competes with regularly … and a pretty badass ride. Thanks for hanging out with us, Simon! Keep racing the hell out of it.

The Smiths

We’ll always have a soft spot in our heart for a father/son racing team. There’s something about watching the racing sport being handed down from generation to generation. Make no mistake, when the tree turns green, these two are fierce competitors with one another.

Chuck

A lifelong Dodge fan, Chuck has been racing these badass muscle machines since he was old enough to drive. Now, he hits the tracks with his son … handing the passion down to the next generation. You know what they say … a family that races together, stays together!

Marty

What does one do when you want to race, but you know you want to start a family? You get a Charger, of course! Marty’s passion for muscle cars and racing may have started a little later in life than most, but we’re glad he finally came around. Welcome to the brotherhood, Marty! And we can’t wait to meet the newest addition, Brayden!

Wade

Thanks to a buddy’s brother, Wade caught the drag racing bug early in life. A self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, he not only likes the thrill of racing, but also the camaraderie within the Dodge enthusiast community. A Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, a drag strip and some buddies … it doesn’t get much better than that. Keep racing the hell out of that SRT Demon Wade!

James

From a young spectator at the track with his dad to an all-out participant as an adult. After seeing his dream car at a Barrett-Jackson auction, James knew it was not only the perfect daily driver, but also a car that could tear up the strip. He likes to show off his mad skills on the track and we can’t blame him! Burn some rubber, James!