Dream Cruise week: Roadkill Nights, Dream Show, more coming Aug. 10-17

Posted by Talbot Payne on July 19, 2024

Pontiac — Here comes the Cruise.

A month out from Metro Detroit’s renowned automobile celebration, the Woodward Dream Cruise, the week’s festivities have firmed up for Aug. 10-17. Motor Trend’s ninth annual Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge will open the carpalooza Saturday, Aug. 10 with drag racing — returning to M1 Concourse after its 2023 diversion to downtown Pontiac. The week culminates with the Saturday, Aug. 17 Woodward Dream Cruise — the world’s largest one-day car show.

M1 Concourse, a private car club that hosts public auto enthusiast events throughout the year, has become a focus of the Cruise, anchoring the northern, Pontiac end of the 16-mile route at South Boulevard and Woodward. Ferndale anchors the south at Nine Mile. Additional participating communities include Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Huntington Woods, Royal Oak and Pleasant Ridge.

Coming to Woodward next month will be a show-stopping parade of classics like this golden coupe seen at the 2022 event.
Coming to Woodward next month will be a show-stopping parade of classics like this golden coupe seen at the 2022 event. Daniel Mears, The Detroit News

Brands and charities have embraced the Cruise, which is estimated to attract 1 million people. In addition to Dodge’s presence at M1, corporate sponsors include Ford with Mustang Alley at Nine Mile and Chevrolet at the Old Woodward/Woodward Avenue triangle between Webster and Haynes streets.

“For nearly a decade, Roadkill Nights has brought horsepower enthusiasts together for a celebration of performance like none other,” Dodge brand CEO Matt McAlear said this week. “In addition to drag racing, we have surprises in store this year that are sure to send a charge through all Roadkill Nights attendees.”

Roadkill Nights brings street legal racing to Woodward, but the addition of a Michigan turn lane outside of M1 scrambled the event in 2023 — forcing organizers to move the event to downtown Pontiac. Without M1’s adjacent, 87-acre property — which complemented the street racing with a sprawling car show, Dodge thrill rides, and food vendors — the event fizzled.

While details are still forthcoming on the dragstrip’s configuration, the event will be back at its traditional M1 location this year with the signature Direct Connection Influencer Grudge Race where hot rodders compete for a $10,000 prize. This year, six influencers — including Sick Media’s Tom Bailey, “Torque N Tungsten” YouTube channel’s Morgan Evans, and Herman “Demonology” Young — will move on from Dodge’s V-8 era and build dragsters around Dodge’s new, twin-turbo, inline-6 cylinder Hurricane engine.

Opposities: Roadkill Nights Grudge Match finalists from the 2022 showdown at M1.

Opposities: Roadkill Nights Grudge Match finalists from the 2022 showdown at M1. Henry Payne, The Detroit News

The Dream Cruise feeds on nostalgia for youthful drag racing — complemented by blaring music and Motor City steel roaming the Woodward highway.

M1 Concourse keeps the motors running by extending its Woodward Dream Show event to Wednesday, Aug. 14 — rebranding the Pontiac event the Woodward Dream Show & Festival.

Corvettes on Woodward moves to M1 Concourse on Aug. 14 during this year's Dream Cruise week.

Corvettes on Woodward moves to M1 Concourse on Aug. 14 during this year’s Dream Cruise week. Henry Payne, The Detroit News

“The Woodward Dream Show’s traditional third weekend in August was from Friday to Saturday. This year, we’ve introduced an all-Corvette event on Wednesday — the traditional Corvettes on Woodward event (formerly held at the Kingsley Inn at Long Lake and Woodward) — is now coming to M1 because the facility lends itself to automotive events,” said M1 CEO Tim McGrane in an interview. “We also have an activity Thursday (morning) with 30-40 Ford GTs on track. Then Friday, we’re celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Pontiac GTO, and Saturday we have a tribute to the year 1964. Art, music, history fashion — we’re making it a big, fun-filled festival.”

The 1964 cultural celebration will include a NASA exhibit with Gemini space suit, three live bands playing ‘60s music, and a history of the miniskirt.

In addition to hot rodding, the Dream Cruise draws its energy from the heritage of road-side drive-ins captured in films like “American Graffiti.” Woodward hangouts like Ted’s, Suzie Q’s and Big Boy were the places to be seen back in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Today, enthusiast groups — with monikers like The Flaming Pistons, North Oakland Bowties, DeLorean Motor City Club and American Road Thunderbird Club — and spectators fill every inch of the route from the Donut Cutter parking lot in Berkley to curbside spots in front of the Roseland Park Cemetery to Hunter House Burgers in Birmingham.

A Dodge Charger smokes out its tires during a burnout contest Friday at the fifth annual Roadkill Nights in 2019. This year, the event returns to M1 Concourse after a one-year detour to downtown Pontiac.

A Dodge Charger smokes out its tires during a burnout contest Friday at the fifth annual Roadkill Nights in 2019. This year, the event returns to M1 Concourse after a one-year detour to downtown Pontiac. Daniel Mears, The Detroit News

When they aren’t catching up with friends, fans are ogling street rods, big block V-8s, classic Caddys, European exotics, and Batmobiles cruising just feet away on Woodward.

Ford Motor Co. will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Mustang at its traditional Mustang Alley venue at Nine Mile in Ferndale. The Blue Oval will showcase other models at Kruse & Muer restaurant on Woodward.

Chevrolet will also present numerous vehicles between Webster and Haynes streets on Woodward. Look for V-8 beasts like the mid-engine Corvette, the electric Silverado and Colorado ZR2.

The city of Pontiac has declared Friday, Aug. 16 as GTO Day. Brian Baker, M1 Concourse's director for Festivals and Events outlined the event earlier this summer.T
he city of Pontiac has declared Friday, Aug. 16 as GTO Day. Brian Baker, M1 Concourse’s director for Festivals and Events outlined the event earlier this summer. Henry Payne, The Detroit News

The Cruise has its roots in charity, beginning with a 1995 fundraiser by Nelson House that attracted 250,000 people to raise money for a Ferndale soccer field.

That tradition continues. Corvettes on Woodward on Aug. 14, for example, will raise funds for Open Hands Food Pantry. Just below Long Lake and Woodward on Aug. 16, Danny’s Miracle Angel Network (D-MAN) offers free, convertible muscle car rides to the physically impaired.

Mustang Alley on Nine Mile in Ferndale on Saturday was the place to see under the hoods.

Mustang Alley on Nine Mile in Ferndale on Saturday was the place to see under the hoods. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

The official Dream Cruise kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16 in Ferndale with the Dream Cruise Ribbon Cutting Ceremony — followed at 5:30 p.m. by the Lights & Sirens Cruise Parade.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

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