After months of anticipation and more than 173,500 applications, the Dodge brand’s search to fill the greatest automotive job in the world came to its supercharged conclusion today. Proving he has the character and the drive in a series of high-stakes challenges, Preston Patterson of North Carolina has officially been named chief donut maker in today’s grand finale webisode, now airing on DodgeGarage.com.
“After a nearly four-month search for our chief donut maker, we were blown away by our 10 finalists, and how each uniquely embodied the very best of the Dodge brand,” said Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis. “We put our candidates to the test both on and off the track and Preston never lifted, proving that he possesses the knowledge, character and drive to represent the Brotherhood of Muscle.”
“To go from a kid who had a poster of a Dodge Viper on my bedroom wall to being handed the keys to a Dodge Challenger Hellcat as my company car is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Patterson. “I’m 100% ready for my first assignment as chief donut maker, and I’m looking forward to representing Dodge and the Brotherhood of Muscle at some epic automotive events in this next year, especially Roadkill Nights this summer.”
The competition began with applications in January, then short video submissions due by the end of February. The videos informed the brand’s selection of the top 10 finalists in March. From there the finalists were flown out to Radford Racing School for a series of challenges and eliminations that became the basis for the web series now airing on DodgeGarage.com.
The chief donut maker will earn $150,000, receive keys to a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and access to some of the auto industry’s biggest events, all over a one-year commitment.
Dodge enlisted champion wrestler Bill Goldberg to oversee the competition, with appearances from celebrities Joey Wells and Will “Spank” Horton from Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew, NHRA champion Matt Hagan and sportscaster Katie Osborne.
The finalists included Abbie K. (Burley, Idaho), Artie S. (Brooklyn, New York), Corrie M. (Las Vegas), Edgar C. (Taylorsville, Utah), Jamie H. (Birmingham, Alabama), James O. (La Vergne, Tennessee), Lauren F. (Las Vegas), Melissa W. (Highland Lakes, New Jersey), and Pauline Y. (Monterey, California).
The chief donut maker search is part of the brand’s Never Lift plan, which provides a 24-month road map to Dodge’s performance future.
The announcement was made today, HEMI® Day (April 26), celebrated by Dodge and Mopar fans everywhere. It is a reference to the legendary 426-cubic-inch HEMI V-8 built from 1964 through the 1971 model year.
