Dodge Announces Chief Donut Maker Contest Winner On Hemi Day

Right now in the United States, many companies are struggling to find employees to fill key positions. Meanwhile at Dodge, 173,500 people “applied” to become the automaker’s chief donut maker, which as you can guess, has nothing to do with baked goods. 10 finalists were eventually chosen, and from them, North Carolina resident Preston Patterson was crowned the winner awarded the job.

What does Patterson get for his exhaustive interview? The chief donut maker gets a $150,000 check and the keys to a new Dodge Challenger Hellcat, though it’s only for a year. It’s a “company car” that Patterson will presumably use while performing his functions as a tire slayer and brand ambassador for Dodge over the next 12 months.

“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 following his win. “I’m 100 percent 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.”

7 Photos

The last challenge saw Patterson and finalist Lauren F. whipping a pair of Challenger Hellcats around tracks at Radford Racing School in Chandler, Arizona. Burnouts, autocrossing, and donuts were mixed with answering critical Dodge trivia questions a brand ambassador should know. And there’s symmetry with the winner being announced on April 26, the unofficial Hemi day that pays homage to the original 426 cubic-inch Hemi V8 engine.

“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.”