• August 15, 2007

Chrysler's Dodge brand will promote its Durango SUV at the Texas State Fair, with a program called the "Durango Tango" dancing endurance contest.

The event, on Sept. 27, features former "Dancing with the Stars" champion Emmitt Smith, who will host the dance endurance contest involving 30 fairgoers dancing for more than 24 hours. The last one standing wins a Durango SUV.

For every hour the contest lasts, $500 will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. Each of the contestants will be dancing with a life-size doll that they've dressed up using Texas props.

The company created a Web site for the event, DodgeDurangoTango.com, where prospective contestants have to write a 250-word essay response to the question: "Why are your tango, twists and turns worthy of winning a new Dodge Durango?"

--Karl Greenberg