'Bucking Hemi' bull vanishes after Michigan event, reappears hundreds of miles away in bizarre twist
Published on Aug 18, 2025 at 8:14 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 18, 2025 at 12:46 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Ram’s Bucking Hemi mechanical bull was returned following ‘67 hours of uncertainty’ after going missing following the Roadkill Nights event in Michigan.
The carmaker took the mechanical bull along to the Roadkill Nights event at Pontiac earlier this month.
Following the event, Ram announced that Bucking Hemi had been stolen at the event.
But as it turns out, that was really only the beginning of the whole saga.
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Ram’s Bucking Hemi mechanical bull had an eventful few days
Earlier this year, Ram U-turned on its decision to ditch the V8 Hemi and has since unveiled the 2026 Ram 1500, much to the delight of fans.
The powerful engine is so beloved by gearheads that Ram made a rather unusual piece of memorabilia in the form of the Bucking Hemi mechanical bull.
But after being present at the NASCAR Truck Series events, Ram CEO said Bucking Hemi had been stolen.
“This is bull****,” he said.
“Our Bucking Hemi was taken on Saturday evening. The search is officially on, and we won’t stop searching until we get him back.”
The theft was reported across several media outlets, and Ram even made a missing poster for the mechanical bull.
However, Sheriff Michael Bouchard from Oakland County later said he didn’t believe the Ram’s Bucking Hemi had actually been stolen.
“The company never actually lost the bull,” he said.
“I find this to be very frustrating and a tremendous waste of valuable investigative time. Now, we’re pivoting to see if a crime was committed by the filing of a false police report.”
He told Road & Track the incident was still being investigated.
Now, Ram has released an additional statement explaining that the whole thing was a bit of a mix-up.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who rallied behind us and worked to bring RAM’s Bucking Hemi home. Notably, we are extremely grateful and sincerely appreciate the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office’s assistance in this matter,” the statement read.
“After 67 hours of uncertainty and a 1,200-mile round-trip journey to and from North Carolina, Bucking Hemi has returned. It was mistakenly taken by one of the show contractors, who realized the error after media coverage brought it to their attention.
“We’re looking forward to more free rides at Bucking Hemi’s next appearance.”
Ram’s V8 Hemi is here to stay
In 2024, Ram made the very controversial decision to drop the V8 Hemi from its vehicles.
The announcement went down like a lead balloon with Ram fans.
But just a few months on Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis admitted that it had been a ‘mistake’ to ditch the Hemi and that it would be back for the 2026 model year.
“Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle it defines you. Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi — we own it and we fixed it,” Kuniskis said.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
