Great Race
Encyclopedia
The Great Race is a classic rally
for street-legal vintage automobiles at least 45 years old. Vehicles must use original factory parts, and modern navigational aids like GPS are prohibited.
This is a precision pace race
, not a high speed race. Points are awarded on the accuracy of a driver and navigator to match a time and average speed over a predetermined course. Points are also awarded on a handicap system that awards bonus points to older vehicles. Prizes are awarded in several categories, including the "X-Cup" for high school
teams.
Tom McRae and Interstate Batteries
chairman Norm Miller. It was named for, and partially inspired by, the 1965
movie of the same name
. The rights to the race were purchased from Howard Williams of Oklahoma City, OK in the early 80's. Williams had earlier organized a race with two reproduction Stutz Bearcats in 1971. An inaugural race was held that year from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Indianapolis for the Memorial Day 500 race event. The first of its kind event, was sponsored by Tulsa-based Sunoco/DX, along with Goodyear Tires and Tulsa radio station KRMG. Coincidentally, the Sunoco sponsored car won the Indianapolis 500 that year.
Interstate Batteries first race was held in 1983, it is an annual event held over a 14-day period. The course usually runs from east-to-west or west-to-east on a 4000-mile journey across the continental United States
. The course typically avoids large cities, instead winding along secondary highways and back roads through small towns in America's heartland. While the towns that the course will run through are publicized in advance, the actual route itself is kept secret from the drivers and navigators. Each year, race organizers give the "Great American City" award to the town along the route with the most receptive audience. The race tends to be a festive and patriotic affair, with the streets lined with flags and marching band
s playing.
, History Channel (which became a race sponsor in the early 1990s), and full coverage shows have aired on Speed Channel
and The Outdoor Channel
.
The 2002 race was announced as being the final race, and the event's future appeared in doubt, but the race was acquired by Rally Partners, Inc., a group consisting of past Great Race competitors. With the new ownership, the event continued to run annually with 2007 being the last year.
In 2010, the name and assets were acquired by Corky Coker of Chattanooga, TN, former competitor and member of Rally Partners, Inc., and in conjunction with the Vintage Car Rally Association the event continued in the summer of 2011 with a race from Chattanooga, TN to Bennington, VT.
Nextel Cup
race cars sponsored by Interstate Batteries have also been used to promote the Great Race. Jack Roush
, owner of NASCAR
race teams has also participated as a competitor and is currently a co-owner of the Great Race.
Note: The event was known as the "Great American Race" up to the mid 1990s and for the 25th Anniversary race in 2007. Although the name "Great American Race" has been applied to the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500
, the events are not affiliated. Both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
and Daytona International Speedway
have served as the finish line of the Great Race.
Classic rally
Classic rallying, or historic rallying, is a type of road rally suitable for most standard classic cars, with no special equipment needed . These rallies are more about enjoyment than speed, and can be a good introduction to historic motorsport...
for street-legal vintage automobiles at least 45 years old. Vehicles must use original factory parts, and modern navigational aids like GPS are prohibited.
This is a precision pace race
Pace race
A competitive pace race is a timed race in which the objective is not to finish in the least time, but to finish within the prescribed time and in the best physical condition. In some races, the prescribed time is very narrowly defined and the winner is the competitor who finishes closest to the...
, not a high speed race. Points are awarded on the accuracy of a driver and navigator to match a time and average speed over a predetermined course. Points are also awarded on a handicap system that awards bonus points to older vehicles. Prizes are awarded in several categories, including the "X-Cup" for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
teams.
History
The Great Race was organized by TexansTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Tom McRae and Interstate Batteries
Interstate Batteries
Interstate Battery System of America, Inc., a.k.a. Interstate Batteries, is a privately owned company that markets automotive batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls through independent distributors to more than 200,000 automotive shops worldwide. The company is based in Dallas, Texas...
chairman Norm Miller. It was named for, and partially inspired by, the 1965
1965 in film
The year 1965 in film involved some significant events, with The Sound of Music topping the U.S. box office.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
movie of the same name
The Great Race
The Great Race is a 1965 slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, and with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. The supporting cast includes Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn,...
. The rights to the race were purchased from Howard Williams of Oklahoma City, OK in the early 80's. Williams had earlier organized a race with two reproduction Stutz Bearcats in 1971. An inaugural race was held that year from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Indianapolis for the Memorial Day 500 race event. The first of its kind event, was sponsored by Tulsa-based Sunoco/DX, along with Goodyear Tires and Tulsa radio station KRMG. Coincidentally, the Sunoco sponsored car won the Indianapolis 500 that year.
Interstate Batteries first race was held in 1983, it is an annual event held over a 14-day period. The course usually runs from east-to-west or west-to-east on a 4000-mile journey across the continental United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The course typically avoids large cities, instead winding along secondary highways and back roads through small towns in America's heartland. While the towns that the course will run through are publicized in advance, the actual route itself is kept secret from the drivers and navigators. Each year, race organizers give the "Great American City" award to the town along the route with the most receptive audience. The race tends to be a festive and patriotic affair, with the streets lined with flags and marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
s playing.
Media coverage
The slow speeds of the vehicles involved, combined with the long-distance nature of auto rallying have made television coverage of the event limited. Highlights have been shown on ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, History Channel (which became a race sponsor in the early 1990s), and full coverage shows have aired on Speed Channel
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
and The Outdoor Channel
The Outdoor Channel
Outdoor Channel is an American speciality channel focused on the outdoors, offering programming that includes hunting, fishing, Western lifestyle, off-road motorsports and adventure. The network can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a . ...
.
The 2002 race was announced as being the final race, and the event's future appeared in doubt, but the race was acquired by Rally Partners, Inc., a group consisting of past Great Race competitors. With the new ownership, the event continued to run annually with 2007 being the last year.
In 2010, the name and assets were acquired by Corky Coker of Chattanooga, TN, former competitor and member of Rally Partners, Inc., and in conjunction with the Vintage Car Rally Association the event continued in the summer of 2011 with a race from Chattanooga, TN to Bennington, VT.
Connections to NASCAR
NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Nextel Cup
NEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
race cars sponsored by Interstate Batteries have also been used to promote the Great Race. Jack Roush
Jack Roush
Jack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
, owner of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
race teams has also participated as a competitor and is currently a co-owner of the Great Race.
Note: The event was known as the "Great American Race" up to the mid 1990s and for the 25th Anniversary race in 2007. Although the name "Great American Race" has been applied to the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, the events are not affiliated. Both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
and Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
have served as the finish line of the Great Race.