The Great Race in Chattanooga, Sunday July 1
Chattanooga is gearing up for some “classic” visitors on Sunday, July 1. Roaring into town, lead by Chattanooga’s own Corky Corker (of Corker Tire), will be classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, and street rods all participating in The Great Race.
The history of The Great Race began
in 1982 when an auto enthusiast, Curtis Graf, and a close friend, Tom McRae, both of Dallas, Texas, learned about a cross-country rally for classic cars. They approached Norman Miller, a fellow Texan and president of Interstate Batteries, about sponsoring the pair if they entered the race. Miller agreed. Within weeks, the original promoter had lost interest and the entrepreneurial McRae soon found himself in partnership with Miller in promoting the inaugural Interstate Batteries Great American Race.
The race is a time controlled endurance test of vintage cars. This year there are 100 racing teams participating. And now, 25 years later, Chattanooga will host the second stop on the race that begins tomorrow in Concord, North Carolina.
Corker Tire President, Corky Corker, invites Chattanoogans to go to 1317 Chestnut Street (Corker Tire headquarters) as the second leg of the race winds down for the day.
The event is absolutely free with plenty of free parking available at the stadium parking lot on Main Street. Festivities will begin at 4:00 p.m. and continue until 9:00 p.m. Racers will arrive to the finish line at 6:00 p.m. and an awards ceremony will be at 8:00 p.m. In addition to the exciting arrival of the racers, the event will feature a flag ceremony presented by our own local Boy Scout Troop #30, a car show presented by local car clubs, designated parking for motorcycles and classic cars and plenty of food and drink vendors will be available on Chestnut Street for event spectators. For more information regarding the event please call (423) 648-8600.
To get a taste of the cars you will see, check out the Great Race’s photostream on flickr.
[tags]Chattanooga, Corker Tires, Chattanooga Great Race, The Great Race, antique cars[/tags]
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