Great Race (classic rally)
The Great Race (formerly known as the Great American Race) is somewhat of a misnomer. It is actually an club 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.
Points are awarded, not on the basis of speed, but 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.
History
The Great Race was organized by Texans Tom McRae and Interstate Batteries chairman Norm Miller. It was named for, and partially inspired by, the 1965 movie of the same name.
First 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. 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 bands playing.
A round-the-world race planned in the early 1990s never came to fruition, but race courses have gone through Canada and Mexico.
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 ESPN, History Channel (which became a race sponsor in the early 1990s), and SPEED Channel which currently sponsors the event.
The 2001 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 continues to run annually.
Connections to NASCAR
NASCAR 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.
Note: The event was known as the "Great American Race" up to the mid 1990s. 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 American Race.