We were just informed that the time slot changed for Hot Rod TV on Speed Channel! The Great Race will be featured on an episode of Hot Rod TV, which will air on March 23, at 10am EST. It will re-air on Sunday, March 24 at 7am and 10:30pm EST. Check your local listings just to be sure…you don’t want to miss it!
We have just been informed that the Great Race television show will air on Speed Channel on Saturday, March 23, at 10:00am EST. It airs as a special episode of Hot Rod TV, and it’s going to be awesome! Coker Tire is a major sponsor of the event and it’s an extreme passion for all the folks involved in promoting the event, so seeing it on Speed will be great! Continue reading
A special thank you message from Coker Tire Company President and CEO, Corky Coker. Corky thanks sponsors, volunteers, staff and participants for making the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race a huge success.
If you have ever been present at a Great Race event in the thirty years we have existed, you know that our event is about God, Country, wonderful Old Cars, and family. We have a band or soloist sing or play the National Anthem and we always open our Great Race programs with a prayer for safety for the racers and thanksgiving for our great country. Since Coker has owned the Great Race, I have had the honor of offering up this prayer twice per day during our events. Continue reading
Tuesday evening in Kanata, Ontario marked the finish of Stage Four of the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. What a reception we received from the hometown of our own Brian Goudge aka Motormouth in Kanata/Ottowa, Ontario! When our PA system malfunctioned and could not play the Canadian National anthem, “Oh Canada” I asked if there was anyone who could lead us in singing it. Our new best friend “Page” jumped right up and led the crowd with a beautiful rendition of the Canadian favorite. Thank you again Page! There were several thousand passionate old car fans and several hundred cruise in cars on display. Kanata did it up right too with a wonderful roasted chicken meal for all the Great Racers. Continue reading
Well, we made it to Traverse City, Michigan! We got to our hotel pretty late in the evening, but we did manage to see a couple of our rally friends. Knowing that the next day was going to be really busy, we unloaded the truck that Greg and Vernon will be rallying in that evening, and hit the hay! Continue reading
Well, it’s that time again, GREAT RACE time! We couldn’t be more excited (let alone busy)! It’s been a crazy couple of weeks here at Coker Tire, but this week has been especially jammed packed with all kinds of last minute things to do, and all those, “Oops, did we remember to…” kind of things. Continue reading
If you follow our blog, then you know that we’re passionate about vintage automobiles. We’re even more passionate about getting out and DRIVING these pieces of automotive history! Aside from casual driving to local car shows, what’s the best way to get out and enjoy your old car??? Well, we might have a biased opinion, but the answer is the Great Race!
Check out the map for this year's Great Race!
Jeff Stumb’s final blog about his planning trip for the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race, presented by Hagerty.
Ypsilanti to Dearborn, Mich.
The last day of the 2012 Great Race will travel north back into the state of Michigan, marking the first time the Great Race has ever left a state and returned in the same event on a following day. The final day of Championship Run continues in Ohio before making its way into Michigan, and after the competition is complete the first stop is Ypsilanti (pronounced “Ip-sah-lan-ah” by the locals). And this is not just going to be any ordinary stop for lunch on the last day of the event while waiting for the scores to be tabulated. Ypsilanti is a car town that has produced millions of vehicles over the years, including the Corvair. But it is also home to the famous Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, better known as the Last Hudson Dealer. It is run by the equally famous Jack Miller, and he and the good folks of “Ypsi” will be our hosts. The entire street in what is called Depot Town will be closed for the Race. And if Jack’s museum isn’t enough for you while we wait to travel to the Grand Finish in Dearborn, you can take in the car show in the park just a few hundred feet away, or the Firehouse Museum on the next corner. The streets are being repaved as I write this in front of Jack’s place, so it will be nice and smooth when we arrive. If there is a better man or a bigger icon in the old car hobby than Jack Miller, I don’t know who it is.
The Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, better known as the Last Hudson Dealer.
The Grand Finish will be especially grand next year as the participants will be welcomed to The Henry Ford in Dearborn. Christian Overland and everyone associated with Ford, The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village were spectacular. Events being worked on and planned for that day will include a parade lap through Greenfield Village, a banquet and a concert. Crowd estimates are more than 10,000 from the folks at The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village who know from experience with these kind of events. The day will end with the 1812 Overture being played with fireworks in the background, the perfect way to complete the Great Race and start the Fourth of July week. And for our Canadian friends, July 1 is Canada Day!
