great race
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June 28, 2023
The 2023 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Coker Tire is underway! We started the 2,300-mile journey on Saturday, June 24th in St. Augustine, Florida and we'll be crossing the finish line in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Sunday, July 2nd. This event covers nine states in nine days, using mostly back roads to string together an intricate course that the racers follow closely. We're big supporters of the Great Race, and love to see our customers go out there and put their vehicles to the test. A great percentage of the cars and trucks in competition are rolling on Coker Tire products, but we're always looking to improve upon that ratio of Coker customers. To help with that, we're providing $500 gift certificates to each day's daily winner, plus other incentives. With 16 hosted city stops, including the green flag ceremony and Grand Finish, this event puts a smile on lots of faces, and we're happy to be a part of it. Take a look at some of our highlights, and be sure to check out
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May 22, 2023
The Great Race Spring Regional Rally presented by Stahls Automotive Foundation is a new event created by the Great Race staff, and it's something that's been in the works for quite some time. The rally is a great warm-up for the main 2023 Great Race event, which happens June 24th through July 2nd and travels from St. Augustine, Florida to Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Spring Regional Rally uses the same basic concept of time speed distance rallying, but shortens it to three days, and features a cloverleaf design (instead of going town to town). This type of rally happens a few times a year through independent organizers, but the Great Race sanctions this Spring Regional Rally as a way to help rookies learn the ropes, while also providing great practice for the veterans.
The Great Race Spring Regional Rally was based out of Auburn, Indiana for this inaugural event. Next year, it will be held in Chesterfield, Michigan, home of the Stahls Automotive Foundation Museum, and then it will continue to move to other locations. Additional regional rally events are in the works to offer racers more opportunities to compete. The Spring Regional Rally in Auburn, Indiana proved to be competitive and fun, with nearly 70 competitors making the trip to the car crazy town in Northeast Indiana. The city of Auburn rolled out the red carpet for the Great Racers, as did the local automotive museums, such as the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, the National Auto & Truck Museum and the Early Ford V8 Museum. All three museums opened their doors to the participants, adding to the fun of this springtime rally event.
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March 31, 2023
Coker Tire, the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of tires and wheels for collector vehicles is now the presenting sponsor of the Great Race, a time speed endurance rally for vintage vehicles. Coker Tire has supported the Great Race in many ways since the 1990’s, providing sponsorship, as well as volunteer help, tire service and much more. With this new agreement, Coker Tire stepped up from its previous sponsorship role into the presenting sponsor of the event, which takes place each summer.
The 2023 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Coker Tire travels from St. Augustine, Florida to Colorado Springs, Colorado, over the course of nine days: June 24 to July 2.
Coker Tire CEO Mike Kealey said, “Collector car enthusiasts have a choice when it comes to tires, and we’re glad the Great Race community values the authenticity and reliability of our products for such a demanding rally.†He continued, “Approximately 80 percent of Great Race participants -
May 26, 2022
As summertime approaches, the crew here at Coker Tire prepares itself for one of the coolest old car adventures of all time. It’s called the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty Drivers Club and it’s an event that Coker Tire owns and organizes in-house. This event is a time, speed, endurance rally for cars built in 1974 and earlier, and it’s an event with nearly 40 years of history under its belt. Coker Tire bought the operation in 2010 and the Chattanooga crew put together its first rally in 2011. Now, more than 10 years later, we’ve covered a lot of ground in the United States and Canada, and we’re ready to rack up some more miles this summer.
When car enthusiasts initially hear about the Great Race, they often compare it to the Hot Rod Power Tour or other long distance car tours. While the distance can sometimes be comparable, the experience is very different, as
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May 19, 2021
The most highly anticipated Great Race of all time is ready to wave the green flag! We'll be heading out to San Antonio, Texas to support the premier time, speed, endurance rally for vintage vehicles, as it blasts off and heads through eight states on its way to the finish line in Greenville, South Carolina. The route passes through scenic areas and the racers will have access to several great car collections along the way. After taking a year off due to the pandemic, we're SO READY to hit the road with 120 vehicles, all built in 1974 or earlier. With more than $150,000 up for grabs, these guys and girls are serious about competition. Watch our page for daily updates, and as always, keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages for even more content. To see if the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty Drivers Club is coming to a town near you, go to www.greatrace.com.
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July 19, 2018The Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty is geared toward vintage cars and trucks, so it makes sense that the majority of them are using Coker Tire products. We offer tires that have the period correct look, while also providing great performance for precision rallying. Jeff and Eric Fredette have been rallying for many years in their 1933 Ford pickup and they rely on Excelsior Stahl Sport Radial tires to get the job done. And if you've seen some of our pictures of this attention-getting pickup truck, then you know Jeff puts those tires to the test. This year, he led the field for several days of competition, but had a rough scoring day on 8th day of competition. It allowed John and Scott Hudson to jump into the lead, leaving the Fredettes with a tough deficit on the final day of
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September 18, 2017And just like that, the 2017 Coker Tire Challenge is in the books! We traveled the back roads of Tennessee and Alabama with a little bit of Georgia thrown in the mix, and safely returned for the finish at our facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While there were plenty of challenges, crossing the finish line made all of the blood, sweat and tears worth it! Corky Coker, Wade Kawasaki and Jeff Stumb welcomed the racers in, while John Classen gave them time sheets and the scoring team tabulated the scores. The Rookie winners, the Top 5 overall leaders and the Bill Coker Spirit of the Event award winners were announced after the drivers, navigators and support crews ate a wonderful meal catered by Shuford's Smokehouse. With racers from as far away as Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, Texas, and even a team from Japan, we just love the dedication within the vintage rally community. We certainly enjoyed having them here in the Scenic City, and we'd like to congratulate Jody Knowles and Beth Gentry
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September 16, 2017When September rolls around, we know that we'll be covered up with events, as events like the Street Rodder Road Tour, Somernites Power Cruise and more occur in the busy month. The Coker Tire Challenge to be the third weekend in September, and we can always count on many of our Great Race rally friends to join the fun at our little hometown regional rally. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere than the hustle and bustle of Great Race, but the competition aspect is still there, so it gives the veterans awesome practice and gives them a chance to win a few bucks too! This year, we had about 40 teams join us on the Coker Tire Challenge, even after a few dropped out due to the unfortunate hurricanes of late. Great Race regulars, like Curtis Graf, Rex Gardner, Gary and Jean Ann Martin, and of course, Brad Phillips from Hagerty were among the field of stellar teams in this year's Coker Tire Challenge.
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July 03, 2017We have finally reached the finish line of the 2017 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty, in Traverse City, Michigan. This 9-day, 2,300-mile journey has been full of ups and downs, but one team that had an unbeatable consistency was Jody Knowles and Beth Gentry. They are always competitive in the Expert division, but they stepped it up a notch this year. With a winning score of 44.55 seconds, this team is taking home more than $50,000 in cash and prizes! By the way, the Knowles/Gentry won the race on a set of our BFGoodrich Silvertown wide whitewall radial tires and Hot Rod Steel wheels! In fact, 9 of the Top 10 teams were rolling on Coker Tire products!
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May 25, 2017Chattanooga, Tennessee is a hot spot for all sorts of events, and we feel like we've encouraged a bunch of car folks to visit the city with our annual Chattanooga Cruise In event. This year, the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty is paying a visit to the Scenic City, and the racers are stopping right here in the Southside! This isn't the first time that the Great Race has visited Chattanooga, but we're going to pull out all the stops to make it the best evening stop on the event! The streets around Coker Tire and Honest Charley Speed Shop will be closed, and we're hoping to PACK the streets with hot rods, muscle cars, restored classics and more to welcome the 120 Great Race teams as they enter the Chattanooga evening stop. It all happens Sunday, June 25th from 4 to 8pm Eastern time, and the first Great Race cars should begin arriving at 5:30pm. We plan to have an open house, just like our regular cruise in events, so
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July 13, 2015The Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty is an annual vintage car rally that puts driver, navigator and car to the test through nine days and 2,400 miles of intense competition. The route changes every year, and this year, it featured a Route 66 theme, starting in Kirkwood, Missouri and ending on the Santa Monica Pier in Southern California. It was the ultimate road trip for a car enthusiast, and the field of 120 cars filled quickly when the route was announced. We covered the entire trip with daily blog entries with cool pictures from each day's adventures, but we'd like to sum it up here with a collection of our favorite photos, and to let you know that more than half of the 120-car field was running on bias ply or radial tires from Coker Tire! Even the winner, Howard and Doug Sharp's 1916 Hudson, was running our tires--more specifically a set of Excelsior Stahl Sport Radial tires. The Great Race is the adventure of a lifetime that you can do every year, and we certainly enjoyed our involvement with the event this year. Next year is gearing up to be even better, as the race starts in San Rafael, California and ends in Moline, Illinois, using the Lincoln Highway as the theme. Be sure to check out www.greatrace.com for more information on how you can participate!
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July 13, 2015
Driving an old car is something that cannot compare to anything built in the last 40 years. The modern advancements of fuel injection, electronic ignition systems, radial tires, four-wheel disc brakes, overdrive transmissions and more offer great convenience for everyday driving. But at the same time, those modern features take the fun and adventure out of driving. When you drive an old car a great distance, it's always a good idea to make a checklist beforehand, so the car can be thoroughly checked. And while this checklist won't prevent an occasional breakdown, it will certainly help you be more prepared for a road trip in an old car.
1. FluidsIt's always a good idea to check the fluids in your car, even on short trips. Check the oil, coolant, transmission (if automatic), power steering (if applicable) and brake fluid. Make it a habit! The last thing you want on a road trip is for your collector vehicle to overheat, or have an oiling issue, so make a
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June 28, 2015It's been a long run, and we're getting close to the end of the 2015 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. Today was another hot one, but we saw a 20-degree drop when we rolled into our overnight hosted city of San Bernardino, California. An awesome crowd of spectators came out to view the Great Race, and we enjoyed a challenging route throughout the day. A lunch stop in Twentynine Palms, California was packed out, and we enjoyed a few pieces of fried chicken before we hit the road toward San Bernardino. We passed by a crazy Wind Farm with hundreds of windmills visible from our route. It was another big day, and we're in Championship mode, so tomorrow is obviously a day that cannot have any mistakes. Take a look at the day's highlights and stay tuned to find out the winner tomorrow, as we finish on the Santa Monica Pier at 2pm.
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June 27, 2015The Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty presses on, as we make our way across the country. We've spent plenty of time on Route 66, and today was no different, as the course instructions put us on one of the longest uninterrupted strips of Route 66 early in the morning. We made our way to Kingman, Arizona for lunch, were three-digit temperatures were already in play. It was then time to do some mountain climbing, as we scaled the Hualapai Mountains, and eventually made it to Sitgreaves Pass for one of the most amazing scenic views in Great Race history. At the bottom of the mountain, we rolled into Oatman, Arizona, which is one of the coolest old towns in the country. Donkeys greeted us as we stopped in town for a quick look at some of the establishments. The temperatures climbed to a maximum of 117 degrees, and it's still over 100 degrees here in our overnight hosted city of Lake Havasu City, Arizona as we write this recap. Enjoy the scenery and take a look at our favorite shots of the day!
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June 26, 2015Things are changing on the 2015 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. We're heading into new territory and we had a wild range of temperatures and terrains throughout the day's rally course. The day started at our overnight host city of Gallup, New Mexico but we jumped into Arizona right off the bat. From there, we entered the Petrified Forest National Park and saw some extreme scenery on our way through the park. Unfortunately, Team Coker Tire's Volkswagen Beetle continues to have problems, but that's not keeping them from finishing each day's route. As they say, "to finish is to win" and sometimes that can be easier said than done. After a hot lunch stop in Winslow, Arizona, we climbed to a much higher elevation and drove through a beautiful forest atop the plateau. It was a nice break in temperatures, and the evening hosted stop in Flagstaff, Arizona offered a bunch of spectators and LOTS of choices for dinner. We're anticipating a scorching hot day tomorrow, so wish us luck, as Team Coker Tire's air-cooled VW fights through the desert.
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June 25, 2015It's starting to heat up on the 2015 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty, and we mean that in a couple different ways. It's heating up in the sense that the competition got a huge shake up with a very challenging route with lots of opportunities for mistakes, and it's also heating up in terms of the temperature. We're sure the next couple days will be scorching hot, as we spend two full days in Arizona. This morning's scenery wasn't outstanding, but we made up for it in the afternoon with big mountain scenes and beautiful canyons. Lunch was hosted at the Unser Racing Museum, which covered many eras of the Unser family of racing and offered an excellent venue for a big crowd of spectators. Our hosted evening stop in Gallup, New Mexico was also a packed out stop, and we enjoyed coming through town on Historic Route 66, seeing all the cool vintage signs. Check out our highlights from the day!
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June 24, 2015Wow. That sums up today's route on the 2015 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. We started the day in Amarillo, Texas and made a quick pit stop at Cadillac Ranch, which was just a couple miles from our host hotel. From there, it was a LONG morning of rallying on some of the flattest and straightest roads in the United States. The wind was a huge factor, as the strong head wind gave the driver's yet another challenge when it came to holding speed. Speaking of which, most of the day was spent with the speedometer needle on 50 miles per hour, and that presented quite a challenge. Sometimes, our courses feature dozens of turns, speed changes and other maneuvers, but today, it was all about the driver holding steady. We stopped for lunch in Tucumcari, New Mexico and embarked on a challenging afternoon route in the middle of no where. We drove for MILES without seeing other cars, other humans or buildings. We finally made it back to civilization and rolled through Las Vegas, New Mexico before hightailing it to our overnight hosted stop in Santa Fe. Tomorrow's another big day in New Mexico, but for now, enjoy the photos!
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June 23, 2015It's not often that you have a flooded bridge in the middle of the day's course, especially in Texas, but it happened today. As we made our way toward our evening stop in Amarillo, Texas, we came across a flooded bridge with just enough water to make a nice splash without causing too much of a problem. We certainly saw some terrain changes, and had a challenging day on the course. Team Coker Tire is still dealing with mechanical problems, but made it to the Day 3 finish in Amarillo. We had lunch in Elk City, Oklahoma, and covered a LOT of ground today. We're headed to New Mexico tomorrow, and it will likely be another challenging day on the course. Check out our highlights from today and enjoy!
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June 22, 2015Another awesome day of Great Racing is done, and we're hanging out in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the evening. We had an excellent time on the route, and even more fun at the hosted city stops in Claremore, Oklahoma and OKC! Spectator turnout was spectacular at both stops and we saw lots of cool landmarks on the course. Route 66 has a lot to offer, and we're taking advantage of it. Team Coker Tire's Volkswagen Beetle is having a few mechanical issues, but it's a freshly-rebuilt car so that's to be expected on a road trip of this magnitude. The scores are tight and it will only get tighter as everyone gets in the groove this week. We're having a blast and we hope you enjoy our daily recaps. Check out www.greatrace.com for scores and additional pictures, and also remember to keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook pages for live updates of all the cool stuff on the road!
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June 21, 2015We are truly blessed to be in the position to sponsor the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty, and we are also blessed to own and operate the event from our Chattanooga, Tennessee headquarters. Over the last five years or so, we have poured a lot of effort and time into the event to bring it back to its former glory and it's working! This year, the Great Race had 117 entrants, all 1972 or earlier, so that means that between racers, support, staff and others, we have about 400 people rolling from town to town. It's amazing, and we're glad to be a part of it. The 2015 event is super special, because the theme is Route 66, and driving Route 66 in an old car is on every gear head's bucket list. Our time in the start host city, Kirkwood, Missouri was excellent and the teams departed with thousands of spectators on hand to cheer them on. Greg Cunningham is once again representing Team Coker Tire, but this time, he's in his customized Volkswagen Beetle, which is (of course) riding on a set of whitewall radials from Coker. Check out today's action from Day 1 of the 2015 Great Race, as we traveled across Missouri, from Kirkwood to Rolla and eventually to Springfield. Stay tuned for daily updates and you can also watch our Instagram and Facebook pages to see live updates each day.
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February 24, 2015Coker Tire Company has been a huge supporter of the Great Race for many years, and continues to be a sponsor of the event each year. The Great Race promotes DRIVING old cars, and that's what we're all about. We're excited to announce that the Great Race has expanded its format to include the Great American Tour for this year's course on historic Route 66. And while the Great Race is geared toward competition, with $150,000 up for grabs, the event organizers decided to offer a more laid back option for car enthusiasts who wanted more of a tour and less of a race. The result is the Hemmings Motor News Great American Tour presented by Hagerty, an epic journey on historic Route 66 to see all the sights of The Mother Road.
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September 25, 2014Click here to check out videos from past Coker Tire Challenge Events and also subscribe to our YouTube Channel while you're at it!
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September 22, 2014After three days of rallying through some of the Southeast's finest scenery, the 2014 Coker Tire Challenge ended Sunday afternoon. A short Sunday morning route offered beautiful sites and great weather, and of course, the anticipation of which team would be taking home the hardware! It was a close finish, but thanks to a great score and a 1916 age factor, Howard and Douglas Sharp from Fairport, New York, earned the best overall score. Closely behind was the team of Jody Knowles and Beth Gentry (last year's winners). Another notable award winner was Robert Dinges from Killen, Alabama--he received the Bill Coker Spirit of the Event award! We want to thank all of the staff, racers and support crews for supporting the Coker Tire Challenge--we also want to send a huge thanks to Hemmings Motor News and Hagerty for coming down to compete in the event! Check out our favorite photos from the finish line and awards ceremony, as well as the final results below!
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September 19, 2014The Coker Tire Challenge is laid back, compared to its big brother, the Great Race, but it still offers quite a challenge, even for skilled veterans of the rallying world. Today's route sent us to Huntsville, Alabama for a lunch stop, and then back to our starting point of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The route features lots of elevation changes, mountain roads, tricky turns and great scenery along the way. Unfortunately, Friday afternoon traffic gave us some issues getting back to Coker Tire for the evening's hosted dinner in the Coker Tire Museum. At this point, Howard and Douglas Sharp are in the lead, but there are still two more days of rallying to see how things shake out! Check out today's photo highlights and stay tuned for more as the Coker Tire Challenge continues!
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September 18, 2014Wow, time flies! It's time for the Coker Tire Challenge, and we're gearing up for a great weekend of rallying in the Southeast. The weather is looking fantastic, and the course is going to be full of scenic roads and challenging instructions. Thursday is always a laid back day for folks to hang out and get their cars inspected, but the action really gets started on Friday, and lasts through Sunday afternoon. Racers come in from all over the country (Vermont, Texas, New York, Delaware, Ohio and more!), so it's a great time for everyone to catch up. Here are a few shots to get you ready for a full coverage of back roads, scenic sites and classic cars that will be posted in the next few days!
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June 30, 2014What a crazy week! It's always a lot of fun, and a lot of work to compete in the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. We consider 2014 a huge success, as both Coker teams crossed the finish line in one piece, here in The Villages, Florida, during one of the greatest finishes we've ever seen. We had a blast this year, and we're expecting to have a lot of fun next year, too. The Great Race is the adventure of a lifetime that you can do every year! Congrats to Barry and Irene Jason for claiming the third consecutive Great Race Grand Championship...this time in a Post WWII car (first time it's ever been done). Click HERE for the overall results from the 2014 Great Race.
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June 29, 2014We've driven all week to get to Florida and now we're here! Today was another long transit from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida with a lunch stop in Savannah, Georgia in between. It was a long day of rallying with the heat and humidity playing a factor in our comfort level yet again. Both Coker teams are rockin', although Coker #2 (Karen Stumb and Whitney Brown in the Corvair convertible) had a flat tire and had to finish the day with a space saver spare. Our stops were awesome, and we had a great time truckin' through the backroads of South Georgia for most of the day. Tomorrow is the final day of competition, so we're ready to buckle down and get it done!
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June 28, 2014There is one thing for sure at this point in the 2014 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty...we're in the south. What makes it so obvious? For one, we had BBQ for lunch and dinner (washed down with a cool sweet tea). Second, it's hot, humid and there are pop-up storms all over the place. We had a great (but abbreviated) lunch stop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We had to leave lunch early to make up time for a bunch of traffic in Myrtle Beach. So we made it back to our restart point, and hit the afternoon route wide open. The route was packed with lots of high speed turns, as well as a 22-mile run on a two-lane road, most of which was traveled at 40 miles per hour. Our dinner stop was simply incredible. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina rolled out the red carpet for us, and treated us to a wonderful dinner on board the U.S.S. Yorktown ship. We were also allowed to check out the ship, and check out some of the cool airplanes on the flight deck. As we exited the ship, a wall of storm clouds rolled in and dumped a bunch of rain at dusk. Tomorrow, we continue south on a long trek to Jacksonville, Florida. Stay tuned!
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June 27, 2014And when we say HOT, we mean it. Today was by far the hottest day so far on the 2014 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. With temperatures in the mid-90s for most of the day, and humidity on the rise, we had an exhausting day. The sun was harsh for most of the day, even when a couple of surprise rain showers popped up. We kept on truckin' and made our way to a cool lunch stop in Clinton, North Carolina. The folks there were extremely nice, and prepared an over-the-top lunch with BBQ, chicken, and all sorts of good fixin's. From there, we had a tricky afternoon route, and eventually rolled into the evening stop in Wilmington, North Carolina. Another rain shower came just as the cars started coming into the finish line gate, but Wilmington still had a great crowd! On to another hot and sticky day tomorrow--South Carolina, here we come!
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June 26, 2014Ahh yes, we're back in the South! This morning we crossed into North Carolina, but it's not the Carolina's that we're accustomed to in our neck of the woods. Our version of North Carolina is mountains and winding roads, but the Eastern portion of the state is very flat with lots of farm land and swamp land. We enjoyed the day's rally and visited a couple of very cool towns. Lunch was at Elizabeth City, where we ate a wonderful lunch and hit the road soon thereafter. From there, we rallied down the road, and crossed the Albemarle Sound on our way to an outstanding stop in New Bern. The town was absolutely packed to the gills, so we made our way through the crowd and had a delicious BBQ dinner. What a day, and we get to spend another full day in North Carolina tomorrow!
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June 25, 2014Today was a four-state day, which is a lot, even if we didn't span the entire length of the states involved. Our day began in Pennsylvania, dropped into Delaware, then Maryland and finished in Virginia. We logged a bunch of miles, and covered a lot of ground, but it was a great day. Considering the length of the transits, and difficulty of the route, the day was much easier on equipment than yesterday. Our lunch stop in Bob Bryan's hometown (where he's also the Mayor) of Millsboro, Delaware and it was fantastic. We then snaked through the small town of Berlin, Maryland, on our way to the Chesapeake Bay, where we would eventually cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Our dinner and overnight stop in Portsmouth, Virginia was great, and we'll be on our way into North Carolina for tomorrow. Today's scores for Greg and Vernon Cunningham placed them in 9th place, while the all-girl Coker team of Karen Stumb and Whitney Brown had a rough day and placed 50th in the running.
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June 24, 2014Everyday of the 2014 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty, we go a little further south. Today, we covered some major ground, as our day started in New York state and ended in Southeast Pennsylvania. Even as we motivate South, we know we're still up north because of the distinct countryside, Northeastern style barns and covered bridges. We're also still dealing with a lot of impatient drivers! Team Coker had a decent day, with a 9th place finish for Greg and Vernon Cunningham in the GR3 '32 Ford pickup, and 18th place for Karen Stumb and Whitney Brown in the cute Corvair convertible. Our lunch stop in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania was great, as we scarfed down some awesome cafeteria food (no seriously, it was a great meal!) and then our evening stop took place at the Valley Forge Casino Resort. Stay tuned for more updates!
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June 23, 2014New England has a lot of mountains, just like our home state of Tennessee. Rolling hills, big mountains and beautiful valleys made up a lot of today's route, and we loved it! Team Coker, Greg and Vernon Cunningham, had an outstanding day in the '32 Ford roadster pickup, placing second overall in the day's scoring. Today's lunch stop was held at Bennington Station in historic Bennington, Vermont (the home of our buddies at Hemmings Motor News). A great crowd greeted us at the gate, and watched as we blazed a trail to get onto our afternoon route. Finally, we reached the final destination at Shadows on the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, New York. We're ready for tomorrow's rally and we'll be sure to keep you updated with photos.
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June 21, 2014Another beautiful day in Ogunquit, Maine resulted in a lot of fun for the racers, staff and guests of the Great Race. The racers and staff had a big meeting first thing in the morning, and then had Rally School, before being sent off on the Hagerty Trophy Run, a practice rally. We saw all sorts of great stuff while we were on the road, and our Coker team ended up placing first in the Grand Champion division--congrats to Vernon and Greg Cunningham! After the rallying was complete, we went to the fabulous Beachmere Inn for a reception and Opening Banquet. Two very special guests joined us for reception--Bob Varsha and Wayne Carini! Now, it's time to get some rest and get ready for a big day tomorrow--the start of the 2014 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty!
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June 20, 2014We rolled into Ogunquit, Maine yesterday, and we had a full day of fun at registration and tech inspection today. More than 100 cars and trucks are registered for the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty, so that means we got to see a lot of cool stuff throughout the day. Here are some highlights from today's fun, but stay tuned for updates along the route. There are two Coker Tire teams this year, so follow along to see how they're doing! For now, enjoy the pictures, and check www.greatrace.com for more!
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January 14, 2014Our great friends, Alan and Mary Travis collect some of the coolest Brass Era cars in existence, and their 1907 Renault is certainly a high point in their collection. This car, despite its laundry list of maintenance and repair, completed the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty, a feat that that is outstanding for any car. Most recently, the car took home the Director's Choice award at the inaugural Arizona Concours d'Elegance. A deserving automobile, the Renault is a show stopper wherever it goes. Click here to check out the article on Hemmings' website!
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December 31, 2013[caption id="attachment_4492" align="aligncenter" width="725"] There isn't enough room on the internet for all the crazy things we saw this year, but here's a few of the highlights from 2013.[/caption] The social media explosion has made it easier to than ever to share and interact with like-minded people all over the world and no group has enjoyed it more than auto enthusiasts. Were able to share the cars, the people and the amazing auto events from anywhere, with the click of a button. It really is amazing how far things have come in recent years.
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July 01, 2013We're proud to announce that Barry and Irene Jason have WON the 2013 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty! The Jason's are a strong force in the rallying world, and they had another incredible stretch of Ace's and awesome scores in order to bring home the 'Bird trophy as well as a check for $50,000! By the way, the Jason's drive a '35 Ford coupe, which rolls on a set of our Excelsior Stahl Sport radial tires! The Great Race crowned a number of winners today in Mobile, Alabama, most of which rally on Coker Tire products. We want to say congrats to all of the winners, as well as all participants in general. The Great Race is a grueling challenge, but it's oh-so sweet when you cross that finish line! We did just that today in Mobile, Alabama, and we're already planning for next year's event! Thanks to everyone who followed along on our blogs and social media sites...y'all are awesome!
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June 30, 2013Whew, what a day! We started in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and headed West on I-10, crossing over the swamp, on our way to a packed house in Crowley, Louisiana! Great Racers Ed Habetz and Tom Regan call Crowley home and they certainly knew how to get the small town excited about the Great Race. Spectators lined the streets and gave us a very warm welcome. Then, we blasted out of town on our way to another over-the-top stop in Covington, Louisiana! It was incredible...one of the biggest stops we've seen in a LONG time! Check out our pictures from today, and check back tomorrow to find out who wins the $50,000 prize at the 2013 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty.
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June 29, 2013As we continue to head South we have officially crossed into Louisiana and we will spend the next two days rallying throughout the state, and finally into Mobile, Alabama on Sunday for the Grand Finish! We're definitely in the Deep South, and we're seeing a lot of great scenery, so check out our favorite shots from today's route, as well as our lunch stop in Natchez, Mississippi and the evening stop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. See y'all tomorrow!
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June 28, 2013The 2013 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty started in St. Paul, Minnesota, and we've dealt with heat, rain, washed-out road and many more obstacles. Today's biggest obstacle was a grueling route, and upper 90's temperatures. After about 325 miles of rallying, we made our stops in Monticello, Arkansas and Vicksburg, Mississippi and a few fuel and rest room stops in between. It was an awesome day, despite the heat, and we even saw a very cool (accidental) farm sprinkler, which sprayed water into the one of the roads on our route! Today was a challenge for the rally participants, as well as the staff, but we came away with some great pictures, so check 'em out!
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June 27, 2013We're back in Tennessee! Germantown to be exact! We started today's route in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and made an incredible lunch stop in Paragould, Arkansas and then to a Great Race favorite town of Germantown, Tennessee. The Great Race has stopped in Germantown on a couple of different occasions, and it has always been a must-see stop. This year was no different! Today's route was super tricky with lots of hard turns and speed changes, so it gave us plenty of opportunities to grab cool pictures and videos. Here are a few of our favorites!
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June 26, 2013What a day! We had a great day on our Great Race adventures and we're going to show you our favorite shots of the day! We left out from Hannibal, Missouri, and blasted through lots of farm land, which eventually led us to some mountain roads that was an awesome change of pace. Then, we stopped in Washington, Missouri for lunch, and received a warm welcome! Then, we hit it hard and motored south to Cape Girardeau, Missouri for one of the biggest Great Race stops in recent history. The folks at Cape G really came out for the Great Race, and we certainly appreciate their effort! Check out our pics!
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June 25, 2013Yep, we're still on the road, so it's time for some pictures from today's rallying action! Road closures due to flooding shook up today's route, but we made it through to our lunch stop in Peoria, Illinois as well as a rockin' dinner stop in Hannibal, Missouri! Check out even more pictures on the Great Race website and all of our Social Media outlets!
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June 24, 2013We're continuing our nine-day journey down the Mighty Mississippi River with a bunch of rallying through the back roads of Wisconsin and Iowa! We made a stop in Dubuque, Iowa for lunch, then made a run by the river, passing through Bellevue, Iowa. The small town came out in droves to watch the Great Race pass through its main street, so we grabbed a few shots there as well. Then, we cut a trail through the farm land of Iowa, on our way to a final destination of Davenport, Iowa! Check out our favorite shots of the day, and be sure to keep track of our daily progress on our Facebook page and Instagram feed!
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June 23, 2013Wow, what a day! We started off with thousands of hot rodders and car enthusiasts watching as we released the racers one by one. It was an incredible display, and we had Grand Marshall Wayne Carini from Chasing Classic Cars waving the green flag! We had a blast in St. Paul, Minnesota, but it was time for our rolling circus to make its way south, so we high tailed it to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for lunch and then La Crosse, Wisconsin for dinner. Check out our favorite shots of the day!
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June 22, 2013We're in St. Paul, Minnesota for the kickoff of the Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. We've been super busy with getting all of our gear setup and ready for a nine day journey down the Mighty Mississippi! We're kicking off tomorrow from the Back to the '50s event at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, and we'll be motivating down the most beautiful backroads in America on our way to the final destination of Mobile, Alabama. We started the Great Race with a practice rally today (we call it the Hagerty Trophy Run) and then went to the kickoff reception later in the day. It was a blast and we're ready for a FULL day of action tomorrow, and the next nine days! Also, check out a few shots from the Back to the '50s Car Show here in St. Paul...we saw lots of Coker Tire products out there!
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February 22, 2013We 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!
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February 07, 2013We 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!
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September 19, 2012On Sunday morning, our Coker Tire Challenge participants left our early and got back to Chattanooga just before lunch time. They were greeted by friends and family, as they crossed the finish line and prepared for the awards ceremony and dinner. Below are the Top 3 results from the Rookie and Veteran categories. Great Race Grand Champions, Barry and Irene Jason took home the overall victory...they are on a roll! Honorable mentions are Greg and Casey Cunningham with a 5th place finish, as well as John and Beth Coker with a 10th place finish overall!
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September 16, 2012This morning was crisp and cool, and we headed out of the Coker Tire compound at 8am to get started on the day's route. We motored north, toward Cleveland, Tennessee, and started the timed portion of the route on beautiful Lake Ocoee. The county roads sent us through the small community of Reliance, and we made our way around to Etowah by mid morning. From there, our route consisted of many maneuvers as we snaked through the back roads of Tennessee. We finally made it back to Cleveland for lunch, and then found ourselves in a maze of back roads that sent us into Georgia. Overall it was yet another great day of challenging rally action, and we had a parc ferme when we returned to home base. Tomorrow is the final day of competition, so there will be plenty of action to cover. For now, enjoy our favorite shots from today's route!
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September 14, 2012A fine day of rallying saw 40 vintage cars hitting the back roads of northwest Georgia on a beautiful Friday. Cool temperatures and a bit of cloud cover made for great driving conditions, and we had a great time snaking through some of the great Georgia mountain roads on our way to Dalton for lunch and ultimately Wildwood, Georgia to have a great dinner at Corky's place. Overall it was a great day of rallying with very few mechanical issues for our racers, so we're gearing up for another good day tomorrow! Here is our photo recap....enjoy!
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September 13, 2012It's that time of year again! Every September we host an event right here in Chattanooga, called the Coker Tire Challenge. It's a time, speed, endurance rally just like the Great Race, but on a smaller scale. It's a more local event, and it's a lot of fun! There are three days of rallying, and we saw a bunch of folks roll in today for registration and technical inspection. It was great to catch up with old friends! We also had Rally School and a short reception afterward to welcome the racers to our place! Check out a few pictures of today's highlights, and look forward to more updates tomorrow! Also, check out the Coker Tire Facebook page for ongoing updates!
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August 06, 2012In 2010, a few fanatical antique motorcyclists made news riding their old bikes across the country in the Motorcycle Cannonball. We were lucky to have them stop overnight in Chattanooga after leaving Maggie Valley on their epic journey. Maybe they were lucky to stop here too, since as soon as the hospitality dinner was complete, one hundred classic iron horses rolled into our restoration shop for service at the SAME TIME. It really was a sight to behold.
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June 28, 2012Tuesday 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.
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June 26, 2012The Great Race Stage 2 evening stop in Sudbury, Ontario started with a rain so hard I thought the big ole raindrops would knock me out as I thundered up to the venue at the A & W in my Shafer 8. Despite the short rain, we had a wonderful crowd to welcome the Great Racers. Motormouth is already losing his voice some because of demands of introducing our wonderful sponsors and participants to the crowds. My Grandpa-in-Law Vernon Cunningham and his son, (my Son-in-Law) Greg Cunningham apparently had the best raw score but were (old car'd...the older the car the better the discount off ur score) putting them In 2nd place for the Stage 2 of the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty!
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May 09, 2012This past weekend, Corky and son-in-law Greg Cunningham signed up to compete in a rally in Rogers, Arkansas. Also on the trip from Chattanooga was Great Race Director, Jeff Stumb and his wife Karen. So they packed up the whole gang and drove 13 hours to spend a few days in Arkansas. Greg and his crew at Honest Charley Garage built a '32 Ford pickup specifically for rallying, so it was the perfect vehicle for Corky and Greg. By the way, all the parts were purchased through Honest Charley Speed Shop or Coker Tire Company. Jeff and Karen piloted a cute
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March 13, 2012If 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! [caption id="attachment_2366" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Check out the map for this year's Great Race!"][/caption]
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October 07, 2011Jeff 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
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October 07, 2011Director of Great Race, Jeff Stumb, continues his trips and tells us a bit about the route for the 2012 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. Mansfield and Findlay, Ohio Warren, Ohio, was such a pleasant surprise yesterday, and today would deliver another one in Mansfield. Some may remember, although it has been more than 10 years, that there is a carousel in downtown Mansfield, Ohio. The Great Race made a pit stop there some years ago and racers got a few minutes to take a ride. Well, for anyone who is interested, you too can ride the Mansfield carousel when we stop for lunch on the 2012 Great Race. The run into Mansfield on next years event will also be the start of the two-day Championship Run, and if ever there was a perfect state to have a Championship Run it is Ohio. For the first time on the trip it made me sad that I cannot compete because the route was so wonderful. [caption id="attachment_2194" align="alignleft" width="500"
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October 06, 2011Director of Great Race, Jeff Stumb, continues his planning trip for the 2012 Great Race. Day 8--Franklin, Pa., and Warren, Ohio We left Buffalo early and got a great look at Lake Erie for the last time. Obviously, we cannot hug the shore of all of the Great Lakes all the way around, and at this point we will be traveling 50 miles or so away from Lake Erie all the way into Dearborn for the finish. Early on, like on the Trophy Run and the first couple of days of competition, we will be hugging the shoreline. In fact, several days we will be having lunch and dinner on the shoreline. And for the first time we are getting into some hills. This will probably be the flattest Great Race ever run since we will be spending so much time at sea level, but the morning into Franklin, Pa., will see a few rolling hills. Franklin is a scenic town that we have been to on a previous Great Race, but it has been a long time. The good folks there are planning a fantastic lunch and
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October 04, 2011More commentary from Director of Great Race, Jeff Stumb: Day 7--Fairport and Buffalo, N.Y. After spending four plus glorious days in Canada, it is back to some more familiar territory in New York state. While in Canada, we had to get used to buying gas by the liter and eating at Tim Hortons (sort of the Wendys of Canada). I learned what a Looney is (the nickname for the Canadian one dollar piece), and a Tooney (the Canadian two dollar piece). Since the Great Race has never been to the Upper Penisula of Michigan nor the first several days in Canada, the route will be all new roads for Great Racers. And only a few, like Curtis Graf and Dave Reeder, would have participated back in 1995 when the Great Race started in Ottawa to recognize any of the roads outside Canadas Capital City. Of the 19 cities hosting the 2012 Great race, the event is returning to only four cities for a second time (Franklin, Pa.; Mansfield, Ohio; Findlay,
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October 03, 2011Still on the road and documenting his steps, Jeff Stumb gives us another overview of his day's travels. Check it out: DAY 6 -- Kingston, Ontario, and Watertown, N.Y. We enjoyed our time in Canada, but we were looking forward to getting back in the United States. So we were not prepared for what lay ahead in Kingston. Canada is beautiful, but Kingston was an unexpected pleasure. It was like a mini Seattle or Vancouver the way is sits on Lake Ontario. It is a city of almost 150,000 people, and the downtown actually overlooks the lake, including Confederation Park and City Hall which is where the lunch stop will be on June 27, 2012. It is also the exact halfway point of the race. When we left Kingston we traveled back into the United States across Thousand Island Bridge. It wasn't long before we arrived in Watertown, New York and met with volunteers for the event. The stop in Watertown has been moved to the Fairgrounds to handle the enormous crowd local organizers
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October 02, 2011More of Jeff Stumb's commentary while on the Great Race route: DAY 5 -- Barry's Bay and Ottawa, Ontario This is the day I have been waiting for since the route was announced. Instead of taking the straight and easy route from Barrie east to the capital of Ottawa, we selected a route that would take the race throught the Provincial Park (a National Park of Canada). In doing so, we will see some of the most incredible screnery the country has to offer. But there are no major cities capable of hosting a lunch stop. In that part of the country, it is common for there to be only 1,000 people in a 500-square mile radius. Enter Mayor Dave Shulist and the community of Barry's Bay. I called the mayor a month of so ago and told him of my delimma and he told me that if we would come to Barry's Bay he would take care of everything. Barry's Bay has a population of 1,300 people on a good day in a 10-mile radius. It does have a couple of small diners, and the mayor has everyone
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October 01, 2011Jeff Stumb is still on the road...here are a few of his comments from Day 4 of the trip! DAY 4 -- Parry Sound and Barrie, Ontario After leaving Sudbury, the furthest point north on the 2012 Great Race, we headed south toward the beautful town of Parry Sound, Ontario. Although the theme for the event is the Great Lakes, we obviously cannot hug the coast all the way around the lakes and do any rallying. But the interior portions of Canada coming up on Day 4 and Day 5 are probably some of the most picturesque ever on the Great Race. And that starts with Parry Sound. Unfortunately for us, it was raining all day and the view was obscured most of the day. Parry Sound is home to hockey legend Bobby Orr, and the stop there on June 25 will be at the Bobby Orr Museum over looking Georgian Bay. If there is a more lovely spot in Canada, I'd like to see it. After leaving Parry Sound, we continued south toward Barrie, which is home to the largest Automotive Flea Market in
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September 30, 2011Another quick note and a photo of a cool car seen on his Great Race planning trip! Canadians love old cars too! I took this photo of a sharp DeSoto Adventurer in the parking lot of a grocery store in Elliott Lake, Ontario. Somewhere, Great Racer Chad Caldwell is drooling and thinking about hooking up his trailer and heading north of the border to try and find this beauty. [caption id="attachment_2167" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="What an awesome Desoto...hard to beat those wild designs from the late \'50s and early \'60s!"][/caption]
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September 29, 2011More good news from Jeff Stumb, Director of the Great Race on his second day of route planning: DAY 2 -- St. Ignace and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan We hated to leave Traverse City, but it helped knowing we will be back for several days in June of next year. It was good, however, to start the trip and planning the course for the first day of the race. Because the start will take place at 10 a.m. in Traverse City on June 23, the first day of rallying will be rather short. The lunch stop will be in St. Ignace, home of the wonderful St. Ignace Car Show each year. St. Ignace is the first city on the other side of the Mackinac Bridge, and it marked the first time I had ever been to the U.P. (the Upper Peninsula). Ed and his crew in St. Ignace are planning a great stop in conjunction with another of their car shows -- the Antiques on the Bay show in front of the marina. Beautiful Mackinac Island will be the backdrop in Lake Huron. Sault Ste. Marie (called the Soo
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September 28, 2011After acquiring the Great Race, we have been very busy, making sure we uphold the legacy and the tradition that Tom McRae established many years ago. Just after the 2011 Hemmings Motor News Great Race, Coker Tire is proud to announce a new Director of the Great Race, longtime rally enthusiast and all around car guy, Mr. Jeff Stumb. Jeff will also be heading up the Coker Tire Marketing Department, so we'll definitely keep him busy! He is away from the office right now, on a trip to the Great Lakes to meet with host cities, so sit back and enjoy some of his commentary as he rides up and down the road. As soon as the annual Coker Tire Challenge ended in Chattanooga Sept. 18, John Classen and I hit the road to visit city leaders, check out hotels and map out the route for the 2012 Great Race. As you may know by now, the Great Race will start in Traverse City, Michigan, on June 23, 2012, and circle the Great Lakes before returning to Michigan the following weekend. Plans have been
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September 15, 2011It's that time of year! We're in the final stages of preparation for the Coker Tire Challenge, so it's a fairly busy environment here in Corkyville. The guys over at Honest Charley Garage applied decals and helped David McAllister with technical inspection, while our Coker crew handled all of the registration stuff. We're ready to kick this thing off tomorrow morning at 8:00am and we'll be having dinner at the farm when our day of rallying is over. Let's roll! [caption id="attachment_1999" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Lined up for technical inspection and decal application."][/caption]
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June 27, 2011We kept you guys up to date, with daily updates from the Hemmings Motor News Great Race, but if you want to see what the racers experienced, check out the blogs at www.greatrace.com! The site had several folks blogging on a regular basis, so take a look. We also had a few participants who blogged on their own sites, including Greg Duckloe's blog about piloting a '66 Corvette roadster on the amazing journey. See his commentary here: http://joanscorvettegreatrace2011.blogspot.com/.
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June 21, 2011We had an amazing time on the Hemmings Motor News Great Race this year, and it came down to the wire to determine the Grand Champion. All week it was a tight battle between the Knowles/Gentry team and the team of Howard and Douglas Sharp. Knowles/Gentry piloted a '32 Ford Cabriolet, which was formerly piloted by Joe Knowles, who unfortunately passed away in 2010. The Sharps piloted the oldest car in the Great Race--a 1911 Velie Racetype. Knowles/Gentry led the field for several days, but the Sharps came from behind on the final two days to take home the infamous BIRD and a check for $20,000! [caption id="attachment_1836" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Corky Coker with Great Race Grand Champions, Howard and Douglas Sharp!"][/caption]
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June 17, 2011After a few days of cool temperatures, we were reminded that it's summer time, even in New York. We had temperatures creeping up into the 90's throughout the day, but no where near as hot as when we started in Chattanooga. More back roads with lots of cool scenery gave us plenty of opportunities to snap some pictures, and we even had a maze in today's course, which had drivers doing a big loop and ending up at the same intersection! We even saw two cars at the intersection at the same time, which is always awesome for pictures. Our lunch stop was absolutely incredible as the folks in Cooperstown, New York did a great job of supporting the Great Race. We had lots of on-lookers, and we enjoyed a hot dog before walking through the Baseball Hall of Fame. Big thanks to the HoF for giving the Great Racers free admission!!! After lunch we kept on truckin' and ended up in Saratoga Springs, New York...more specifically the Saratoga Automobile Museum. LOTS of awesome sports cars in there, as well as some very very cool vintage racecars on the second floor. If you're ever in the area, check it out! We had a wonderful turnout at the Museum, with lots of spectators greeting the racers as they rolled into town. Tomorrow is the final day of the Great Race, so we're excited to see who ends up winning this deal! Remember, there is $90,000 on the line, so these guys and gals will be on edge until the final results are revealed. We can't wait! For now, take a look at our pictures from today's route, and check out www.greatrace.com for all of the scores, as well as additional photos. See you in Bennington!
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June 16, 2011We're winding down from another big day of the Great Race in Binghamton, New York. We snaked through the back roads of Pennsylvania for the majority of the day, and crossed into New York in the afternoon. Our route started in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and as soon as the clocks started for the racers, they had to negotiate a slow speed covered, one lane bridge, which was perfect for some cool pictures and video. It was a tricky route with lots of tough turns and maneuvers along the way. We stopped by Hazelton, PA for lunch, and were greeted by a huge crowd. We were also treated to a wonderful lunch, consisting of fried chicken and all sorts of other goodies. We even found a new favorite side dish....fried green beans! Back on the road, we saw thousands of acres of farmland, with rolling hills and more cool bridges. You really don't get a grasp of how amazingly beautiful this country is until you view these back roads! Today the roads led to Binghamton, New York were LOTS and LOTS of folks turned out to see the Great Race come through town. We had yet another awesome dinner, so it's time to loosen the belt a little. We have a super tight race for the lead right now, so take a look at www.greatrace.com for all of the up to date scores, as well as photos from today's route! Here are a few of our favorite photos from the day!
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June 15, 2011Another day on the road, and we've landed in Hershey, Pennsylvania! We started the morning in Cumberland, Maryland with cool temperatures, and drove through a bunch of cool farmland. Narrow bridges, rolling hills and amazing barns gave us lots of opportunities to grab awesome pictures and video. Lunch was in Chambersburg, PA and they shut down the town to let all the Great Racers show off their cars and trucks. Talk about an awesome down town! We had a great lunch and hopped back in the car on our way to Hershey, PA. Dinner was held at the AACA Museum, so we made a pass through the Museum, grabbed a bite to eat and took more pictures...do you see a pattern here with the pictures? Take a look at what we captured, and go to www.greatrace.com to see a bunch more!!! See y'all tomorrow...
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June 14, 2011That's right, we're up here in beautiful Cumberland, Maryland, having an awesome time. We went through a long, and very difficult route today with lots of stops, turns and speed changes, so all of the racers felt the pressure. From Salem, Virginia we headed north on a bunch of wonderful back roads through lots of farm land, and a mountain here and there. Our lunch stop was in Harrisonburg, Virginia where the town gathered at the Turner Pavilion to watch the racers file in from their hard morning of rallying. We scarfed down a couple of hot dogs and hit the road again, headed to our final destination of Cumberland, Maryland. We had a surprise at the end of the days route, just as the racers went off the clock, as we passed over on America's only remaining privately-owned toll bridges. It was AMAZING to see these old cars cross over a bridge built in the same era! Dinner stop was in downtown Cumberland, which is one of the coolest downtowns we've ever seen! So much fun, and the people were great...right now, we are loading pictures and getting ready for tomorrow. Check back for updates, but for now take a look at some of our favorite pictures!
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June 13, 2011Here we are after day two of the Hemmings Motor New Great Race! Today, we started off in Asheville, North Carolina and hit the mountain roads wide open. Lots of twisty roads with tricky speed changes made today's rally a tough one for many racers, but we saw a lot of good driving out there. Our lunch stop was held in the small town of Galax, Virginia...more specifically, we had it at the Old Cranks Motorcar Museum. We had some good ole BBQ at the museum, and enjoyed the crowd of spectators. Then it was back to the twists and turns of Virginia, as we scaled a bunch of cool back roads. We did get some rain on the afternoon leg of the route on our way to the Dinner Stop at the Salem Civic Center. These guys know how to party!!! Tons of hot rods, muscle cars and just plain cool cars stopped by to help celebrate the Great Race festivities, and we had another great dinner...you know car guys like to eat! Tonight we'll be preparing for Day 3, where we'll eventually end up in Maryland, one step closer to our big finish in downtown Bennington, Vermont! Check out our favorite pictures from today, but you should also know that www.greatrace.com had a LOT more photos! See y'all tomorrow!
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June 12, 2011We're sitting in our hotel in Asheville, North Carolina, checking out all of our photos and videos from Day One at the 2011 Hemmings Great Race. Our route took us from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Maggie Valley, North Carolina, which means we spent a great deal of time in the mountains. It was an awesome ride with lots of opportunities for cool pictures, so take a look at our favorites and check out www.greatrace.com for even more photos, along with scores and breaking news. It's time to get ready for today's route, so we're making this one short and sweet, but we want to thank all of the Great Race staff and volunteers for an amazing job on day one. Also a huge thanks goes out to the city of Athens, Tennessee, which hosted the lunch stop, and all the fine folks at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley. [caption id="attachment_1598" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Let\'s get this thing started! Chestnut Street in Chattanooga was packed with cars and on lookers before the start of the race!"][/caption]
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June 10, 2011We followed along with the gang today during the Hagerty Trophy run, which is basically a warm up rally to get the racers, check point crews (and photographers) prepared for the big event. It was a nice drive over to Jasper, then to Raccoon Mountain and back to the Coker Tire headquarters in Chattanooga. Check out some of the pictures...we're headed to the Kickoff Dinner in the Coker Tire Museum...see ya tomorrow!
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June 10, 2011
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June 10, 2011Alright, things are getting hectic here at the Coker Tire headquarters. We have folks all over the place, getting Great Race participants signed in and ready for competition. Honest Charley Garage is handling decal application on all 60 entrants, so those guys are staying busy. Tomorrow will be a crazy day with the warm-up rally, continued registration and rally school. Let's roll!
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June 02, 2011Chances are, if you've been to our headquarters sometime in the past 10 years, then you've probably seen the Shafer 8 racecar, aka The Coker Special. The ole car has been around for a while and we've driven it across the country more than 10 times, including several coast-to-coast Great Race events. The car has a Buick straight 8 engine in it, and it runs pretty darn good! It's spent a lot of time sliding around Corkyville, but it's about to go on yet another long trip. The revitalized Great Race starts next week right here in Chattanooga and ends at the Hemmings Motor News headquarters in Bennington, Vermont. The Shafer 8 will not be in competition but it'll be on the trip! We'll be riding the route in style! [caption id="attachment_1545" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Firestone Indy 600-20"][/caption]
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June 02, 2011THE GREAT RACE CONTINUES RALLY SUPPORT OF AUTISM WITH A BENEFIT AUCTION Chattanooga, TN The Great Race began in 1983 when a couple of car guys, Tom McRae and Norm Miller, got together and bought out an ailing race promoter, who had attempted to organize a vintage car race from California to Indiana. After acquiring the assets, McRae and Miller went to great lengths to market the event, and their efforts paid off, as the Great Race turned into one of the greatest automotive events of all time. McRae and Miller always strived to contribute to local charities, and the Great Race was a terrific place to gather a large donation. Now, with Corky Coker in charge of the Great Race, the same generous spirit lives on with the 2011 event. [caption id="attachment_1542" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Corky Coker with Peter Charman from The TEAM Centers, Inc."]
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May 24, 2011Great events dont happen by accident and they certainly dont happen in the blink of an eye. It takes a lot of work to develop, organize and run an intricate event such as The Great Race, and it took a lot of work behind the scenes to get it off the ground. Tom McRae and Norman Miller did just that in 1983. The two individuals were partners in the deal, and bought out an ailing race promoter who planned to race pre-World War II automobiles across the United States for a massive purse. There were plenty of folks who doubted the feasibility of an event of this magnitude, but with help from a crew of like-minded car nuts, McRae and Miller made it work. From the inaugural event in 83 to the return of The Great Race in 2011, there have been lots of memorable moments, and with the events new ownership and new direction, there will be plenty more in the years to come.
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April 04, 2011Have you ever wanted to hop in an old car and drive it across the United States? Now that Coker Tire has acquired the Great Race, you can do just that with a bunch of car guy buddies along the way. The Great Race has been around for quite some time, but the new configuration will have more elements to make your driving experience even more fun! The veterans are tough to beat, but its hard to become one without being a rookie firstcome try it out and youll find out why everyone enjoys it so much! Doing well in any of the Great Race events requires precision, as with any time, speed, endurance rally, and youll find a gathering of very skilled and well known teams at each rally event. Good times
