(Owensboro, KY)- In the Summer of 2021, classic cars lined the riverfront in downtown Owensboro as a stop on the 2021 tour of “The Great Race.” The organizers and participants enjoyed the stop in Owensboro so much that they have announced the 2024 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Coker Tire will start in Owensboro on June 22nd and will end in Gardiner, Maine on June 30th 2024. The 9-day, 2,300-mile adventure will travel to 19 cities in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine.
The Great Race, which began 41 years ago, is not a speed race, but a time/speed/distance rally. The vehicles, each with a driver and navigator, are given
precise instructions each day that detail every move down to the second. They are scored at secret check points along the way and are penalized one second for each second either early or late. The team with the lowest score is crowned Winner of the Great Race.
“We are excited to start the 2024 Great Race in Owensboro,” Great Race Director Jeff Stumb said. “The overnight stop there in 2021 was one of the best we have ever seen. We wanted to make sure we got back as soon as possible, and what better way to do that than to make Owensboro the start of the Great Race.” The event will feature teams and cars from Japan, England, Australia, and Canada with automobiles dating back as far as 1916.
“What an unbelievable honor to be the starting point for the most famous car race across America,” said Dave Kirk from Visit Owensboro. “This large-scale event will deliver a huge economic impact for our community not just in terms of the days leading up to the race and the start, but you can’t put a price on the international marketing this provides our community.”
Mark your calendars now for the Great Race!
