The route for the 2013 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty is shaping up to be a dream rally for competitors. And I know first hand having just returned from a two-week trip from Minnesota to the Gulf Coast, mapping out the route. At first, I was not sure if we were going to promote the Great River Road the name given to the roads along the Mississippi River through 10 states as a theme for the 2013 event. But after driving the route with Director of Competition John Classen, I can tell you it is the theme.
Unlike the 2012 Great Race route around the Great Lakes, we will spend a lot of time rallying along the river, having lunch along the river and spending the night along the river. The reason is simple there are roads on both banks of the Mississippi River and not a lot of large cities.
Now, I dont want anyone to get the idea that we are going to rally straight down the river. In fact, what makes the 2013 event a dream rally is that we have a large number of nearby roads that are perfect for what we do. Those who have been on past Great Races that have traveled through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois know what I am talking about. And the surprise state in my opinion has to be Mississippi. We have not rallied much in that state in the past, and even I (having grown up in neighboring Alabama) was pleased at the great roads and the terrific scenery for a rally.
After we leave St. Paul, we will have lunch five times on the banks of the Mississippi or one of its tributaries and we will have six overnight stops in cities on the mighty river. And that does not count the final two stops on the last day including Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico.
Over the next few weeks I will be releasing the names of the cities we will be making stops in and writing about my travels there setting up the route, hotels and food. It will be an event you will not want to miss!
–Jeff Stumb
I live in Illinois and I want to be a spectator of the Great Race in 2013,I would like to know what towns in Illinois the Race is going through. I live near the Mississippi river and I want to be part of the Race.. Please email me back with the route it will travel through in Illinois.Would love to volunteer for the Great Race of 2013
Thanks,
Carnut
Jim and Sherry
Jim and Sherry: We will racking up a lot of miles in Illinois in 2013 and stopping in at least a couple of towns. Keeping watching the web site in the next few weeks as we announce all of the stops.
I too am planning on shadowing the race in 2013 and staying with the cars for the whole trip. I live in So.Cal and will be driving to St. Paul and then down the river to Mobile and then back to LA. Really excited about the whole thing and hope to pull it off and enjoy the drive with the cars. Please keep me in mind with any updates as to cities and routes etc so I can also be informed. Thank you, chris allen
Chris: Give me a call at Great Race HQ at 800-989-7223 when you get a chance. I can help make the experience even more rewarding for you. — Great Race Director Jeff Stumb.
Jeff – when I opened my latest issue of Hemmings today and saw the info on Great Race 2013, my first thought was that I too would like to follow the race from its beginning to its end. I don’t have an antique car but I would be in the most modern advanced car available as I have the new Lincoln MKZ ordered. If there are opportunities to participate more personally in the race, I would certainly like to hear about them as being retired I have a completely flexible schedule. The thought crossed my mind that the Lincoln PR people might even like to get some shots of their brand new model interacting with the race. Since I’ll have a hybrid in their new Ice Storm color, it would make for great PR to play up the mileage the hybrid gets along the trip. I have no connection to Ford or Lincoln but would think they’d like PR shots. I’m in the Dallas area but would spend some time at Orange Beach (gulf coast of Alabama) after the race. I’m thinking this will be a great deal of fun and look forward to it.
Hooray! The Great Race comes to the Gulf Coast. Classic car enthusiasts here in Mobile are thrilled to hear this news. We’d love to know about spectating and volunteer opportunities here.
I also would love to do this but my Mazda MX5 is to new. Is there any chance we could make the trip without competing in the race?
Mike Sacia
Hi there! I finally had time to open my Hemings and found this ad for the great race I had to get up and make a cocktail, email a buddy and talk him into it. We both registered the next day and sent a check. As a subriber to hennings for 34 years it’s time to get out and be with other gear heads more often. Not sure what car to bring as the great race does not discriminate so anything is possible. That’s the way it’s supposed to be! Thanks. Can’t wait. Merrill Benfield. Charleston South Carolina