Great Race Hosts “Auction for Autism” During Friday Night’s Kickoff Dinner at Coker Tire

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.

Recently, Corky Coker met with Peter Charman from The TEAM Centers, Inc. a local Chattanooga non-profit organization, devoted to providing lifespan clinical services to children and adults with developmental disabilities. This association serves thousands of individuals by offering hope, support, treatment and assistance needed for the complex conditions of autism, mental retardation, genetic disorders and other developmental disabilities. The benefit for The TEAM Centers will include both a silent and live auction, to be held during the June 10, Friday night Kickoff Dinner at the Coker Tire Company headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Kickoff Dinner and “Auction for Autism” will be held in the Coker Tire Museum at 6pm EST.

Participants and crews, as well as staff from Coker Tire and the Great Race are greatly encouraged to donate items for the auction, but any and all donations are welcome. Since this event is based on old cars, anything car-related will get the most response, so donations can include car care products and items of that nature, but other items are welcomed as well. Pat Brothers and the Vintage Car Rally Association (VCRA) are accepting the donations prior to the event, and Pat can be contacted directly at [email protected].