The Field is Set For The 25th Anniversary Great Race

CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA, June 1, 2007 - The 25th anniversary Great Race is set to make another trek across North America this summer, according to race organizers. Great American Race 2007, presented by Interstate Batteries will begin in Concord, North Carolina on June 30, and will finish in Anaheim, California on July 14, 2007.

“Our staff has been very working hard for the past year to ensure that the 25th Great Race is the best one yet,” said Bill Ewing, chief executive office, for Great Race Sports, Inc., organizers of the event. “We have a diverse field of classics including some heart pounding 1960’s era muscle cars, a large roster of ‘32 Deuces in celebration of its 75th anniversary, and some timeless classics including a 1966 Aston Martin DB6, a 1954 Jaguar XK-120 and a 1910 Selden, oldest car in the race. This Great Race will have the broadest collection of classics to ever travel across America.”

The last time the Great Race stopped in Concord was in 2003.

Following the start in Concord, North Carolina, the field of cars will head southwest to Spartanburg, S.C., then west, spending three days in Tennessee, with stops in Chattanooga, Nashville and Germantown. The race then moves on to Fort Smith Arkansas, Norman Oklahoma and then ends the first half in Lewisville, Texas for a much-needed day off. From there it’s across the southwest with stops in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Flagstaff, Arizona, Laughlin, Nevada, and Pomona, California, before the finish in Anaheim.

In honor of its 75th Anniversary, the 1932 Ford will be the featured mark during the Race. Ten 1932 “Deuces” of various configurations, along with 29 additional Fords will be on display in what is being billed as the world’s longest ‘32-Ford celebration. Race sponsors Hotrodhotline.com and Honest Charley’s Speed Shop is supporting the race with a grassroots promotional effort to bring out Fords of any era to Great Race stops along the route.

13 year-old Defending Great Race Champion navigator Sawyer Stone and his grandfather, Dave Reeder will be back to defend their title in car number 1, a 1933 Ford V-8 Roadster. Last summer Reeder and Stone won the Great Race and the $100,000 first place prize with wining score of 2:05 seconds off perfect time for the 4,000 mile trek from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to San Rafael, Calif. The pair rolled their prize money over to an entry fee into next summer’s Great Race that will travel from New York to Paris.

The Great Race commemorates one of the most remarkable automotive adventures on the 20th Century - a race almost around the world, from New York to Paris. On Feb. 12, 1908, six automobiles left New York City’s Times Square to the cheers of 250,000 people, in what was described by its newspaper sponsors as “the toughest race ever devised.” Despite the daunting challenge of traveling poor roads in harsh weather, teams from three countries persevered in the race across North America, Asia and Europe, finishing in Paris, France, more than five months later. The winner was the U.S. entry, a 1907 Thomas Flyer, with George Schuster as the main driver. A Protos entered by Germany finished second, and a Zust, from Italy, was third. Three other starters failed to finish.

Great Race Sports, Inc., located in Orange, California will celebrate the centennial of that milestone event with “The Great Race: 2008: New York to Paris,” featuring automobiles powered by renewable energy and classic cars that are at least 25 years old, in another race, nearly around the world from New York to Paris. Three additional regional, or stages have been added for the less ambitious enthusiasts, Great Race North America, Great Race China and Great Race Europe. For more information, please log on to www.greatrace.com.