Great Race to speed into town this summer

The Great Race, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is one of the premier cross country automotive events in the nation.

The cross-country race for classic cars, hot rods and muscle cars will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a Pit Stop in McMinnville on July 2 as part of its annual 4,000-mile journey across the U.S.

?We are pleased to bring Great American Race 2007 to McMinnville during our 25th anniversary,? said Bill Ewing, CEO for Rally Partners, Inc., the event organizers. ?The Great Race is a great community event that appeals to anyone who loves automobiles, plus it?s always free to the public so I?m confident that race fans who come out to see the Great Race will enjoy the experience.?

Great Race has never been to McMinnville, and local officials are thrilled to have one of the Pit Stops along the route.

?McMinnville is so excited to have the Great Race stopping here, especially since this is our bicentennial year, it is a perfect pairing,? said McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce president Lea Chrisawn. ?McMinnville is making plans and we will be putting on a great show for the racers, so if anyone is interested in working with our committee, they need to call the Chamber at (931) 473-6611.?

The year 2007 also marks the 75th Anniversary of the 1932 Ford ?Deuce.? In honor of the celebration, Great American Race 2007 has been expanded to include two special events. ?Deuce Week East? and ?Deuce Week West? are one-week races running concurrently with Great American Race 2007 and features ?32 Fords of all configurations as well as hot rods, street rods, muscle cars and classics of any make and era.

Great American Race will begin June 30 in Concord, N.C., and will finish two weeks later, on July 14, in Orange County, Calif. A field of up to 100 classic cars, all manufactured in 1969 or earlier, are eligible to compete.

For more information, visit www.greatrace.com.