The Hemmings Motor News Great Race, a national automobile rally over 40 years old, will make its second-ever pit stop in the Village of Montgomery next Thursday, June 27 at 11:30 a.m. on Clinton Street, where residents can marvel at 120 vehicles spanning several decades and meet their drivers.

The Great Race, started in 1983 by Tom McRae and Norman Miller, is a nine-day, 2,300-mile trek in which dozens of drivers from across the globe will cruise through a long stretch of states. This year, contestants will begin in Owensboro, Kentucky, and pass by 19 cities along the Eastern United States until they reach Gardiner, Maine. Judges will score drivers based on how well they keep pace between checkpoints and will penalize them if they reach a checkpoint too early or late. The team with the lowest score will win $50,000 from a $160,000 purse, and the remaining $110,000 will be divided across other teams, based on various criteria.

The event is known for showcasing antique cars, the oldest ones dating back to 1912. This year’s race will feature a 1912 Haynes, a 1913 Chevrolet, and a 1916 Hudson.

Previously, the Village of Montgomery hosted a stop during the 2022 Great Race, impressing Hemmings Motor News so much that the company offered the community another opportunity to host this year. Considering that each Great Race features a different course from the last, drivers will rarely visit the same stops between years, making the village an exceptional case.

“The Great Race rarely travels back to a city stop, and when it does it’s usually been 10 years or more,” said Jeff Stumb, director of the event. “Once we knew we’d be taking the race through southeast New York we immediately called the Village of Montgomery to see if we could come back for a second time in three years because of the fantastic job they did in 2022.”

Once the contestants reach Clinton Street, they will take a break, enjoy lunch, and engage with residents for several hours. The event will be free and everyone is encouraged to visit and say hi to the racers; children may also have the chance to hop into the cars and check them out in the front seat.

For more information, visit greatrace.com or contact Stumb at jeff@greatrace.com or (423) 648-8542.