Great Race postponed until August because of coronavirus

This year’s Hemmings Motor News Great Race, scheduled to come through Cape Girardeau, has been postponed until August because of COVID-19 concerns.

The event begins in San Antonio and ends in Greenville, South Carolina.

This year, the race will come through Cape Girardeau on Aug. 25.

“I’m pleased to announce that all of our Grand Champions, as well as a majority of the race teams, volunteers and staff, have agreed to the new schedule, and we look forward to having a full field for the start of the 2020 Great Race in front of the Alamo on Aug. 22,” event director Jeff Stumb said.

The Great Race will follow all U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local guidelines and officials have been working closely with cities to have spectators line the streets on the way into the venue to ensure social distancing rather than in large groups.

“As the entire United States is opening up again, we will continue to monitor the situation for any changes we may be able to make in either direction,” Stumb said. The event and sponsors have established July 1 as the official “go” date as long as conditions are favorable.

Visit Cape, Old Town Cape and the City of Cape Girardeau, in conjunction with the River City Rodders, Capaha Antique Car Club, BOLD and several other community organizations are coordinating the local event and will be monitoring any changes that may occur between now and August.

“We admire our sponsors Hemmings, Hagerty, Coker Tire, and Reliable Carriers for their commitment to getting everyone back in their cars as safe as possible,” said Legendary Companies CEO Wade Kawasaki. “After all, there is no place safer than your own car, and that’s where Great Racers are 90 percent of the time during this great backroad adventure.”

The Great Race, owned by Legendary Companies, was originally scheduled for June 20 to 28, with an original overnight stop in Cape Girardeau on June 23. The annual event, which pits vintage cars in a cross-country endurance competition of the time, speed and distance, was started in 1983 and regularly sees vehicles as old as 1909. The total purse for the event is $158,750 with $50,000 going to the winning team.