Gentlemen, start your engines. The Second Annual Great American Run will kick off on September 6, 2008 in L.A. with a party at the Playboy Mansion, with drivers will set off to cover approximately 3,000 miles on September 7th before returning to L.A. on September 13th. Presented by Cannonball Run World Events Ltd., competitors are pitted against the clock in five stages for this event, Stars of “The Girls Next Door” will host the kick off party, along with hip-hop superstar Ludacris, who will perform for the lucky guests.
Each night the drivers will make top-secret stops in five different cities, though it’s already been revealed that the drivers will tear up the Bonneville Salt Flats on September 10th with a high speed flat-out demo day.
“After last year’s success, we’re pleased to present The Great American Run again this year—bigger, better, and badder,” says the swashbuckling organizer, Tim “Maverick” Porter. “In the American tradition of independence, this run has something…everything– for both the participant and the spectator – money, fame, adrenaline and glory. Catch them if you can!”
Vehicles and teams must be pre-qualified – and pay a required entry fee of $20,000 – in order to compete, and some of the fastest cars in the entire world are expected to turn up. The fee will include accommodations, the kickoff party, along with an unforgettable party each night in each of the host cities. In addition, the fee will be bumping up the prize money for the winning team and vehicle, which are already guaranteed a minimum of $100,000.
Competing vehicles last year included the rarest and most expensive automobile in the world, the Bugatti Veyron, Corvettes, Ferraris, and even desert-ready Ford Crew Cabs. Don Gongley and Steve Games from San Diego won last year’s run – which featured almost 200 entries – with a black Porsche that did an average of a little over 60 mph. Games and Gonley were lucky enough to then drive away with a new $80,000 Saleen Mustang presented to them by the daughter of the car builder’s founder, Molly Saleen.
Some of the sponsors include media partners National Lampoon, Ultimate Bad Boy, Car Collector Magazine and Makes and Models, Laser Protector, Obsidian Enterprises. For sponsorship opportunities, call (800) 619 – 8593 or (714) 391 – 2486.
To enter the Great American Run, visit www.greatamericanrun.com, email [email protected], or call (800) 619 – 8593. European entrants can contact the UK office at 011 44 1403 276191.
