Erskine Early used to transport honey from the hives to his roadside stand in a car similar to what current Early’s Honey Stand owner Curt Gibbs will be driving in the Great Race. Gibbs and his son, Curtis, will pilot a 1932 Ford Roadster around the Great Lakes.

As part of the Great Race, the Gibbs are also raising money toward the Vintage Car Rally Association’s (VRCA) Race for Autism. The VRCA (www.vintagecarrally.com) promotes vintage vehicle time/speed/distance competitive events, and donates 100 percent of the profits to specific autism causes.

“I’ve always enjoyed working on old cars, and Curtis and I have participated in these races before for fun,” said Curt Gibbs, owner of Early’s Honey Stand. “When we heard of the effort to raise money for autism awareness, we wanted to offer a special set of Early’s products to help drive donations. This is a great cause, and something we are proud to support.”

Early’s Honey Stand – a gourmet Southern food and gift company located in Spring Hill, Tennessee – has been in continuous operation since 1925, specializing in locally made, country-style food products, including local honey, smoked meats, jams and jellies and more. Early’s Race Team is offering a special Early’s gift basket featuring its famous Thick Sliced Bacon (Elvis’ Favorite !), Country Ham Slices, Local Clover Honey, Blackberry Jam and Stone Ground Grits. In addition, this special gift box will include the first in a series of “Kelsey Kards” drawn by Kelsey Scott, a resident of Spring Hill, Tennessee with Autism and Downs Syndrome, with proceeds going to benefit autism.

Beginning in June, and continuing throughout the summer, these gift baskets can be purchased from the company’s retail locations in Spring Hill and Lebanon, and through their website www.earlysgifts.com, Early’s distributes Tennessee products all over the globe. We’re glad to have the Early’s Honey Stand crew on board for the Great Race and we can’t wait to see their ’32 Ford on the road with the other teams!