2026 Hemmings Great Race presented by Coker Tire - Day 1

It's a day we've been waiting for, and a day we've been working toward for well over a year. The Grand Start of the 2026 Hemmings Great Race presented by Coker Tire on South 6th Street in downtown Springfield, Illinois! The ceremonial green flag took place next to the Old State Capitol building and it was a picturesque scene with historic buildings, and of course, an original stretch of Route 66 beneath the tires of more than 140 Great Race vehicles.

A huge crowd of spectators came out to cheer on the racers, and there was a display of local cars and trucks on hand as well. After the cars were on display for two hours, it was time to start the festivities. First out of the gate were last year's Grand Champions, Jeff and Eric Fredette, followed by a great variety of cars and trucks from all over the world. Racers stopped for a quick lunch in Litchfield, Illinois and then had a relatively short day of rallying on the way to Collinsville, Illinois. We were blown away with the support from the town, as thousands of people came out to the middle of town. There were multiple car shows in town with car club support, as well as a full on festival. It was an incredible way to cap off the first day of competition on this Great Race.