Racing competitions have changed and evolved over the years, focusing on speed, mileage, and distance. The Cannonball Run Rally is a notorious car competition with extreme bouts of speed and an essential organizational feature. For anyone who wants to partake in the Cannonball Run Rally, it is helpful to know what to expect before hitting the road.
What Is the Cannonball Run Rally?
The Cannonball Run Rally is a competition that focuses on speed and long-distance driving to cross the distance of the United States. Drivers start at the Red Ball Garage in New York City, New York, and must make it to the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach in Los Angeles, California. These drivers will compete against other drivers to see who crosses this distance in the least amount of time.
History
The Cannonball Run challenge originates from the 1970s when Brock Yates, a car magazine writer, and an editor, Steve Smith, attempted to make a cross-country drive from New York to California. This endeavor later caught on, and more people joined, thus beginning a competition to try and cross the distance the fastest. These races were also a part of a celebration of the Interstate Highway System’s building and a protest against traffic laws that prevented speeding.
The race’s name was originally the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash in honor of Erwin G. “Cannonball” Baker, who drove across the US 140 times. The name changed to the Cannonball Run Rally, primarily due to the 1981 movie of the same name.
Cars in the Rally
Those who have driven in this race will know that only the fastest cars drive in the Cannonball Run Rally. Since the point of the race is to have the most speed, this leaves a lot of room for vehicles with multiple modifications. Vehicles with boosted engines and luxury cars with supercar body kits will line up to beat the current record and get a chance at large cash prizes ranging from $100,000 to one million dollars.
The Cannonball Run Rally of the Present
Today, people still participate in the Cannonball Run Rally with vehicles geared up for a long drive. Various types of automobiles participate in the race, each with their category and record, such as electric motor cars, motorcycles, and self-driving cars. The organizational aspect has also improved since the 1970s, with scouts mapping out routes to show clear paths and which ones are under construction.
The Cannonball Run Rally has an exciting history, bringing together many car enthusiasts in an unofficial cross-country race. If you plan to win this competition, make sure you have all the information you need and a great car to go with it.