Great Race Celebrity Press Release

Stars, Cars and Legends Available for Interviews
During Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty
Contact:
Jennifer Ringenberg
jenniferr@coker.com
423.648.8528
Jeff Stumb
jeffs@greatrace.com
423.385.4414
Marla Moore
marlam@coker.com
901.486.6962
Wayne Carini Racing Classic Cars In The
Hemming Motor News Great Race Presented By Hagerty
Wayne Carini, star of Chasing Classic Cars, is the 2014 Grand Marshall of the
Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented by Hagerty. With a lifetime of
experience in automobile restoration under his belt, master car restorer Wayne Carini
has a resume that includes body and paint work on rare car collections owned by the
likes of David Letterman, tennis great Ivan Lendl and the DuPont family. He's been
featured in the New York Times as
well as numerous automobile
magazines, and stars in the popular
Chasing Classic Cars television series
on Velocity.
Wayne will travel with the Great
Race for two days to greet the
crowds and to promote the event.
He will appear in Ogunquit, Maine;
Rochester, N.H.; Lowell, Mass.;
Bennington, Vt.; and Poughkeepsie,
N.Y. He is bringing a “cool” car, and
his film crew. Wayne will be filming
during the Great Race for an upcoming episode.
Wayne Carini will be available for interviews in Ogunquit, Maine; Rochester, N.H.;
Lowell, Mass.; Bennington, Vt.; and Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Famous Boxer, Micky Ward, Joins Hemmings Motor News
Great Race Presented by Hagerty at the Lowell, MA Stop
Lowell, Massachusetts is home to a very
well known boxer, Micky Ward. He went by
the nickname “Irish” and he competed in the
Junior Welterweight division for many years.
His record is 38-13 with a total of 28 wins by
knockout. Micky has agreed to join the fun as
the Great Race stops in his hometown of
Lowell, on Saturday, June 21. Humpy
Wheeler, legendary NASCAR promoter,
actually spent some time in the boxing ring
at a younger age, and set up the Micky Ward appearance, proving that he’s still one of
the greatest sports promoters around.
The movie about Micky’s life called “The Fighter” was filmed on Middle Street in
downtown Lowell, where the first Great Race car rolls through the gate on Saturday,
June 24th at 4:45pm. Be there!
Micky Ward will be available for interviews in his hometown of Lowell, on
Saturday, June 21st.
Bob Varsha Attends The Hemming Motor News Great Race
Presented By Hagerty In The Town of Ogunquit, MA
The Town of Ogunquit has invited Bob Varsha to town for the Great Race and he has
accepted. Bob is a celebrated sports on-air television and radio personality hosting
everything from Formula One coverage to many other international sports events
including 24 Hours of Le Mans. He is working for Ogunquit and will be traveling
around having photos made of him in different locations, including the start of the
Great Race.
Please contact Ogunquit for Bob Varsha interviews.
Humpy Wheeler Challenges Great Racers In The
Fabulous “Doc” Hudson
Humpy Wheeler and his grandson Austin Hardy have brought “Doc Hudson” from
the Pixar movie Cars to life and they will be sharing him with the public during the
2014 Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented by Hagerty from Maine to Florida.
Wheeler, the former president of Charlotte Motor Speedway and general NASCAR
promoter for decades, was the voice of “Tex” in the movie Cars, and he has dedicated
the build of this Fabulous Hudson Hornet to his longtime friend, the late Paul Newman
who was the voice of “Doc.”
But the Great Race is a new challenge for him and his grandson. They will be part
of the largest rookie class ever in the Great Race.
Humpy Wheeler will be available for interviews at every Great Race stop.
Corky Coker, Owner Of The Hemming Motor News Great
Race Presented By Hagerty Is The Expert
Coker Tire is the world’s leading supplier of tires and wheels for collector
vehicles, and it’s been a huge supporter of the Great Race for many years. When the
Great Race was struggling to survive, Corky Coker, owner of Coker Tire and star of
Travel Channel’s “Back Road Gold”, stepped in to save it because of the passion he
had for the Great Race family. Under the leadership of Coker the Great Race has
flourished allowing the continuation of this great American tradition. Corky is an
automotive celebrity and a recognized expert in vintage cars. He can expound on the
history and nuances of most every car in the event and is proud of how the event
continues to grow. “The Great Race continues to grow globally. This year we have
three participants from Germany, four from England, one from Japan, one from
Canada and one from Peru.” Corky declared,”And we have some of the rarest and
high dollar cars in a long time – Antonio Brunet’s 1930 Rolland Pilain; Ted Stahl’s
1935 Auburn Cabriolet, Bill Stroman’s 1936 Bentley Saloon; Chad Caldwell’s 1931
Auburn boattail speedster and Jerome Reinan’s 1932 Auburn Special Speedster.”
Coker Tire is the Official Tire of the Great Race and a large majority of the
participants use Coker products on their rally vehicles because the tires and wheels
are safe and reliable, and Coker has period correct choices for vehicles built from
the 1900′s through the 1970′s.
Corky Coker will be available for in person interviews in Ogunquit, MA and in The
Villages, FL for the day before and day of morning, noon and evening newscasts.
He is also available by phone each day.
Clarence Barnes, Actor and Automotive Host To MC The
Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented By Hagerty
Clarence Barnes is an accomplished TV host, actor, news anchor, weathercaster,
entertainment reporter, precision driver, car nut and a former record label
executive for Arista, Chrysalis, MCA and Elektra Records.
While on the east coast, he spent time commuting
between New York and Los Angeles hosting radio shows
on top rated radio stations Z-100 New York and KIIS FM
Los Angeles until he finally gave in and moved to Los
Angeles to enjoy the traffic. Once in Los Angeles, he took
on the role of Executive Producer of the Rick Dees Weekly
Top 40 Countdown, Afternoon Host at Movin’939 Los
Angeles and a competitive race car driver, competing in
the FORZA Motorsports Showdown on SPEED TV, all
simultaneously!
Clarence recently segued from broadcasting over to the
screen, guest starring as an on-camera announcer on Cold
Case, but his real passion is for cars. As a precision driver with a background of
mechanics and racing that dates back to working in his father’s shop, Clarence has
become the perfect fit both on-camera and as the annual live event host for Hot Rod
Magazine’s Hot Rod Power Tour, Car Craft Magazine’s Car Craft Summer Nationals,
Monster Jam in Lancaster California for Live Nation / KIIS FM and now Hemmings
Motor News Great Race Presented by Hagerty.
Clarence will be available for interviews and appearances at each host city in
time for the noon or 6pm news. He is also available for phone-in radio
interviews.
Jeff Mahl, Great-Grandson of The Winner Of
The 1908 New York to Paris Great Automobile Race
Delights Crowds With The Historic Story
Few audiences have the opportunity to hear
firsthand the experiences of an American race
driver who changed the course of automotive
history a century ago. Or to learn of a global test
of machines and men in an event so incredible, it
has never been duplicated in the 100+ years
since. Jeff Mahl is the Great Grandson of George
Schuster, driver of the Thomas Flyer and winner
of the 1908 New York to Paris Great Automobile
Race. His deep knowledge and expressive story
telling is so compelling you can’t wait to learn more. Jeff is an excellent spokesperson
for the Great Race past, present and future.
Jeff will be available for interviews and appearances at each host city in time
for the noon news coverage and Special presentations.
The Famous “Leslie Special”
Star Of The 1965 Hit Movie “The Great Race” Can Be Seen
On Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented By Hagerty
The Leslie Special is one of the most famous automobiles in the world. It was the
star of the 1965 hit movie “The Great Race” along with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon,
Peter Faulk, Natalie Wood and the
Hannibal 8.
It is one of three movie cars made
by Hollywood for the film, but it is
loosely based on the real 1907
Thomas Flyer that won the New
York to Paris Great Race in 1908.
The car was driven in the movie by
good-guy the Great Leslie, played by
Curtis. Villain Professor Fate, played
by Lemmon, said of the Great Leslie,
“Your hair is always combed, your
suit is always white and your car is
always clean.”
This Leslie Special is owned by Great
Racers Ted and Mary Stahl and
when not on the Great Race, it can be
seen at their museum in
Chesterfield, Michigan.
Ted Stahl will also be competing in a rare 1936 Auburn 851 Phaeton. He will be
available for interviews at every Great Race stop.