The Team Pioneer 1957 Chevy owned by Dave Archer who has participated in Great Races. Archer was among those encouraging race organizers to pick Marietta. (Photo provided)

Final preparations are underway for the 2024 Hemmings Motor News Great Race that will be in town on June 23.

Marietta is the only stop in Ohio on the nine-day 2,300-mile event with about 140 antique cars and a couple motorcycles competing for $150,000 in prizes.

“The Great Race Officials have been working on the course since 2023. They have actually been to Marietta three times in 2024 to put the final touches on the course,” Jill Witucky, Great Race Committee member and organizer, said.

“The teams will have lunch in Lancaster, Ohio, before traveling to Marietta, Ohio, for the overnight stop,” she said.

“No one knows the exact route until the morning before they head from Lawrenceburg, Ind., to Lancaster, Ohio.”

Christian Reichardt and Bill Nowysz approach a turn in their modified 1930 Ford Model A roadster. Modifications are allowed, as long as it stays within the spirit of the event and does not provide an unfair performance advantage. (Photo provided by Great Race)

The racers will go through 19 states this year.

The rally focuses on precision and strategy and not speed.

Teams are awarded points for the accuracy of the driver and navigator to match at time and speed through a predetermined course.

The Great Race starts June 21 in Owensboro, Ky.

After Marietta, the race will go to Morgantown, the only stop in West Virginia on the schedule.

Joyce Mordenti waves from the passenger seat of a 1953 Sunbeam Alpine. She handles navigation duties for team number 25, while Jim Pohl handles the driving. This year, they are rallying in a different car, a 1953 Hudson Hornet. (Photo provided by Great Race)

Participants are expected to arrive about 4 p.m. June 23 in Marietta at the Putnam bridge that will be adorned with American flags supplied by the Marietta Noon Lions Club through the Bridge of Heroes Project.

“The Great Race support team will arrive earlier in the day with a finish line that will be put up on Front Street,” Witucky said.

“They also bring their own emcee and he will get things started with an opening ceremony right before the cars get here. As the cars come in, the emcee will interview them and share tidbits about each car/driver/navigator with the crowd.”

Race cars will be parked on Front Street until 7:30 p.m.

The public can meet and talk with the drivers and navigators who will be with their cars.

Four-time Great Race winners, Howard and Doug Sharp pilot a 1916 Hudson, which is built to replicate a vintage Pikes Peak hill climb racer. The father-and-son team is from Fairport, New York. (Photo provided by Great Race)

The event will be held rain or shine.

To be held with the Great Race festivities is a massive Motorsports Show in downtown Marietta.

“One of the things that the Great Race encourages a city to do is have a car show to bring people to the Great Race,” Witucky said.

“We decided we didn’t want to stop with cars but anything motorsports to encourage as many people to be able to participate.”

The Motorsports Show will include vintage and race cars, sports cars, hot rods, motorcycles, jeeps, antique engines, trucks, tractors and antique hearses, among others.

Thousands of spectators gather for Great Race hosted city stops. On most days, there is a hosted stop for lunch and a hosted stop at the overnight city, providing easy access to the cars, drivers and navigators. (Photo taken in Garden City, Kansas during the 2023 Great Race) (Photo provided by Great Race)

“We have people contacting us from Cincinnati and Columbus all the way to South Carolina wanting to bring things to the Motorsports Show,” Witucky said.

All of Second Street from Putnam to Greene streets including parking lots available for the Motorsports Show, she said.

Pre-registration is not required for the Motorsports Show. Just bring a vehicle, Witucky said. The entry fee for participants in the show is $10 fee per vehicle.

Participants will receive a commemorative Great Race Marietta dash plaque for entering their vehicle. More than 150 door prizes will be given away and the first 125 people to register the day of the event receive a goody bag.

The Motorsports Show will begin at 9 a.m. with gates opening at 8 a.m. at Putnam and Second streets. Most downtown businesses and restaurants will be open, Witucky said.

Each Great Race city stop is free to the public and offers a family-friendly atmosphere with live announcing as the cars roll into town and plenty of time to check out the cars before the teams move on to the next destination. (Photo taken in Joplin, Missouri during the 2023 Great Race) (Photo provided by Great Race)

Memorial Health Systems with Akron Children’s Hospital will hold a free Kids Zone beginning at noon on the Armory Lawn. Plans include a petting zoo, Magician Dennis Regling, face painting with Angela’s Misfits, balloon twisters with the Twister Sisters, cartoon caricatures with J.D. Williamson and free Kona Ice for the kids.

“We are so very thankful to Memorial Health Systems for helping us entertain our younger guests. We have strived to keep this a free community event and we are so very thankful for our 42 sponsors who have stepped up to bring this once in a lifetime event to Marietta in June,” Witucky said.

Free parking and shuttle service will be provided from the Washington County Fairgrounds. First City Records will host live bands throughout the day and street organs or may play on street corners.

Many storefronts are decorated in a race theme. Local organizations around Marietta have stepped up with volunteers including Marietta Rotary, Kiwanis Club and Marietta Noon Lions Club.

“Marietta is such a great town and we are so excited to roll out the red carpet for The Great Race. Rain or shine this event will go on! Come spend the day or even the night and take in The Great Race and Motorsports Show. We have something planned for everyone,” Witucky said.

“Our streets are lined with American and Great Race Marietta flags and Marietta is ready to welcome The Great Race and visitors to downtown, ” she said.

For more information, visit their Facebook page @GreatRaceofMarietta,LLC or email greatracemarietta@gmail.com.