The nationally-known Bandit Run, commemorating the movie, “Smokey and the Bandit” will stop off in East Ridge at the Comfort Inn Hotel, 6710 Ringgold Road, on Thursday, April 14, for an overnight stay.
The next day, following a Bandit Breakfast for participants and hotel guests, the run will take off for their last stop in Braselton, Ga. The breakfast is set from 6:30-9:30. The cars will depart between 9-9:30 a.m.
Consisting of the 18-wheeler made famous by Jerry Reed and his basset hound, two replicas of the sheriff’s car driven by Jackie Gleason in the pursuit of the Bandit and 40 of the Pontiac Trans Am Bandit cars, it will be a parade down Ringgold Road.
Scheduled to arrive at Coker Tire Company at noon for a tour of the local tire maker’s facility, they will depart afterwards for East Ridge and will be met at the Moore Road exit off of I-24 by members of the East Ridge police department for the parade down Ringgold Road to the hotel.
There are several events scheduled at the hotel the night of April 14 as hotel guests will get a chance to mingle with the drivers at a special guest hospitality room sponsored by Coors – the original cargo in the movie.
Outdoors for everyone will be a muscle car show, the Troy Underwood band and concessions by Randy Carpenter. Bandit Run souvenirs will also be on sale.
The automotive shop of East Ridge High School will put on a demonstration showing the disassembly and reassembly of an engine in less than 32 minutes. This team of future mechanics is currently the Southeast Regional champions of this event.
On-site hotel parking will be available for guests only. For guest reservations call 893-7979 and mention the Bandit Run. All others will be provided parking directly across the street from the Comfort Inn.