Hot Rod Magazine announced Tuesday morning that Chattanooga will be stop number six on its 7-day, 7-city cross-country tour of over 5,400 performance vehicles. The tour will be in Chattanooga on June 6.
Those making the announcement included Bob Doak, president & CEO – Chattanooga CVB, Jeff Dahlin, publisher – Hot Rod Magazine, Corky Coker, owner – Coker Tire Company and Joe Helseth, special assistant to the president – Chattanooga State Community College.
Coker Tire, Power Tour sponsor, hosted the announcement from their headquarters in historic downtown Chattanooga, also home to the Coker Tire Automotive Museum. The museum holds Corky Coker’s private collection of vintage collector cars which showcase the show car quality the Power Tour will bring to Chattanooga in June, officials said.
This seven-day, seven-city tour will travel over 1,400 miles through six states kicking off in Arlington, Tx. and traveling to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The event will attract over 5,400 cars, grab the attention of over 86,000 spectators, travel over 50 of the nation’s premier automotive and aftermarket manufacturers and generate a worldwide buzz in the automotive enthusiast market, officials said.
Chattanooga’s Convention and Visitors Bureau and locally owned and operated Coker Tire Company will host Day 6 of the Power Tour. The Coker Tire Cruise Night will be held on Thursday, June 6, at Chattanooga State Community College.
“We’re very excited to be hosting a return visit of the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour,” said Mr. Doak. “Chattanooga hosted the Power Tour in 2010 and watched as thousands of hot rodders from all over the country and the world descended on the city for the one-day event. We’re anticipating the 2013 Power Tour to bring more than 6,000 participants who will leave an estimated economic impact of more than $1 million. This impact will be felt throughout the community and will benefit our hotels, attractions, restaurants and other businesses. We’re looking forward to seeing the 3,500 hot rods this June.”
“We’re very excited to be hosting a return visit of the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour,” said Mr. Doak. “Chattanooga hosted the Power Tour in 2010 and watched as thousands of hot rodders from all over the country and the world descended on the city for the one-day event. We’re anticipating the 2013 Power Tour to bring more than 6,000 participants who will leave an estimated economic impact of more than $1 million. This impact will be felt throughout the community and will benefit our hotels, attractions, restaurants and other businesses. We’re looking forward to seeing the 3,500 hot rods this June.”
“I am delighted that Hot Rod Magazine has chosen to visit the Tennessee Valley once again”, said Mr. Coker. "I know that it is rare for the Power Tour to re-visit the same cities it has been through before, but I know that the city of Chattanooga will roll out the red carpet once again for this power house event and this incredible group of people who follow this annual cross-country tour. The Power Tour is my kind of event. It’s about getting out and driving your car-a celebration of the open road. We’re excited to be a part of the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour once again and hope all of those registered Power Tour participants will come by the Coker Tire headquarters in historic downtown Chattanooga for a Tour of our facilities in June.”
The Hot Rod Power Tour begins in Arlington, TX at the University of Texas at Arlington on Saturday, June 1. The kickoff sponsor is Ft. Worth-based Painless Performance Products. On Sunday, June 2, the tour moves to the Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana, Ar. for a stop sponsored by Edelbrock Performance. The next stop takes the tour the Arkansas Fairgrounds in Little Rock on Monday, June 3. From there, the route goes to Memphis for a stop at the Memphis International Raceway on Tuesday, June 4, sponsored by locally owned and operated Comp Cams. On Wednesday, June 5, the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium will host a stop sponsored by Holley Performance Products in Hoover, Ala. near Birmingham. Chattanooga State Community College will host the Thursday, June 6, stop sponsored by Chattanooga-based Coker Tire. The Grand Finale for the 2013 Hot Rod Power Tour will be at the zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord (Charlotte), N.C.
“The Power Tour is truly the ultimate hot rodding adventure,” said Mr. Dahlin. “The event began 19 years ago as a road trip from Southern California to Detroit for a few of the editors and some of their friends who had built magazine project vehicles. 19 years later, it’s amassed over 5,400 vehicles, over 85,000 spectators, 50 of the nation’s premier automotive aftermarket manufacturers and becomes the center of a worldwide buzz in the automotive aftermarket industry every June. We can’t wait to bring the Power Tour, Hot Rod Magazine’s flagship event, back to Chattanooga this June.”
The Hot Rod Power Tour is free to spectators however there is a cost to register a vehicle for just one day or the entire event. Vehicle registration is open to any year, make or model of vehicle. Pre-register for $80 plus $3.50 handling fee or register on-site for $90. Pre-registration runs through Thursday, May 23, at www.HotRod.com or by calling 877.413-6515. Participants can also join the Tour one day only for $30. One-day registration is available on site only.
For more information, follow the Hot Rod Power Tour at www.hotrod.com, Facebook: facebook.com/hotrodmag, Twitter: twitter.com/hotrodmagazine or by calling 877.413-6515.