The Great Race participants to pass through the Nevada area June 23

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

Fort Scott will be filled with car enthusiasts of all ages Wednesday, June 23. The 22nd Annual Great Race will be stopping in downtown Fort Scott for a lunch break hosted by the Scottish Rite Temple and there will be a parade and Shine Time Car Show for local car owners to show off their own machines.

"Originally we intended to charge $15 for the car show but we have decided to let everyone enter for free," Don Russell, Fort Scott Economic Development director and chairman of the Shine Time Car Show, said. "This is in the middle of the week and people have to take off of work to participate and that would just be adding insult to injury. We want as many to participate as possible and making it free will encourage people to do that."

The Great Race is a two-week long race from Jacksonville, Fla., to Monterey, Calif. Visitors are invited to view the cars and visit with the drivers and navigators during their stop in Fort Scott.

Festivities begin with a Shine Time Parade down Main Street at 8:30 a.m., starting at the Fort Scott High School parking lot and ending at Skubitz Plaza parking lot. All entries in the car show are invited to participate in the parade which will have non-car show entries as well, such as Shriners units, Cub Scouts and other civic organizations.

Trophies for the Shine Time Car Show will be awarded for Best of Show and Crowd Favorite. Similar trophies will be awarded to Great Race cars. The Scottish Rite Temple will offer sponsors of the event, and a guest, lunch with drivers and their navigators at the temple. Hosts will greet the teams at the finish line and escort them to lunch.

Anyone wishing to participate in the car show can pick up registration forms at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, the Scottish Rite Temple, or the Fort Scott city hall. In order to process entries, forms need to be returned by June 16.

For more information or to request a registration form, call (620) 223-1330.