ORANGE, CA – The 20^th annual Great Race Texas will return to its roots in 2008 when it is hosted by the City of Granbury, located 30 miles south of Fort Worth. Great Race Texas is a three-day rally race for classic cars, scheduled for March 7 – 9, hosted in part by the Granbury Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Charlie McIlvain, CTP, executive director of the Granbury Convention & Visitors Bureau stated, “The City of Granbury is pleased that the Great Race is returning to its roots here in Granbury. Granbury’s historic square makes the perfect backdrop for the vintage vehicles involved in the race.”

For many years, the Great Race organization was based in Granbury. It was also the home to Great Race Texas from 1996-2002 and is the current residence for Sandi and Sister McRae, the wife and sister of the late Great Race founder, Tom McRae.

“Sandi and I are thrilled to have Great Race Texas return to Granbury. We are excited to welcome all our old friends and strangers, (friends we have not met yet),” said Sister McRae.

Great Race Texas kicks off with a rally on Friday, March 7, followed by a cruise-in and car show on the Historic Square. On Saturday, participants will enjoy another day of rallying followed by some “spirited driving” on one of the road racing courses at nearby Motorsports Ranch, hosted by the Roush Owners and Enthusiasts Association.

Much like national Great Race events, Great Race Texas features classic cars in an open-road, rally race designed by John Classen, Great Race’s world-class course designer.

“Great Race Texas is the perfect setting for anyone interested in driving their favorite car on the open roads of Texas,” said Bill Ewing, CEO for Rally Partners, Inc., the event organizers. “For 19 years, Great Race Texas has been our ‘spring training’ as veterans and rookies sharpen their rallying skills in preparation for the upcoming national race. Plus, the Great Race was created in Texas, so it’s always great to return to the Lone Star State.”

The entry fee for Great Race Texas is $500 for veterans and $250 for rookies. Participants may also choose to “run for fun” or they can “dash for cash” and compete for a cash purse.

Located on Lake Granbury, which was created in 1969 by damming the nearby Brazos River, Granbury offers a unique combination of both historic attractions and present day accommodations and shopping. Its historic square remains in many ways just as it was in the late 1800's. Granbury’s historic square was the first square in the United States to be registered as a historic landmark by the National Historic Register. The Granbury Opera House, built in 1886 and the Hood County Courthouse, built in 1891 are the “crown jewels of the historic square.”

Granbury has been branded as the “Branson of Texas.” Unique shopping opportunities on the historic square, three live theater venues, a riverboat that produces a verity of cruise activities, excellent dining establishments, several wineries, art displays and historical sites, a drive in theater, numerous special events, over 25 charming bed and breakfast inns and several new hotels complete the product mix.

Dallas, Texans Tom McRae and Interstate Batteries Chairman, Norman Miller created the Great Race in 1983 to provide classic car enthusiasts with an opportunity to drive their cars on the roads of America. It quickly became an American institution, attracting competitors from all over the world.

Great Race Texas is a shorter version of the national Great Race, in its 26^th year of competition. Each team’s score is determined by their ability to follow the designated course instructions precisely. Each second off perfect time, early or late at secretly located checkpoints, is as a penalty point, low score wins. Veteran teams can discard their 2 worst legs, and Rookies their 3 worst, on the first 2 days of competition.

Next May, Great Race Sports will commemorate the world famous “Greatest Auto Race,” an around the world race from New York to Paris in 1908. On May 30, 40 teams, driving classic cars and alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles will participate in a renewal of the 22,000-mile race, beginning in New York and finishing in Paris, France. The 65-day long event will have 3 shorter stages including Great Race North America, the 26^th annual renewal, created by McRae and Miller in 1983. Enthusiasts may also participate in Great Race China or Great Race Europe.

For 25 years, Great Race Sports, Inc., the race organizer, and its predecessors have delivered free family entertainment and community events in more than 900 cities reaching more than 200 million people in North America. Its participants have logged more than 9 million competitive miles and been awarded $6 million in prize money, making Great Race the richest and longest-running motorsports competition for classic cars. Great Race Sports is focused on bringing exciting vintage automotive events to consumers internationally. The company includes a number of prominent business executives including Jack Roush, one of NASCAR’s leading team owners, and Corky Coker, chief executive of Coker Tire Co.