KINGMAN – The city once again took the spotlight on Route 66 Friday as the 2026 Hemmings Great Race made its highly anticipated stop at Locomotive Park, drawing a large crowd of residents, car enthusiasts, and travelers eager to witness one of America’s most celebrated vintage rallies. The midday stop marked the latest chapter in Kingman’s long relationship with the event.
Race manager Brad Phillips explained that the Great Race is far from a traditional motorsport. “We are a 2,400‑mile long‑distance time, speed, endurance rally,” he said. “The first one across the finish isn’t the winner. It’s the one closest to the perfect rally time set by our rally master.”
Drivers and navigators follow cryptic instructions released only 30 minutes before their start time each day. The vehicles are sent on their way at staggered one-minute intervals to pass through six to eight secret checkpoints where early or late arrivals result in penalties. The 2026 purse totals $160,000, with $50,000 awarded to the overall champion.
This year’s event is significant several fronts, celebrating both the Centennial of Route 66 and the 250th anniversary of the United States as well as Kingman’s relationship with the Great Race. Over the 44 years of the national event, Kingman has hosted in the 1980s (twice), 1990s, 2007, and 2015. With the 2026 visit, Kingman has now hosted the event more times than any other community in the United States, a distinction highlighted during Friday’s ceremony.
The rally began June 20 in Springfield, Illinois, and will conclude June 28 in Pasadena, California, covering 2,400 miles across eight states. The heightened interest led organizers to expand the field to approximately 150 antique automobiles—far more than the usual 100‑car roster.
Phillips noted that the event is as much a traveling museum as it is a competition. “All the cars entered are 1974 and older, and we have some really interesting old iron on display,” he said.
Local pride was on full display as the Pharaohs Car Club showcased its own lineup of classic vehicles ahead of the racers’ arrival, giving spectators an early look at Kingman’s homegrown automotive heritage.
