The 34th annual Route 66 Fun Run next weekend from Seligman to Topock, Arizona, will have an interesting new twist that will provide the best seat in the house to see the hundreds of vehicles in the cruise.
Nikki Seegers, director of operations for the Arizona Historic Route 66 Association that puts on the event, put out this nugget in her news release:
One major update this year is that the panel of judges will be judging all cars as they enter the drive-thru shield. Looking over 850 participants’ cars is a big task, so this is one way to not miss anyone. A spectator viewing area with seating in the shade will be set up in front of the Railroad Depot.
The shield is a big Route 66 drive-through shield in Kingman. The cars take off next Saturday morning from Seligman, so they should be in Kingman by the afternoon.
The event begins in Seligman on Friday, May 5, with registration and packet pick up from noon to 5 p.m. Cars will gather Friday night to cruise up and down Route 66 in town.
Angel “Guardian Angel of Route 66” Delgadillo, who celebrated his 96th birthday just a few days ago, will wave off the start of the cruise from Seligman at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6.
Participants will stop at their favorite roadside attractions, such as Grand Canyon Caverns and the Hackberry General Store. before going under the drive-through shield.
The Show ‘N Shine Car Show goes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Kingman. Spectators are welcome to attend the free event. Spectators can stroll Beale Street and Andy Devine Avenue (Route 66) looking at the classic and custom vehicles.
The awards ceremony takes place Sunday in Lewis Kingman Park at 9 a.m. Trophies this year are custom-made by a local craftsman using asphalt from Route 66.
After the awards ceremony (about 10 a.m.), participants will drive on 66 from Kingman, go through Oatman, proceed to Topock and go through the official Route 66 Fun Run finish line.
Participants who drive the route from Seligman to Topock will be rewarded with a custom-dated patch that is part of a larger shield design to be completed in Route 66’s centennial year of 2026. The Golden Shores/Topock Community Center will host a cookout, raffle and car show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Seegers said more than 600 entries signed up two weeks before the Fun Run. The event is capped at 850 vehicles.
Prospective participants to missed the registration closes are encouraged to register early for 2024 (set for May 3-5). They can sign up on the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona’s website or visit 66funrun.com.
(Images from the Route 66 Fun Run courtesy of Nikki Seegers)