The morning of September 3, will see Central Park awakened to the sound of high performance engines as cars and competitors gather for the very first Rat Race event. The organizers of previous Cannonball Run contests are back and they’ve got a new idea. Use your brains and your driving skills to find a hidden briefcase full of greenbacks.

Now, the only problem is this –  it’s 3,000 miles from the starting point. Drivers will be given a key to a hidden locker somewhere on the West Coast of America. That’s just their first problem. Where is the locker? The Rat Race brings a whole new dimension to cross country adventure driving.

Each team’s task is to crack a code given out at each morning and collect all five numeric codes which will form a zip code. A sixth clue will release the actual address within that zip code, where the hidden locker holding the cash prize actually is.

Cross country driving tasks will be interrupted by track day at one of America’s premier race tracks, and then, there are the legendary evening parties. Of course, you want to be first to solve the riddle and get there ahead of the rest of the field. To do this, you can’t spend too much time on the side if the road, either for repairs of negotiations with state or local enforcement officials.

At the grand finale, there is no big trophy, no beauty queens or ticker tape parades… just a big, old wad of cash.

Only sixty teams will be registered to participate. The single car entry fee is $8,995 and covers meals and accommodations for two, track fees and route packs. It is reasonable to assume that, if you are the winner, you’ll make back your entry fee and a whole lot more.

So, check out the video below and then head over to the Cannonball Run web site to grab an early slot. By the way, if you need a co-driver, just drop me a line.