As part of Route 66’s 100th anniversary celebration, 3,596 classic cars rolled down a stretch of the Mother Road in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 30, setting a new Guinness World Records title for the largest classic car parade in history.
The successful record attempt was organized by the City of Tulsa as part of the Route 66 Capital Cruise. Cruise rules allowed vehicles made in 1996 or earlier to participate, provided they were insured, roadworthy, and able to idle along the 5.5-mile route.
I drove from Oklahoma City to explore the weekend celebration, which began at Expo Square with local vendors and appearances by enthusiast and YouTube personality Derek Bieri of Vice Grip Garage and Route 66 historian and author, Michael Wallis.
Tulsa’s Historic Route 66
Tulsa has a deep connection to U.S. Route 66, and the city claims the title of the Capital of Route 66. Twenty-eight drivable miles of the original highway go through the city. The longest stretch of the historic road passes through the Sooner State, with more than 400 miles of drivable road — more than any other state on the route.
The highway was first established in 1926. Kelley Blue Book also celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
I visited several monuments and attractions celebrating the centennial, including an incredible neon sign park featuring recreations of historical signage from significant stops along the route.
Close by, I had the pleasure of experiencing one of the rarest sights on public roads in the world: A musical road. In Tulsa, near the Southwest Boulevard Bridge, heading east toward downtown, drivers will notice a blue strip in the left-hand lane. When they drive along this specially designed rumble strip at 35 mph, they hear Woody Guthrie’s famous folk song “This Land is Your Land.”
International Interest and Historical Presence
The Capital Cruise attracted attention from car enthusiasts across the U.S. and abroad. According to city officials, among the 5,000 participants at the world-record-attempt car cruise, some came from countries including Canada and France.
Among the notable attendees was Bieri, the Vice Grip Garage founder, who was one of the parade’s grand marshals. I talked to him about his favorite memories along the Mother Road. Bieri restored a 1971 Ford F-100 and brought it for a charity auction during the Expo. It sold for $38,000, with proceeds benefiting Tulsa Mayfest, an arts and humanities organization.
I also had the opportunity to talk to the author Wallis, who was another parade grand marshal. Among his books is Route 66: The Mother Road, which is sometimes credited with reigniting interest in the highway. Wallis is the voice of the character Sheriff in the Pixar Studios animated movie “Cars.”
A Record-Breaking Day in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Shortly after the scheduled 8 a.m. start time, the first few cars of the historic parade rolled down Route 66 from the intersection of 11th Street and South Lewis Avenue. The grand marshals led the way, with Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols and Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell helping lead the charge. As the parade’s criteria allowed pre-1996 vehicles of any make, a wide variety of makes and models appeared along the parade route.
The final car reached the judging stage at 11:30 a.m. Organizers estimate that 100,000 spectators lined 11th Street in Tulsa to watch the parade.
At approximately 11:52 a.m. on May 30, official Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric stepped to the stage to announce that the new record for the most classic cars in a parade is 3,596, eclipsing the previous record of 2,491 cars set in 2017 in Puerto Rico by more than 1,000 cars.
“I am so proud of Tulsa and so thrilled to set a new world record,” said Mayor Nichols. “Tulsa’s Route 66 Capital Cruise was a nearly year-long effort from partners all over Tulsa to remind the world that we are the Capital of Route 66 and that no city does things the way Tulsa does. Now, for the next hundred years, whenever anyone mentions the Centennial of Route 66, they’ll remember Tulsa, Oklahoma.”
