Corky Coker, president of Coker Tire, the world’s largest supplier of collector vehicle tires, recently announced the launch of a new campaign and namesake award that he hopes will get America’s driving heritage back on the road.  Through a series of speaking engagements and appearances at auto industry and collector car events across the U.S., Coker will be urging classic auto owners and enthusiasts to get their cars out of garages and onto the road.

“I just feel like this is one of those use it or loose it situations,” said Coker.  “It’s our job as collectors and car enthusiasts to pass this love of chrome and rubber on to the next generation.  That will never happen if we keep our classic cars hidden under cover in a garage.”

Coker’s plan takes a two pronged approach, the first being his “Sunday Drive” initiative.  Coker Tire is already outreaching to major car collections, auto museums, and even private owners to open up their collections on Sundays free of charge for anyone who arrives in their own classic car. 

“The idea is to get everybody out on the road on the same day, and for them to have somewhere to go.  Just like Sunday dinner used to be a huge family tradition, we’ll be starting a new one.  It gives everyone in the car ‘family’ a day to look forward to all week,” said Coker. 

The second part of Coker’s plan to end the reign of “trailer queens” will be an annual award called the Coker Golden Tire.  This award will honor two people annually who actively drive and show their collector cars and urge others to do the same.  Whether it’s using their car as daily transportation, vacations, or for cross country road-trips, contestants would submit photos and documentations to the Coker website at http://www.coker.com starting October 31st showing their efforts to further the hobby. 

All makes and models are open to receive the award, from muscle cars, lowriders and hot rods, sports cars and exotics to Concours-quality classics.  The winner, judged by a panel of collector car VIP’s, will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Coker Tire headquarters in Chattanooga, TN, where they will be given their award, a tour of the Coker facilities and dinner with the Coker family.

Coker Tire Company, Inc. of Chattanooga, Tennessee is the world’s largest supplier of collector vehicle tires, with distributors in more than 30 countries. The company offers vintage bias-ply and nostalgia-style radial tires for collector vehicles from the late 1890s through the mid 1970s, including products for hot rods, sprint and dirt-track race cars and motorcycles. Coker Tire was the first company to introduce a wide whitewall radial tire – the Coker Classic – for collector vehicles. Coker Tire also markets vintage-style wheels and rims, novelty bicycles and unicycles, as well as a variety of tire dressings and collectibles. For more information, to request a catalog or to place an order, call (800)-251-6336 or visit the Web site at http://www.coker.com.