2026 Power Tour—- Mopars on the Mother Road?

[dukeboy440]

Route 66 turns 100!!!

Hot Rod power tour is starting in Joliet Illinois and running Route 66 to Tulsa, Oklahoma. June 8-12.

I’m going. Anyone wanna get a convoy of Mopars together to travel the Mother Road together? I’ll be taking part in the official Tour, and then I’m planning to make the run west from Tulsa to Flagstaff, Arizona before turning back east and heading home.

Tour packages are NOT required unless you want the goodie bags. Tickets go on sale after Christmas for the official packages.

Reservation wise, hotels are obvious option but I’m going to camp again at state parks. Cheaper and safer for the vehicles.

So who’s in?!










2026 HOT ROD Power Tour: Official Dates, Locations, and Registration Details

 

[Trojmn]

There is a patch of original bricks just outside of Auburn (south of Springfield IL) If you going to do the RT66 thing and driving past it, I'd put this on your list. They've fixed it up in recent years. the old high banked curves are weird too.

not sure how to drop a location pin but this the following will get you there:

Illinois Route 66 Brick Road Silo Mural, 5800 Snell Rd, Auburn, IL 62615

 

[dukeboy440]

There is a patch of original bricks just outside of Auburn (south of Springfield IL) If you going to do the RT66 thing and driving past it, I'd put this on your list. They've fixed it up in recent years. the old high banked curbs are weird too.

not sure how to drop a location pin but this the following will get you there:

Illinois Route 66 Brick Road Silo Mural, 5800 Snell Rd, Auburn, IL 62615

View attachment 1716487924

My plan, regardless of the official route, is to run as much of the original alignment as possible. I know there's a dozen or more realignments in its history through IL so I'm gonan try to hit the best ones. And I definitely will be hitting the Dwight gas station in Dwight IL

 

[matthon]

They provided a suggested route between venues, sometimes more than one.
It's not a straight shot in-between, I suspect there will be some of the original road included, but good to know inside local info.

 

[matthon]

It's right on the route between 2 venues.

 

[goldduster318]

Booked my hotels for the entire thing last night. Honestly driving home from Oklahoma is going to really be a serious trip after being in the car for an entire week. 1000 miles. Will have to think about it but could always stop after Wednesday.

Last year was very fun, though it was a lot closer to home.

 

[abodyjoe]

sick the mag is having another sick 66 this year too.. not near as good as the 2024 version it sounds.

 

[matthon]

Oklahoma is going to really be a serious trip after being in the car for an entire week. 1000 miles.

1,400 for us to get back home.
It's nice to get out, drive, and see different parts of the country.

 

[dukeboy440]

1,400 for us to get back home.
It's nice to get out, drive, and see different parts of the country.

IF, BIG IF, I go the distance and back... 4900 miles. If I just do the tour, 1750 miles roughly depending on route. It'll be a hell of a virgin cruise break in on the dart.

 

[goldduster318]

1,400 for us to get back home.
It's nice to get out, drive, and see different parts of the country.

Yeah, it's true, though most of my route home is generally either the same area as power tour is itself, an area I go through often, or southern Indiana. Not sure how much stuff I would even stop at. More likely a "turn and burn".

Now I have to decide if I want to get one of those pulse wiper boards. Last year I got caught in the rain and traffic on the way home and it's a lot to run a stick shift plus the wiper switch on and off every 15 seconds.

 

[dukeboy440]

Yeah, it's true, though most of my route home is generally either the same area as power tour is itself, an area I go through often, or southern Indiana. Not sure how much stuff I would even stop at. More likely a "turn and burn".

Now I have to decide if I want to get one of those pulse wiper boards. Last year I got caught in the rain and traffic on the way home and it's a lot to run a stick shift plus the wiper switch on and off every 15 seconds.

Might check, but I wonder if the intermittent wipers from a 3rd gen charger would fit and work?

 

[abodyjoe]

IF, BIG IF, I go the distance and back... 4900 miles. If I just do the tour, 1750 miles roughly depending on route. It'll be a hell of a virgin cruise break in on the dart.

do it man.. last year when we did sick 66 it was a 5500 mile round trip for us.. i had planned to have 1000 or so miles on the car after we put a new motor,trans ,steering box, and a bunch of front end stuff in the car.. ended up only having a couple hundred miles on the car before the trip. was a bit nervous the first night driving the 5 hours across pa and into west va in heavy rain. after that the nervousness was gone and we just enjoyed the trip.. i had a ton of tools and parts in the trunk and ended up only needing a screw driver to put the passenger armrest back on..

 

[abodyjoe]

Now I have to decide if I want to get one of those pulse wiper boards. Last year I got caught in the rain and traffic on the way home and it's a lot to run a stick shift plus the wiper switch on and off every 15 seconds.

rain-x helps a lot. we have variable speed wipers in the car too. they are ok i guess...

 

[goldduster318]

Always do rain-x but it helps very little at low speeds. Was thinking about something like this: Universal 12V Wiper Delay Switch 2-30 Second Delay with 12 Volt Wipers Universal Fit | Durable | Dashboard | United States

 

[abodyjoe]

Always do rain-x but it helps very little at low speeds. Was thinking about something like this: Universal 12V Wiper Delay Switch 2-30 Second Delay with 12 Volt Wipers Universal Fit | Durable | Dashboard | United States

may be the ticket if it works on your car.. chrysler has some strange wiper wiring..

 

[matthon]

Rain X caused my wipers to rub off on the windshield, then they started to rub and stick on the black on the windshield.

Rain I can deal with, we ran through a couple stretches of a wall of bugs, made it impossible to see.
Good thing I kept windex and a cloth handy.
Picking carcasses out of everywhere for days.

Also drove through a section of floaty big white puffy pollen things. Completely covered the radiator.
Not fun removing.

This time, putting a screen in front of the radiator and on the air filters.
Going to attempt to make a full frontal screen apparatus too for extended drives.
Don't have to worry about shiny paint.

 

[volaredon]

I live right between the 1st 2 stops, a little bit closer to the 1st day's stop