The Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, widely known as the Cannonball Baker or Cannonball Run, was an unofficial, unsanctioned automobile race that captured the rebellious spirit of 1970s America. Run five times between 1971 and 1979, this legendary cross-country sprint stretched from the East Coast to the Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach, California, starting initially from New York City and later from Darien, Connecticut.
Conceived by Car and Driver magazine writer and auto racer Brock Yates, along with fellow editor Steve Smith, the race began as both a celebration of the United States Interstate Highway System and a bold protest against the strict 55-mph speed limit and traffic laws being implemented at the time. While the inaugural 1971 run featured only Yates’ team, it quickly evolved into a multi-car competition that would become automotive legend.
The race was named in honor of Erwin George “Cannon Ball” Baker, a legendary endurance driver who held 143 different driving records, including a remarkable solo cross-country drive in 1933 that he completed in just 53 hours. True to its outlaw spirit, the Cannonball maintained an elegantly simple rule structure: “All competitors will drive any vehicle of their choosing, over any route, at any speed they judge practical, between the starting point and destination. The competitor finishing with the lowest elapsed time is the winner.”
The most famous early victory came in 1971 when Dan Gurney and Brock Yates co-drove a Kirk F. White Ferrari Daytona coupe to a new unofficial transcontinental record, covering the distance in 35 hours and 54 minutes. This record stood as a benchmark until the final official race in 1979, when Dave Heinz and Dave Yarborough shattered it by driving their Jaguar XJ-S from Darien, Connecticut to Los Angeles in a blistering 32 hours and 51 minutes.
Significance to Darien, Connecticut
Darien, Connecticut holds a unique and pivotal place in Cannonball Run history. For the final official race in 1979, organizers made the strategic decision to move the starting location from the iconic Red Ball Garage in Manhattan to the Lock, Stock & Barrel restaurant in Darien. This change proved significant for several reasons: it provided participants with a less conspicuous launch point away from New York City’s heavy traffic and media attention, while Darien’s proximity to the city still offered ideal staging opportunities for racers eager to quickly reach the open highway.
The 1979 Darien race proved to be more than just the final official Cannonball—it became the direct inspiration for the 1981 blockbuster film “The Cannonball Run” starring Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Jacky Chan and many others. Hollywood stuntman and director Hal Needham, who participated in the actual race, used his experience to create the movie that would immortalize the event in popular culture.
Today, Darien continues to honor this unique automotive legacy through annual October reunions hosted by the founders of Cars and Coffee Darien. These gatherings serve as a nostalgic celebration of the race’s rich history, bringing together former participants, automotive enthusiasts, and fans to share stories and commemorate the legendary cross-country dash. Through these events, the town has fully embraced its role as a symbolic cornerstone of Cannonball lore, ensuring that this quiet Connecticut community remains forever linked to one of America’s most audacious automotive adventures.
Sunday Cars & Coffee – 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM The main event begins at our hallowed Darien location. Early arrivals welcome—true automotive anarchists have been known to appear the night before. There will be a DJ and music, a live memorabilia auction, original Cannonball cars
Cannonball notables who will be attending:
- Pam Yates – Brock Yates’ wife and the passenger in the ’79 Cannonball’s Ambulance
- Brock Yates Jr – Brock’s son and the youngest participant (14 years old, Cannonball #1) in any Cannonball.
- Judy Stropus – a member of the all-woman Right Bra Racing Team (’73 Cannonball) who’s character was portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau in the movie Cannonball Run
- Dennis “Mad Dog” Menescini (’79 Cannonball) who infamously drove his Chevrolet Silverado up the embankment behind Goodwives, through a fence and onto southbound I-95
- Wendy Epstein – not only one of the few women who competed in the original races (’79 Cannonball) but the first person ever to do a Cannonball on a motorcycle.
- Chuck Schmitt (’79) Cannonball who made the trip in a 1979 Cadillac Eldorado
- John Harrison, also ’79 Cannonball who thought a Lotus Esprit was a good choice for a cross-country run in a country where there are no British car mechanics
- Alex Roy who broke the record in 2006 and who set the Full Self Driving record in 2025
- Jeff Popick and his daughter, Alexis who became the first father / daughter team to complete the run earlier in 2025
- Andre Morgan who was one of the Producers on all the Cannonball Run movies
This gathering celebrates more than automotive history—it honors the spirit of American freedom, the courage to challenge authority, and the belief that some roads are meant to be traveled at speeds that would make safety commissioners weep.
October 2025 Cannonball Reunion Exhibitor Parking.
October 2025 Cannonball Spectator Admission ($5.00). Children under 16, active duty military and first responders are free.
Profits from admission will be donated to the Brock Yates’ Alzheimer Foundation – a Federally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
ABOUT CARS AND COFFEE DARIEN
More than just a “cars and coffee” event, Cars and Coffee Darien blends the casual atmosphere of a Sunday morning cars and coffee with a car show – except that there is no cutoff year, and there are no rules about what you can bring: cars, trucks, Jeeps, and motorcycles of any year are all welcome. |
Cars and Coffee Darien is the only event of its type anywhere in the world with a direct connection to the Cannonball races of the 1970s. Known for being a family-friendly event, it is quite common to see multi-generational families, and young parents with strollers walking about. We’re also pet-friendly, and we encourage you to bring your [leashed] 4-legged children. |
7:00 am to 10:30 am
Old Kings Market (formerly Goodwives Shopping Center)
25 Old Kings Highway North, Darien, CT 06820