Photo Gallery: Copperstate 1000 Rally Kicks Off in Arizona
The 1,000-mile route includes a substantial portion of Route 66 through Arizona in celebration of the highway’s 100th anniversary…
Words & Images by Mark C. Bach
The Copperstate 1000 rally left the Phoenix, Arizona, area on Sunday, April 12, 2026, for a four-day adventure. The rally is sponsored by the Men’s Arts Council, which supports programs and activities of the Phoenix Art Museum. Each year, the rally route changes to take advantage of Arizona’s diverse natural settings.
Given that the nation is celebrating the 100th year of Route 66, it’s fitting that the tour includes a substantial portion of Route 66’s asphalt in northern Arizona. The actual route is kept secret until participants arrive at the rally. This year, over 80 vehicles will participate in the rally, which includes stops in Seligman, Peach Springs, Flagstaff, Winslow and Sedona, among other sites.
Vehicle eligibility is generally limited to 1973 and older models, with clones, tributes and reproduction vehicles excluded. The featured cars include American muscle as well as foreign speedsters.
Typically held in April, this is the 36th Copperstate 1000. As part of the kickoff at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the rally also sponsored a car show that drew in over 200 cars. The rally cars were staged inside the stadium’s ball field and sent off individually, where the crowd enjoyed seeing and hearing these classics roar off on their route. The cars will return to the Phoenix area on Wednesday, April 15, for their awards dinner.
Plenty of iconic rides were ready for the rally, including this 1957 Chevy.
Over 200 vehicles filled the car show lot to offer spectators a wide variety of classics to check out.
This 1976 Celica looked showroom fresh.
I suspect the top will come down on this ’62 Corvette during the rally to enjoy Arizona’s springtime weather.
A squad of Department of Public Safety motorcycle officers will escort the rally for trouble-free travel.
This 1966 Hertz Rental Mustang had quite a racing history after leaving the rental fleet.
The owner of this ’57 Jaguar was already prepared for pleasant, cool weather with the top down.
This 1953 Lincoln Capri was shipped back from England after a restoration.
Twelve Porsches were in the rally, including this 1973 model.
This Shelby GT350 was meant to be driven on the road.
