Route 66 TV series will raise money for road preservation

The Great American Road Rally will premiere on The CW on Sept. 16 and run through Nov. 25, spotlighting Route 66 stories while directing donations to charitable groups including The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership. Funds will support preservation and economic development projects along the eight-state Mother Road.

Why it matters: - The Great American Road Rally will use a national TV audience to raise money for Route 66 preservation, small businesses and attractions along the historic highway. - Donations will support The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership’s Preservation & Economic Development Grant Program, which helps keep the Mother Road economically viable for future generations. - The effort ties Route 66’s centennial-era storytelling to direct on-the-ground preservation work.

What happened: - The Great American Road Rally, a national television event celebrating Route 66 through cars, celebrities, storytelling and philanthropy, premieres on The CW Network on Wednesday, Sept. 16. - The series is scheduled to run through its finale on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026, the night before Thanksgiving. - Viewers will be invited throughout the series to donate to participating charitable organizations, including The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership. - The announcement was made in Chicago.

The details: - The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership works across the eight Route 66 states to preserve, promote and strengthen the historic highway. - The partnership says its mission is to keep Route 66 a vibrant destination for future generations. - The Preservation & Economic Development Grant Program provides financial support to businesses and entrepreneurs whose work contributes to preservation and economic vitality along Route 66. - The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, received a 2023 Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant of $2,000 to help repair historic neon signage after a damaging hailstorm. - Dawn Federico, who bought the Blue Swallow Motel with her husband, Rob, in June 2020, said the grant recognized small business owners who are keeping Route 66 alive. - Federico said preserving the Blue Swallow Motel protects an important piece of Americana and helps draw travelers to Tucumcari’s Route 66 stretch. - The Threatt Filling Station in Luther, Oklahoma, received $12,500 through grants awarded in 2022 and 2023. - The funding supported a historic preservation architect and work on restoration and interpretation of what is purported to be the only African American-owned and operated filling station along Route 66 during the Jim Crow era. - Ed Threatt said support for the site is essential to telling the full story of Route 66. - The Threatt Filling Station also served as a safe haven for people of color and helped earn the trust of organizations including Conoco, Greyhound and the American Red Cross. - More information about The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership is available here.

Between the lines: - The television series is doing more than entertainment. It is creating a fundraising channel tied to a familiar cultural symbol. - The grant examples show the partnership focusing on both physical preservation, like neon signs and historic structures, and narrative preservation, like overlooked Black history along Route 66. - That mix suggests the fundraising pitch is about saving landmarks and broadening the public story of the highway.

What's next: - The Great American Road Rally will continue weekly on The CW through Nov. 25. - Donations made during the broadcast window will flow to participating charities, including the Road Ahead Partnership. - The partnership will keep using grant programs to support Route 66 businesses, entrepreneurs and preservation projects across the eight states.

The bottom line: - Route 66 is getting a primetime showcase, and the real-world goal is to turn that attention into money for preservation and local economic activity.