Midwest Musclecar Challenge to visit county, city May 17-18

The 10th annual Midwest Musclecar Challenge is coming to Indiana next Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, making stops in Greencastle and Putnam County.

Midwest Muscle Car Challenge participants will test the limits of their cars and develop driving skills in two days of events that will begin Friday, May 17 at the Putnam Park Road Course near Mt. Meridian.

Drivers will compete with their class (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced) during an all-day track event on a 1.8-mile road course.

The Hot Lap Challenge at Putnam Park will begin with a driver's meeting and other preparations at 7 a.m. with the competition ending at 5 p.m.

The group, which will be staying at Cloverdale, is expected to drive to downtown Greencastle for dinner Friday night. Some 50-75 muscle cars are expected to be parked around the courthouse square, Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory said Thursday night.

The organization had requested partial closing of the square to park their cars for an unofficial car show. However, with the date coinciding with commencement weekend at DePauw University, city officials declined to shut down the square with all the activity expected at area restaurants.

Parking areas will be set aside in areas just off the square, Dory said.

The public is invited to come out and look at the muscle cars of the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Day two of the event will take the cars to Terre Haute International Airport for an entire day of Autocross. Vehicles will be split into two competing groups (pre-1981 cars, after 1981 cars) for the 8 a.m.-3 p.m. competition.