Manchester Road Race: MAAC Charities Gets 'Honorable Donation, Pace Car Named

MANCHESTER, CT — Manchester Road Race President Dr. Tris Carta Monday presented a donation of $12,000 from the MRR Honors Club to Shannon Baldassario, CEO of MACC Charities.

The event took place at the offices of MACC Charities, 460 Main St. in Manchester.

The money has been donated by 120 Honors Club runners who are participating in this year's 89th Manchester Road Race. The MRR has designated MACC Charities, which operates an emergency community food pantry at that location, as the beneficiary of this year’s Honors Club donation.

The road race has designated food insecurity as this year's charitable focus with MAAC Charities and Connecticut FoodShare being the beneficiaries.

Toyota 4Runner, Trailhunter Edition To Serve As MRR Official Pace Car

The Manchester Road Race Committee has announced that the Official Pace Car of the 89th edition of the Thanksgiving Day Race will be the Toyota 4Runner, Trailhunter Edition, provided by your Connecticut Toyota Dealers.

This year marks the sixth consecutive year that a Toyota vehicle has led the way for runners on Manchester's just under five-mile course on Thanksgiving morning.

Connecticut Toyota Dealers will also host a display on Main Street, in front of Bennett Academy, where race participants and spectators can view the Official Pace Car—the Toyota 4Runner, Trailhunter Edition—as well as the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid. These vehicles will be on display before the race begins and after the final walkers have turned the corner off of Main Street. For those interested in a closer, more personalized look at the vehicles, all 17 Connecticut Toyota Dealerships welcome visitors.

The Toyota 4Runner, Trailhunter Edition, merges top-of-the-line engineering with elements of its beloved heritage for an elegantly rugged design that’s more than beautiful: It eases your journey at every turn. The 4Runner, Trailhunter Edition is tough and ready to explore. It is designed to take you straight from the showroom floor to embarking on almost any adventure you can dream up.

The Manchester Road Race will be held on Thanksgiving morning at 10 AM in Downtown Manchester and will be broadcast live on Fox 61 TV beginning at 9 AM.