New Guinness record: Largest parade of pickups

OMAHA, Neb. (Aug. 13, 2013) — Thousands of pickup truck enthusiasts from across the country descended on Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Aug. 3 to help set the new Guinness World Record for the world's "largest parade of pickup trucks."

The event—sponsored by Nashville, Tenn.-based Rural Radio, an international satellite radio station broadcast on SiriusXM—drew more than 500 pickup trucks as well as fans of the radio station. Overall, 386 pickup trucks officially qualified to meet the strict requirements and parade standards as specified by Guinness World Records rules. The previous record of 273 pickup trucks was set in 2012 on the Dresden Raceway in Ontario, Canada.

Volunteers from Rural Radio directed lines of trucks and antique tractors to the parade lines. In addition to the pickup truck parade, the day's events also included a parade of some 300 restored antique tractors.

To officially qualify for the Guinness World Records fete, the pickup trucks had to travel a minimum of two miles around the track with no more than 10 feet—or two car lengths—distance between them. Philip Robertson, the official adjudicator sent by Guinness World Records to preside over the day, spent several hours on the track measuring the lengths and recording the speed. A little before 4 p.m. he declared a new record had been set.

"It was such a tremendous sight to see all of these dedicated and loyal Americans coming out in force to set this record," Mr. Robertson said. "I've never witnessed anything like what Rural Radio has put together and achieved in so perfectly and appropriately connecting with its audience to realize something so remarkable."

Patrick Gottsch, founder of Rural Media Group Inc., was on the blazing hot track, making sure each truck slowed down to stay within the requirements to meet the record, according to a company press release.

Asked to describe what the event meant for the launch of Rural Radio, he said it was "all about getting together and it's about putting it all in perspective for the rest of the country. We've got folks here from more than 31 states who have been travelling for days to participate. It's these good people who take such pride in what they do and in rural American itself…."

The radio station's programming schedule revolves around original productions focused on agriculture, equine, hunting, fishing, western sports and "living the country life in small towns and on acreages."