Motor City to
Wheel Hub LIve

THIS YEAR’S EVENT

After getting our kicks on Route 66 heading to The SEMA Show last year, the Pavement Pounder Events crew set out to find the next great route to a new gearhead destination.

For 2026, that search led us to a back-road driving adventure that connects some of the most meaningful landmarks in American automotive history — beginning in the Motor City and concluding at one of the industry’s newest and most prestigous custom car gatherings.

This year’s event, Motor City to Wheel Hub Live May 16-23, is approximately 1,000 miles of driving with nine hotel nights, designed for people who value the drive as much as the destination. This isn’t about hammering interstate miles. It’s about taking the long way, discovering places with real automotive soul, and sharing the road with like-minded drivers who get it.

The Motor City

We kick things off in Detroit, the Motor City — ground zero for American automotive innovation, manufacturing and performance culture. From early production vehicles to muscle cars and motorsports dominance, Detroit set the foundation for everything we love about cars today. It’s the right place to start a road trip built around history, horsepower and purpose. We’ll spend a day visiting great automotive landmarks around this great city.

Cord-Auburn-Duesenberg Museum

One of our key stops is the Cord‑Auburn‑Duesenberg Museum, housed in the original Auburn Automobile Company headquarters. The collection showcases some of the most beautifully designed and engineered cars ever built, offering a reminder that innovation and style have always gone hand in hand.

The Brickyard

This Next, we roll into Indianapolis for a visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. The Brickyard is sacred ground for racers and fans alike, and this stop connects our road trip to more than a century of competition, speed and mechanical progress. And we’l happen to be there during the week leading up to this year’s Indy 500 race.

Route 66

2026 marks its 100-year anniversary. We’ll make a meaningful stop in Springfield, IL — the birthplace of Route 66 — to pay homage. We did Route 66 last year before the 100th anniversary made it the cool thing to do, but we’ll cross the Mother Road, honoring the highway that defined the American road trip.

Wheel Hub Live

Our drive concludes in Lincoln at Wheel Hub Live, hosted at the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, NE.

Registration for Pavement Pounder Events automatically includes full registration for Wheel Hub Live, a two-day gathering that perfectly aligns with our mission and mindset.

We will participate in the Wheel Hub Reliability Run, a driving tour around Nebraska, enjoye a Wheel Hub magazine feature car exhibit and have plenty of time to explore the Museum of American Speed and its unmatched collection.

Not to mention hang out with the editors and photographers for Wheel Hub magazine and rub shoulders this year’s feature car builders.

Important Changes for 2026

We received great feedback from particpants of our 2025 event, and have made plans for 2026 to be bigger and better. With that in mind, here are the key changes for 2026:

• Participation is capped at 300 vehicles
• Registration will close April 1, 2026, or when we reach 300 vehicles — whichever comes first
• All shirts and jackets are pre-order only and must be ordered during registration
• Four registration levels are available for 2026

For 2026, our sponsor TREMEC will give away one TKX 5-speed transmission to a Pavement Pounder Events participant! Everyone who registers for the Motor City to Wheel Hub Live event is eligible to win. The winner will be chosen randomly in a drawing at the end of the event. Winner does not need to be present to win. See full rules here.

Also new for 2026, our sponsor Centerforce Clutches will give away one Centerforce clutch kit to a Pavement Pounder Events participant (excludes Dyad and Triad product lines).  Everyone who registers for the Motor City to Wheel Hub Live event is eligible to win. The winner will be chosen randomly in a drawing at the end of the event. Winner does not need to be present to win. See full rules here.