Largest Subaru parade: Elk Rapids parade sets world record (VIDEOS) ELK RAPIDS, MI, USA -- 356 Subaru enthusiasts turned out in northern Michigan and drove in the two-mile parade that kicked off in Elk Rapids, setting the new world record for the Largest Subaru parade, while honoring an Antrim County rally car driver who was killed last year during a race in Washington,
according to the World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/.
Photo: The World's Largest Subaru Parade. Photo: Samantha (Tengelitsch) Graves.
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The Guinness world record to beat was 339 cars set in Itasca, Ill., three years ago, said Sheila Marker, an ordained minister who helped organize the parade.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest parade of Jaguar cars: 767, organised by Silverstone Classic, Towcester, Northamptonshire (UK).
Marker was aunt to Matthew Noble Marker, who would have turned 33 years old on Sunday had he not been killed last April in a crash at the annual Olympus Rally in Ocean Shores, Wash., a Rally America National Championship event, The Michigan Live reported.
"In his 31 years, he owned 59 different Subarus," said Marker. "He was a car fanatic."
He was killed when his 2006 Subaru went over an embankment in the race's sixth stage, she said. His co-driver, Christopher Gordon, was not seriously injured in the accident.
Noble Marker was a 1998 graduate of Elk Rapids High School and founder of the SubaRoots Rally Team. He was known as the "organic mechanic."
"It was his passion," she said. "He passed away living his passion and we're just trying to keep his dream alive."