SCHENECTADY — A caravan of six-figure luxury autos in an interactive road rally called Fireball Run left between 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday from City Hall.

With a nod to "Cannonball Run" and "The Amazing Race," the cars will cover 2,500 miles and stop in 15 cities. The event will be streamed live on the Internet and is being filmed for later release in theaters.

The drivers fell behind schedule on Wednesday while traveling from Watertown, in Jefferson County, and canceled some afternoon appearances in Schenectady.

The DeLorean used in the movie "Back to the Future II" and more than 40 exotic and classic cars, including Ferrari and Lamborghini models,are part of Fireball Run.

On Wednesday, spectators met the drivers, posed for pictures beside the cars and heard about the race's goal of finding missing children. Afterward, a dinner was held at Glen Sanders Mansion for drivers and sponsors.

The celebrity drivers include race car driver Shea Holbrook, pro wakeboarder Tara Benzel and drag racer Tina Stull.

Each team passed out posters and fliers with information on a missing child from this region. Organizers claim Fireball Run has helped find 38 missing children since the race began in 2007.

"This is a chance for people to see some really amazing cars and to promote Schenectady's history and culture at the same time," said event organizer Don Rittner, the city historian and director of the Schenectady Film Commission. Rittner was to unveil a missing children smartphone app he helped to create.

A local team — city Councilman Carl Erikson and Richard Ruzzo of Schenectady, owner of a security business — are in Ruzzo's limited-edition Chrysler 300. They carry fliers about Craig Frear of Scotia, who vanished at age 17 along a wooded area near his home in 2004.

"This is the only time people will be able to see this combination of classic and exotic cars while learning about the issue of missing children," Rittner said.

For more details, go to www.fireballrun.com.

pgrondahl@timesunion.com • 518-454-5623 • @PaulGrondahl