This weekend, the Route 66-themed movie “Cars” passed the $200 million mark in terms of worldwide box-office grosses, according to Box Office Mojo. And the movie has barely opened in foreign markets, if it has at all.

In the United States, “Cars” will pass the $200 million mark sometime next week. That would place it third so far in 2006, and it has a good shot as passing “The Da Vinci Code” for the No. 2 spot. “X-Men: The Last Stand” sits atop the heap with $228.5 million in grosses, and it’s still playing in theaters.

The Upcoming Pixar blog also reports that the first shipment of “Cars” toys at Wal-Mart has sold out.

So it’s probably safe to say that Disney / Pixar has a big hit on its hands.

March 16, 2005, was a sad day for many Route 66ers. That was the day that Glenn Wrinkle, longtime owner of Wrink’s Food Market on old Route 66 in Lebanon, Mo., died at age 82.

Wrinkle opened his store in 1950 and ran it until shortly before his death. I met him once, and he was a hospitable fellow who clearly loved being on Route 66 and meeting people.

The store quietly closed after he died, and many thought it would be, regrettably, the last we would hear of Wrink’s Market.

But Ace Jackalope was in Lebanon to visit Ramona Lehman and her Munger Moss Motel, when he noticed some activity nearby:

We saw cars at the Wrink’s Grocery building just a bit down Roue 66 from the Munger Moss. Wrinks has been closed since the death of its owner last year so we just had to investigate.

Karen Sampson (pictured) along with Carolyn Groves have leased the building and plan to open it back up as “Wrink’s Market II.” Sampson says they intend to sell groceries as well as having cafe, antique and lingerie sections. She also says they will have a tribute to the former owner, who’s widow and son, she says, have given the project their blessings.

When they re-open, I’ll be happy to stop in and welcome them to our Route 66 family. It’s great that someone’s trying to carry on Glenn Wrinkle’s tradition.

Red Fork Hippy Chick says there’s something you can do for the betterment of Route 66 and America during the Fourth of July weekend. Go read what she has to say.