The objective was the coveted title as the Mobilgas Economy Run winner in each class. However, starting in 1959, entries were judged on an actual miles-per-gallon basis, instead of the ton-mileage formula used previously which favored bigger, heavier cars.
The main target was to claim the top spot in the Mobilgas Economy Run competition within each class. Nevertheless, starting from 1959, participants were judged on their actual fuel economy, as opposed to the ton-mileage system that had previously favored larger and heavier vehicles.