Sault Ste. Marie, July 1, 2017
The Great Race is an annual road rally crossing a major portion of North America. It is limited to cars built before 1972 and gives an advantage to older cars through a handicapping scoring system.
The 2017 race began in Jacksonville, Florida, following much of the Old Dixie Highway to its northern terminus in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, where we were able to see the cars cross the day's finish line. The race continued, south back to Traverse City, Michigan, to complete the final day in the city of one of the major sponsors, Haggerty Insurance.
Although it is a fun event, it is a very serious rally - a time/speed/distance rally. Participants are given route instruction each morning 30 minutes before they depart. They must maintain a specified speed, which changes as they move from one road section to another. Multiple, unknown checkpoint time the cars, which receive a penalty for each second they arrive early or late. The navigator has a huge job. The car's instruments must be covered and only a speedometer and clock are allowed in the car. The navigator can also have a stopwatch. No cell phones or other devices are allowed.
The 2017 Great Race route was 2300 miles long. For 2018, the race will run from the Pierce Arrow Museum in Buffalo, New York, through New England states, New Brunswick, and finish in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Participants are limited to about 120 cars to make the race manageable. A huge variety of cars are entered. Watching the cars cross the finish line is like being at a car show with the added excitement of a race.
