We finished the Great Race yesterday with our best day of the race. Unfortunately with the overheating and vapor lock problems on the first two days our total score put us in only 35th position overall, out of 60 entries, and 15 in our division. The GOOD news on Friday was that we placed 8th overall, and FIRST in our division with a score of 16.60 seconds total for the seven legs. We had raw scores of 1,1,2,3,5,1 and 7 seconds. With the three one second legs we were close to an ace but did not get one.
The day started early on Friday morning, in drizzling rain throughout most of the morning, with receiving our course instructions at 6:02 am and wound through the back roads from Saratoga Springs, NY to Stratton Mountain, VT. After lunch at Stratton Mountain, we drove to Bennington for the grand finish on Main St. and then an awards dinner at a Country Club. A fine ending to a great week!
I commented to one of the contestants in the Grand Champion division that Carolyn was a better navigator than I was when I did the Great Race in 2007. He said that maybe all she needs now is a better driver!!! We did great as a team and we are still married and will find some way to celebrate our 46th anniversary tomorrow. We did not meet our goals of 1)finishing without mechanical problems, 2)getting and ace and 3)winning some money. But we had a wonderful time and were very satisfied with our performance. Before the race we got a lot of compliments on our car and we said that we wanted to start the race “good looking” and finish the race “looking good” and we met those goals.
Our next decision is whether to leave the car in Chattanooga on the way home and come back and do the 3 day Coker Challenge in September or take the car all the way home now. Last night the preliminary plans for the Great Race were discussed. The race will be either a one week or two week event in late June / early July with a route to be determined. So mark the dates on your calendar, get that old car ready to rally and join us next year for the experience of your life.
