Gary and Jean Ann Martin won the Rally Around the Erie Canal in Fairport, N.Y., last weekend in their 1964 Nova. The Kentucky couple beat out last years Great Race champions Beth Gentry and Jody Knowles by just over five seconds. The Martins final score was 18.43 off of a perfect time. Almost 50 teams from around the country competed in the event.
Gentry and Knowles, who traveled from Georgia in their 1932 Ford Cabriolet, finished with a score of 23.49. Third place went to New Yorkers John and Scott Hudson in their 1940 Chevrolet with a score of 31.45. Rookie winners were Michigans Kari Schives and Kaitlyn Stahl in their 1965 Mustang with a score of 1 minute, 23.85 seconds.
The real winners of the Northeast Rallys Clubs event was the Egypt (N.Y.) Volunteer Fire Department. Participants raised $15,600 for the fire hall.
Two more regional rallies will be held in the coming weeks as the final tune ups for the Great Race, which starts June 23 in Buffalo. The VCRA All-Stars for Autism will be held May 16-20 in Joplin, Mo., and the Sugar Valley Rally will be held June 1-3 in Scottsbluff, Neb.
Congratulations to Jean Ann and Gary! Also congratulations to Jody and Beth and John and Scott. We will see y’all in Joplin on Wednesday.
Tom Regan #28