The Great Race is one of the most competitive automotive activities out there, and its a close battle because of the class designations. Each class has been implemented with close competition in mind and to give everyone a fair shot at a slice of the prize money. The class structure has been used for several years and has been very successful in leveling the playing field. Its also a great way to follow your favorite team within their respective division and see how they stack up to the competition. The classes can be a little tricky to folks who havent been exposed to the rallying world. If you are unaware of the class rules, it can be confusing. So, with that in mind, weve devised a quick guide to each class, so you can keep track of it and root for your favorites!
This division of the Great Race features only competitors who have won the event in previous years. If any member of the team has won the Great Race, then that team will be entered into the Grand Champion class. It is the top of the food chain, in terms of the big names in rallying. Generally, most Grand Champions have been a part of the Great Race family since the early days, so these are truly the veterans of the event.
Theres no question that the Expert division is also packed with Great Race veterans who have proven their skills time and again. Racers designated to run in the Expert class have to comply with a set of rules that are based on the finishes of previous years. Essentially, racers who generally finish well, but have never been Grand Champions are placed in the Expert rank. This is one of the most competitive classes in the Great Race.
The Sportsman division is a class set up for the folks who love to support the Great Race and have a great time doing it. This class is filled with diehard Great Racers, young and old, and its designed for a wide range of participants. Sportsman is usually one of the larger classes in the field of competitors and has a lot of interesting cars, so its usually a fan favorite!
The Rookie class is for all the first-time Great Racers. Each year we have a large number of Rookie teams…. These competitors will learn a lot during the Great Race and most of them will come back to compete in more Great Race events! The Rookie class will undoubtedly be an interesting class with a variety of cool vehicles.
One of the most interesting classes in the Great Race lineup is the X-Cup division. It consists of young people, generally in some sort of group or shop class, who build a car specifically for the event. The rules state that the driver must be 21 years of age or older, and the navigator must be 21 years of age or younger. The X-Cup class competes for bragging rights and its a great way to encourage young people to be involved in the old car hobby!
