Note: This is the eighth of a nine-part series of Great Race Director Jeff Stumbs thoughts on each day on the 2015 Great Race route after returning from setting up the stops for next years event. The last two days of the Great Race each year are what we call Championship Run. In the first seven days, participants can throw out their worst legs (between three and five depending on division). The last two days, everyone must keep their total score from each day. The race can be won or lost on these two days.
The first day of Championship Run in 2015 will be from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., to San Bernardino, Calif. Lake Havasu is the only non-Route 66 overnight stop on the entire race, but the morning leaving town will have racers back on Route 66 before lunch. They will see world-famous Roys Café in Amboy, Calif., on the way to Twentynine Palms, Calif., for lunch. Be sure to check out the video from Twentynine Palms posted below.
After lunch, one of the most interesting parts of the entire race will take place when the racers rally through Joshua Tree National Park on the way to San Bernardino.
The finish that day will be in San Bernardino, one of the most historic Route 66 cities on the entire route. It is home to one of the largest Route 66 car shows every year, and plans are underway to have many of those cars join us at the finish that day.
The next report will cover San Bernardino, California to Santa Monica, California.
We plan to come down to Lake Havasu to see The Great Race coming through. Is there a home hotel they will be staying at. We would like to stay as close as possible. Thank you