One hundred days. As hard as it is to believe, the start of the 2014 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty is 100 days away. Seems like just a few days ago Wayne Carini, host of Chasing Classic Cars and the grand marshal of the 2013 Great Race, was waving the green flag to start the event in St. Paul.

And, yes, there are a few spots left for this year’s race, but anyone planning on entering should do so as soon as possible.

By now, everyone who has entered should have gotten their hotel reservation email, and first-timers have been given a new Rookie Guideline booklet and been assigned their mentors. And with the change in the weather in most parts of the country, everyone should be getting out their cars and driving them to shake out any potential problems before we hit the road.

The start is Maine promises to be one of the most memorable ever, but it comes with its challenges. Ogunquit, Maine, is a small, coastal community with no chain hotels or restaurants by design. When you think about the typical postcard of Maine, that’s what Ogunquit is. President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush live 7 miles away in Kennebunkport.

Due to its quaint nature, we are having to use a half a dozen hotels all over town, and registration and tech inspection will be at the local Chamber office parking lot. And the general meeting will be held at the historic Ogunquit Playhouse, which will be quite a treat. All in all, it will be worth it – especially on Friday evening, June 20, as we are having the reception on the shores of the Atlantic at the Beachmere Inn.