Today marks the half way point of the 2019 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty. The weather left a little to be desired, as most of our morning consisted of overcast skies, which eventually led to a mist and showers. Mixed with temperatures that struggled to get out of the 50’s it made for some uncomfortable conditions, especially for the open cars. The morning route started with a cool area where wild Elk gather around. They didn’t seem to be too worried about a bunch of old cars rumbling by, so we snapped a few pictures while the Elk ate breakfast. Then, it was a brief run through the Redwoods trees, and back on Highway 101. We saw the Pacific Ocean several times on our route, but the fog and misting rain prevented a nice view of the waves crashing in on the shore.
We made our way to Gold Beach, Oregon for lunch, which was a bit of a washout but we enjoyed a warm and dry area to eat a quick lunch before fueling up and hitting the afternoon route. We made a big loop that provided some great views of the Rogue River, including a couple of one-lane bridges. From there, we re-traced our steps back into California and rallied our way into Grants Pass, Oregon. Just for your information, there is a road that takes you from Gold Beach to Grants Pass…it’s called Bear Camp Road, and it’s a treacherous winding mountain road that is too dangerous for our racers to tackle in vintage machinery. After making our way to Grants Pass, Oregon, we were greeted by thousands of spectators. The crowd was thick, and thankfully the weather improved with a bit of sunshine toward the end of the evening’s festivities. Stage 5 winners were Jody Knowles and Beth Gentry in their 1932 Ford Cabriolet with a score of 4.86 seconds, which bumped them up to third place overall after five days of rallying. Enjoy the rain-soaked photos and come back tomorrow for even more coverage!
Outstanding photography and coverage! Keep up the great work.
Thank you for coming to Grants Pass. We loved watching all the racers come in and then walking through the cars, talking to a few of the drivers. Great pictures!
How many of your racers are over the age of 70? I am enjoying seeing the beautiful scenery and hope someday to drive this same route on my Harley.
My dad is 81! He is the driver of car #35!
The Kruise of Klamath (Klamath Falls, OR) just happens to be this weekend and we’re bringing a group of about 45 up to Crater Lake today for some sightseeing and to catch the participants of the Great Race going through the park. I understand you’ll be stopping for lunch at the park – was just wondering where you’ll be parked so that we can see the cars? Thanks!
Excellent writing! I’m really enjoying you’re trip. Can’t wait to read about today’s adventures!
Thanks very much for these amazing photos of this year’s event. Brings back great memories of 2018 when the competitors travelled through our little town of Sussex New Brunswick Canada.
thank for all the great coverage! AWESOME! enjoy today!
Thank you for coming to Grants Pass! Your fun and enthusiasm is contagious. We will be following you on the second half of the Great Race. Happy trails!
We were on our way from Grants Pass to Crescent City, Ca yesterday afternoon and had the enjoyment of seeing all the old cars as we watched then go by us. Well be checking in to see the rest of your trip, love the stories describing your days! Pics are awesome.
Excellent event. Never grows old. The photos are top shelf. Thanks for sharing.
My wife and I were thrilled to welcome all the great crews and fabulous cars to Grants Pass last night! Your participants truly blessed our town – thank you for including us in your 2019 route. We even placed ourselves on waiting list to join you in 2020!
What a great collection of vintage cars . thanks for the great pictures.
Wow!! Automotive and geographic nostalgia! What a beautiful event in beautiful surroundings.
This is great! I hope to attend one year with my 67 GTO.