Jan Wessel, a rookie in the 2016 Great Race, visited director Jeff Stumb in his office in Chattanooga recently. Wessel, who is originally from Pennsylvania, is getting his masters at the University of South Carolina and he took a day off from his studies to make the five-hour trip to Tennessee.

Wessel will be competing in his 1952 Jaguar MKVII which he plans on driving out to California from the east coast for the start of the race. He has been planning to compete in the event for more than a year, and he will be the youngest driver in the event for 2016.