Way back when Tom McRae owned and operated the Great Race, alongside his old car buddy Norm Miller, he devised an award known as the "Spirit of the Event" award. It commended diehard enthusiasts for their dedication and contribution to the hobby, so it was an highly acclaimed award from day one. In fact, the Spirit of the Event award was given at the first Great Race in 1983, and has been given during every event since then. What started as an impromptu award for a deserving racer turned into one of the biggest prizes of the event, and it still carries a lot of weight in the awards ceremony to this day!

McRae had a good reason to create the award during the 1983 event, as one of the competitors truly went out of his way to help a fellow participant, even though it was his direct competitor. That racer was Robert "Doc" Fuson, and after that initial year, the award wore his name, as he stood as an example for the sportsmanship and camaraderie of this great event. From there, the Doc Fuson Spirit of the Event award became one of the most highly anticipated awards of the event, even though it didn't pay prize money. It would become the last award given during the awards banquet, and it was truly an honor for anyone who received it.

Through the years, the award continued to gain recognition, and rallying greats such as Curtis Graf took home the honors. The name of the award would eventually change, as the unfortunate death of Tom McRae had the rallying world in a state of grief. After McRae's passing, this prestigious title would be known as the Tom McRae Spirit of the Event award and it carried even more value in the eyes of the competitors.

The 2021 winner was Craig Rubright from Clearwater, Florida. Craig has been a fixture in the Great Race community for several years, and he's known for his 1937 Ford Tudor. In the midst of an intense battle with health issues, Craig pushed forward to make plans for the 2021 Great Race. Despite of his health condition, Craig and his navigator Garrett Jenkins managed to take home a Top 5 finish in the Sportsman Division. Craig's determination provides a great example of the spirit of the Great Race.