Photo courtesy Nancy Gates, AACA Museum
As the Great Race winds closer to Friday’s finale in Bennington, the temperatures are cooling, but not the competition. The expert team of Jody Knowles and Beth Gentry continue to respond to the pressure of the other teams by posting another stellar day. Their total for Day 4 was 7.29 seconds off perfect, good enough to keep them on top with only three days to go, The team of Howard Sharp and Doug Sharp piloted their 100-year old 1911 Velie H1 to a strong second place finish for the day, with 7.32 seconds. The Hemmings Speedster also did well, with an 11th place finish for the day with a score of 15.39 seconds off perfect time. Today’s lunch stop was Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where the crowds were large and enthusiastic. Overall, the Gentry/Knowles team still leads with 25.11 seconds, and the Sharps are only one second behind at 26.84 seconds. Sixteen teams are within one minute of perfect time as we finished for the day on the lawn in front of the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Team Hemmings is also still in the hunt, only one minute, eight seconds back and 22nd overall. After numerous breakdowns, most of the racers have been fixed and re-entered the competition; only a few cars are beyond repair. Tomorrow, we head to Hazelton, Pennsylvania, for lunch, and Binghamton, New York, at the end of the day, as the racers manage the varied terrain and secondary roads of central Pennsylvania.
The Morgan entry has had several mechanical issues, but has made it to the starting line every morning.