will start in Riverside, Calif., on Saturday, June 22, and finish is Tacoma, Wash., on Sunday, June 30
This marks the first time the Great Race, the worlds premiere old car rally, will start and finish on the West Coast. The 9-day, 2,300-mile adventure will bring 120 of the worlds finest antique automobiles to 18 cities in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. More than $150,000 will be awarded to top finishers in multiple divisions.
Teams and cars from Japan, England, Australia, Canada and every corner of the United States will converge in Riverside in mid-June with vintage automobiles dating back as far as 1916.
There are more than 450 people just in our entourage from all around the world, Stumb said. And along the route they will see amazing sites, including Lake Tahoe, Redwood National Park, Northern Californias coastline, Crater Lake, Mount Hood and Mount Rainer.
Overnight cities along the 2019 route are scheduled to include Lancaster, Calif.; Gardnerville, Nev. (at Lampe Park); Chico, Calif.; Eureka, Calif.; Grants Pass, Ore.; Bend, Ore.; Vancouver, Wash.; and Olympia, Wash. Lunch cities are scheduled to include Victorville, Calif.; Bishop, Calif.; Grass Valley, Calif. (Mill St, 11:45 AM); Ukiah, Calif.; Brookings, Ore.; Crater Lake, Ore.; Hood River, Ore.; and Longview, Wash.
The Great Race, which began 36 years ago, is not a speed race, but a time/speed/distance rally. The vehicles, each with a driver and navigator, are given precise instructions each day that detail every move down to the second. They are scored at secret check points along the way and are penalized one second for each second either early or late. As in golf, the lowest score wins.
Each stop on the Great Race is free to the public and spectators will be able to visit with the participants and to look at the cars for several hours. It is common for kids to climb in the cars for a first-hand look.
This is a great opportunity to see some vintage, period cars in our backyard being put through their paces in a classic road race.