Through the first 24 years of Great Race history, only one Porsche has ever been entered in the cross-country race for classic cars. In 2007, two were entered and as expected, the rear engine, air-cooled sports cars performed flawlessly for their owners, helping them to finish 1st and 3rd in the Rookie Class.Rookie Class Champions, Pat and Ali Schulte a husband and wife team from Lake Elmo, Minnesota, drove their 1965 Porsche 356C to first place, collecting more than $30,000 in cash and prizes.

Their Porsche nicknamed ‘Bummfuzzle’, was given to them at Christmas and has been in Pats family since 1972. In fact, the 356 was the same car that Pat came home from the hospital in after he was born. It has 140,000 original miles on it, with 9,000 of those being recently added in the past six weeks. Despite the recent accumulation of mileage, the Schulte’s Porsche completed the two-week long race without any serious mechanical problems.

“We needed the car to perform well because we didn’t have time to go through trouble shooting,” said Pat, the husband and navigator.

Within days after returning from a nearly four year long voyage around the world, the couple was off to Concord, North Carolina for the start of the race.

The only trouble they did have with the 356 was a damaged shift linkage, caused after the Porsche hit a pothole. The damaged linkage prevented the Porsche from shifting out of fourth gear for an entire leg of the race, yet they still finished up with a score of three seconds for the day.

“It was the perfect car for the race,” explained Pat. “It is a very agile car and handles corners perfectly through curvy roads. Other cars were having trouble but it was perfect driving conditions for the Porsche.”

Driver Bryan Dickson, from Argyle, Texas and Navigator Joe Correia, from Virginia, Virginia placed second in the rookie class to collect $20,000 in cash and prizes.

The 911T has more than 165 pages of complete maintenance records dating back to 1972 with every oil change and light bulb replacement meticulously documented.

What may be missing from the documentation are the details about a quick fix done in the hotel parking lot in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In a familiar tale, Dickson and Correia hit a pothole and this time broke their front suspension bar. The team put hose clamps around the bracket to hold their front suspension in place and drove it the rest of the way to Anaheim, Calif.

“No one in the right mind would have driven it like that,” said Dickson. “But it’s the best driving sports car on the planet no matter what.”

The team was concerned with driving the air-cooled engine in 120-degree weather through the desert across Arizona and California. In the end the 911T never overheated, exceeding Dickson’s expectations.

“The Porsche performed flawlessly; it was very light, nimble, handled extremely well and we were able to take corners at much higher speeds than other cars,” said Dickson. “We also had one of the more comfortable rides with great seats and a roomy cockpit. The roof over our heads helped out a lot during through rainstorms and hail.”

Dickson’s 1969 Porsche 911T is one of three that he owns. He recently raced his 1968 Porsche 912 in the Great Race Texas Challenge and his 1983 Porsche 911SC has been used extensively in Autocross and Drivers Education events staged by the Porsche Club of America. Porches have fascinated Dickson since he first saw one as a kid in 1985. His 1983 911T is the exact car that he had a poster of as a child.

Through 25 years of Great Racing the participants have always entered unique cars that have held a fascination with their owners or selected to compete in a car that offers specific features or performance capabilities.

“In a way, cars are like girlfriends because everyone looks for

something different. You find a car that’s right for you and you hope to have a long relationship with it” explained Dickson. “I have owned Porsches for the past 25 years. It’s the gal for me and always will be.”

The 2007 Great American Race, presented by Interstate Batteries began in Concord, North Carolina on June 30, 2007. The classic car race traveled 4,000 miles, through eleven states and 44 cities, finishing in Anaheim, California on July 14.

“Coker Tire is pleased to host our vintage rally friends who not only have great collector cars but get them out and drive them,” said Corky Coker, president of Coker Tire. “Besides … you can’t get the smiles unless you do the miles!”

Much like national Great Race events, the Coker Tire Challenge features classic cars manufactured in 1969 or earlier in an open-road, rally race designed by John Classen, Great Race’s world-class course designer.

“We are thrilled to create a fun fall event for classic car enthusiasts,” said Bill Ewing, CEO for Rally Partners, Inc., the event organizers. “Last year’s Coker Tire Challenge was huge success and a terrific starting point for creating an annual Fall regional rally that everyone can mark on their calendar as a ‘must attend’ event.”

This year, participants can look forward to three days of fun and challenging competition, along with daily social events, including a street festival at Coker Tire’s international headquarters, held in conjunction with the Harley Owners Group, which is kicking off their High Octane Tour the same weekend as the Coker Tire Challenge.

Please follow this link to download an Entry Application for the 2007 Coker Tire Challenge.

The Coker Tire Challenge is based on the Great Race competition format, a street-legal rally-race on public highways. Precision driving is required from the driver and navigator who follow a specific set of course instructions that indicate every turn, speed change, stop and start that the race teams make throughout the three-day event.

ABOUT COKER TIRE:
Coker Tire Company, Inc. of Chattanooga, Tennessee is the world’s largest supplier of collector vehicle tires, with distributors in more than 30 countries. The company offers vintage bias-ply and nostalgia-style radial tires for collector vehicles from the late 1890s through the mid 1970s, including products for hot rods, sprint and dirt track racecars and motorcycles. For more information please visit www.coker.com.

“Last Friday we finally realized what we were doing wrong and after that our scores continued to get better,” said LaBine. “The trick is to fix one thing at a time until you start reaching perfect scores.”

72 teams started the race, with 57 finishing. The route across America proved especially tough for the classic cars and racers as they endured torrential downpours including hail, desert heat and steep mountain climbs. But for LaBine and Wheeler the obstacles they encountered were not enough to derail their consistency throughout the event.

“Before I did the race I couldn’t believe people would race within seconds of perfect accuracy, it always seemed impossible,” said Wheeler. “There is nothing like the feeling I have right now.”

They ended with 1020 cumulative points, which was 83 more points than the second place team of Bill Harper and Larry Blair from Hendersonville, NC. Blair brings with him a history of racing on dirt tracks, drag races, and hydroplanes.

“I’ve raced all of my life, when you get to be a little old there are still things you have to do, and this is it, so we’re excited.” said Blaire. “I give a lot of credit to my navigator, we went down one road that I thought was wrong, but he stuck with it and here we are today with $10,000.”

2006 Great Race champions Dave Reeder and Sawyer Stone, age 14, finished in third with 929 points. But the team is not discouraged; they purposely switched cars this year, moving from their 1916 Hudson to a 1932 Ford to get ready for next years race from New York to Paris.

“We did the best we could with the new car, we knew the Hudson inside and out and were still trying to learn the 32′ and that’s the difference” said Stone. “I can’t wait for next year.”
“Team Bummfuzzle” Pat and Ali Schulte and their 1965 Porsche 356 C took first place in the rookie class, taking home $10,000. The young couple was anything but ‘Bummfuzzled’ throughout the race as they consistently scored high, even after having car problems.

“When the car wouldn’t go into any gear but fourth we had no choice but to drive with it like that, we didn’t care what time we got just as long as we made the finish,” said Pat.

After the couple sailed around the world together for three and a half years, the Great Race was next on their list of what they wanted to accomplish.

“The prize money will pay for the Volkswagon that we plan to take as we travel through Central and South America. We will be leaving in October but we will be back in time for the Great Race next year.” explained Ali.

“I’m emotionally double parked,” stated Cliff Fowler, Big Bear Lake Antique Car Club President. “Earning the award was something I had a personal vision to do everything in the world to accomplish. I was so honored that thousands of people in town came out for this once in a lifetime event, that’s what Big Bear is all about. We only have 17,00 people who live here, but when it comes to a common cause like this they show their true colors.”

In a scene reminiscent of the 1960’s movie “The Great Race,” thousands lined the winding mountain roads leading into and out of town to cheer on the racers. The reception was a welcome relief after their drive out of the California desert and 120 degree temperatures in Laughlin, NV. Locals waved home made banners, posters and American flags while cheering the racers up the mountain to the community’s 7,000-foot elevation.

“It was a tough choice for the racers with so many great stops to choose from,” said Bill Ewing, CEO of Rally Partners, Inc. “There were so many memorable stops that it was a difficult choice, but Big Bear’s enthusiasm and warmth won out.”With the help from many local sponsors they were able to shower the racers with gifts such as a commemorative hat, a coffee mug and a wooden carved bear driving a red sports car which was raffled off at the competitors final awards ceremony.

“Big Bear was one of my favorite towns,” said Bob LaBine, winner of the 2007 Great American Race. “It was great traveling up the roads and seeing so many people greeting you with signs.”

Portions of Blake Edwards’ 1965 film “The Great Race” were filmed in Big Bear Valley, among other locales in the Big Bear mountain region. The movie was loosely based on the original Great Race that took place in 1908. In 2008, the Great Race will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1908 race from New York to Paris with The Great Race 2008: New York to Paris.

This was the first time the Great Race had ever been through Big Bear, but it will not be the last.

“From the start of the Texas race four years ago, we’ve been good friends” said Charlie, “We have a friendly rivalry between us, but we always cheer each other on.”

Young navigators have many advantages over other racers such as good vision, more energy, better concentration and currently being enrolled in math classes. Sawyer will graduate high school two years early, with an ACT score two points away from perfect. Young navigators also have no preconceived ideas of how the race works so they come up with their own methods of solving problems.

“We were both really lucky that my grandpa and Charlie’s uncle are really experienced with the Great Race.” explained Sawyer. “A lot of veterans have given me advice on what they do, so I use a mix of their tips along with my own ideas.”

There are five other teams with navigators under 18 years old, including Scott Hudson, a 2-year veteran and rookies Alex Mitchell, Victor Sclafani, Jarrett Theiss and Hamza Wells. The rookie navigators have a different outlook on being young in the race.

“There is no advantage to being young because we lack a lot of experience that the older veterans have” said Hamza Wells of car #21, a 1929 Ford Speedster.

In addition to the competition portion of the race, two weeks driving across the country in a classic car bring generations together, unlike any other activity.

“Anytime you spend the whole day shoulder to shoulder, it presents a lot of time to talk,” stated Sawyer. “I will always remember the fun time that my grandpa and I have spent together on the Great Race and someday, I hope to do this with my son or grandson.”

Today’s first place veteran winners were Frank and Cody Currie in car #14, a 1910 Selden Raceabout, receiving a check for $2500 for their efforts. Rookies Gary and Jean-Ann Martin in car #58, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, won first in their class for the first time earning $1000.

“Once we got our Ace today, we felt we’ve accomplished enough to go home. Finally all of our concentration paid off, we are so proud of ourselves.”

Tomorrow the competitors will be traveling 242 miles with stops in Yucca Valley, Big Bear and an overnight stop in Pomona at the NHRA-Motorsports Museum in Fairplex.

Today was the first day of the three-day Championship Run worth a total of 400 points, a sum that will most definitely affect the outcome. Ahead lie more mountains, scorching desert heat and a race route designed by John Classen, Great Race’s wily director of competition.

The competition is a rally race of time-speed and endurance, and after eleven days, the endurance component is beginning to kick in for the participants as they try nurse their classic cars across the southwest.

They are attempting to match Classen’s computer generated “perfect” time in automobiles that are between 38 and 97 years old. No easy task, especially when a “maze” is thrown into the mix. Today’s was a tough one with teams circling about and driving back and forth through a complex series of streets between Winslow and Mormon Lake. It’s a fun and challenging bit of rally racing that often leaves the participants scratching their heads.

“”Today’s maze was great. It was up and down, and back and forth, which made it challenging and fun,” said to Uli Kammholz, the navigator for car #12 a 1955 Studebaker President. “It was an ideal site to do a Rally.”

Kammholz and his driver, Annegret Reichmann put together a good day scoring 5.55 seconds and a total of 110 points, placing them in third place overall in Championship Class with 838 points.

Last years champions Dave Reeder and his grandson Sawyer Stone in car #1, a 1932 Ford finished second today with 6.48 seconds and moved to second place overall.

“I think we still have a shot at winning,” stated Stone. “We gained 90 points today and are only three points behind Bob and Charlie with two more days to go.”

Stone is a six-year veteran, yet sounds much older then his 15 years and is unfazed by being 3 points behind Bob LaBine and Charlie Wheeler in car #73, a 1928 Ford Model A Speedster. Wheeler is also 15 and navigates for his uncle. LaBine and Wheeler didn’t fare as well today, finishing fifth and earning 80 points.

“We couldn’t pull 50 miles an hour on the hills today,” said Wheeler. “We’ll have to do better to stay in front of Sawyer and Reeder, but it’s going to be hard.”

Taking third place today was the husband and wife team of Ty and Pam Holmquist in #26, a 1935 Ford Phaeton. Pam recently returned to drive in the Great Race after a five-year absence and hasn’t missed a beat.

“It’s like riding a bike,” said Pam. “The competition is harder and the scores are better but it still feels good when we do well.” Plus, we get along better when we get a good score. If not, it gets awfully quiet in the car.”

Today’s rookie winners were the husband and wife team of Pat and Ali Schulte in car #65, a 1965 Porsche 356. The couple started off doing exceptionally well, but a lack of experience and car problems have slowed them down.

“He tells me to feather the clutch and I don’t even know what that means” laughed Ali. Pat disagreed, “She really is a great driver, especially at staying consistent with the slower speeds.”

Pat and Ali Schulte recently returned from a three-year sailing trip around the world and rarely drive when home in Chicago, Illinois. They are getting their confidence back and hope to contend with Bryan Dickson and Jim Correia in car #69 a Porsche 911T, the newest car in the race.

Tomorrow, the racers will continue their drive on Route 66 with stops at Grand Canyon Caverns, Kingman, AZ and an overnight stop in Laughlin, NV. After that it’s a trip across the Mojave Desert, into Big Bear before going downhill to Pomona and Anaheim, California.

The “Deuce” was named the official mark of the 25th annual Great Race in honor of its 75th anniversary. For years, it has been a symbol of style, automotive expression and American ingenuity. When it was introduced in 1932, it brought style and V-8 performance to the mass market. Even today it continues to influence the automotive culture and is the iconic hot rod of the day thanks to its unique styling.

“The Deuce is the #1 hot rod of all time because of its huge frame and horse power. It’s a good looking car with some meat on the front and a good beefy frame,” explained Deuce driver Bill Harper in car #37. “It’s the most recognized hot rod in the world.”

The 1932 Ford has had an influence on both industry and grass roots enthusiasts. Following their introduction, they were later modified in backyards and small garages, resulting in performance far beyond their original capabilities, and often rivaling the best cars in the world.

Curtis Graf, driver of car #2, meticulously built his Deuce over the past six months. “I got the chassis from Florida, the body from Honest Charley’s Speed Shop and built the motor myself. I even used elephant hide leftover from a safari I was on for the seats and the door,” said Graf. “I chose the Deuce to compete in this year because it’s very agile, accelerates quicker and stops better than it’s competitors.”

The 1932 Ford is the ‘gold standard’ of hot rods because of Henry Ford’s innovative V-8 power plant and his son Edsel’s impeccable taste and styling sophistication. 75 years later, there is still not a more youthful image in America than the hot rod.

“I rode on Bonneville with the Deuce going 205 miles per hour in 1997,” said 20-year veteran Frank Currie, driver of car #14. “I love hot rods, I started building them when I was 16 and still do at 78.”

One of the most unique ‘32 Fords is car #93, a 1932 M-1 Mechanix Special Racer. Although the exterior of the red, low slung Ford bears little resemblance to its “Deuce” counterparts, it was still attractive to Guy Mace, the owner and driver.

“When I bought it four years ago at the Kruze Auction in Auburn, Indiana I did everything wrong. I didn’t even inspect the car. Once they announced that the winning bid would receive a free entry into the Great Race, the price skyrocketed. But I kept bidding. I’ve been a Great Racer ever since.”

The winners for the day were last year’s champions Dave Reeder and Sawyer Stone in car #1, a 1932 Ford, 3-Window Coupe. Finishing in second place today and first place in the rookie class were driver Bryan Dickson and navigator Joe Correia in car #69, a Porsche 911. They collected a total of $2,500 for the day.

“If it wasn’t for the veterans, we wouldn’t be here right now. They have been very helpful, offering advice, tools, supplies and help working on the car,” said Dickson. “It’s been amazing.”

Tomorrow the teams will travel through Arizona stopping in Saint Johns, Winslow and Flagstaff. It will be the first day of the three-day Championship Run and could be pivotal in helping to determine the winner.

CLOVIS, NEW MEXICO - July 9, 2007 - Despite threatening weather and emergency storm warnings blaring over the PA system, thousands of people filled Main Street in Downtown Clovis, NM to greet the Great Racers. Although the storm missed town, it ran right into the racers heading that way. A combination of wind, rain and hail pelted the field of classic cars during the last leg of the competition, an hour from the finish.

The Great Race consists of a diverse group of classic cars including coupes, sedans, and trucks all of which have hard tops, but for those in open-wheeled, open-top racers, their afternoon was much more interesting.

Car #14, a 1910 Selden, oldest car in the race encountered the hailstorm outside of town and arrived with two fat lips and a damaged, custom-built radiator valued at $5,000.

“I was driving the car and Cody was trying to navigate while ducking below the windshield as the hail came down,” said Frank Currie, a 19-year veteran. “We got a :02 second score for that leg, not bad considering the conditions. I’m so proud of my Grandson, he will remember this experience for the rest of his life.”

Car #98 is a 1928 Ford Model A Speedster and has an open cockpit with little room to hide from the falling hail. “It was pretty wild,” said Greg Cunningham, a former Great Race champion. “We tried to maintain the speed but couldn’t, so we stopped. Great Racer’s do some crazy things to try and stay on time, but this time we had no choice.”

Today’s winners Bob LaBine and Charlie Weaver in car #73, a 1928 Ford Speedster encountered almost every form of weather imaginable during the brief storm including rain, hail, lightning and a tornado, but still managed to score :01 second on the final leg when the storm hit, to earn 100 points for the day and a check for $2,500.

“All day long we missed the small storms. We went one way and the storms went the other. But our luck failed this afternoon when ran into a black wall of rain. Within thirty seconds we couldn’t see anything,” said Weaver “And then the hail hit us. It seemed like hail was coming from every direction.”

Labine and Wheeler, taken earlier last week

The rain and hail didn’t dampen the competitor’s enthusiasm upon their arrival in Clovis. A few thousand people filled four blocks on Main Street where the cars were on display. Vendors sold fried Indian bread, cotton candy and popcorn while the racers visited with the local fans, answered questions and swapped weather related war stories with each other. Another Great finish.

Finishing 19 points behind LaBine and Wheeler in the veteran class was car #37, Bill Harper and Larry Blair, driving a 1932 Ford HiBoy and Frank and Cody Currie in the Selden. LaBine and Wheeler remain in first place overall with four days of competition remaining. Today’s Rookie winners are Kevin and Ian Ryan. They collected $1,000 for the day.

It’s another long day tomorrow as the race heads to Portales, NM for a morning pit before turning south for Carrizozo and then Albuquerque for the overnight stop.

“This is perfect timing for the Great Race to come to Eastland. It brings the town together for an event where everybody can finally relax and have some fun,” stated Mark Pipkin, the Mayor and a 28-year veteran of Eastland’s volunteer fire department, “It means a lot to our community that a company that is known nation wide has confidence in our ability to host the race.”

All the cities go out of their way to accommodate the racers, but for some reason, small towns are different. Besides giving the racers items such as chocolate covered strawberries personally dipped by the mayor, leather bags filled with souvenirs, and homemade peach and apple cobbler, they provide genuine welcomes which are the memories that make it a Great Race.

“Coming from a large town like New York, NY it was a culture shock for me at first that people could be so nice and accommodating before they even know you,” explained Jake Auerbach, navigator of Car #77, a 1932 Ford. “Some of the small towns we arrive at welcome us like we are coming home; I feel like I am one of their neighbors.”

Today the racers traveled 216 miles through Texas, horses, longhorn steers and goats. First place in the veteran class went to car #26, a 1935 Ford Phaeton, driven and navigated by Pam and Ty Holmquist, with 115 points. over the past 8 days on the race, there has been eight different winners.
Bryan Dickson and Joe Correia were the rookie winners in car #69, a 1969 Porsche 911 T, with 60 points for the day.

Overall, Bob LaBine and his nephew Charlie Wheeler are in the lead with 554 points in car #73, a 1928 Ford Model A Boattail Speedster. Not far behind them with 545 points is Jim and Louise Feeney in car #33 and five time Great Race champions, Dick Burdick and Wayne Bell are in third with 533 points in car #120.

Tomorrow the Great Race will continue to stop in small towns including Sweetwater, Big Spring and Lubbock, TX with a final stop in Clovis, NM.

A trip to the hotel parking lot after a day of great racing reveals a world rarely seen at the finish line, support crew’s frantically work through the night doing the necessary maintenance and repairs to keep the historic machines running. Their working conditions are unlike a typical mechanics shop; for some teams, a pair of headlights brightens the work area and sometimes, crews are forced to manufacture their own parts if they can’t be found. Most nights the teams have less than twelve hours to perform tasks as complicated as replacing a transmission or rebuild an engine. Many times competing teams can be found helping each other finish the tasks at hand.

“It’s all about helping each other out, if it means staying up all night for a car to be able to run the next day then its all worth it.” stated Jody Knowles, driver for car #21, a 1928 Ford Model A Speedster.

25 year Great Race veteran Curtis Graf, the owner and driver of a 1932 Ford Roadster spent today’s lunch hour doing maintenance on the V-8 engine on Main Street in Ardmore, OK. After changing plugs, the distributor cab and cleaning the carburetor, Graf was back on the road in time for the race in to Lewisville, tonight’s overnight stop.

Car #68, a 1936 Buick Speedster had carburetor problems through the first few days of the race. After failing to find better fitting air filters, the crew became inventive and purchased ice buckets which they turned into custom built air cleaners.

Roush Racings, Joe Wotawa and Gary Creviston, changed the transmission on Dale and Susan McClenahan’s 1939 Ford DeLuxe in the hotel parking lot in Fort Smith, Ark.

It was a task that should have taken them two hours, but lasted four because they stopped to speak with race fans who were there to watch. Their efforts paid off after the team won first place and $2500 in the Honest Charlie’s Speed Shop Deuce Week East, the first leg of the two week Great Race.

“Sometimes I hate cars, but I love them when we win” said Wotawa.

The winners for Stage 7 were Candace and Dale Kasson, driving car #72, a 1955 Desoto Fireflite, to collect a check for $2,500 their day;s work. The rookie team winners for the day were Bryan Dickson and Joe Correia, driving a 1969 Porsche 911T. They earned $1,000 for the day.

The Great Race returns to action on Sunday, for the final push of 2040 miles to Anaheim, Calif. Sunday’s route includes stops in Eastland and Abilene, Texas.