The great Race

[Okiejoe86]

Has anyone ever entered their car into The Great Race?? When I was in automotive school in 2005, I got the chance to work at the pit stop for cars in Puyallup, Wa.

Looking at past pictures, I was just thinking of how much fun it would be to drive across the country in an old school race.

[Sam Ensley]

Does anybody have an educated guess as to how much money it would take to enter a car and run the race? Include all expenses including lodging and food, please.

[Okiejoe86]

Does anybody have an educated guess as to how much money it would take to enter a car and run the race? Include all expenses including lodging and food, please.

Private party entry fee = $5000
Corporate entry fee = $7000
X-Cup (Student Only) = $1500

Those prices are "per car" and each car can carry up to 4 people.

I think the meals are free at "hosted" locations. Not sure about room and board.

The race looks like it would be an absolute blast!!

[DieselJim]

Did it in 1990 with the Studebaker National Museum. I was the engine builder and crew chief. Got to drive 2 different days. I was better at being the mechanic. We used the 1928 Roaster # 6. Did have a great time.

[Okiejoe86]

Did it in 1990 with the Studebaker National Museum. I was the engine builder and crew chief. Got to drive 2 different days. I was better at being the mechanic. We used the 1928 Roaster # 6. Did have a great time.

Do you have any pictures from the race?

[Lark Parker]

I was on a crew back about 1987. At that time the entrance fee was $5K for individual Entries and $10K for commercial entries. It looked like most of those guys had their own enterprises and were using the race for tax write off fun. The others were mostly people who thought that was pocket change. I got to work on Franklin D. Roosevelt's car one night! We stayed at the most expensive hotels arranged by GAR, but that's not the way I would do it if going again. Staying at other hotels was permissible then, maybe still is now.

My opinion: Send your support crew (if any) 12 hours ahead to take care of the car when you get there. Then they take off for the next stop and wait for the cars to arrive. Rinse and repeat and stay at cheaper hotels. (Nobody did this.) My method would keep the support people fresh and ready to work on the car instead of -- working at night after the cars arrive and the crowd leaves, getting little sleep and having to leave the required hour before the race cars the next morning.

1987 -- Twelve grueling days from Disneyland, Ca to Disney World, Fl. This year this year looks like a short hop.

[DieselJim]

Do you have any pictures from the race?

I should have, but after all this time, I don't know where to look. We did move in 92. Still boxes packed in the back of the closet.

[roadster dave]

diesel jim; Would you elaborate a little on the Great Race car in the museum? I have a 27 Comm. sport roadster very similar. The first thing that hit me was how did you manage the heat from the engine and floor boards? Two other things was the seat comfort/discomfort and the best speed for the car. Also, what rear end gear ratio did the car have? I'm sure others would like to hear of your adventure.

[Okiejoe86]

Wonder if it would be possible to gather some SDC folks and get a team together for one year.... I would gladly volunteer my time and my car for the journey and adventure!!

[DieselJim]

diesel jim; Would you elaborate a little on the Great Race car in the museum? I have a 27 Comm. sport roadster very similar. The first thing that hit me was how did you manage the heat from the engine and floor boards? Two other things was the seat comfort/discomfort and the best speed for the car. Also, what rear end gear ratio did the car have? I'm sure others would like to hear of your adventure.

This is one of the three cars that Studebaker ran on a board race track. 25,000 miles in 23,000 minutes. That included all pit stops, valve adjust, oil changes and driver changes. At one of the stops, the oil pan had to be removed to weld drain bung back on. During the GAR, we has our first experience with alcohol gas. Car would hardly idle. We picked up some sheet metal, snips, and pop rivets and fashioned a air scoop to move cool air over the carburetor. Also removed the hood sides. The seat was reupholstered with modern material. Don't remember doing anything special about engine heat. The pilot complained that didn't have the power on the hills. On our free day, I set the points, checked the plugs. While testing on the road, throttle on the floor, it was picking up speed. I pushed extra hard and the car jumped like it got hit in the rear. I discovered that the carburetor was a 2 stage. Readjusted the linkage and that fixed the power problem. The brakes didn't work wright. While at the Sloan Museum, I mentioned it to a Studebaker person. He ran hone and got some brake parts. I then discovered that Bendix, while rebuilding the brakes, had put the lever on upside dawn causing the s cam to pull on the back side. I don't know the gear ratio, but I believe the car could easily run 85-90.

[kurtruk]

Was it George Reitnour (sp)? that had the red/silver '36? batwing coupe in the race many years ago? Was a lot of coverage in Turning Wheels about it. These races can be hard on the cars. And the timed events (if you want to be competitive) can be hard on the people.

[jclary]

Yes, George (the watch repairman) was one of the ones on the team that raced the '37. Great guy!

[rockinhawk]

Yes, George (the watch repairman) was one of the ones on the team that raced the '37. Great guy!

And he always timed himself with a Studebaker Pocket watch.

[plwindish]

There was a blue and white 55 President from Oregon or Washington as well as one other Stude in the Great American Race in 2015. The race is for cars 1972 and older. My wife and I participated in the Great American Tour last year, which started as an overflow of the race fans that weren't able to get into the race, as they have a limit on the entries. We in the tour did not have to be timed between stops like the race participants, but we had the same type of directions from point to point. The race covered Rte 66 last year and was a blast to go along the "Mother Road". The cost for the tour was very reasonable, covering lodging and meals. The tour criss-crossed the route the race followed and we were able to get to know some of the race participants and see their cars close up. This year's tour is smaller, not covering the entire route of the race. People from all over the world enter and participate in the race, teams from Sweden and Japan participated. Its a great thing to experience and the winners get to split a pretty healthy purse.

Participants do need to purchase a specified clock and speedometer to use in the race, and I'm told, they aren't cheap.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Yes, George (the watch repairman) was one of the ones on the team that raced the '37. Great guy!

It was a '36 Dictator. Have many pictures.