25 Great Cars of the Great Race
1909 Mercedes / 1912 American La France Firetruck
Tom Lester’s 1909 Mercedes and Dr, Robert Fuson’s 1912 American La France were forever linked in Great Race lore when Doc Fuson helped Lester repair the Mercedes and finish the 1983 Race. Mr. Lester went on to win $25,000 and the Oldest Car to Finish prize. Doc’s 1912 La France participated in many subsequent Great Races.
1902 Mercedes
Bill Evans took his 1902 Mercedes out of his restaurant in San Diego and drove all the way from Los Angeles to Indianapolis to collect the oldest car to finish award in 1984. The 1902 Mercedes was one of the oldest cars to ever compete in the Great Race.
1909 Lozier
Mr. Tom Lester always brought special cars on the Great Race. First was his million dollar Mercedes in 1983 and 1984. In 1985 he brought this beautiful American built Lozier.
1907 Thomas Flyer
In the 1986 Great Race, Ginni Withers drove the actual car that won the 1908 New York to Paris Great Race, a 1907 Thomas Flyer across America. The Flyer ,restored by the late car collector Bill Harrah and is currently on display in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
1934 Ford – Bonne and Clyde “Death car”
Ginnie Withers drove another legendary car in 1986; the actual car that outlaws Bonnie and Clyde were gunned down in. Bullet holes in the doors and bloodstains on the seats were on display for Great Race fans across America.
1905 De Dietrich
Sponsored by Thermon manufacturing of San Marcos, Texas, the French built 1905 De Dietrich Racer was a designed by Bugatti. The chain driven race car lost its 4th gear halfway across the country, but still finished.
1909 Buick Racer
The 1909 Buick Racer owned and driven by Dennis Holland, from Newport Beach, Calif., was the first car registered in the “O.C.,” Orange County, California. The old Buick has a rich racing pedigree including competing in the 1912 Cactus Derby.
1902 Mors
The 1902 Mors introduced spring dampers which resulted in dramatically improved road-holding. This chain driven French race car was owned and driven by Vijay Malya from Wentworth, Surrey England. It was one of the oldest cars to ever successfully complete the Great Race.
1938 Kenworth
The 1938 Kenworth was the largest vehicle to ever compete in the Great Race. Its technology and design still looks current, even by today’s standards. While not as nimble as some of its lighter competitors, the Kenworth won a day on the race thanks to its horsepower and air brakes.
1992 – Auburn Boattail Speedster
This great American classic was owned and driven by Bruce Drinkrow from Auckland, New Zealand during the 1992 Great Race.
1993 – 1914 F.R.P.
A one-of-a-kind. F.R.P. stands for Finley Robertson Porter, designer and engineer of the legendary T-head Mercer. Curtis Graf built this 1914 Racer from “air” and a few spare part rescued from a barn and a great deal of ingenuity and perseverance.
1912 Oldsmobile Autocrat
This 1912 Oldsmobile Autocrat was very original. Its acceleration from 0-50 took 22 seconds and its two-wheel brakes made stopping a challenge. That didn’t hold its owner/driver Newt Withers and navigator Wayne Stanfield from winning the 1994 Great Race with the oldest car to finish in 1994.
1937 Delahaye 135 C
This French Grand Prix car was one of the most exotic and valuable machines to ever compete in the Great Race. Dr. John Baeke drove this classic in the toughest Great Race ever from Ottawa, Canada to Mexico City Mexico. The car survived the 4,500 mile trip, the fenders didn’t.
1936 Harley Davidson UX-3
On it’s 60th Birthday, this Harley placed second in the 1996 Great Race, missing first by just one second. The UX meant experimental and was the first of its kinds, with a pressurized oil system, It’s driver, Wayne Stanfield drove the bike for Wheels Through Time Museum, located in Maggie Valley, NC.
1935 Bayerische Motoren Werken (BMW) 319
The simple and sophisticated BMW was ahead of its time. There were 3 such vehicles in the race in the 1997 Great Race. This one was owned and driven by Rudiger Jopp, from Hebron Germany.
1917 Hudson Speedster
The aluminum body on the Hudson Speedster is only part of its speedy looks — all that is missing is a pair of wings. Its brushed aluminum body hides a 6 cylinder flathead motor that displaces 288 cu. in. and has 70 hp and a top speed of 100 mph.
1927 Hispano Suiza
The Hispano Suiza’s origins go back to Spain in 1904. The car features the same engine design as a WWI fighter plane. The power brake system designed in 1925 was still in use in Rolls Royce Cars in 1967. Just over 325 Hispanos are know to exist today.
1943 Ford Jeep
Driver Ken Smith and owner-navigator John Swett are World War II vets that participated in the Battle of the Bulge. They were captured during the battle and spent the balance of the war in a POW camp.
1938 Buick Shafer 8
This Buick Shafer 8 recreated by Great Race co-founder Tom McRae in the spirit of the 1938 Buick Indy race car. Today, the car is owned by Coker Tire President, Corky Coker.
1954 Chevrolet Corvett
This 1954 Corvette was the first of Chevrolet’s fiberglass cars to compete in the Great Race.
1958 Mercedes 300 SL
Han’s Vorphal’s 1958 Mercedes 300 SL was the follow-up to the “gull-wing” coupes built from 1954-57. Even though the roadsters didn’t sport the gull-wing doors, Vorphal’s Mercedes proved it could fly through the 2003 event.
1932 Packard Convertible
Gracing the 2004 Great American Race was Gab and Evonna Joiner’s “shovel-nose” Packard convertible coupe. The two-tone, blue beauty added classic elegance to that year’s event.
1934 McQuay-Norris Streamliner
The seven McQuay-Norris Streamliners built in 1934 were intended for McQuay-Norris engine component sales representatives, who would drive them to their accounts in hopes of selling gauges.
1932 Ford Hot Rod
The first modern hot rod to compete in The Great Race was this Deuce roadster. Frank Currie, owner of Currie Enterprises, owns the car which is the very definition of the American Hot Rod, boasting 5757 hp from a 400-cid small-block chevrolet engine.