Five-time Great Race Grand Champion Wayne Bell is returning to the event this summer for the first time since 2007. Bell, who posted all five wins as a navigator with Dick Burdick, will participate with 1995 Grand Champion Curtis Graf.
It will be Bells 25th Great Race overall. Burdick and Bell were the dominant team in Great Race between their first win in 1989 and their last in 2003. They posted the first ever back-to-back wins in 1989 and 1990 in a 1924 Bentley Speedster. They made it three out of four by winning the 1992 event. After an eight-year drought, Burdick and Bell won the 2000 Great Race in a 1916 Hudson Speedster. Their last victory 11 years ago was in a 1934 Ford Bohnalite.
Grafs lone championship came on the Great Race from Ottawa, Canada, to Mexico City when he teamed with Bruce Gazon. Graf and Bell will be campaigning a 1932 Ford roadster from Maine to Florida this time around.
Ty Holmquist, who has navigated with Graf for several years, has moved over to join John Hollansworth in one of the Hagerty-sponsored teams in a 1940 Cadillac.