The Great Race started right in my own backyard

The Great Race is one of the last major cross-country events catering largely to pre-WWII cars. Typically running from West to East but occasionally going the other direction, this weeks-long speed-controlled event is one of the last of its kind, as it even outlaws GPS and other helpful devices to help you get from point A to point B. It's described as, "....a test of a driver/navigator team's ability to follow precise course instructions and the car's (and team's) ability to endure on a cross-country trip. The course instructions require the competing teams to drive at or below the posted speed limits at all times."

So, it's not a speed competition, but it is an event designed to test your navigational skills and ability to follow directions, all while managing the unpredictable nature of a pre-war car. That being said, the rules have softened in recent years, now allowing for any classic car up to 1974 to participate. These leaves the door open for lots of desirable muscle cars, and the photos from this year's kick-off - which happened right in my own backyard of Warwick, RI - reveal plenty of Shebly Mustangs and Pontiac GTOs in the mix. 

I wish I had known about this with more advance warning, as 10,000 car fans swarmed Rocky Point Park and even Governor McKee came down to wave the proverbial green flag. Hagerty is a sponsor, as is Hemmings, Coker Tires, and McCollister's Auto Transport, a very respectable list of corporate supporters. The teams left Warwick on Saturday morning, en route to Connecticut with plenty of stops planned along the way, including Wayne Carini's F40 Motorsports.

To drive a pre-war car anywhere is likely a watershed moment for most automotive enthusiasts, but to take one from Rhode Island to Fargo, North Dakota, deserves a lifetime achievement award.