LEWISBURG, Pa. — The roars of antique engines filled the air at Hufnagle Park in Lewisburg on Wednesday. Thousands of people gathered in the park to watch the Great Race make its way to the borough.
"It's not a speed race; it's a race of accuracy; we give them exact instructions and the exact space to drive, we have secret checkpoints, and we know exactly what time they should be at each checkpoint so when they arrive, they're penalized for every second early or late—it's just as bad to be early or late, as it is to be late," said Jeff Stumb, Great Race Director.
More than 100 drivers are taking part in the race that stretches through ten states. At the end of each day, officials add up the scores, and the driver with the lowest wins for the day. Those totals get added up at the end of the race. The winner will get $50,000. The Great Race started 41 years ago and is based on the 1965 film.
"So we just kind of—as a tribute to the movie and the real event, we do this every year; we've been doing it since 1983; there's even one man in the event that's been in every single race since 1983," added Stumb.
Drivers from all over the world and across the country are making the 3,200-mile trek from Owensboro, Kentucky, to Gardiner, Maine.
"This is our fourth great race; we started in 2021, my father-in-law and I, it's his 1968 Camero that we're running, and we're headed from Owensboro, Kentucky to Gardiner, Maine, and we came in here with a slip in clutch, so my father in law's been under the car adjusting the clutch," said Mike Robertson, from San Antonio, Texas.
Officials with the Great Race decided to make Lewisburg lunch stop this year. They say it's the perfect place for the community to come together.
"Everybody I talk to, they all have a story on why they're here today, and it comes back to nostalgia, Americana, love of the automobile industry, and sometimes the love of Lewisburg," said Amy Thomas, Great Lunch Stop Lewisburg Coordinator.
The Great Race started on Saturday and ends on Sunday, June 30, in Gardiner, Maine.