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PLAINFIELD PROUDLY HOSTS THE GREAT RACE Route travels from Rhode Island to North Dakota By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske • Photos by Gary Middendorf
I
t was the ultimate cruise night in downtown Plainfield as The Great Race rolled into town for a stop June 22 in the fifth day of the nine-day trek from Rhode Island to North Dakota.
follow precise instructions to each check point, with timed arrivals. Each team vying for the best finish in vehicles with manual transmissions, often no air conditioning and there’s no use of GPS.
Visitors of all ages lined up along Lockport Street under the brilliant blue sky and temps hovering in the 90s to cheer for the racers as they made their way through a checkpoint and parked. The Plainfield Historical Society was the volunteer host of the racers, coordinating the evening stop that included meals for the drivers, their navigators and support teams as well as a chance for spectators to get a closer look at the array of vehicles, all built prior to 1974.
Teams spanned all ages but perhaps among the youngest included Connor Miller, a student at Trine University and John McCollough driving the 1948 Ford Coupe. The race rookies were driving a car from the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum in Auburn, Indiana where they are volunteers. They said the race is a test of driving skills and mechanical know-how, as teams often have to make repairs throughout the multiday race.
Started in 1983, The Great Race features a test of a driver and navigator skills to
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