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By Bill Van Tassel
GARDINER — Five-million dollars-worth of vintage (pre-1972) automobiles were driven into downtown June 26. The 150 classic cars were taking part in The Great Race — an annual event started in 1983 by car enthusiasts, Tom McCrae and Norman Miller.
The basic idea is to organize a large group of antique vehicles with drivers and navigators to do a rally/race across a good chunk of the United States.
This year’s event began in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 23 with an expected finish in Halifax, N.S. July 1. Gardiner is the hometown of two “Great Racers,” Peter Prescott and Ed Chapman. Gardiner is also known locally for having great Classic Car displays every summer in Waterfront Park.
The first cars began passing under the large banner across the entrance to Water Street just after 5 p.m. The street was closed to all other traffic but lined with hundreds of curious visitors and car enthusiasts. The drivers arrived from New Hampshire where some of them had climbed the Mount Washington Auto Road — one of them a Ford Model A from 1916. The age range of the 150 cars is from 46 to 102 years-old.
Prescott’s 1948 Ford Sedan, car 78, was given a special duty for the visit to Gardiner. He and his navigator, Guy McDorr, picked up Gov. Paul Lepage along the route.
The trunk hood had a large lobster painted on it, and Prescott had LePage sign it later with a permanent marker. His car was permitted to enter downtown first, where LePage got out and shook hands with spectators and participants.
As the vehicles arrived and were parked along both sides of Water Street, visitors could get close looks and photos as well as chat with the participants. After satisfying their curiosity, they could take the short walk to Waterfront Park to the food vendors as well as other activities like looking over some of the local classic cars parked there.
From Gardiner the group of Great Racers were heading to Bar Harbor then on to the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
PHOTO: A Hudson Hornet drives down Water Street in Gardiner as part of The Great Race (Bill Van Tassel photo)
