Rollin’ into town

Great Race participants bringing vintage cars to Truro on Saturday

Car lovers get ready.

Come Saturday, 120 old cars of varying makes and models – from rare, vintage open cockpit roadsters, to antique pickup trucks, hot rods, convertibles, VW beetles and even a Ghostbuster-themed station wagon – from across North America will be descending on Truro as part of the Great Race 2018.

“It’s going to be action-packed,” said Hollis Ford owner Rick Hollis, the promotor/sponsor of the Truro stop.

“There’s a wide variety of eclectic vehicles, that’s for sure.”

The Great Race is a 3,700-km, timed rally that began last Saturday from the Pierce Arrow Museum in Buffalo, N.Y. It is to conclude on the banks of Halifax Harbour on Sun- day (Canada Day).

Race teams consist of a driver and navigator and the route takes them through New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

“There was a little accident on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, it was just two racers sideswiped one another,” Hollis said. “But they’re still in the race.”

The cost to register is U. S. $8,000 with a total of $150,000 in prize money up for grabs. The first place team will come away with $50,000.

Racers depart each stop one minute apart and are to arrive at each destination within the same time frame.

The cars are scheduled to begin arriving in Truro at noon on Saturday for a one-hour lunch stop at the civic square.

Hollis said the event is a prime example of Truro’s ability to host future events that will make people want to visit and “experience the friendliness that we have to offer in the town.”

“The town of Truro and our community are very, very fortunate to have this event come through town,” he said.

Cars will be on display at the civic square during their stop and the event is free to the public.

“The drivers will even let the kids sit in the cars. It’s a very proactive festival when they come into town,” Hollis said.

The racers will depart for Truro from Moncton Saturday morning.

By Thursday morning, after departing last Saturday, Hollis said two of the racers were within two seconds of a perfect time.

One of those vehicles was an old Studebaker.

“Who knew?” he chuckled.

SUBMITTED Vintage vehicles of all kinds have hit the road and are making their way to the area as part of the Great Race. Participants in the 3,700-km rally, from Buffalo to Halifax, will roll into downtown Truro by noon on Saturday.