GAMR 2019: Chapter 5 - Photos and Results

Written by: Greg Davis

There were a total of 32 cars registered for this year’s GAMRR. Five of the cars however, were registered for recreational purposes only. An international group of car-loving friends who had all connected during the 2019 Peking to Paris Rally, were looking for a structured vintage automobile travel opportunity they could share without the bother of the timed Regularity Sections. So, cars 28-32 were not scored and did not appear for our final gathering at Hemmings.

The rally teams mingled, toured the impressive Hemmings Motor News car collection and enjoyed some lunch while rally officials scored the Day 3 Regularity Sections and tabulated the final rally rankings.

First, second and third place trophies were set out for the Original, Classic and Modern car classes.

In the end Gary Hamilton provided a rally summary. His report for the Original Car class was brief. We learned that none of the four Original cars finished the rally. The 1930 Chrysler lost its clutch at the close of Day 1. The 1928 Chrysler experienced worrisome engine noise late on Day 2. Our Hudson had brake challenges and while Noel & Cynda’s 1954 Hornet Convertible was running fine at the rally’s close, Cynda’s illness had kept them from completing the Day 3 Regularity Sections.

Within the Classic Car class it was Jeffery Wacker & Julia Metcalf in the 1964 Mercury Comet that finished 3^rd with a penalty total of 243. Finishing second with a penalty total of 206 were Matthew and MaryAnn Koops in their 1974 Dodge Monaco. And winners of the very competitive Classic Car class were Gord Olmstead & Phil Hooper in the 1973 Ford Capri with 175 penalty points.

Within the Modern Car class, 3^rd place finishers were Jeffrey Hassenfeld & Lee Boroson in the 1982 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce. They had just 195 penalty points. Jim Theriault & Chris Pye in the 2002 Audi A4 took home the second place trophies with 165 penalty points. Ed & Ruth Sain with their 2015 Toyota Highlander were not only first place finishers within the Modern Car class, but also were the overall 2019 Great American Mountain Rally Revival

Champions with just 132 penalty points across the 3-days of the rally. Congratulations Ed & Ruth! Well done indeed! They took home two sets of trophies and their names will go on the official GAMRR Cup!

Lynn and I made our rounds to extend “Good-bye” wishes. We’ve cemented some genuine friendships across the two years of the GAMRR. As we were talking, someone looked out the window and shouted “Look….. a rainbow!”

Was it coincidence, the timing of this rainbow on what I personally had experienced as a dismal, disappointing day? There are some questions for which there simply is no answer.

Whatever the source, the rainbow served as a wake-up call for me. My wife and I had just spent three days traveling through the autumn colors and scenic beauty of New York’s Adirondack Park. We made new friends and deepened the relationships we initiated the year before. We and the Renners had the privilege and honor of trumpeting the Hudson story in corners where it is seldom heard. Indeed Lisa Colom, driver of the #2 Fiat Spider, is so captured by the Hudson magic that since returning home has joined the Hudson Essex Terraplane Club and intends to be with us in July of 2020 for the club’s International Meet in Burlington, Vermont! I had invited Lisa to drive our Hornet before dinner at the close of Day 2. Through the course of that short time in the driver’s seat, she has seemingly been bitten by the Hud-bug! That makes me smile.

We left Bennington and drove through the rain toward home as far as Binghamton, New York where we pulled in to spend the night. The following day we completed the journey. Oh, our brakes! Noel’s guidance was that we should get on the road and drive the Hornet home. And that’s exactly what we did. The brakes were noisy but functional. The vast majority of our travels were on interstate highways where the brakes are seldom called upon.

The car is scheduled to return to Dr. Doug Wildrick in Shelbyville, Indiana before the snow flies here in Ohio.

I don’t know about Lynn, but I’m already looking forward to next year! The mighty Hornet will return for the 2020 Great American Mountain Rally Revival! One can never collect too many rainbows.