The showing of the 1965 film The Great Race was one of the best pre-race activities ever. The Stahls Automotive Foundation made sure the Leslie Special and The Hannibal 8, two cars from the film, were on hand on the red carpet!
We have been keeping very busy with pre-race rally school, registration, technical inspection and a variety of excellent activities. To recap the past two days at the Great Race 2016: On Wednesday, racers and Great Race staff continued to arrive in San Rafael, California. We were blown away by the energy from the city of San Rafael and after a day of race prep, we had one of the most enjoyable evenings ever. The Rafael Theater offered a special showing of the “The Great Race”, the 1965 American slapstick comedy Technicolor film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood. And we made sure it was a movie night that all would remember, by bringing the original cars from the film (now under ownership of the Stahls Automotive Foundation), the Leslie Special and the Hannibal 8 to the streets of downtown San Rafael. It was truly a fantastic evening.
On Thursday we went through the registration process and tech inspection, where the cars are checked out for safety and for Great Race scoring. After getting everything checked out, including speedometer calibration, racers could go to San Francisco for a special photo opportunity with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background or make a few laps at the legendary Sonoma Raceway. In the evening, we all joined in on a dinner cruise boat and toured the San Francisco Bay. What scenery and what memories. We are so thankful that so many family members were able to join in the activities.
Actors dressed as the film stars were also on hand to make the evening special.
All the way from Michigan!
The Hannibal 8 is always a huge crowd pleaser. It’s the car you love to hate.
On Thursday we all went through technical inspection and registration.
What a glorious photo opportunity. The Stars and Stripes is looking good.
On board the dinner cruise, Mary and I really enjoyed the breathtaking scenery while spending time with family and Great Race friends.
So thankful that so many family members were able to join us here in San Rafael.
It was a day we will never forget.