Great Race 2012 - At Home in Shreveport, Louisiana

 Tuesday, July 3, 2012

We made it home two cold beers ago! You cannot believe how hot it was on the interstate today. We traveled a total of 4,803 miles in the Packard. It performed very well. We really appreciate all you folks following and cheering us on. It is so good to be home!

Bill Shipp

 

 

Great Race 2012 - Day 14 of trip - Finish Line

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Start: Findlay, Ohio

Lunch: Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum in Ypsilanti, Michigan

Grand Finish: The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan

Pulling for Autistic Children - What a great cause!

Great Race photo - 41 Pack at the finish line

I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under

Bill & Mr. Coker

The Dynamic Duo

Great Race photo - Award Ceremony

Great Race photo - The Grand Champion at the finish line

"We crossed the finish line today! YES! Some did not. We achieved our goal to finish the Great Race in the 1951 Packard, we crossed the line at the Henry Ford. Don't know where we are in the standings but it really does not matter. We did not win, we were not last, somewhere in the middle. I will send the last blog when we arrive back in Shreveport, LA. Thank all you folks that followed us on this trip of a lifetime. We hope we gave you some inspiration to do the same and drive those old cars."

Bill Shipp

Great Race 2012 - Day 13 of trip - 8th Day of Race

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Start: Warren, Ohio

Lunch: The Carousel in downtown Mansfield, Ohio

Finish: Downtown Findlay, Ohio

2012 Great Race Scores Stage click here

If you're headed down a one way street
And you're not sure it's the way you wanna go
You've got to have an ace in the hole

3 Ace total

Photo courtesy of Great Race - Findlay, Ohio

Photo courtesy of Great Race - Mansfield, Ohio - Prison in Shawshank Redemption 

"What a day! 32 pages of instructions! So many turns and stop signs and country side. One heck of a storm up here yesterday. We missed it however Findlay did not. Trees down everywhere, lots of folks with out electricity. Glad the Holiday Inn has it! Ford and I were awarded two, is two, more aces today. I almost jumped out of the car when the official handed them to us as we pulled into the finish. We felt like we were doing pretty good today but two! WOW. Rookie luck I guess. We put them on the right / left fender to look like portholes. I attached pictures. One more half day of race and then to Detroit for the end and Henry Ford."

Bill Shipp

Great Race 2012 - Day 12 of trip - 7th Day of Race

Friday, June 29, 2012

Start: Buffalo, New York

Lunch: Downtown Franklin, PA

Finish: National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio

2012 Great Race Scores Stage 7 click here

"What a day again, these 11 hour drives in the country are beginning to take its toll. Ford and I are still giving it our all. At the beginning of a stage today the Packard died before we were to leave. It would not start again, checked and no gas. Quickly retrieved the jack from the trunk, jacked up the car and switched the wire from one fuel pump to the other and was back on the road in 4:24 minutes. We were able to make that time up but got lost later in the stage. Oh well we are still in there. Russell Chandler (My Ace Mechanic) and I decided to install the extra pump before we left so it really was a good call, thanks Russell. Ended up in Warren, Ohio tonight at the Packard museum, it is awesome. Lots of great information about our marque."

Bill Shipp

Great Race 2012 - Day 11 of trip - 6th Day of Race

Thursday, June 28, 2012
Start: Watertown, N.Y.
Lunch: Erie Canal in downtown Fairport, New York
Finish: Pierce-Arrow Museum in downtown Buffalo, New York     2012 Great Race Scores Stage 6 Click here     "We left Watertown, NY this morning, had lunch at Fairport, NY. What a greeting! the entire town turned out for us, we each had an ambassador to buy lunch and show us the town.Had lunch on the Erie canal. However we only had an hour to do this which means we were late getting to the start line and we had to turn the Packard into a sprint car. We made up 8 seconds to get to where we should have been on the start. Spending the night in Buffalo, NY. tonight. Visited the Pierce Arrow museum tonight, great cars! Head out for the Packard museum tomorrow, looking forward to that. Another long day today, 28 pages of instructions. I did not know a cold beer could taste so good!" Bill Shipp

Great Race 2012 - Day 10 - 5th Day of Race

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Start: Kanata, Ontario

Lunch: Confederation Park in downtown Kingston, Ontario

Finish: The Fairgrounds in Watertown, New York

 2012 Great Race Scores Stage 5 Click here

Complete Great Race Schedule

 Zero to Hero

 

Photo courtesy of the Great Race

 "We crossed over into the good ole USA today! YES!!!! It is good to be home. Stopped at Clayton to visit the antique boat museum, pretty cool boats there. They are restoring "pardon me" which is the largest runabout in the world. It is powered by a Packard engine. It is basically a PT boat all dressed up. Kingston is the guy dressed up to welcome us. Ended up at Watertown, New York for the night. Ford and I received an ACE today! WOW!!! That is on our last leg of the race today we received a zero, that is correct we made it a perfect run! Never expected that, when we checked in the score person handed our slip to us. I noticed the last one was circled in red ink, I thought what did we do wrong now. Then I saw it was a zero and he handed us an ace badge for the car. Again WOW! Rookies are not supposed to do that. "

Bill Shipp

Great Race 2012 - Day 9 - 4th Day of Race

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Start: Barrie, Ontario

Lunch: Zurakowski Park in Barry’s Bay, Ontario Finish: Hazeldean Mall in Kanata (Ottawa), Ontario 2012 Great Race Scores Stage 4 Click here  Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me; Other times I can barely see. Lately it occurs to me What a long, strange trip it's been.

Courtesy of the Great Race "We are in Ottawa tonight after 11 hours on the road. Long long day of watching your speed and clock. Had to wake Ford up two or three times today! The guy standing in front of the 36 Packard is my mentor from California. 003 is getting a start this morning behind a charger. Lunch at Barrie Bay. 10 is crowd at Ottawa. As it stands now we are 77th out of 88. We started with 99 cars and are down to 88. Several have dropped out today so that will change daily. The crowds at lunch and dinner are unreal. So many people to see the cars, it is a great hobby! One picture of Mr. Hemmings car he is driving. One guy here is the driver and his wife is the navigator, at night they go separate ways. Too much togetherness....." Bill Shipp

Great Race 2012 - Day 8 of trip - 3rd Day of Race

Monday, June 25, 2012

Start: Sudbury, Ontario

Lunch: Bobby Orr Hall of Fame in Parry Sound, Ontario

Finish: Heritage Park in Barrie, Ontario

2012 Great Race Scores Stage 3 Click here

Photo Courtesy of The Great Race

Photo Courtesy of The Great Race

Photo Courtesy of The Great Race

"Had a rough day today, these roads are killing us. Had to repair the Cormorant wings again today. This time with JB weld so go ahead Canada see if you can defeat the old stand by! Also the roads took out our exhaust from the muffler back. We had to stop to repair that. No times today due to delays. It is what it is! A couple of pictures of where we pick up instructions every morning and where you set your clock. We are heading to Ottawa today. On one of our stops there was a "dry loch" it moves boats from lake to lake. I will attach a couple of pictures." Bill Shipp