Stage Three Ardmore to Joplin

We at the worst hotel breakfast yet. Darrin and Sam did their thing. 

Darrin relaxing and doing stuff to distract him.

Every morning Sam gets his directions.  He goes through a series of mark up to highlight important items like comes quick and timing marks.

Ready and waiting for their start time the boy sit in the hotel parking lot.

Paul and I loaded up and decided we wanted to get local food for lunch. When we arrived in Joplin we in dumped the trailer and headed to a Mom & Pop for our lunch. We spotted a craft beer store and got Sam a smorgasbord  of local crafts.  We then headed to the finish line.

Day 3 of the 2021 Great Race kicked off from our hotels in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and we covered a lot of ground before ever going on the clock. Long transits were common on the entire route. It was a matter of time before we ran into some rain, and today was the day. We blasted onto Historic Route 66 as we zeroed in on our lunch stop in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Even with the rainy conditions, spectators flocked to the Heart of Route 66 Museum, where we made a brief stop…just long enough for a BBQ sandwich and a quick look at the collection inside the museum.

From there, we made our way around Tulsa, finally diving off of Interstate 44 and finishing the day’s rallying on Route 66. It was a long straight drive for most of the day, but a challenging set of instructions nonetheless. Thousands of spectators came to Joplin, Missouri to welcome the Great Race to town. The street leading up to the finish was lined with local antique cars. You could feel the excitement build as it got closer to time for the cars to arrive.

As the cars arrived more and more people wondered around all wanting to see the cars.

When WTF (Wondering Trubadores of Finland) arrives the crowds go crazy. The drive a 1918 American LaFrance Speedster.  The vehicle is chain driven, it pops and backfires.  The have a support crew of 9 this year all wearing one piece junpsuits.

We waited on the streets of Joplin and waited for the cars to arrive,  The crowds were about twice of what they have been so far.

At each stop they have a finish line to cross under.  It looks the same at each stop except the name of the town.

Each car as they come in have a stop sign they must obey.  At that point they recieved any ACEs and instructions as to where dinner is.

Not long after arriving they receive a text with their scores. Sam always analyzes  them.  After a while they post the standings on the Great Race website.