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Chasing the checkered flag
For one Deere-related race car, finishing first is always the goal.
A 1911 Velie H1 Racytype Roadster driven by Howard Sharp, a sporting goods retailer of Fairport, New York, is always a strong competitor for top honors in the annual Great Race event, which has been sponsored by the History Channel. First run in 1983, the Great Race includes more than 100 pre-1960 vehicles that vie for cash and prizes in the timed cross-country route. For five years, the historic Velie has participated in the Great Race. As one might imagine, driving nearly 4,000 miles in 14 days in an antique automobile is quite an adventure! Dave Geisler of the Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo, South Dakota, also owns a famous Velie H1 Racytype. Giesler contacted Sharp after he won the 1993 event to ask if he would be interested in driving the Velie to victory. The two agreed and made plans to race in 1994. However, the car was nowhere near race-ready. A full-blown restoration required a lot more work than either had expected. So the first time the Velie ran in the Great Race was the route from Ottawa, Canada to Mexico City, Mexico, in 1995. Sharp admitted his fear that the car would fall apart before crossing the finish line. Yet, the Velie made a lot of believers (including Sharp) when it arrived in Mexico City with second-place honors. Unfortunately, the Velie would never again get that close to first place! With its past four attempts, the Velie has earned third or fourth place finishes each time. Yet in 1998, the car earned Best of Show trophy for the pre-war racing category. And it’s always a crowd favorite, drawing fans young and old to marvel at the unique lines of this antique racing machine. "It may not be as pretty or as fast, but it gets the job done," remarks Sharp, who admits he drives it around 50 mph and can get it up to its 1911 top speed of 65 mph. An overdrive addition slows down the 348 cu. in. engine, allowing the car to keep up higher speeds for longer distances.
While its original odometer read around 100,000 miles when it started racing, Sharp states it currently is closer to 200K after its participation in five Great Races and seven 500-mile regional competitions. Instead of running again in the year 2000, the Velie took the year off to rest on display at Geisler’s South Dakota museum. Last year, the Velie got off to a strong start by winning the first day’s trophy run, but lost ground along the route to end up in fourth place. "While it may not always be the oldest in the race, it’s usually darn close and one of very few that age in nearly original condition to be running so well in such a challenging competition," says Sharp. According to Sharp, who did much of the mechanical and restoration work himself, the car is 90 percent original. For example, its frame, wheels, rear end, axles, radiator and transmission are the same as when it came off the production line in 1911. In fact, Sharp says the tranny has never been touched. It’s a strong and sturdy car that has never left him stalled or stranded. Just to prove its merit, Sharp says the new electric starter doesn’t work as well as the original hand crank which gets it going every time. If only we could expect today’s cars to last 90 years and 200,000 miles! Check back next week for a Green Girl topic that’s still "to be determined!"
Text Ý © 2002 Brenda Kruse. Photos by Brenda Kruse unless otherwise noted. |
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