Uniontown receives check from Great Race
Uniontown Public Library reaped the benefits Thursday of a victory that a group of volunteers won in a hard-fought battle during a June rainstorm. “I had no doubt they would win,” library director Christy Fusco said after accepting a $3,000 check from Donna Holdorf, National Road Heritage Corridor executive director, who led a group of volunteers who earned a victory in the 24th annual cross-country Great Race.
They won the award for having the racers’ favorite pit stop on the 4,100-mile rally race that started in Philadelphia on June 24 and ended in San Rafail, Calif., on July 8.
Organized by Rally Race Partners Inc. and sponsored by the National Guard, the race was a competition involving 103 vintage cars and trucks manufactured through 1961. Only 88 vehicles completed the race.
Along the way, all the racers had to make 19 pit stops, 13 lunch stops and 14 overnight stays.
At the finish line, the race teams, which included a driver and a navigator, voted for their favor stops and Uniontown won a “Great American Cities Award” for being selected as the best pit stop.
The $3,000 prize was donated to the library, which will use the money to offset the cost of a computer upgrade that was completed in September.
“From the beginning, we decided we were going to win,” Holdorf said.
She said she knew the Uniontown pit stop would have to be special to win because it occurred on June 25, the second day of the three-week trek.
“We had to make them remember Uniontown,” Holdorf said.
That effort began the day before the race started.
Holdorf said she traveled to Philadelphia and attended a racers’ meeting held the night before the race.
“I told them Uniontown would be their favorite pit stop,” she said.
As the racers pulled into town for the mandatory 25-minute pit stop, each was greeted by one of the 20 volunteers and escorted to a hospitality area in the State Theatre Center for the Arts.
Holdorf and Muriel Nuttall, executive director of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, recruited the volunteers.
The race teams were given sandwiches, fresh fruit and snacks provided by Angelina’s restaurant, Romeo’s and Bell and Cuppett.
The classic movie “The Great Race” also was playing in the theater.
It was raining that day and the racers were so happy to have a dry respite that some wanted to stay and watch the whole movie, Holdorf said.
Other volunteers helped create the vintage theme of the pit stop by impersonating Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood, who stared in “The Great Race” movie. Another volunteer dressed up like an old-time “cigarette girl” selling snacks and treats.
Racers were given gift bags containing Fayette County memorabilia, including copies of a film about the history of Ohiopyle. They also were given a reminder about Uniontown before they continued on their way.
“When the racers pulled out, we said, ‘Don’t forget, Uniontown is your favorite pit stop,'” Holdorf said.
Holdorf said many of the racers said they wanted to return when they had more time to tour Uniontown and Fayette County, and they were given tourist information.
“There was a lot of opportunity for Uniontown to get attention,” Holdorf said.
The 2007 race route already has been mapped and it does not include Uniontown, but, Holdorf said, she made sure the race organizer knew Uniontown wants to be a stop in the 2008 race.
“We’re really grateful for the effort of the volunteers, National Road, the chamber and the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau,” Fusco said. “Their hard work and effort won this award. We’re grateful for them getting involved in this event.”