Rallying for a cause: Houston road competition kicks off Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Michael Galvin of Canonsburg steered his 1997 MGB Roadster out of the parking lot of Dual Devils Garage in Houston and onto West Pike Street, and then made a quick left onto Western Avenue.
In the passenger seat of his Inca yellow classic car was his navigator and fellow MGB enthusiast, Joe Scarlett. Their mission: to complete the 2025 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Race Kick-Off Rallye, a 51-mile driving event that started and ended at Dual Devils Garage, winding along back roads of Washington County.
For the fourth year, the event – now in its 43rd year – was hosted by Dual Devils Garage.
The Sunday rally kicked off a 10-day motorsport festival leading up to the July 20 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, a road race through the streets of Pittsburgh that is recognized as one of the top five motorsport events in the world.
“It was very, very nice. It was a beautiful ride through the countryside of Washington County,” said Galvin, who has participated in the road rally for the past three years.
Participation has grown steadily since the kick-off “rallye” started in 1983, when 30 cars signed up for the Shadyside course. This year, 94 vehicles registered, exceeding the 90-car limit. The cars departed from the Dual Devils Garage parking lot at one-minute intervals, and set out to complete the course in under two hours.
Burris and Ashlee Esplen of Churchill arrived for the kick-off rallye in a 2013 Volkswagen six-speed turbo convertible. It was the second year the couple participated.
“It was beautiful and very scenic. We did better than last year,” said Ashlee Esplen, noting their score dropped significantly, from 473 points to 132 points (the lower the score the better, and this year’s winning score was 10 points).
Teams – made up of two people, a driver and a navigator – are tasked with reading route instructions, maintaining the assigned average speeds, and following clues along the way.
“The communication between the driver and the navigator has to be a harmonious trip of miles,” said Galvin, whose co-pilot often is his wife, Carolyn.
The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is a charity event started by Pittsburgh broadcasting legend Myron Cope that supports charities for individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The $80 entry fee for the kick-off rallye is donated to the charities.
Dual Devils Garage is a hub of car culture. It includes a showroom and a taproom, Helltown Brewing, that creates a special beer each year for the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. It also houses the grand prix’s GT40 Sweepstakes car, valued at $250,000.
All cars are welcome to participate in the rallye – it doesn’t have to be a classic or antique – and participants are drawn for several reasons, including the thrill of competition, the joy of a road trip with companions, and the chance to support a great cause.
Carolyn and Ron Wolfe of Wexford, who have participated in several road rallies, navigated their green 1973 Datsun 240Z – a car Carolyn drove in high school and was gifted from her father – along the route.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s a challenge of being on time to each of the checkpoints,” said Wolfe. “We really enjoy it.”