The following “true story” about the Great Race preparation makes liberal use of the concept, rhyme scheme, meter, and some lines from “Hotel California” by the Eagles. The 1977 song was written by Don Felder, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey.
Great Race Preparation
On a dark desert highway
Road test underway
Mustang purring sweetly
It has been a great day
Up ahead in the distance
Something lurked in the night
I could not tell how fast it was moving
Just silhouettes void of light
There they stood on the highway
Wild dogs all around
And I was thinking to myself
“I could ditch it or I could go ‘round”
Then they scurried madly
On a new random prowl
As they crossed the Mustang’s path
I thought I heard them howl
Welcome to the Great Race Preparation
If it can go wrong (if it can go wrong)
It will go wrong
Gotta work hard in the Great Race Preparation
There’ll be ups and downs
It will cause you frowns
The Mustang is now twisted
She’s in need of a fix
But there may be nothing left
In my old bag of tricks
Great Race flows through my veins
I remember the highs
Some race just to finish
Some race for the prize
So I called up the valet
“Please bring me my drive”
But not that tattered Mustang
Vintage 1965
And yet one day she may be in the race
Still those dogs wake me up in the night
Just to laugh in my face
Welcome to the Great Race Preparation
If it can go wrong (if it can go wrong)
It will go wrong
Immerse yourself in the Great Race Preparation
It may take you years (it may take you years)
It can bring on tears
Mirrors see behind you
But it’s time to look ahead
Cancelation is an option
Although something one would dread
Over there in the corner
The Karmann Ghia in its place
Maybe it is time again to get
old reliable back in the race
Next thing I remember
The Ghia was on the rack
I had to find the answer to
Can it get me back on track?
“Relax” said the Ghia
“Have I ever caused you fit?
You can doubt me any time you like
But you can never quit”
With the 2023 Great Race less than two weeks away, Mark Shaw was in the final stages of preparing his 1965 Ford Mustang for the event. With a new wiring harness installed, and a full-system inspection complete, he headed out in the Arizona night for a shake-down road test. In Mark’s words, the Mustang “ran really well, shifted nice, steering was good, and the brakes worked as expected. There was no overheating and everything looked good. I was really happy.”
Then, on that Arizona dark desert highway, it happened. A pair of large feral dogs appeared out of nowhere. He managed to avoid one, while the other met its fate. The Mustang was still driveable, although it was now suffering from major damage to the bodywork. The transport truck would be arriving in Arizona in only four days — not nearly enough time for an insurance claim review and necessary repairs to successfully pass the Great Race technical inspection in St. Augustine, Florida.
Mark notified me of this new major setback, adding that it looks as though we will need to cancel our entry in this year’s Great Race. One of the most disheartening things for entrants is to have their vehicle break down during the competition. If it happens, the team receives a score of DNF, which stands for Did Not Finish. The Great Race motto of “to finish is to win” is fully understood by any team that receives a DNF.
As devastating as a DNF is, a DNS (Did Not Start) might be even more heartbreaking. Not wanting to fall into that camp, Mark mentioned that he also had a 1970 VW Karmann Ghia that could be driven in the race. Not only was this car eligible, but it had also successfully completed two previous Great Race campaigns in 2018 and 2019. It was a proven Great Race vehicle.
Not wanting to quit, we discussed the feasibility and logistics of getting the Karman Ghia race ready during the four days before the transport truck arrives. We green-lighted the idea and work began. Unfortunately, I live 1800 miles from that dark desert highway. As such, I can only provide moral support, while Mark undertakes this four-day herculean task.
After hearing Mark’s story, the opening line from the song “Hotel California” was stuck in my head. The only way I could envision getting it out of my head was to modify the lyrics for this particular dark desert highway episode. Maybe it will get the song out of my head, or maybe it will entrench it deeper. Anyway, the 2023 Great Race Team of Shaw & Rowland, in the #84 1970 VW Karmann Ghia, now has a theme song.
Images
- Featured Image: Mark Shaw’s 1970 VW Karmann Ghia from Great Race 2019 Day 5– Eureka, CA to Grants Pass, OR, published June 27, 2019
- Second image: Mark’s 1965 Ford Mustang after its feral dog encounter.
More…
Great Race clocks, stopwatches, bezels, and rally accessories for sale.
Here is the original “Hotel California” as performed by the Eagles. Feel free to sing along with the new lyrics.
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