110-year-old Olds ready for cross-country charity run
The Royal Automobile Club, which hosts the world’s oldest motoring event the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run each November, wishes regular participant, Joy Rainey, good luck as she begins…
The Royal Automobile Club, which hosts the world’s oldest motoring event the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run each November, wishes regular participant, Joy Rainey, good luck as she begins an epic 2,826-mile journey across America this Saturday, April 13.
At 8 a.m. local time (4pm GMT) Joy will be flagged away by the mayor of Oceanside, Calif., to drive from Los Angeles to Daytona Beach in her 110-year old Oldsmobile to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Joy has a very varied motor sport career. She campaigned a Jaguar E-type in speed hill climbs before progressing to a 2.3-litre single-seater – breaking several records along the way. She took part in the London to Sydney Marathon in 2004 (in a Morris Minor) and the 5,000-mile Carrera Sudamericana two years later – in a V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee converted to run on LPG.
She first took part in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in 2001 in a 1901 Clément Voiturette lent to her by Haynes Motor Museum. The car didn't make it to Brighton but for the 2006 event Joy returned with 1904 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout from the USA, which she bought by selling her single-seater hill climb car. The Oldsmobile has taken Joy to the finish of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on several occasions – including in 2012 when it took her nearly five hours to complete.
For many years, Joy's partner and co-driver in long distance rallies was Trevor Hulks. Sadly, he passed away in 2010. Joy is undertaking the trip as a tribute to Trevor and hopes to £20,000 for Cancer Research UK. On the trip across America the Oldsmobile will encounter an enormous range of conditions, from 6,500-foot high mountains to blisteringly hot deserts.
Social media users can follow Joy’s progress on Twitter (@JoyAcrossAmeric) and Facebook (Joy Across America). When the car is in motion position updates should be available every 30 minutes via Yellowbrick Tracking and there will also be regular video and photographic updates posted. She expects to arrive in Daytona Beach on Monday, May 13 – day 31 of the journey.
For more information about the trip or to make a donation to Cancer Research UK visit: http://www.joy-across-america.com/
A short film about Joy, the USA trip and the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/Y0fFygwx2YM or below.
