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ISSUE NO. 38 • September 18, 2025 • RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408
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The Great Race was a bucket list item unique experience Article submitted by Jean Gordon with Jeff Hodge. Photos contributed.
“Traveling through 10 states and numerous cities, our preparations for the race paid off as we had no troubles or breakdowns and placed third in the Jeff Hodge has checked another item off his bucket Rookie Division. list after entering and completing The Great Race “Although the Roadster did not give us and describes the race as one of his most unique any trouble, boy, the endurance aspect was very experiences of his life. challenging and demanded full concentration Hodge, a native of Rutherford County, entered and communication between Mike and myself; his 1929 Ford Model “A” Roadster in the 2,300 there was absolutely no time for sightseeing,” Jeff mile, nine day race that began in Minnesota and said. “Driving in an almost 100-year-old, open concluded in Irmo, South Carolina in June. His car, exposed to the harsh elements including hot good friend, Mike Block of Rutherfordton, was the temperatures, high winds, as well as intense rain, navigator. sometimes coming in the driver’s window and Jeff explains the Great Race as an antique, exiting out the navigator’s window, was grueling,” vintage, and collector car competitive controlledJeff said. speed endurance road rally consisting of 1974 The 1929 Ford Model “A” Roadster with owner Jeff Hodge in the driver’s seat of Jeff said race days were long beginning models and older vehicles. The race is on public the 2025 The Great Race. Years ago, the same car was a part of the Christmas around 6am and concluding about 14 hours later highways and is not a test of speed. The race parades in Rutherford County driven by J.Q. Hodge with passenger Ruth Hodge. at 8pm, averaging about six to eight hours of is a test of driver/navigator team’s ability to driving. “A” Ford so the Roadster sat idle for many years,” Jeff said. follow precise course instructions, and the cars/ “As part of the race day, the host city at lunchtime and the teams ability to endure a cross country trip. Use of GPS, “Dad passed away in 2003 so I revived the Roadster, joined host city at the end of each race day asked the race cars be odometer, binoculars and maps are not allowed. Only one the local Model A club, and drove the car on many tours and parked for the public to see and usually offered a prepared speedometer, an analog clock, and one digital stopwatch in Christmas parades,” he said. meal,” he said. To prepare the Roadster for The Great Race, Jeff are allowed for the nine day event. One cell phone is also Jeff said he and Mike would not have been able to allowed but can only be used in case of an emergency or completely disassembled the car in 2023 and for two years, finish the race without their support crew - Jeff’s girlfriend, submitting time allowances. Course instructions are handed they began rebuilding or replacing any questionable parts, Shannon McCool and Mike’s wife, Mandi Block. then had it repainted. out each morning, 30 minutes before start time. “They were not allowed to travel on the same roads In March and April of 2025, the Roadster was back designated for the race. Therefore, they had to leave each The notion to add the Great Race to his “bucket list” came to Jeff after he and brother, Mark Hodge, traveled to together. morning before the race started,” Jeff began. “They were the “Mike and I began driving and preparing calibration best.” Mooresville in 2007 to watch the start of The Great Race. “Fast forward to 2023, my friend Mike Block from charts to help us be more competitive,” Jeff continued. Shannon and Mandi would then drive to the drive next Jeff and Mike entered the “Coker Tire Spring Challenge” hotel, check-in, carry in luggage, wash clothes, drive to the Rutherfordton asked if I would be interested in doing The in May in Owensboro, Kentucky in order to become familiar Great Race and without hesitation, my answer was ‘yes’. We designated trailer parking area, unhook the trailer, and then decided to enter the 2025 race, giving us plenty of time to with using course instructions and other rules for such races. drive to the designated finish line to encourage Jeff and The Kentucky race was a three day “clover leaf” rally and the prepare. It was decided we would enter and drive my 1929 Mike. locals placed fourth in the Rookie Division. Competing in the Ford Model ‘A’ Roadster, Jeff said. “Driving in the Great Race was one of the most unique spring rally, the engine gave some trouble, so Mike and his There is, of course, a history behind Jeff’s 1929 Ford experiences I have ever had. Starting out we established wife Mandi suggested that Jeff install their rebuilt engine. Model “A” Roadster. two goals for ourselves; have fun and finish the race, we The 2025 Great Race started June 21 in St. Paul, accomplished both. Within a couple of days driving in the The car was dug out of a ditch in the early 1970s and Jeff’s dad, J.Q. Hodge, and other family members pieced Minnesota and nine days, 2300 miles later, the race race we added another goal, get an “ACE”, we received concluded June 29 in Irmo, South Carolina. together and began the restoration. three. An “ACE” signifies a perfect score on a leg of the J.Q. Hodge, along with wife Ruth, drove the Roadster completion, meaning a team arrived at a checkpoint at for many years on tours and was a presence in Christmas precisely the predetermined time.” parades in Rutherford County and other areas. Would Jeff ever consider the race again? “Later on, Dad acquired and restored a 1930 Ford Model Absolutely.
Jeff Hodge with Shannon McCool (right) and Mike Block and Mandi Block — the crew and support team.
Crossing the finish line in Irmo.
Mike (left) and Jeff with ACE stickers.
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