Fans line streets for Great Race

Being born in the 1920s has its advantages when it comes to classic cars.

Three longtime friends ‘ George Beaver, Doug Moyers, and Max Hyder, decided to gather Monday on Spring Street and watch cars with The Great Race zip by.

‘I can identify them pretty well up to World War II,’ said Moyers, who learned to drive in a 1930 Ford Model A. ‘So far we’ve been able to place most of these cars.’

Beaver is known for his passion for Studebakers, which were once sold in McMinnville on Main Street where Dollar General is today. Beaver says he owned 1950, ’51, and ’53 Studebakers and still has a 1960 model. Studebaker stopped selling automobiles in 1966.

Hyder, who operated Hyder’s Shoe Shop on Spring Street for 50 years, says classic cars are an interesting phenomenon.

‘These cars are worth way more today than when they were bought brand new,’ said Hyder. ‘The cheapest cars were always my thing. I’d keep my eyes open for a trade-in that was one or two years old.’

Further down Spring Street, a crowd gathered at the home of Ken Beckwith, which won third place in the decorating contest. Beckwith had racing signs positioned around his balcony. By the road he had a gas can, air compressor and a jack to help any car in distress.

‘The great thing about this is I’ve seen cars that I’ll never see again in my lifetime,’ said Beckwith.

Further down the road, Betty Grissom brought a lawn chair and settled under a shady tree near Warren Academy.

‘I like seeing the cars the way they were with not a lot added to them,’ said Grissom, who added her family is partial to Ford products.

The cars took the scenic route into town, taking over two hours to get from Sparta to McMinnville. They traveled in on Faulkner Springs Road, crossed the bypass, and entered downtown via Spring Street.

After about a half hour stay at Court Square, the cars took Nashville Highway and headed toward Woodbury.