2020 Press On Regardless® is underway!
The 2020 running of Press On Regardless® is underway! Car number 1, the father/son team of Dave and Dan Harkcom, in Dan’s 2010 Saab 9-3 “Saabaru”, was scheduled to start at 12:01 from POR headquarters at the Hampton Inn in Gaylord. All the cars are out starting the course now, with car 1 scheduled to leave the end of the odometer check and begin the timed portion at 12:46. The twenty-six competing teams have a challenging 335 miles and 14 hours ahead of them.
In addition to the variety of unpaved twisty roads demanding driver and navigator skill to stay on course and on time we’re going to throw a little rain into the mix! The weather forecast for the area that POR is running in is calling for periodic rain showers throughout the rally time. Radar shows that the area covered by section 1 is currently experiencing light rain. Wet, muddy unpaved roads will provide challenges to drivers to keep on time and on the road, and to navigators to manage mileages in slippery conditions.
At the end of each of the four sections prior to the last one competitors have a scheduled break, with opportunities to top off (always a good idea in rural northern Michigan, especially at the later, nighttime sections!) and grab a bite to eat and something to drink. Once all competitor cars are accounted for at each break scores will be posted, and will be available for viewing on the Detroit Region SCCA Facebook page, the Michigan Rally Enthusiasts Facebook page and the Region’s website (drscca.org/rally/press-on-regardless/), along with a map showing the rally course up to the section break location. Break times and locations are as follows:
Break 1: 2:43 PM – 3:30 PM, Waters
Break 2: 5:10 PM – 6:15 PM, Lewiston
Break 3 break: 8:17 PM – 9:00 PM, Millersburg
Break 4: 11:30 PM – 11:50 PM, Onaway
Finish, approx. 2 AM, Gaylord
If you have an Android device you can view competitors’ scores in real time! Go to the Google Play store, search for ‘Scoreboard – Richta’, and download and install the free app. When you first launch the app you’ll be prompted for an event to watch – select ‘Press On Regardless 2020’. Competitor’s scores are uploaded to the host where the Scoreboard app retrieves its data when their devices have network connectivity, either via cell data or wi-fi. Much of the area that POR runs in is rural and without cell coverage. Consequently there will be periods when no scores appear to be updating, followed by periods when scores suddenly appear when connectivity is available.