Delaware Valley Jaguar Club to Host ‘Pumpkin Run Rally’ in April
Happening April 24-26, the 20th annual road rally will benefit local volunteer fire company.
No, you didn’t sleep through half the year, it is still months away from Pumpkin Spice Latte season. However, the Delaware Valley Jaguar Club (DVJC) will be hosting the Pumpkin Run Rally from April 24-26. The annual event began in 2001 and was originally held in October. Although the rally eventually moved from the fall to the spring the popularity of the event made it difficult for the organizers to change the name, so Pumpkin Rally it is.
The DVJC caters to all Jaguar lovers in Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. DVJC is an affiliate club of Jaguar Clubs of North America and will be celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. Although hosted by a Jaguar club, you can run any car in the rally. You don’t have to drive a classic E-Type or even a more modern Jaguar. The car just has to be road legal; it doesn’t even have to be British. If you want to enjoy the camaraderie of automobile enthusiasts for a weekend while raising money for a good cause, then you are in.
The Pumpkin Run is a Time-Speed-Distance type rally (TSD). A TSD rally pits entrants against the clock, not directly against each other. The rally master will develop a driving route that typically includes a complex mix of stops, starts and various speeds. The goal of the rally team, made up of driver and navigator, is to exactly match a pre-determined time to complete the route. The team that comes closest to exactly matching the time is determined to be the winner.
The route directions in a TSD rally are typically straightforward, and not designed to trick anyone. That does not mean this type of rally is easy. There are several checkpoints along the route and the team needs to reach each at the precise time in order to be competitive. The downside is that it means there is math involved as you drive along to calculate your arrival time. The upside is that a Saab 96 from the 1970s can be competitive with a modern-day Ferrari.
Teams can compete in several classes. Champion class is for previous rally winners. PRO class allows teams to use more advanced speedometer equipment such as a Timewise Speedometer. The SOP class, otherwise known as the seat of the pants, allows only the original speedometer. There is also a Rookie class for teams that have never competed before. Rookie teams pay a discounted entry fee.
This year the Tru by Hilton in Georgetown, Deleware, will serve as the host hotel and the home base for the weekend-long rally. Group rates are available if you book by March 28th. Meals for driver and navigator are covered in your entry fee. In addition to the rally, there will be an auction and raffle prizes. The proceeds will benefit Millsboro Volunteer Fire Company. The 2019 rally raised $6,500.
As the Northeast remains in the throes of winter it can be therapeutic to look forward to the spring driving season. The Pumpkin Rally could be just the ticket to scratch the driving itch and raise money for a good cause at the same time.
Photos: Delaware Valley Jaguar ClubÂ