The Great Race: Indian versus Harley-Davidson

Perfect weather greeted the record 160 entrants and support crew for the 25th running of the Great Race – Indian versus Harley held at Mansfield in the Victorian High Country over the Australia Day long.

The event was open to pre-1958 Harley-Davidson and Indians, and the theme was for period-style bobbers and choppers. The race commenced at 8:00am sharp each morning, with bikes released in pairs at one-minute intervals.

Friday’s time trial saw the riders head south out of Mansfield for 22.8 miles (yes miles – speedos on pre-1958 bikes are in miles per hour) where a right-hand turn up into the Strathbogie Ranges saw the bikes tackle the dirt section of the event. From there the bikes trekked to Alexander and onto Eildon for a lunch break. The afternoon sections took the scenic route over the Eildon dam wall and through the mountains to Jamieson and finally back into Mansfield.

Saturday’s time trial headed west to Swanpool, to Lake William Hovel for lunch via Tatong. The afternoon section commenced from the Whitfield Hotel carpark with some spectacular riding through Whitlands and Tolmie and back into Mansfield.

Sunday’s rolling race was a magnificent procession of pre-1958 bikes as they wound their way from Mansfield up to the Mount Buller alpine village.

The determination of the Indian riders to ensure that Harley didn’t claim the championship for the third time in a row paid off with Indian claiming its 11th victory since the event's conception in 1993. Harley has won the event 10 times. No results were recorded in 2002, 2004 and 2005

2017 Great Race Results
Friday
Time trial
1st – #12 Branko, 1957 Harley FL
2nd – #138 Ron Keed1942 Harley WLA
3rd – #53 David Bedding, 1944 Indian Chief

Saturday
Rolling race
1st – #126 Steve Mowat, 1938 Harley EL
2nd – #159 Charlie Barber, 1951 Indian Chief
3rd – #157 Pat Arundel, 1939 Indian Chief
Time trial
1st – #138 Ron Keed (.47), 1942 Harley WLA
2nd – #132 Malcolm Brice (.65), 1942 Harley WLA
3rd – #123 Steve Kavanagh (1.59), 1944 Indian Chief

Sunday
Carpark Time Trial
1st – #103 Chris Richards (20.043), 1953 Indian Blackhawk
2nd – #63 Harry Cutts (19.922), 1940 Indian Chief
3rd – #29 Paul Hanes (19.910),1934 Indian Chief

Overall
Best Chopper / Bobber
Indian- #35 Kay Murphy, 1941 Indian 741
Harley- #158 Barbara Mallon , 1942 Harley WLA

Spirit of the event
#125 Mark Lesek, 1928 Indian 101

Overall no co-efficient
1st – #103 Chris Richards, 1953 Indian Blackhawk
2nd – #63 Harry Cutts, 1940 Indian Chief
3rd – #159 Charlie Barber, 1951 Indian Chief

Best individual team
Surfside
– James Rich, 1928 Harley JDH
– John Hajje, 1942 Harley WLA
– Adam Chate, 1942 Harley WLA
– Ian Gordon, 1942 Harley WLA

Best performance Harley
1st – #126 Steve Mowat, 1938 Harley EL
2nd – #40 Chris Wells, 1947 Harley FL
3rd – #128 George Hammond, 1927 Harley J

Best performance Indian
1st – #157 Patrick Arundel, 1939 Indian Chief
2nd – #29 Paul Haynes, 1934 Indian Chief
3rd – #55 Bianca Bonner, 1927 Indian Scout

Harley vs Indian – Great Race champion
Indian