Amish Grand Prix

It’s my privilege to report on this first-ever Amish Grand Prix to take place in Pennsylvania Dutch Country since the area was founded. People have come from all over the region to watch this unique challenge of horse, man, and buggy. Television crews line the course, eager to capture the perfect shot as buggies and drivers clip-clop past their position. Amish children curiously weave in and out of the crowd to get a better view of the TV cameras.

Amish women are dressed in traditional pastel-colored ankle-length, loose-fitting dresses, and prayer caps. The women chat among themselves as they wait for the race to start. Amish men, also dressed in the traditional garb of a black suit, white shirt, suspenders, and a straw hat called a scribbler, talk to other men. The Amish men sport a full beard without a mustache. They clandestinely place wagers on the race. Many tourists from outside the Amish community mingle with the locals, as all are welcome.

The buggies are a work of art. Each is painted black and has a three-sided compartment to protect the drive from the elements. They are pulled by a single horse. Buggies are made to carry people, not cargo.

The race is scheduled to start in Lancaster, PA, at noon. The racers will drive three miles to their first pit stop in Fertility, PA. From Fertility, the course meanders its way through the countryside for four-and-a-half miles to Bird in Hand. Once again, the horses may rest while the drivers take time to stretch their legs and inspect their buggies. It is essential for both horse and driver to be well rested for the next leg of the course, a four-mile sprint to Intercourse.

Yes, everyone is in a rush to get to Intercourse. It is the halfway point of the race and a chance for each driver and horse to show off their endurance. During previous practice runs, it’s been shown that the best racers are those who take a more measured approach. The contestants who treat this leg of the race as a sprint often fizzle out too soon. The old saying about slow and steady winning the race definitely applies here.

After all the racers have caught their breath, it is time to make the three-and-a-half-mile run to the next stop. Reaching Paradise is every racer’s goal. Unfortunately, through no fault of their own, not every contestant will finish this leg of the race. This section of the road is coarse, and buggy damage may occur. Nothing is more embarrassing than losing a wheel on your way from Intercourse to Paradise. There is no chance of recovery from this. Should a mishap occur, and the carriage is disabled, the driver is disqualified.

The last leg of the race is from Paradise to Eden. This nine-mile stretch of road is fraught with many potential interruptions that the racer must ignore. The biggest distraction is the Good and Plenty restaurant. Given all the stress each contestant has had to endure to reach this point in the race, a hot meal calls out to him. It’s this section of the course that can become a driver’s downfall. Only those who are strong-willed shall survive.

Eden is the eventual end of the race. The grueling twenty-two-mile course will test a man’s skill as a driver and his will to win. Not everyone will finish, but those who do will carry home a sense of accomplishment that will last a lifetime. Now it’s time to return to Lancaster and my colleagues, where the race is about to begin. As for me, I’m heading to Le Mans for some real racing.