IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4-13-06 CONTACT: PUBLIC INFORMATION
SILVER CITY—The Western New Mexico University 39th Annual Great Race, a campus tradition, is set to begin at noon on Sunday, April 23, in front of the Juan Chacon Building. This year’s theme is “Mardi Gras.”
“We would love to have the community come out and cheer on the teams. A good representation of teams from the university, alumni/VIP, and high schools will all compete in their respective categories. We’ll also have a banner downtown encouraging the community to join us.” said Maria Dominguez, Multicultural Affairs/Student Activities Director.
The community is welcomed at all of the Great Race events, she added.
The Great Race was started in the spring of the 1966-67 academic years by a group of Eckles Hall residents looking for something to liven up the campus, which seemed to be grabbed by spring fever. Many of the students on campus from Indiana provided much of the authenticity and helped create an Indianapolis Speedway race done on a much smaller scale.
The race became a yearly tradition and continues to be run with teams pushing their cars with one team member in the driver’s seat of specially-made race cars around the hills of campus with pit stops and a water hazard each team has to face and fans love to witness.
Six WNMU teams will compete against one another to see who will be the winner
of the Great Race trophy.
The university Great Race teams and captains are Alpha Omega co-captained by Amanda Hill and Chris Passig, Apocalypse co-captained by Miguel Sandoval and Rasheem Green, Groupie Luvas co-captained by Anthony “Pablo” Beltran, Luis Martinez, and Eddie Rodriguez; Kool Arrows co-captained by Moises Diaz, Horatio Campos, and Steve Maloney; Raging Cocks captained Dan Ryen, and TKB co-captained by Oren Watson and Mike Armstrong.
The three-lap race begins at noon in front of the Juan Chacon Building. The teams will have to go through the water hole for laps one and two. The water hole is located on 11th Street between Centennial Hall dormitory and the Child Development Center. The race will include two pit stop challenges for the teams.
High school teams from Silver and Cobre will compete against one another following the university race at approximately 12:30 p.m. The high school teams will run the same three-lap course as the university teams but will not have to participate in the pit stop challenges.
An alumni/VIP race will begin at approximately 1 p.m. Teams from the Grant County alumni chapter and Albuquerque alumni chapter will compete.
Great Race Marshals Louise and Ray Leon, Jr., will officially start the races in front of the Juan Chacon Building and also wave the checkered flag at the finish line at Old James Stadium. An awards ceremony will follow the last race at approximately 1:30 p.m. at Old James Stadium.
Roads adjacent to the university will be closed for the race from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A week full of events and competitions will lead up to the big race on Sunday. Evening events include a Mustang Masquerade Dance, Cajun Crawl Competition, Canivale Brawl Competition, Party on Bourbon Talent Show, and the French Quarter Festival King and Queen Competition.
On Thursday, April 20, a Great Race “Party on Bourbon” alumni/student talent show is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center Theatre. The public is invited to view the talent show. There will be no admission fee.
On Saturday, April 22, a pit crew competition will be held beginning at 3 p.m. at Old James Stadium.
On Sunday, April 23, race day activities will begin at 10 a.m. with team check-ins followed by the big race at noon. The race course will cover the entire campus.
For additional Great Race information, contact Multicultural Affairs/Student Activities Director Maria C. Dominguez at 538-6611.
To register for alumni Great Race activities, contact Alumni Director Christy Miller at 538-6675.
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