(January 29, 2014) LONDON — The story of one woman’s incredible journey across America is told in Joy Across America, a new book being launched at this year’s Race Retro at Stoneleigh Park in Coventry on Feb. 21-23.
Joy Rainey is the subject of this engaging encounter, telling the story of her epic 2,903 mile drive across the U.S. in her 1904 Curved Dash Oldsmobile.
Joy is no stranger to motorsport, having competed in karting and hill climbing. From those first steps into motorsport, Joy then developed a love of endurance events, including the London/Sydney Marathon and crossed South America in a Jeep on the Carrera Sud-Americana, but the trans-America trip in her Oldsmobile would be her biggest challenge to date.
The Oldsmobile dates from near the dawn of motoring and as such features tiller steering, two gears and a top speed of around 28 mph. The car enjoyed a detailed rebuild by Joy’s partner Trevor and the couple had planned to undertake the challenge back in 2009, however when Trevor sadly passed away shortly after that it looked as if the trip would never happen.
Eventually though, Joy chose to attempt it in Trevor’s honor and in April 2013 she arrived in America, tackling everything from smooth highways to dirt tracks and off-road sections.
The 109-year-old Oldsmobile performed faultlessly, but there were plenty of problems along the way. Thirty-one days later Joy arrived in Florida, achieving something no woman had previously accomplished in a single cylinder car.
With a foreword by motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss, the story is told over almost 200 pages along with Joy’s own photos from the journey and is dedicated to her late husband Trevor.
The book will be available from Joy’s website (www.joy-across-america.com) as well as at Race Retro, where Joy will appear alongside the Oldsmobile.
Joy will also be interviewed on the live stage along with Sir Stirling Moss (Saturday only) and a fantastic line up of motor racing legends who will be signing autographs and memorabilia.
There will also be tributes to 50 glorious years of McLaren in racing and 30 years for the crowd pleasing Metro 6R4 as well as fantastic displays of rare competition and rally cars.