Vintage Buick Crosses Finish Line To End Around-The-World Trek

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July 19,2000<P><BR>Vintage Buick Crosses Finish Line To End Around-The-World Trek <P>LONDON - A 1949 Buick Super "Woody" Wagon, the only all-American entry in an around-the-world classic car rally, was among about 40 cars driven across London's Tower Bridge on Tuesday (July 18), completing a 20,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe. <P>Buick-sponsored rally participants Pat and Mary Brooks, of Marshalltown, Iowa, waved to the crowd as they swept across the same bridge they had crossed - in the other direction - on May 1. <P>Their 80-day journey took them eastward through Europe and Asia, by plane from Beijing, China, to Anchorage, Alaska, and then across the northern United States. The cars were flown from New York to Morocco, and they reached London today. <P>"I wouldn't have tried this in another car," said Pat Brooks. "The Buick ran wonderfully all the way." <P>The Buick, built in Buick's former hometown of Flint, Mich., has developed a number of admirers among the rally participants for its lack of suspension and drivetrain problems. Among them is Philip Young, organizer of the "Around the World in 80 Days Motor Challenge," who praised the Buick for its comfortable ride and "battleship engineering." <P>Although many of the other entrants have been forced to replace or rebuild suspension parts, engines, transmissions and rear ends along the way, the Buick has only had to overcome minor electrical problems and a failed wheel bearing. <P>The Buick and more than 40 other vintage cars left London's Tower Bridge on May 1 as part of a rally organized by the British-headquartered Classic Rally Association. The event is billed as the first motor rally to circumnavigate the globe. <P>At a black-tie awards banquet Tuesday following the completion of the rally, the Brookses and Buick Motor Division received promotional awards for their efforts in publicizing the 1949 Buick's involvement in the event, as well as for promoting the overall Around the World rally. <P>The First-Class Promotion Award went to Pat and Mary Brooks and their car for their promotional efforts along the route, while Buick Motor Division picked up the Best Press Promotion Award for its overall press relations efforts in support of the rally. <P>Roger W. Adams, general manager of Buick Motor Division, was in London to cheer the Buick as it crossed the finish line. <P>"We're pleased that a Buick was among some of the other great world marques competing in this historic event," said Adams. "Pat and Mary are wonderful people and their car demonstrated some of the attributes we see as very important to Buick - durability, reliability, power and comfort. This event helps emphasize Buick's great heritage as we approach our 100th birthday in 2003." <P>At a luncheon Wednesday (July 19), sponsored by Italian jeweler and Buick collector Nicola Bulgari, Adams will present the couple with an engraved timepiece honoring their around-the-world accomplishment. <P>The Brookses accomplished their primary goal of completing the rally. In addition, their car finished ahead of several other entrants, including marques such as Jaguar, Lancia and Mercedes-Benz. <P>Rally results are available at the official Classic Rally Association web site located at <A HREF="http://www.carnet.co.uk/rallyoffice" TARGET=_blank>http://www.carnet.co.uk/rallyoffice</A> <BR>