Seton Hall Magazine, Summer 2001 - TLTC Blogs - Seton Hall ...

Navigating remote, windy roads was just one of the obstacles that Bruce
Tomason ’69 faced last year along the route of an international classic
car road rally. The course spanned more than 10,000 miles from the
Tower Bridge in London to the Great Wall of China in Beijing.
Global Road Rally Blazes
an Educational Trail
For Bruce Tomason ’69, driving and racing classic cars is
more than just a hobby — it’s his passion. Tomason has
found that his love of racing can rally others to educational
opportunities as well.
In May 2000, Tomason competed in his first international classic
car road rally, a route that began at the historic Tower Bridge in
London and stretched more than 10,000 miles to the Great Wall of
China in Beijing. “It was one of the hardest things I have ever
done, but definitely one of the most rewarding,” says the CEO
of Apollo Capital Corporation in Summit. “I’ve navigated through
areas of the world where few Westerners have ever had access.”
Organized by the London-based Classic Rally Association,
the 40-day London to Peking Classic Road Rally took pre-1968
motor cars on a meandering course through England, France, Italy,
Greece, Turkey, Central Asia and China. Unlike racing, in a road
rally drivers must reach daily checkpoints by a certain time, while
following a specific route. A variety of obstacles, including difficult
terrain, traffic, weather and mechanical problems, can cause delays.
The winner in this timed event is the team with the fewest delays.
Each day, crews spend anywhere from six to 14 hours on the
road. “It’s an endurance test for both cars and their drivers,”
Tomason notes. Successfully navigating the route under time
constraints is only part of the challenge. Competitors in this
rally drive only certified vintage and classic model cars; they
ranged from a 1914 Rolls-Royce Ghost to a 1966 Ford Mustang.
Throughout the event, crews must maintain their vehicles and
make repairs.
Tomason was part of a two-member crew behind the wheel of
a 1961 Bentley S2 Saloon. He and his partner, David Moffatt,
spent a year reconditioning it before the race. “You have to prepare
the car to handle well under very unfavorable conditions — winding
roads, gravel, dirt and deserts,” Tomason explains. One of
the most challenging and unexpected terrains they encountered
28 SETON HALL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
“The more I travel,
the more I realize that
people are people.
They are thoughtful
and curious, and the
majority are willing to
help others.”
was a dried-up
riverbed in
China: “It took
us two hours to
go a relatively
short distance.”
The proud owner of a 1953 antique Jaguar, Tomason several
years ago learned the ins and outs of competitive racing, thanks
to a gift from his wife, Carol, to attend a three-day racing school.
“I’ve always loved driving,” he says. The highlight of his training
was climbing into a Formula One Dodge. Putting that race car
through its paces was “absolutely exhilarating,” he recalls.
Tomason’s business dealings in emerging health care markets
make him a frequent traveler, but his personal trips may take place
under very different conditions than his business travel. On a road
rally, even simple things, such as running water, are not guaranteed.
Carol was skeptical about his driving a classic car over
miles of difficult roadways: “She initially thought I was crazy,”
Tomason says. Still, it took him only 24 hours to decide to join
Moffatt, a previous business partner from England, on the
international adventure. “I knew if I didn’t do it, I would
regret it,” Tomason says.
Once on the road, Tomason felt sure he had made the right