After 7,241 miles accumulated across nineteen states, John Nikas and his battered 1953 Austin Healey 100 rolled across the stage in front of a packed house at the Russo and Steele Monterey Auction, on August 20, completing his epic journey from Huntington Beach, California, to Charleston, South Carolina and back. During this foolhardy drive to raise money and awareness for cancer, Nikas and car suffered the ignominy of two separate fires, various leaks—which led to the use of 262 quarts of oil—and a battlefield engine rebuild in New Mexico on the return leg. Along the way, the car provided the first exposure to vintage motoring to 22 children by giving them rides, and was the subject of news stories by CBS, FOX, NBC and MSNBC. These stories profiled the car’s transformation from barely running sports car to rolling memorial as a thousand people inscribed the names of loved ones stricken with cancer on the car as it traveled across the country and back. Further details can be found at driveawaycancernow.org or on the Drive Away Cancer page on Facebook.
