After competing in an urban scavenger race in the Bay Area, former Davis City Council member Lamar Heystek came up with a way Davisites could pitch in to aid the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan.

“I was thinking we could bring ‘The Amazing Race’ to Davis for a good cause,” Heystek said.

Enter the “Great Davis Race,” where teams will compete to be the first to solve a list of puzzles based on 10 clues about the People’s Republic of Davis. The race begins at noon on Saturday, April 9, at the Davis Farmers Market, near the corner of Fifth and C streets.

All net proceeds will be sent directly to Japan’s affiliate of the International Red Cross, the Japan Red Cross Society.

“The race will test your Davis knowledge, your puzzle-solving skills and your ability to run,” Heystek said in a news release.

The “Great Davis Race 2011″ is open to all ages, but each team must have a captain who is at least 18 years old. The entry cost is $20 per racer. Heystek said he hopes the race will raise as much as $5,000 for the Japanese Red Cross Society. The three fastest teams will receive cash prizes of up to $300.

Each team will receive a list of clues that will lead them to distinctive Davis monuments, sights and experiences. Teams will document their progress throughout the race by photographing themselves at each destination. The race is estimated to last two to three hours, during which teams are to travel as a group and only on foot or by bus.

To join the race, visit http://www.greatdavisrace.com and click on “Enter the Race!” Online entries must be received by Friday, April 8, the day before the race.

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Lamar Heystek tours Davis on a high-wheel bicycle, assisted by city of Davis Public Relations Manager Bob Bowen. Although teams competing in the April 9 “Great Davis Race” will not be allowed to rely on high-wheelers, the iconic bicycles are sure to figure into at least one of the puzzles that teams will race to solve. Courtesy photo

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