The 4th annual Race of Gentlemen (TROG), held in Wildwood, NJ, turned out to be well worth the wait. Delayed a week by Hurricane Joaquin, the event was full of throwback flare and style. Put on by the Oilers Car Club, the carnival of automobile and motorcycle history brought participants from across the world to race their machines down the Jersey Shore.

It's an incredible event - you don't get to see a 1930's era Harley or a 1915 Ford Roadster tear up the sand every day. Most people would think twice before putting their museum quality vintage machine on the shore and racing it down the beach along the ocean's edge. But therein lies the beauty that draws so much attention and enthusiasm for this one of a kind spectacle known as 'The Greatest Race on Earth.'

Among the racers, we were able to catch up with Mike McElwee, a local rider from the Philadelphia area who witnessed the action last year and quickly realized he had to be part of the event. Sporting number 18, Mike and his 1945 Harley-Davidson WL 45C.I. were hand selected to race in this year's event. We asked Mike to talk about his passion for motorcycles and how he managed to be selected as one of the riders.

He recalls "Last year I was super burned out on motorcycles. It got to the point where I was going to sell my bike. I went down there and it was like the second coming of Christ."

"It was unbelievable. It was your average guy with a nice motorcycle just looking to have a good time. When I saw the races, I was there maybe an hour and I looked at my buddy and said 'dude, we're racing next year. We have to do this.' It kind of got me back into it."

Mike said his favorite thing about the event is how strict they are about the years and parts for the motorcycles and automobiles that run in the event since participants are only able to run pre-war machines. Racers are also required to look the part, wearing only era-appropriate apparel and gear.

Looking back, Mike recalls "I always wanted a Harley, but couldn't afford one. I had sport bikes, crotch rockets, different bikes here and there. I was around 24 years old and found a shovelhead at a local chopper shop. I bought it and that was kind of the gateway drug."

A couple months before The Race of Gentlemen, Mike got his hands on a piece of American history - a '48 Harley Davidson WR 750 Racer that he'd kept track of from afar for a couple years. He explained "If you look in all the old Harley race books that's all they talk about, that's what they had - the factory racers. I wanted something that was old and patina'd and rusty - something that really looked old."

Mike happened to see the WR originally up for auction in Vegas. He figured the bike was out of his price range due to its scarcity, but months later a friend noticed it posted on eBay. Incredibly, after a little negotiation, the bike was his. He had the bike shipped from California to Pennsylvania and he now has the piece of Harley history in his house. A one-of-a-kind gem, the WR is one bike you probably won't see anytime soon on the sand (though Mike is toying with the idea of busting it out for next year's Race of Gentlemen).

It's been said countless times that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for most antique and vintage lovers out there, this is especially true. The history and nostalgia that these old machines represent is a form of artistry all its own.

The Race of Gentlemen gets better every year, as a growing number of passionate racers like Mike look to pay homage to those who came before them. With five female racers breaking the gender barrier in 2015 and interest at an all-time high, we can't wait to see what's in store for TROG #5.