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The anticipation was high.

The competitors gathered around the finish line, waiting for school board chair and Gutters & More owner to put gravity in the driver’s seat.

Mano y mano, a field of more than 100 cars was whittled down, each race drawing mournful looks, restrained celebrations or rueful expressions that all but screamed “I knew I shoulda picked that other car.”

And while you might have expected the largest crowd to come from the youngest races at the annual Morristown Parks and Recreation Hot Wheels Derby, it was the over 18 crowd that really packed into the Talley Ward on Saturday.

In fact, Special Events Coordinator Jennifer Gentry said, the Old Hot Rods division or racers 18 and up was the best represented group at the race.

“Our Old Hot Rods division was our largest racing group, which tickles me,” she said. “It’s the Hot Rods and the six to 12-year-olds. It’s fun to see those groups together. They’re intermingling,

“You see them talking to the kids and talking about the cars with them. The kids don’t know it but those are special times.”

In all, the event hosted nearly 70 racers with more than 200 cars in the competition spread over four age groups. There were the head to head races, a timed race and a mini car show.

“It’s one of my favorite events because you see the community, all ages, in there together,” Gentry said.

Local collector, James Cox, donated cars for prizes and so that each of the younger participants got a couple of new, in the box Hot Wheels to take home and to their collection.