
Does Your Organization
Need a Speaker?
A
live, first person presentation "Bandits, Guns and
Automobiles"
is available for your organization. Jeff Mahl takes you back to the
turn of the last century for this impossible yet true adventure, just as he
heard the saga from his great-grandfather George Schuster Sr., driver of the
Thomas Flyer and winner
of the 1908 Great Race. Schuster was inducted into the
Automotive Hall
of Fame on October 12, 2010**. The story now includes a special update of
the remarkable saga comparing the 1908 New York to Paris Race with
World Race 2011 .
Join us for the wild ride through automotive history!
If you would like more information on a program for your group, or to request additional
general information via e-mail click:
Request for additional information
PRIVACY: The
Great Auto Race
acknowledges the importance of protecting your
privacy. Information which you may
provide
is never shared with any third party or organization.
Special
Events:
Announced Schedule with Jeff Mahl as guest speaker
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Click to enlarge "Jaw dropping moments... mesmerized the dinner crowd" S.
Selvaggio, Events Manager - York Concours d'Elegance. See the
York Heritage Trust
Program - Review for additional information on
"Bandits, Guns and Automobiles",
and how it can benefit your organization.
"Incredible... an emotional, spellbinding
performance... extremely rare standing ovation!" Bruce Wennerstrom,
President - Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving & Chowder Society at
Sardi's NYC.
"Highly anticipated
evening's program... most interesting presentation ever seen, bar none, and had
guests glued to their seats" AACA - National Antique Automobile Club of
America 75th Jubilee Anniversary -
Review at the Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, KY
"Absolutely brilliant
storyteller... kept the audience enthralled and thrilled. A terrific
performance that attained a very high level of inspiration and genuine emotional
impact" Marty W. Merkley Vice President & Director of Programming
Chautauqua Institution For the full
review click: Chautauqua - Review
"Magical evening... compelling story" J. Frady, Director - National
Automobile Museum.
See the
National Automobile Museum
Program - Review Jeff Mahl at the starting crank of the winning Thomas Flyer, for the grand opening the 2008 Centennial
New York to Paris Race Exhibit at the
National Automobile Museum
(Harrah Collection)
in Reno, NV
**October 12, 2010: George N. Schuster Sr. was Inducted into the
Automotive Hall
of Fame, the Highest Place of Honor in the International Motor Vehicle
Industry. Induction is the single greatest honor for an individual,
intended to recognize a career and/or lifetime achievement. George took his place among automotive legends including Ford, Andretti, Benz, Ferrari, Olds, and Shelby.
April 14 - July 21, 2011: A Race combining the future with the past.
World Race 2011 commemorates
the 1908 epic, and made history of its own! With a start in
New York City, participants circled the globe with their automobiles to the
finish line in Paris. For the unfolding story around the world 103 years
later visit:
2011 World Race Blog
For video see: World
Race 2011 Video-KREX

January 28, 2012: The
Henry Ford Museum opens
Driving America "The World's Premier Automotive Exhibition" in Dearborn, MI.
Featured in the new collection is the 1908 New York to Paris Race exhibit
complete with
artifacts carried by George Schuster the winning driver of the American
built Thomas Flyer! George's
compass which he used to navigate the world route and the
medical kit from Dr. Shaw as they passed through Seattle with the wonder drugs of the
day, give a glimpse of what "horseless carriage" travel was like at the turn of
the last century.
2013 - 2014 Special Commemorative Events!
January, 2013: The Old Motor launches
a new series with the story of the New York to Paris Race Great Race of
1908 For the first time, the saga will unfold including rare
colorized images (hand painted by 1909 artists) from the original photos.
It will look at the event from a broad perspective, giving a unique glimpse into
the people and events surrounding the Race that forever changed automotive
history.
February 2, 2013:
The Calusa Land Trust presents
The Great Auto Race New York to Paris 1908-2011 comparing the 1908 epic
with
World Race 2011.
This program benefits CLT Nature Conservation efforts, and will be held in
conjunction with a vintage car show on beautiful Pine Island, FL. Mark you
calendars now for a great afternoon of family fun!
April
2, 2013: Students at Pennsylvania College of
Technology - A special mission affiliate of Penn State located in Williamsport, PA are known for their
work with historic automobiles. Now they will get to experience a turning
point in automotive history, with the epic story of the 1908 New York to Paris
Race. The early days of automotive technology coupled with the "anything
is possible" spirit of these early racers changed forever the perception of the
"horseless carriage".
June 23, 2013: New England Brass & Gas Tour
2013
HCCA tour in
Rutland, VT. Enjoy the views and flavors of historic Vermont, and the
inspiring story of The Great Auto Race New York to Paris 1908-2011 with a special feature comparing the 1908 epic with
World Race 2011
! Join us for a great tour you will long remember!
August 1,
2013: Valdez Alaska was a turning point in the New York to Paris Race.
Arriving aboard the SS Santa Clara on April 8, 1908 the Thomas
Flyer and her crew were met by every resident and a brass band! With the
help of Dan Kennedy who operated the Valdez-Fairbanks mail stage, George
Schuster scouted the trail to Fairbanks. With snow still over 10', and
impossible conditions a plan to transport the 5,000 pound Flyer by dogsled was
devised. However, the $10,000 expense just to Fairbanks was overwhelming &
much more getting the Flyer to Nome. Today, you still can't drive to Nome
even in summer. 2013
Gold Rush Days will feature the story of the Great Race, and be
sure to visit The Valdez Museum!
August 6, 2013: The
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
in Fairbanks will feature the saga of the Thomas Flyer and it's journey to
Alaska on the way to Paris. The Fountainhead Museum is an especially impressive
site for the story to be told, as it is the Farthest North Automobile Museum in
America! The collection includes the 1919 McFarlan Type 125 Sport Touring
that was once owned by the silent film star Wallace Reid, and winner of the 2012
"Best in Class" award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Be
surrounded by early auto history while the story unfolds.
September 13, 2013: The
2013 Glidden Tour
celebrates over a century of automotive tours with a very special evening event!
Jeff Mahl will present "The Great Gliddens" with original photographs and the
actual accounts of his Great-Grandfather George Schuster who participated in the
1906, 07 and 09 Glidden Tours. Experience what it was really like
for the early motorist in the days long before paved roads, service stations,
and MapQuest. Join us at the famous Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel during the
fall beauty of Tennessee, for a tour you will never forget.
Want a Good Book or DVD?

The Great Automobile Race - New York to Paris 1908
From the original account of the race with forward written by Jeff Mahl
(great-grandson of George Schuster), this limited edition book is still
available. The 85 pages include details of the winning Thomas Flyer and
the epic event, as well as numerous original photographs.
"It shows the American car is on a par with the foreign machine and it marks
the beginning of the end, in my opinion of the European supremacy."
- American Automobile Association, 1908
"Original account of the greatest race ever... It's a must" Read the
Antique Automobile review in the May/June
2008 issue of the Antique Automobile Club of America member's magazine. If you would like a copy of The Great Automobile Race
- New York to Paris 1908 signed by the
author, click:
Request for copy of The Great Automobile Race
-
-
-
The Great Race
New York to Paris 1908 DVD is
now available! See the incredible story unfold in the words of the
winner George Schuster, as told by his Great Grandson Jeff Mahl.
Packed with original images from the epic 1908 Race, the saga of this
triumph of men and machines brings to life a turning point in automotive
history. For his accomplishments, George Schuster was inducted into
the Automotive Hall of Fame and the winning American built Thomas Flyer is
featured in the Harrah Collection of the National Automobile Museum in Reno,
NV. This professionally produced DVD is now available online at the
Coker Tire Store
For a map of the original 1908 New York to Paris Race route, visit:
Google Map - Greatest Race of 1908
The medical kit given by Doctor Shaw in Seattle with all the wonder
drugs of the day, including boric acid, nitroglycerine, and morphine.
Dysentery was a common problem. George's remedy was often exercise,
running behind the car, and a shot of brandy.
The handmade sextant George used to navigate much of Asia. Detailed maps
were nonexistent, and with the language barriers often sign language, the
sextant and instinct were their only resources.
The compass George used to circumnavigate the world. The solid brass
device was often carried in his coat pocket. It was especially useful at
night or on overcast days when there was no sun for reference.
The .32 caliber pistol George carried in his coat pocket around the world.
He later used the same pistol to guard the Winfield Smith machine manufacturing
plant during World War II.
Halfway To Tonopah
by R. Cinkel on
exhibit National Automobile Museum
Thomas Flyer Stamp issued by Grenada
Very special thanks and credit to the following for
important historical references:
Paintings by artists Peter Helck and Robert Cinkel
Additional photos from the
National
Automobile Museum - Harrah Collection; Reno, NV.
A&E-TV A&E Network Video New York, NY
SPEED-TV The Speed Channel Inc.
WATV Los
Angles, CA
WNED-TV Buffalo, NY
WKBW-TV Buffalo, NY
You Asked For It - hosted by Jack Smith