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 incredible adventure, just as he heard the
saga from his great-grandfather George Schuster Sr., driver and winner of the
Great Race. Schuster will join with names like Ford, Andretti, Benz, Ferrari,
Olds, and Shelby when he is inducted into the
Automotive Hall
of Fame on October 12,2010.
Special
Events:
Announced Schedule with Jeff Mahl as guest speaker
"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, December 2007.
"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
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 speaker 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.
2010 - 2011 Special Commemorative Events!
May 8, 2010: The
McPherson, KS campus of
McPherson College
presents Jeff with the saga of "Bandits, Guns
and Automobiles" at
the Restoration
Technology Department's 11th Annual CARS Club Show. Hear the
story of the Race that changed automotive history!
July 2, 2010: The Diamond Anniversary of the
Antique Automobile Club of
America will be celebrated in Louisville, KY with a special Friday evening
75th Anniversary Banquet presentation of "Bandits, Guns and Automobiles". Plan now to join
in all the events, with details at
AACA 75th Anniversary
July 30, 2010: The
Seal Cove Auto Museum
near Bar Harbor, Maine presents "Bandits, Guns and Automobiles".
The Museum collection includes a French 1899 DeDion Bouton with an American 1912
Thomas Flyer, sister automobiles of those that participated in the New York to
Paris Race of 1908. Join us for the extraordinary opportunity to hear the
saga of the Race that made these early automobile manufactures famous!
August 27, 2010: The 2010
Utah Concours d'Elegance near Lehi, Utah will present "Bandits, Guns and
Automobiles" during their annual celebration with over 100 rare,
exotic, antique, and collector automobiles from all over the US. Plan now
to see this amazing gathering of superb automobiles.
September 10, 2010: The Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival will present
"Bandits, Guns and Automobiles" at the
Victorian Village Resort All part of a special weekend with vintage
and classic car racing at
Road America Join in for an exciting racing event!
October 11-12, 2010: George Schuster Sr. will be Inducted into the
Automotive Hall
of Fame, the Highest Place of Honor in the International Motor Vehicle
Industry. Induction is the single greatest honor, intended to recognize a career and/or lifetime achievement. George
will take his place among other Inductees including Ford, Andretti, Benz,
Ferrari, Olds, and Shelby.
April 14 - July 11, 2011: A Race combining the future with the past.
Plans are now being made for
World Race 2011 to
commemorate the 1908 epic, and make history of its own! With a start in
New York City, participants will circle the globe with their automobiles to the
finish line in Paris.
2008 - Special Centennial Year Events!
October 18
- November 8, 2008:
The Longest Auto Race Centennial Tour of vintage cars left NYC Times Square
headed for San Francisco, along essentially the same route followed by the
winning American Thomas Flyer and George Schuster in 1908. Click the map to the left to
see the US route as drawn by George Schuster on this circa 1930's map.
For additional details on the
Centennial event visit:
New York to San
Francisco - Longest Auto Race Centennial Image to the left (click to
enlarge) was taken during the US crossing by photographer Jim Galli, using a
vintage Kodak 2D 8x10 with a Petzval 24" lens. The location is Twin Springs Ranch, NV in front of the stone stage house
which was standing in 1908, as the Thomas Flyer passed it on the way to Paris.
The result is a striking similarity to those photos taken in 1908....
October 20, 2008: Springville, NY was the site of a special tribute
to it's hometown hero George Schuster hosted by the
Concord Historical Society . Participants in the Longest Auto Race
Centennial Tour made a brief stop in Springville on Monday morning, as they
trekked from NYC Times
Square to San Francisco to honor George Schuster the winner of the 1908 NY to Paris Race.
A commemorative wreath was presented at the Elementary School with flag
waving students greeting the drivers (just as school children did 100 years
ago). Then a drive past George Schuster's home on East Ave., and the new
mural on Main Street (click image to the left for full view). A
"Photo/Refreshment Stop" at Fiddler's Green Gazebo was made at the site of
Schuster's 1920 Dodge Dealership Historic Marker, and on to Maplewood Cemetery for the wreath laying ceremony with
gun salute.
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
KUHF-Radio Houston, TX by John H. Lienhard - University of Houston College of
Engineering
You Asked For It - hosted by Jack Smith
Centennial Celebration
1908 - 2008
