Team SMK
Team Yakity Yak
Team SMK |
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Team Yakity Yak |
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| The Great Race The 2007 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge celebrates the 1907 first-ever trans-Continental motor-rally. 135 Classic cars will take part in a timed re-enactment of the original “Great Race”. The race begins in Beijing May 27th traverses 8000 miles and ends June 30th with a parade lap down the Champs Elysees. Family, friends and fans will gather at the Place de la Concorde finish line to celebrate those gallant men and their machines. USA Teams Team Yakity Yak and Team SMK are two of a limited number of USA entrants. We’re pleased to profile the drivers, their car preparation, cool insider stuff, and general information about the race and competitors. Thanks to all the family, friends and fans that have been so helpful. Special thanks and break-a-leg to Bill, Steve, Rick and Jan, the courageous USA pilote! We plan to follow the Team’s progress with up-to-date news, video clips, and live GPS tracking via Google Earth as well as blogs to voice your support and hear from the guys. This whole project of following the U.S. Teams is a labor of love for us (short for out of pocket). David is in LA keeping the website going 24/7, Geoff managed to get over to China to document everything he can. He is hoping to stay with the race all the way even if he has to ride a yak. We welcome your comments, kind words and definitely encourage donations to help us bring this amazing event to you via the internet. Thanks and enjoy! |
| History Twenty-Five cars entered the 1907 Peking to Paris Race, however, only five cars started and only four made it to the end. The winner was Italian Prince Borghese who drove a 40 H.P. Itala. The car was constructed by the Italian firm Itala exclusively for the Prince. The other cars in the race were a 6 H.P. Contal Tricycle, two 10 H.P. Dion-Boutons and a 15 H.P Spyker. The race passed through areas of China, Mongolia, the Gobi desert, and Siberia; in many cases the drivers had no roads to follow, using only Telegraph poles as their guide from one town to another. They also had to ford various rivers along the way with the help of the local citizens coming to their aid. Most people at that time had never seen an automobile. Completing the race was an historic accomplishment for that era |
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