THE NEW YORK TO PARIS RACE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 949, 14 May 1908, Page 11

THE NEW YORK TO PARIS RACE.

The greatest farce of a motor contest which could be imagined is the race from New York to Paris via

Behring Straits (writes “Auto.”) It is providing huge amusement to motorists the world over, and incidentally the American car entered is getting a lot of cheap advertisement out of the contest —for it evidently was entered for that purpose only. While the cars from Europe were specially fitted up for the work they had to do, the American car was simply a stock pattern, with a few lengths of rope and empty boxes and cans stuck over it to give it the right appearance and keep weight down. This was the ordinary “Yankee” idea of cuteness; but it has since been discovered (and admitted by the makers) that the car on reaching the town in which their factory was situated was overhauled, new springs fitted, and generally the car was remade. Moreover, all along the route the Americans patriotically helped their countrymen and played all kinds of tricks on the other competitors to delay their passage. The American car has been disqualified; but that is a trifle, since it beat the others in the run across America. That fact remains for advertising purposes, and is bound to be used pretty freely. Originally it was intended that the American car would quit the race at San Francisco, but the action of Captain Hansen, the pilot of the De Dion car, in throwing up his position owing to disputes with the owner, and joining the American car’s crew, has decided them in going on to Paris.

The withdrawal of Captain Hansen from the De Dion car outfit is a piece of bad luck for them, since he was the only practical motorist on board and had the experience of Arctic travel necessary for this trip. The chance of the De Dion car reaching Paris was reckoned the best witli Captain Hansen as its pilot; but now it is believed that it will not attempt

the original route of travel. The Protoo and the Motobloc are struggling along, and at latest reports hav Ing a terrible time with blizzards and bad roads. The Werner and the Sizaire are out of the contest already as the result of serious damage to axles and differential gear. The Italian car stubbornly chases the American across the continent, and is reported to be making fair progress in the second position in the race. Actually, it is now leading, since the American car has been disqualified for breaking the conditions of the contest.