ROAD RACE ROUND THE WORLD

by Robert B. Jackson ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1965

This really rolls. It tells the story of the 1908 New York to Paris road race. The entrants were sponsored by factories and governments. One of the two cars entered by France lasted (but it had a hardluck crew); the Italian entry was full of youngsters (tough and game); Germany entered a potential military car, naturally (but they made the rules to suit themselves rather than follow the official ones); and the U. S. was represented by the formidable Thomas Flyer. There weren't any roads, really, and no special equipment that the crews didn't have to think up and make themselves. The cars had nothing but canvas tops and they set off from New York City in a blizzard on February 12th. The idea was to drive across the frozen Bering Straits, which never froze that solid so part of the race was interrupted by a ship ride. Ingenuity in the face of the nearly impassable and impossible fuels this story all the way to the point where the last car limped into Paris months later. The international scrambling for prestige and the courage of the crews both add to the fascination of the race.

Pub Date: April 1, 1965

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Walck

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1965

Categories: NONFICTION