Photos

The Great Race took the 1908 Thomas Flyer from New York to Paris, passing through Alaska, Japan, Siberia and Berlin on the way. The 22,000-mile contest was never run again. (Photo courtesy of Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The National Automobile Museum Harrah Collection is lending out a centenarian to highlight the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance next March: the 1908 Thomas Flyer that won the New York-to-Paris “Great Race” 100 years ago.

The Harrah Collection in Reno, Nevada normally displays the historic Thomas Flyer, restored in the 1960s by collector William Harrah along with George Schuster — the only member of the U.S. driving team to travel the entire 22,000 miles of the Great Race in 1908.

On March 7, 2008, at Amelia Island, Schuster’s great-grandson Jeff Mahl will present the Thomas Flyer to the Concours d’Elegance audience and show pictures as he tells the story of the legendary endurance race. Concours Co-Chairman Bill Warner says those who see the classic car “will be amazed at the primitive nature of the car and what it went through.” The one-time-only Great Race took the Thomas Flyer through the continental U.S., Alaska, Japan, Siberia and Berlin, before ending in Paris after 169 days. The 2nd-place finisher, a Protos from Germany, took 26 days longer to complete the course.

The 13th Annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance runs from March 7-9 at the Golf Club of Amelia Island, adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The featured marquee will be the E.R. Thomas Motor Car Co., and the honoree will be Parnelli Jones. Full details are available at the Amelia Island Concours Web site.

What this means to you: This is a well-deserved centennial celebration for a great historic automobile. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent