One hundred years ago today, George Schuster Sr. won the greatest automobile race the world has ever known traveling some 22,000 miles from New York to Paris in 169 days.  The race began in New York City on February 12, 1908 to the delight of 250,000 spectators in Times Square.  Schuster’s Thomas Flyer automobile, manufactured in Buffalo, NY, was first to arrive in Albany at noon of the second race day.  The winter of 1908 was particularly harsh in the northeast and since no snow plows existed at the time, the planned Rt. 5 route from Albany to Buffalo was abandoned in favor of the barge canal tow path through much of the Mohawk Valley.  The path being elevated above the surrounding land resulted in much of the snow being blown off the path to the point where it was navigable (barely).  Schuster and the Flyer spent the night of the 13^th in Fonda and passed through Utica on the 14^th arriving in Buffalo on the 16^th.

To commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the race, “The Great Auto Race Celebration Tour”, will start in New York City on October 18, 2008 and finish in Los Angeles, California, on November 1.  This tour will follow as close as possible to the original route across the United States and will pass though the Mohawk Valley on October 19^th.  For more information on the Great Auto Race and centennial celebration visit http://www.thegreatautorace.com/