Great Race 100th anniversary tour stops in Geneva

"Here they are! Here they are!" exclaimed Cleon Statton, jumping up from a chair in the lobby of the Geneva History Center and nearly running to the door, despite an achy hip.

A blue Volkswagen Beetle, a bright yellow custom Peterbilt truck, a black 1940 Cadillac and a pretty cream-and-purple Chrysler rolled by, their drivers looking for parking spaces on Third Street Thursday morning.

Statton, of Wheaton, and several dozen other classic car fans swarmed the drivers participating in the Longest Auto Race Centennial Tour, taking pictures of them and their machines and peppering them with questions.

The tour commemorates the U.S. portion of the 1908 Great Race, a 22,000-mile New York-to-Paris endeavor that came through Geneva way back when. In August, a great-grandson of the winner spoke about the race during the Geneva Concours d'Elegance car show.

"We were excited about this," said Dave Oberg, the museum's director, of Thursday's visit. "We really got lucky on this one."

The drivers are on a three-week journey that started Oct. 16 in New York and will end in San Francisco. The route they are taking, and other information about the tour and the Great Race, can be found at longestautoracecent.com.

Next year, some of them hope to participate in a worldwide re-enactment. It was canceled this year because of problems getting permission for visas from the Chinese government.

The 1908 race, the first of its kind, showed that cars could be driven in severe winter weather, for one thing, and that automobiles were more than playthings for the rich. In many areas, there weren't roads, let alone paved roads; the winner at one point drove along railroad tracks, the car straddling the rails.

Canadians Roy Fowler and Pat McKenna were a big hit Thursday because they dress the part, in period suits, leather helmets, knee-high boots and goggles. All that is topped off by fur coats - bearskin and buffalo, the latter a 100-year-old specimen issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

McKenna said their car, a 1930 Chevrolet Speedster owned by Fowler, rides well and can go over 55 mph. The only mechanical trouble they've had so far was a dead battery.

Just like on the 1908 race, the drivers are their own mechanics, and the evidence is on their grease-stained hands. "I was putzing until 1 in the morning," McKenna said.

Tour organizer Luke Rizzuto popped the hood on his 1918 Chevrolet, the oldest car on the tour, as soon as he parked. "I've been having some problems," he said, as the smell of gasoline wafted out. A collapsed hose had caused problems with gasoline pressure previously.

Many of the spectators are car collectors. While waiting, they swapped tales of restoration and how they came to own their vehicles, even with the guy who showed up in a tiny Smart car. Anyone can join the tour, even if they don't have an antique vehicle.

Bob Weick's blue 1949 Chrysler Windsor, which he drove to the event, would have been welcome. The St. Charles resident has been a fan of Chrysler products since he bought a 1934 Plymouth when he was 18.

"Back then I liked their design," he said, and their engineering innovations, such as hydraulic brakes and floating motor mounts. Statton, a 1967 Jaguar E-type aficionado, nodded in agreement.

The tour took off about an hour later, headed to Rochelle, then to Iowa, attempting to follow the original race path.

Taking classic and antique cars out on the road is not without hazards. A 1940 Cadillac Model 75 lost its hood before the trip began, while being hauled by trailer to the starting point. The hauler didn't notice until 90 miles later.

And it was a bit nippy when the group arrived at the museum shortly before 9 a.m. - but better than a few days earlier.

"It's actually quite nice," said McKenna, riding in an open car. "A couple of days ago, it was a 50 mph headwind we were heading into."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="http://www.thegreatautorace.com/">Centennial Celebration </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.greatrace.com/newsite/index.php/the-great-race/greatestrace/">More on the race </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>