Ninety years after the first event, the International Club of Antique Automobiles and Races (CAAR) is organizing a second Paris-Beijing Race. This time around, Polish teams driving old Warszawas will take part.
In the first race, in the spring of 1907, participants set off from Beijing on a 16,000 km journey. Drivers faced countless difficulties along the way. After 60 days on the road, Prince Scipio Borghese, driving an Itala, was the first to reach the finish line in Paris. The three other teams reached the French capital three weeks later.
Roads are better these days. Next year's race will be only 11,000 km, and 50 teams from around the world have applied to take part. At least one Polish team is likely to be among the teams accepted (three have applied), if only because the race winds its way through Poland in May.
It takes about $20,000 for a two-member team to compete. That means the teams need sponsors.
The Polish branch of the CAAR has 50 members who have entered their antique vehicles in various derbies. Tomasz Skrzeliński, head of the Polish CAAR, owns 15 cars and 20 motorcycles-even a 1950 Ursus tractor and a 1950 double-decker bus from a transport museum in Essex. Many Polish collectors put their vehicles on display in museums.
For more information on the race, contact CAAR headquarters at 2B Kazury St. apt. 12, 02-795 Warsaw, tel. (+48-22) 757-22-22, 648-60-52.
Urszula Turska
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