Car won 1908 NY-Paris race; out for spin in Reno

RENO, Nev. (AP) Jeff Mahl is stepping into his great-grandfather's shoes to recreate the most famous race around the world in auto history.

For about an hour in Reno on Tuesday, he slipped into the original, refurbished Thomas Flyer that Great-Grandpa George Schuster Sr. drove to victory from New York to Paris in 1908.

The car has been displayed mostly at the National Automobile Museum in Reno since the late casino mogul Bill Harrah refurbished it in 1964.

Mahl took a ceremonial ride around town before the racing teams left for San Francisco where their cars will be shipped to China. The 65-day race ends in Paris July 30.

The original racers made the 22,000-mile trip in 169 days. At the time, Mahl says, it was like sending a man to the moon.