The World Race 2011 will re-create the epic road race of 1908 which saw a troop of brave drivers and their rugged cars travel 22,000 miles from Paris to New York.

The Great Auto Race of yester year began on February 12, 1908 when over 250,000 people turned up to cheer the intrepid drivers intent on circling the globe (above). The historic event became the longest auto competition in history, a dangerous adventure with uncertain roads and a distinct lack of petrol stations.

Teams competed from Italy, Germany, France and the United States, and the eventual winner, George Schuster, received a hero’s welcome when he returned to U.S. soil.

Revamped for the 21^st Century, 25 cars will depart on April 14, 2011, from the Crowne Plaza Hotel Times Square in New York bound for Paris. The cars will travel west through the United States until they arrive in San Francisco on April 26 when they will be loaded onto a ship bound for Beijing.

Racers will then re-join their cars on June 4 and continue driving through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, and Switzerland. On July 21, the teams will finally enter Paris with the finish line at the Eiffel Tower.

Price Team Racing will driving their multi-fueled Chevrolet Corvette (able to run on six different fuels) while Jerry Garrett, a reporter for the New York Times will ride along with Jeff Mahl, the great-grandson of George Schuster who drove to victory in the original 1908 New York to Paris race.

Via [luxist]

www.world-race.net