Times Square turns into a makeshift starting grid as the New York–to–Paris auto race prepares to get underway, with a line of early motorcars nosed forward and ready for the first hard miles. Bundled drivers and mechanics sit high in open cockpits, their heavy coats and close-fitting caps hinting at the cold, exposed travel ahead. Above the street, onlookers crowd the windows of tall buildings, watching the moment when spectacle meets endurance.
In the foreground, the cars’ details tell the story of an era when reliability was still a gamble—large spoked wheels, prominent headlamps, and gear lashed onto running boards for quick access on the road. Flags flutter near the radiators, marking national pride and adding ceremony to what is essentially a test of machines against distance. Faces are intent rather than celebratory, as if everyone present understands that the real drama will unfold far beyond the city blocks behind them.
Few scenes capture early motorsport quite like this: a public departure point in the heart of New York, surrounded by crowds, advertisements, and the everyday architecture of Times Square. The photo invites a closer look at the interplay of technology, competition, and urban theater that defined the great long-distance races of the period. For readers interested in the Great New York to Paris Auto Race, it offers a vivid starting chapter—before mud, breakdowns, and the unknown road turned ambition into legend.