Although The Great Race has been postponed due to the recall of travel permits through China, the show will go on. According to the official website, "Great Race Sports owners, executives and participants are dedicated to honoring the history of this illustrious race." We think that the race, assuming it does take place, could gather a great deal of attention the world over. We've been keeping an eye on the race with posts on the E85-powered 1967 Aston Martin DB6 that will take part and other ethanol participants. This bears watching.

Vroom on to Number 2.

In 1908, 17 men participated in what was called the "Greatest Auto Race," a tough round-the-world drive. In 2008, a new Great Race will take place on the 22,000 mile roundabout way between New York and Paris. One of the participants in the Innovation Class of vehicles will be a 1967 Aston Martin DB6. That vehicle might not scream innovation, but thanks to a conversion process by Rich McKone of Peoria, Illinois, the classic ride will burn E85 on the trip.

According to a note sent to AutoblogGreen by Mike Ewing, the race's Director of Marketing and Communications, McKone is an avid car collector and decided to give his Aston the biofuel treatment to showcase the alternative fuel. The Bradley University in Peoria's Department of Engineering will work with McKone to collect some good ol' data on the way the car runs on ethanol during the trip. Perhaps they'd also like to see the specs from the ethanol-powered Aston Martin DBRS9 that won the British GT championship race at Snetterton England in early June.

McKone is not the only green racer in the 2008 event, and we'll bring you more as the event nears. For a picture of the 1908 race, click through the jump.

Related:

• Biofueled Aston Martin makes British motorsport history with ethanol

[Source: Great Race]

It's not a participation requirement, but that's not stopping some teams who are entered in to upcoming New York to Paris Great Race 2008 from trying to make the trip on ethanol or other renewable fuels or other "new automotive technologies. "There are two classes for vehicles participating in the race: one for classic cars (over 25 years old) racing in the Schuster Cup and the other for vehicles "created to showcase and prove that the latest generation of automotive technologies can meet the needs of a future on the move" in the Innovation Cup. The trip is a recreation of sorts of the 1908 Great Race, pictured above.

So, what do we know about the cars in the Innovation Cup? Not a lot, yet. The full line-up hasn't been decided yet (it will be revealed sometime after the sign-up deadline at the end of this year), but five teams have been confirmed, including a "Ford prototype, 2007 Toyota Highlander and a 2008 Volkswagen Passat, as well as a 2007 Buell Ulysses motorcycle." Admittedly, that's not much to go on, and the website doesn't say what the fifth team is using, but we've got more than a year to learn more.

Related:

• Great Race offers $1 million Innovation Prize, 35,000km renewable energy race

[Source: Great Race]

With the news out today that next year's annual classic car Great American Race will kick off in Concord, North Carolina next June 30 (and end 4,000 miles away on July 14 in Orange Country, California), it's a good idea to clarify how this race relates to another "great race" coming in the near future.

I'm talking about the "First Ever World Race For Alternative Fuel Automobiles," where alternative fuel and hybrid-powered automobiles will compete in a race that goes around the world. This race is called the "Great Race World 35,000km, New York to Paris 2008," and will offer $1 million Innovation Prize to the Innovation Technology division winner. This race starts in New York City in the middle of February 2008 (hopefully biodiesel users will have cold-weather gelling figured out by then) and end 80 days later at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. 80 days, huh? Clever. This race in being held to commemorate the Greatest Auto Race, a famous round-the-world race held in 1908. Teams have until the end of this year to enter applications for the "Great Race World 35,000km." The Great American Race is a domestic recreation of the Greatest Auto Race.

[Source: Great Race]

The race is a long one, so it's got a title to match. The first "Great Race World 35,000km, New York to Paris 2008" will kick off next February in New York City and feature cars powered by alternative fuels. The race commemorates the 100th anniversary of 1908's "Greatest Auto Race". Complete details are not yet available, but there will be two divisions, one for Classis (pre-1969) cars and a more modern car class. Cars will drive across America, be shipped to Shanghai and then drive to Paris for a total drive of over 14,000 miles. There will be a $1 million Innovation Prize to the Innovation Technology division winner. For upcoming details, check the race website.

[Source: Rogers Group]