The original Peking to Paris race, held in 1907, was so different from modern racing that hardly even seems believable today. The race covered 9,317 miles with no official route, no rules, and participants weren't even given maps. Famously, the second place finisher, Charles Godard, came with a Spyker he had borrowed from a friend. The even has been brought back a few times, starting in 1990, and the fifth race from what is now Beijing to Paris was held this year.

The event is now for classic cars, with the oldest participant this time around being a 1913 For Model T. The newest car was a 1974 Citroen DS23, with only cars built in 1975 or earlier allowed to participate. There were 100 cars in all, and the route was changed somewhat from the original, now covering 7,610 miles over 33 days. The race ended June 29th, with the winner being a 1937 Chevrolet Fangio Coupe.