Around the World

Originally Aired: April 6, 1953 Suspense #507, "Around the World," presents the thrilling true story of the 1908 international automobile race from New York to Paris by way of Siberia. George Miller, an American driver, pilots a stock Thomas Flyer against specially built racing cars from Europe, including Frenchman Bossier de Saint-Chafrey in a De Dion, German Lieutenant Hans von Kopen in a Protos, and Italian Anthony Scafulio in a Zust. Accompanied by navigator Montague Roberts and journalist Mr. Colby, Miller battles treacherous conditions as they push through rain, mud, and the American wilderness. Despite stopping to help the French team escape a muddy trap, Miller and his crew pull ahead of the competition, gaining a four-day lead as they race through Buffalo, Chicago, and into the Western territories. The adventure takes a dangerous turn outside Ogden when the team decides to drive on railroad tracks to avoid tumbleweeds and cross a river. As they navigate a precarious trestle, a train appears behind them, forcing Miller to race desperately for the other side. Just when they seem to have escaped disaster, the crew discovers their clutch shaft has cracked, stranding them in the middle of their round-the-world journey with their hard-won lead suddenly in jeopardy.