The Slovakian‘ crew’ outside Pall Mall for the 2025 St James’ s Motoring Spectacle
SLOVAKIA
Jan Kurty History was made in 2025 when the first ever‘ crews’ from Slovakia entered the VCR and completed the feat with blue, red and white national flying colours.
The cars were a 1903 Renault Tonneau and a 1901 Panhard et Levassor Rear-entrance, driven respectively by Jan Kurty and Julius Cako for their owner Martin Neubeller … who rode as a passenger with both, swapping over half-way through and enjoying the entire experience.
They’ re back again for 2026 with a 100 % boost to team numbers; the Panhard and Renault are now joined by a 1904 Talbot Limousine and a 1900 Peugeot Double-phaeton, with more friends and members of Martin’ s family to drive them to make a party of seven people.
In all this, Jan is the linchpin because he’ s the organiser of the whole enterprise on behalf of Martin Neubeller, a Slovakian collector and owner of the Automuzeum Neubeller in Kosice. Julius is also a director of the museum.
“ Mr Neubeller’ s dream was to attend the London to Brighton one day,” explains Jan, a collector and consultant dealer himself,“ and so he asked me to find him an appropriate car for this event. Eventually I
Jan Kurty, driving the 1903 Renault, successfully completing the 2025 Run helped him to buy two cars, and now two more.”“ For more than 20 years, me and my family have called England our home,” Jan says.“ I have prepared all four cars and arranged their transportation from Slovakia to England. I’ ve also booked the flight tickets from Slovakia and back, the accommodation in London and Brighton, the parking, the luggage transport and so on.”
It’ s a lot of hard work, for sure, but Jan will of course also savour the full-on Veteran Car Run experience himself, driving the 1903 Renault.
“ We all enjoyed it very much the first time and so we are looking forward to reaching Brighton again this year.” After all, national pride is at stake once more!-
www. veterancarrun. com F / veterancarrun. I @ veterancarrun 39