Tour Director
Tour Director
Our Tour Director is Paul Blank, a Western Australian-based automotive specialist whose expertise and experience makes The Ultimate Grand Prix Experience USA unique.
Paul has designed the tour for Magic Travel using his many years of experience in travelling around the places the tour travels to. He has guided The Ultimate Grand Prix Experience in Europe successfully since its inception in 2005. The USA is a new destination for The Ultimate Grand Prix Experience and it stops at places Paul has visited. Additionally, a US-based consultant who has been on our European tour has assisted in the planning of this new tour.
Paul works in several areas, all automotive. He is an Events Manager, creating and running motorsport events, classic car auctions, car shows and other events - and has been a consultant to events such as the Perth Motor Show, Top Gear Live and Rally Australia.
He is also a specialist motoring writer, contributing regularly to publications including Classic & Sports Car (UK), Unique Cars and Australian Classic Car among others. His broad knowledge of the automotive world makes his work sought after.
Paul is very involved in the car club scene, being a member currently of nine clubs. He has been President of the Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Microcar and BMW Clubs and the Council of Motoring Clubs, as well as serving on many club committees. He has been a foundation member or sole founder of several clubs. He has served on the boards of two motor museums and was Chairman of the Classic Car Show.
For several years Paul has been one of the few experts in Australia approved as a valuer for the Cultural Gifts Program, an appointment which allows him to value historic vehicles and automobilia for donation to approved institutions such as museums. His clients include the National Motor Museum, Powerhouse Museum, Sir Henry Royce Foundation, Ford Discovery Centre, Motor Museum of WA, Temora Aviation Museum, Queen Victoria Museum and others.
Paul is the Secretary of the CMC Technical Committee which works with the Department of Transport on historic car licensing issues and he is one of two people the Department uses for confirming Unique & Historic vehicle suitability.
As a founding member of Motoring Historians WA, Paul is currently the Secretary of the group.
In the past Paul has also had businesses selling specialist accessories and designing conversions to upmarket cars, and a wholesale business in prestige alloy wheels and steering wheels, having been the WA distributor for brands including AMG, Zender, Momo, Zymol and BBS.
He has owned a very wide variety of cars, mostly classics. Paul has attended many significant automotive events throughout the world, has driven a vast array of cars and has competed in a variety of motor sport events around Australia.
Paul's broad interest in the automotive world makes him an ideal Tour Director. His experience with the destinations and highlights in the Ultimate Grand Prix Experience means that participants can benefit to the maximum. Paul is happy to show participants through museums, collections or cars at events, describing important cars, historical information and answering any questions along the way.
Photos: Behind the wheel of the famous Maybach; Driving the least likely race car - his Cadillac Coupe de Ville; Paul's Alfa Montreal with 1938 Grand Prix Championship winning Alfa