McPherson College announced today that legendary television host and comedian Jay Leno will narrate “The Path to Pebble,” a documentary that tells the incredible story of McPherson College’s decade-long journey to compete at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the most prestigious car show in the world culminating in a historic podium finish in August 2023.
“Pebble Beach is all about turning heads. And some heads were turned that day. A student entry had never placed in this elite competition. Could they do it? Better yet, how did they even get here? There’s a ten-year long story behind their short drive to the reviewing stand. And it started 47 years ago,” said Leno to kick off the documentary.
The 28-minute documentary will screen in McPherson on February 13 in a “sneak peek” at 7 p.m. at the McPherson Opera House. Admission is free with a ticket that can be obtained on the McPherson Opera House website. A premiere will follow in Wichita on February 15 with an event at Mark Arts, and future viewing opportunities will be announced later.
McPherson College, a Kansas liberal arts college, is best known for its one-of-a-kind Automotive Restoration Technology degree program, offering America’s only four-year degree in restoring classic cars from Mercedes-Benzes to Ferraris. The program has received national acclaim and earned the support of car collectors, including Leno, a noted car collector and enthusiast and a long-time major supporter of the program.
In 1997, Leno established the Fred S. Dusenberg Scholarship and the Jay Leno Popular Mechanics scholarship, both of which continue to provide financial assistance to students interested in studying classic automotive restoration.
In 2023, McPherson College’s 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300S Cabriolet – restored entirely by students at the college’s Automotive Restoration program – secured second in class at the 72nd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The victory marked the first time in Concours history that an entirely student-restored car has ranked in the top three in class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
“We’re so appreciative of Jay for lending his time and talent to document our historic journey to Pebble Beach, but especially for his continued support of our Automotive Restoration program, which has helped shape the future of our students,” said McPherson College President Michael Schneider. “We can’t wait to debut ‘The Path to Pebble’ and showcase our students, alumni, and faculty that poured their heart and soul into this project to make our lofty, bold, and audacious goal a reality.”