Thursday, February 18, 2010

Chihuahua Express -- There is still time!


On the rim of the Copper Canyon, a major tourist attraction
Chihuahua, Mexico


The fourth annual Chihuahua Express is scheduled for March 19-21, 2010.

There is still time to sign up.

The Express is open to cars of all ages -- with or without roll cages. You may sign up for one of three types of competition, or simply come down to run the course at moderate speeds in your daily driver, pickup, or rental car. It's a great way to learn about Mexico and how to participate in a stage rally.

You do NOT need a competition license from the U.S. or Canada to participate. A special orientation on stage rallying will be provided to all participants, plus follow-up sessions each night. You may also participate on a daily basis (one, two, or thee days). The fun will be over on Sunday afternoon, so you can head back home. Trophies or medals are awarded on a daily basis and at the end of the event.

The event entails 1000 miles of beautiful scenery and nearly 325 miles of wide open, timed speed runs in the countryside on excellent paved roads around the city of Chihuahua, which is only 145 miles from Texas. We will visit the famous Copper Canyon and at one point come within a mile of the Texas border.

On March 16 participants from the U.S. and Canada with gather in El Paso and go across the border the next day at 9 AM as part of the Express Convoy. The convoy will actually cross the border at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and will avoid Mexican border towns completely.

If you are interested, please request a copy of the latest Express FAQ, entry form, or email me. Go to www.chihuahuaexpress.com for additional information/

The Express is fun, exciting, safe, and relatively inexpensive. Please join us this year as a participant or as a spectator. It is beautiful country!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Security and Safety in Mexico


Racing into the famous Copper Canyon


SECURITY FOR RALLY MEXICO

The constant reports of violent crime in Mexico are a concern for anyone traveling across the border. However, competitors in the Chihuahua Express and Carrera Panamericana should be assured that every precaution is being taken to protect them from this violence.

The purpose of this post is to discuss this situation and to outline what steps are being taken to protect the competitors and spectators in the Chihuahua Express in March. The plans for the Carrera in October are comparable.

1. Understanding the nature of the violence in Mexico.

Almost all the violence reported in the U.S. media is a result of conflict among Mexican drug gangs who are battling for control of the drug traffic across the border and for distribution rights in border towns.

Apart from this violence, which is spawned by the demand in the U.S. for illegal drugs, the Mexican people are among the most law-abiding people in the world.

In the past seven years of the Chihuahua Express and its precursor, the Border Challenge, we have witnessed not one act of violence, even a minor incident. In fact, in the past twenty-two years of its companion race, La Carrera Panamericana, we have not had one incident of violence against a competitor or spectator.

2. The Federal and State Governments of Mexico and Chihuahua are dedicated to protecting those who travel to Mexico.

As in past years, thirty-six Federal Highway Patrol Officers will be assigned to protect the Chihuahua Express. In addition, there will be sixty-eight police from the State of Chihuahua, along with seventy-seven municipal police officers. A total of 163 police officers will be assigned to this event.

Furthermore, in the countryside another fifty-two auxiliary police will be assigned to monitor minor intersections and even the access roads to larger ranch and farms communities. These figures do not include the paramiltary police who regularly patrol this area.

3. Our route into Mexico avoids the major trouble area, Ciudad Juarez.

Each year the Express Convoy gathers in El Paso, Texas for the trip across the border and the 220 miles down to Chihuahua City.

Instead of crossing the border in Ciudad Juarez, the Express Convoy enters through Santa Teresa, New Mexico, (Jerónimo, Mexico), which is twenty-two miles west of Juarez. The convoy will also exit Mexico by the same route on Monday, March 22.

Mexican friends of the Chihuahua Express and police officers will escort the convoy to Chihuahua City, which is 220 miles or three hours and a half from the border.

4. The Express Convoy affords support and protection.

The North American competitors will gather Tuesday, March 16 at the Sunland Park Holiday Inn, west of El Paso, to enjoy a welcome cocktail and meeting to discuss the trip to Chihuahua City. The convoy will cross the border the next day (Wednesday) at 8:00 AM through Santa Teresa , NM (into San Jerónimo, Mexico), and arrive at the luxurious Soberano Hotel around 13:00 hours the same day.

The highway to Chihuahua is an excellent four-lane highway, with only one small town along the way. The route is patrolled by the Mexican army, which has checkpoints along the way. The convoy will not leave anyone behind.

Other competitors, from Texas and Oklahoma may enter Mexico through Ojinga (across from Presidio, TX), only 145 miles (two and a half hours) from Chihuahua City. There are no cities along this stretch of desert.

5. Medical services, support, and secure accommodations provided while racing.

In addition to the police officers assigned to the event, intensive-care ambulances, rescue teams, and doctors, for each twelve cars, will accompany the competitors during the three days of the race. In the event of a serious accident, the hospitals in Chihuahua City are considered first-rate, and evacuation to the U.S. is relatively quick and easy.

The competitors will return to the Soberano Hotel each night, which is located on a secure hill overlooking the city. The hotel provides security to its grounds, including the parking lot at night.

Conclusion

The violence in Mexico is drug related. It is largely confined to border towns, or to certain areas of towns along the drug routes. There is no reason--economic or political-- for drug gangs to target competitors in the Chihuahua Express or any other sporting event. By staying out of Juarez and the marginal areas of town, we reduce the chances of random or accidental violence.

The actual route of the Express -- across the vast, open expanses of northern Mexico -- also greatly reduces the changes of accidental contact with those who are responsible for violence in places like Juarez and other border towns. (Check out the videos and photos of the route on YouTube. It's sparsely populated country.)

In twenty-two years or more of rallying and road racing in Mexico, the Mexican people have treated the competitors only with warm and kindness.

By taking all prudent and necessary precautions, the organizers are confident that the personal security of the competitors will be protected.

Friday, February 5, 2010

La Carrera Featured at Auto-Vino Event, Feb. 17

Auto-Vino in Menlo Park, a storage facility for exotic cars and wines -- what a combo! -- is having a luncheon on February 17, 11-30-2:00 devoted to La Carrera. The guest speakers will be Martin Lauber and Conrad Stevenson, who did exceptionally well their first time in the Pan Am last year driving an Alfa sedan.

Here the official announcement from the Auto-Vino web site. Hope to see you there!

Gerie

Wed, February 17, 11:30am – 2:00pm

Description. The great Pan American Road Race, The Mexican Road Race, was perhaps the greatest of all the open road races of the early 1950s. From 1950 thru 1954 the event raced in five days from the southern tip of Mexico to the Texas border. All the great American and international auto makers participated, as did the top SCCA, USAC, FIA, NASCAR, Indy racing drivers plus amateurs. The event celebrated the opening of the Pan-American Highway. For the past several decades the event has been recreated as a seven-day stage rally – race called the La Carrera Panamericana. Top pro, amateur and vintage racers compete each fall in this rally – race that run the length of Mexico. For 2010 the event date is October 22-28. The speakers at the AutoVino Racers lunch February 17 are 2009 La Carrera PanAmericana participants Martin Lauber and Conrad Stevenson. They will present a multimedia program about competing in their Alfa. Lunch is $20. RSVP to AutoVino 650-533-3809. The location is 205 Constitution Avenue in Menlo Park California. 94025, about 25 miles south of San Francisco.

http://www.auto-vino.org/events.html