Carreras News
December 2014
For photos go to www.lacarrerapanamericana.com.mx
**CHIHUAHUA EXPRESS REGISTRATION OPEN
**RECAP:
PAN AM 2014
**LCP NORTH AMERICAN RESULTS
**MORE PANAMERICANA NOTES
**ORIGINAL PAN AM CARS NEEDED!
**PAN AM-CHIHUAHUA CARS FOR SALE
**LEGAL NOTICES
**CONTACT INFO
**CHIHUAHUA EXPRESS REGISTRATION OPEN
It’s time to
sign up for the Chihuahua Express, April 23-26.
Hit reply to ask for an entry form and FAQ.
The Express
is open to any car, vintage or modern, with the required safety equipment. Turbo, super-charged and four-wheel drive
vehicles are welcome. Pan Am cars run in
their Pan Am class, but compete for overall standing with modern cars. Save $250 by registering before the end of
the year.
It is three
days of racing….almost 1000 miles, including about 300 miles of speed stages,
and each night the racers return to the same luxury hotel. Driver’s meetings are at 6:30 and last about
30 minutes.
Don’t have a
race car ready to race? Try the ”
Express Tour,” a time-to-distance rally along the same scenic route run by the
race cars, but at legal speeds. No experience
is needed, and it is an excellent introduction to all Mexican rallies, timing
and scoring, including the Pan Am.
Chihuahua
City, the headquarters of the race, is an easy 145 miles from Presidio, Texas
and 240 from El Paso. This is the 10th
anniversary of the Express, which began as the Border Challenge. The organizer is Chacho Medina, who is an
architect by profession, a university lecturer, and Formula One commentator on
Mexican TV.
The Chihuahua Express is affiliated with the Silver State Classic Challenge. www.sscc.us
**RECAP:
PAN AM 2014
In his post-race
interview with the New York Times the overall winner of LCP 2014, Erik Comas
(FR), admitted that he did not understand how long and difficult this epic Pan
Am would be. Comas, a former Formula One
driver and vintage rally driver, won the Pan Am on the last day when the
leading Studebaker went off the road, into a ditch (see photos). Reportedly, Comas had been gaining on the
lead car in the morning speed stages and the constant pressure probably was
ultimately too much for the leader Emilio Velasquez.
The Studebaker driven by Comas was built and supported by Mats Hammarlund Racingin San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, that shops third or fourth overall win.
Comas said
that most of his rally events in Europe are much shorter and usually one day
long, not seven long hard days. For
example, on Day 2 of LCP 2014, the last two transit stages of 207 miles (339 KM)
took the cars in heavy rain and diminishing daylight into the ancient city of Tlaxcala
and then into the center of Mexico City.
And on Day 7, the day began with a transit of almost 185 miles (300 KM)
and a total distance for the day of 420 miles (690 KM). The race cars must average more than 73 MPH (120
KM) in these long transits. Some of the
drivers were behind the steering wheel for up to 13 hours on some days.
Attrition
was extremely high. Of the 75 cars that
started the race, only 45 crossed the finish line in Durango. Of these five were Exhibition cars, including
two modern BMWs.
On Day 2, the
leg from Oaxaca to Mexico City, thirty cars were marked as “DNF” (Did Not
Finish) at the end of the day. Most got
lost along the way, while some had mechanical problems. On Day 5, 25 cars were listed as DNF. In one class, Turismo Production, only three
out of the seven cars that started the race actually crossed the finish line
seven days later. Those North Americans
fighting serious engine problems in the last days of the event were North
Americans included: Paul Hladky, John
Rogers, Vance Stewart, Pedro Vidal, John “Chip” Fudge, Walt Sikes, Art Morgan, and
Jake Shuttlesworth. Only Sikes and
co-driver Paul Frame were able to repair the engine in their 911 and finish.
Fortunately,
especially given the rainy weather, there were no serious crashes or injuries reported. One driver, paraphrasing the title of a
recent movie about life along the Mexican border, opined: this is “No Race for Old Men!”
**NORTH AMERICAN RESULTS
Those standing
on the podium included:
Doug
Mockett and Angelica Fuentes (MX), 2d in Turismo Mayor and 2d overall.
Taz
Harvey and Rudy Vajdak, 1st in Historic
B and 6th overall
Renée
Brinkerhoff and Roberto Mendoza (MX) finished 2d in Sports Menor and 16th
overall
Paul
Fruchbom and Ray Stephens, 2d in Historic B and 8th overall
Christian
Reichardt and Dan Roche (Canada), 1st
in Original Pan Am and 33th overall
Gerie
Bledsoe and “El Fer” Garcia (MX), 3d in Turismo Production and 40th
overall
Other North
American results:
*Michael
and Kristi Shoemaker, 4th in Historic A Plus and 37st
overall
Walt
Sikes and Paul Frame, 7th in Historic B and 22d overall
John and Ben Greenwood, 6th in
Historic C and 23d overall
*Jean-Marc Taboulet and Francoise Lecaille
(France and Florida), 11th in Historic C and 31st overall
*Denotes rookies. Exhibition cars are not
counted in the final, overall standings.
**MORE PANAMERICANA NOTES
The dates of
the event next year and the entry fee will not be announced until
February. The dates will probably fall
within the last two weeks of October, which is the traditional period for the
race.
(Above) The first Camaro entered
in the Pan Am, driven by a European crew, finished second in Historic C running
a 302 c.i. (5 liter) engine. It was also
fabricated and serviced by Mats Hammarlund Racing.
A Porsche
356, running in Sports Menor (under 2000 cc), finished fifth overall.
The top
North American finishers in Historic C (V8s) were John and Ben Greenwood in 6th. This class had been dominated by Americans
until recently. Nine of the twelve cars
in this class that finished were Mustangs/Falcons.
The only FIA
legal car in the event, a beautiful Triumph driven by Roger Furrrer (Swiss),
finished first in class and 27th overall (photo below). Only two cars finished in Historic A.
Three of the
four cars from the Czech Republic finished.
The highest finisher, a ’72 Subaru (below), won 1st in
Historic A Plus and 12th overall.
Reportedly, the creation of this expedition was inspired by an article
in a Czech auto magazine on the Pan Am written by another Czech, Rudy Vajak,
Taz Harvey’s co-piloto.
Car #283, a
Volvo P122 driven by Michael and Christi Shoemaker (USA), became the first
known victim of a large piece of a building facade falling on the rear of their
car in Guanajuato. Both crew members
took the incident in stride.
Large crowds
greeted the Pan Am in every city along the route.
**ORIGINAL PAN AM CARS NEEDED!
Only one
Original Pan Am (OPA) car was entered in the event this year, the beautiful ’54
Lincoln of Christian Reichardt and Dan Roche (photo below). A few years ago, there were seven entries in
this class. Where did all the flowers
go?
The rules
for this class are somewhat vague, but it a class for cars were eligible to run
in the Original Pan Am back in 1950-1954, thus the car must have been made
between 1940 and 1954. Although the car
must run an engine from the period, it may also use a more modern transmission
(manual or automatic), disc brakes, 12 volt electrical system, modern ignition,
aluminum radiator, and other improvements to make them dependable and
safe. Externally, the cars should
look as they did during the original event.
If you are
looking for a class to enter, this is it.
Lots of fun, without spending mega bucks.
**CARRERA-CHIHUAHUA CARS FOR SALE
‘54
Lincoln Capri. Ready to race in the
Chihuahua Express IN Turismo Mayor. A famous competitor in La Carrera,
Chihuahua Express and Pikes Peak. 360 cu.in. Ford Racing engine with 650 cfm.
Holley, remote oil cooler, aluminum radiator, H.D. T-5 5 speed close ratio
trans., Ford 9" rear axle, 4:10 Detroit locker diff.
coil-overs, torque arm 3 link with panhard bar rear suspension, coil over front suspension,
NASCAR power steering, 6 piston Wilwood front calipers, 4 piston Wilwood rears,
Tilton pedal box assy with adj. brake bias. 28 gallon fuel cell, FIA approved Racetech seats
Monit Rally computer, Peltor intercom, Fast A/F meter, 2 on board fire systems.
fiberglass bumpers and inner fenders, Lexan windows, skid plate, rear difuser
extensive spares package, including molds, jigs and spare rolling body with frame
contact Bill Richert $60,0000. Cannot be duplicated for twice that amount. Located in Phoenix.
coil-overs, torque arm 3 link with panhard bar rear suspension, coil over front suspension,
NASCAR power steering, 6 piston Wilwood front calipers, 4 piston Wilwood rears,
Tilton pedal box assy with adj. brake bias. 28 gallon fuel cell, FIA approved Racetech seats
Monit Rally computer, Peltor intercom, Fast A/F meter, 2 on board fire systems.
fiberglass bumpers and inner fenders, Lexan windows, skid plate, rear difuser
extensive spares package, including molds, jigs and spare rolling body with frame
contact Bill Richert $60,0000. Cannot be duplicated for twice that amount. Located in Phoenix.
Advertise your car here (Pan Am or not) for $40 donation to “Los
Amigos de Lupita Hernandez.”
**LEGAL NOTICES
CARRERAS NEWS is a publication of La Carrera USA. It does not represent the views of the
organizers of any event.
All forms of motor racing, including stage
rallies in Mexico, are dangerous and addictive.
**CONTACT INFORMATION
Gerie Bledsoe, North American Coordinator
Evanston, Illinois
Santa Rosa Beach, Fl
San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico
Chihuahua Express
La Carrera Panamericana
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