Carrera Panamericana On My Street
Not really. But yesterday one of the cars from the Carrera Panamericana was parked around the corner on 2nd St. Jaunty little devil by the looks of it. And a survivor, I assume, since it seems to have survived the Carrera Panamericana, one of the most bizarre, underregulated and ill founded road races in history. Given that the race ended all of 4 days ago I assume the mud on the tires is Mexican mud, and lab analysis would reveal traces of chicken blood, mechanic tears and burnt oil.
From one of the official websites:
Each day is divided into “transit” and “special” stages. The transit stages are run from town to town on regular highways, in regular traffic. But several times a day the Pan Am cars line up for the special stages or speed sections. After the Mexican Federal Highway Patrol clears the road, the Pan Am cars are started in thirty-second intervals. There are no speed limits–only open roads slicing through the mountains. You may travel as fast as your skill, your car, and road conditions warrant.
Note that all cars must be of 1965 or older vintage. 1955 was when the original race was canceled due to excessive spectator mortality, among other things. Why then must race cars be older than 1965? I don’t know.
Further:
The $4,500 entry fee covers not only the expense of staging the race over 2000 miles, but includes eight nights in first-class hotels for the driver and co-driver, plus a number of receptions, fiestas, and souvenirs. Advice and limited assistance with preparing your car, crossing the border, and getting to the starting point are also provided.
For an additional fee, you will be issued the mandatory Mexican racing license for the event. The license also provides a small amount of medical, life, and dismemberment insurance coverage. Additional coverage is recommended.
While I was taking this picture a car pulled up and a guy got out and fished something out of the van that the trailer was attached to. We exchanged ‘how’s it going’s. Why didn’t I say something more? The stories.
Car 297 is registered as an Alfa Giulia driven by Edward Argalas and James Argalas of the USA in the Historica “A” division. They have no registered sponsor, but according to their website, the ‘Pleasure Technicians’ mentioned on the hood of the intrepid Alfa are a pop band. The race car is sponsored by a pop band? Official results has them in 37th place. If I interpret this dispatch correctly, this year’s 1st place winners were not racing in the most competitive category, but had a spot of good luck when it was realized that there were no lights in the arena where the final speed tests would otherwise have been run.
Maybe tomorrow Team Creamy Treats will be parked across the street.
