Fast and furious: La Carerra Panamericana
I have long suffered from a fascination with Mexico.
In the days of the Mexican Grand Prix I was sadly not yet on the roster of those that might be asked to write about events at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the circuit in Mexico City’s Magdalena Mixhuca park. Named after the country’s two most famous sons, this is the Racetrack of the Rodriguez Brothers, Ricardo and Pedro, who captured the hearts of racing fans worldwide with their skill and daring. Remember Pedro in the rain, in a Porsche 917? Oh, yeah! Nobody told him it was raining.
By some tragic twist of fate, Ricardo was killed at his home circuit in 1962 when he crashed at the spectacular ‘peraltada’ corner in practice for the Grand Prix which that year was a non-championship race. The ‘peraltada’ went on to become the scene of some of the most exciting moves of any race, anywhere in the world, and that includes the ‘curva grande’ at Monza. Were this circuit still in use for Formula One, then the breathtaking ‘peraltada’ curve would surely have been emasculated.
Mexico City, Mexico. 25th October 1964. Rd 10. Jim Clark, Lotus 33-Climax, 5th position
Rumours abounded that F1 was due to return to Mexico as long ago as 2003, and Mr Ecclestone stated, in 2006, that the Grand Prix would be back – on a new circuit in Cancun – in 2009. But nothing more has ever been heard about this plan. Shame.
Mexicans love their cars, the faster and noisier the better, and nowhere is this more passionately expressed than in La Carerra Panamericana – the last truly great road race on the planet. It is fast, it is dangerous and it demands the full attention of its competitors, whether they be in an ancient Chevy or a new Porsche.
1953 Carrera Panamericana, World Sports Car Championship, Eugenio Castellotti (Lancia D23), 3rd position
Imagine my excitement then, when the President of the organising club Eduardo Leon invited me to write about the great event this year – thanks to quite a lot of persuasion from Mexican hero Jo Ramirez who began his motor racing career with the Rodriguez brothers in Mexico City and went on to manage the McLaren Grand Prix team through the extraordinary years of Prost and Senna.
Thanks to some surgery on my right hand, I have been unable to accept this fantastic opportunity and I must wait, yet again, for my first taste of the place that has for so long held my attention. This the land, after all, that is home to the Tarahumara Indians who live in the canyons of the Sierra Madre Occidental and who believe that each star in the night sky is a Tarahumara soul that has finally been extinguished. Then there’s the deserts, the wondrous ancient art and the thin air of the high mountains. And more.
The race starts tomorrow in the southern city of Oaxaca when adventurers from ten nations will go into battle on some of the fastest, and most dramatic, roads in the world. Today Ramirez, and his navigator Alberto Cruz, are in Tuxtla, putting the finishing touches to Mr Cruz’s trusty, and very rapid, Volvo. Last year they convincingly won their class.
“Is very hot here,” Jo tells me, “and no time to use the nice swimming pool at the race hotel… but we are ready, we have scrutineered the car, and done some final practice runs. This year looks like being better than ever, fast and furious all the way!”
The spirit, and soul, of the Rodriguez brothers is still very much alive in Mexico. Once a real star, always a star, and the memory of Ricardo and Pedro is revered by the thousands of fans who line the route of this great race across the country. More news from the 2008 Carrera over the next week or so.
Filed under: Blogs, Miscellaneous, Personalities, Sportscars
Tags: Jo Ramirez
Rob was brought up on racing, being taken to Goodwood as a small child and devouring his father’s copies of Motor Sport. During a career in newspaper, radio and TV journalism he created the ‘Track Torque’ motorsport show on radio and was Indycar commentator for Eurosport before co-founding the Festival of Speed and Revival events. He was marketing director of the Goodwood Road Racing Company. 
rob widdows:
October 24th, 2008 3:02pm
As I write, it is ten o’clock in the morning in Tuxtla and the first stage of the Carrera is underway.
Former world rally champion Stig Blomqvist started third and was one of a select group of drivers honoured for their contribution to the sport in a ceremony before the cars ventured out onto the first stage.
Jo Ramirez, pleaased with his Volvo after final practice, was also honoured for his part in putting Mexico on the world map of motor racing.
More news on Monday. Meanwhile, for those who like a bit of old-fashioned road racing and some great historic cars, there is plenty of news on the La Carrera Panamericana website. There is a button for translation into English.
Among the early leaders expect to find Blomqvist, Jan Lammers, Ramirez and the young Sebastien Bleekemolen as well as the wily Mexican drivers who know each and every twist and turn along the way.
RW
Santiago Fernández:
October 24th, 2008 4:45pm
As a Mexican, I am very happy a magazine like Motorsport is covering what is the great racing event in our country, as I’m also happy that the Rodriguez brothers are still very much remembered (especially Pedro’s drive at Brands).
I hope the event exceeds your expectations, and hope you have some time off racing to see the “Día de los Muertos” celebrations that happen in the first 2 days of November. A very magical time to visit México for sure.
Diviértase mucho.
rob widdows:
October 25th, 2008 11:11am
Great to hear from Mexico! Yes, I am not likely to forget watching Pedro at Brands that day, or his many other spectacular drives, especially in the big sport cars.
Sadly,I was invited to write about La Carrera by Mr Leon, the chief organiser, but I am stuck at home in England as I have just had some surgery on my right hand. But I am in touch with Jo Ramirez and we have organised some photos for next week. I hope to be there next year! I have always wanted to travel in Mexico.
For now, Brazil is next on the agenda, and then to Wales for the Rally of Great Britain where I am supposed to be talking to the amazing Monsieur Loeb.
More news from La Carrera next week.
RW
rob widdows:
October 25th, 2008 12:23pm
The second day of the great race across southern Mexico starts from Oaxaca later this morning.
After six tough stages yesterday, from Tuxtla to Oaxaca, the pace is “fast & furious” as Ramirez and Cruz had predicted. There were plenty of incidents along the way too, but thankfully nobody was injured. There will be a few less cars on the startline today however, after some skirmishes with the scenery. La Carrera is a challenge, for both man and machine.
Early leaders are Jorge Pedrero and Marco Antonio Torres in their Studebaker, followed by Gabriel Perez Torres and Horacio Chausal in a Ford and Doug Mockett with Angelica Fuentes in an Oldsmobile.
Today they race from Oaxaca to Mexico City, finishing the day with a sprint around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. There will be a huge, and noisy, crowd as ever.
RW
rob widdows:
October 26th, 2008 7:02pm
Good news from Mexico.
Jo Ramirez is runing second in his class, and so far the battle for honours in ‘Historica A’ class has been an all-Volvo battle.
Of course Ramirez and his co-driver Alberto Cruz will not think this is such good news. Last year they won their class and fully intend to do so again this time. The battle of the Volvos will go all the way to the finish of this week-long road race next Friday.
Yesterday the cars were welcomed to Tehuacan with a huge street party, thousands of fans lining the roads as the cars roared into town. Mexicans need little encouragement to turn a race into a party.
Today,Sunday, the race took off from Mexico City en route to Queretaro. Tomorrow they make their way to San Luis Potosi. Stamina is needed now - it’s hot, the pace is fast, and not surprisingly former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist is running up at the front.
Should be some news from the Ramirez/Cruz Volvo tomorrow. They will be pushing hard for a repeat of their 2007 victory.
RW
rob widdows:
October 28th, 2008 9:06am
Three days to go, and the big,powerful Studebakers are 1-2-3 at the front of the 2008 Carrera Panamericana. Reaching nearly 300 kph on the long straights of yesterday’s stages, the ground-shaking American monsters look like making a clean sweep of this year’s race across Southern Mexico.
In the lead is Jorge Zardain, less than a minute ahead of Bill Beilharz, and completing the top three is former world rally champion Stig Blomqvist, all in the very rapid Studebakers.
Volvo remain first and second in the Historica ‘A’ class with Richard Bailey/Nate Wilson leading from Jo Ramirez/Alberto Cruz as they head into the fourth day of this great adventure.
We have new pictures from Ramirez and we will try to get these onto our pages today, as the local hero, and former McLaren team manager, fights for a class victory in the toughest road race of them all.
RW