One Man's Loss... Another's Gain

And I mean this with the utmost respect but sometimes one man's destiny can have either an adverse or a positive effect on another man's destiny. So with that in mind read along as I explain myself....


Without a doubt the most exciting recollections I have of the entire 2007 La Carerra Panamericana was the day Jon and I won what is and always has been the undisputed most dangerous stage of the entire race... Mil Cumbres. Not only did we win that stage but even after being told by veterans that because it was so challenging and dangerous we should not expect to pass any cars unless they crashed. But not only did we dominate that stage of the race but in fact we passed two very fast cars.

It was while coming into a very fast corner that Lucky's tail end swung out as far as it could go and removed one of those white cement bumpers that line much of Mexico's highways. To our left was a cliff with no guard rail and thousands of feet down and to our right was a solid rock wall. Due to the angle we were sliding and the speed it was obvious that if I lifted we would have most certainly bounced off the rock wall and gone over the cliff.

Lucky's Mil Cumbre battle scar worn with honor


Jon hung on and I stepped on the loud pedal as hard as I could. A soon as the tail end began to come back to me we heard the WHAM as Lucky's right rear quarter slammed the cement marker but in a split second the horsepower really paid off as the car straightened out. Without skipping a beat Jon says, "Nice save. Ok, Right 1." I'm here to tell you THAT was exciting!


As if it were only yesterday I remember every detail of that adrenaline rush stage and all that took place. With that in mind you can only imagine how excited I was tonight when I stumbled upon a friend's site which I have never before, seen only to find a photo he had taken of Jon and I in Lucky passing a Studebaker from a much faster class right in the middle of Mil Cumbre! What a treasure this is for us and had it not been for Terry's misfortune more than likely they would not have had time to shoot this awesome shot. HOW DAMN COOL IS THAT!!!


CLICK HERE and enjoy a fantastic site about Terry Sayther's #401 BMW that has to be the most beautiful car that I have personally seen running in LCP. WARNING... There is a LOT to see and read including some great photos and videos about Terry's adventures during three years of LCP in this car but sadly it suffered a terrible crash during 2007. I was so focused and busy with the entire race and even though I was around this car both before and after it's wreck I never knew one of my friends, Bill Arnold, was the co-piloto until I returned back to California. The sad remains were parked next to us at a service stop that evening and once again served those skeptics with a reminder by proving LCP is indeed a race and NOT just another rally.

Before


After