Second Day... Rovanpera Takes The Overall Lead

Puebla, October 23th.- With an extraordinary finish, showing the best of his capabilities, the Finnish Harri Rovanpera unofficially took the absolute lead in the Carrera Panamericana 2010, that this Saturday showed the second stage going from Oaxaca to Puebla. The ex pilot of the World Rally Championship, forced his Studebaker to the extent, especially during the last four chronometred stages. Marked with the number 140, teaming with this compatriot Jouni Narhiright jumped today to the lead of classical cars race.

The second stage of the Panamericana started at 7:30 hrs from the main square in Oaxaca, and ended in the main square in Cholula Puebla, around the 17:00 hours, covering a total of 464.72 kilometers from which 93.27 kilometers, were chronometred.
One hundred crews took the start in the Oaxaca Capital, to cover six speed section, in the Huajuapan and Tehuacan, place where they made the traditional stop and where thousand of people gave the Panamericana caravan a warm welcome. Another team that had a brilliant journey, confirming their opportunity to win the title, was the team made by Michel Jourdain and Miguel Diaz, whom unofficially jumped to the general second position, ridding a Studebaker marked with number 131, only behind Harri Rovanpera. Mean while, Carlos Anaya, navigated by Javier Marín, also showed his category and experience as three times winner of the race, whit his incredible LT Special, registered in the Sport Mayor category, taking the third place in the race after the first two stages.

Jorge Pedrero, who started this morning as the race leader, falled to the fourth position with his Studebaker from the Turismo de Producción category, teaming with Marco Hernández.

After a promissory start, taking the second place in the Histórica A Plus category, the Telmex Racing Team crew, conformed by Jo Ramírez and Alberto Cruz, had troubles with the shifts, that were solved during the service stop in Nochixtlán. Even they recovered during the last section, they will need to force themselves to catch the Americans Martin Lauber and Conrad Stevenson, who drives an Alfa Romeo. The twenty third edition of the Carrera Panamericana will continue this Sunday with the third stage, that will start at 7:00 hours from the Camino Real Angelópolis, and will reach Queretaro´s main square about the 17:00 hours, after covering a total distance of 607.77 kilometers, including 90.20 speed kilometers.

Today, the journey was marked by an incredible weather, heavy hot and blue sky during the entire the route, it was completely clean without any incident to report.


Courtesy LCP site