CARRERA NEWS
July 4, 2008 -- Firecracker Edition -- Happy Birthday USA!
Dates to Remember
***CARRERA CARS AT PIKE’S PEAK – July 15-20
***CARRERA RECEPTION - July 24
***CARRERA at MONTEREY HISTORICS – August 16
***CONCURSO -- SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE – October 18
***HERSCHEL McGRIFF – CONCURSO HONOREE
***IN MEMORIAM
***CLASSIFIEDS -- GPS MAPS FOR MEXICO!!
***COYOTE CONVOY NEWS
***CONTACT INFO
***CARRERA CARS AT PIKE’S PEAK
A dozen classic Carrera cars will challenge the 12.4 miles and 156 corners up the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on July 20. Two other Carreraistas will compete in other classes: Kevin Jones (Subaru, Time Attack) and Ed Gaven (FF Cobra, Exhibition).
Classic drivers and co-drivers are: Doug Allen, Gerie Bledsoe, Ralph Carungi (William Richert), David Cooper, John Daniels, Ron Davis, Chip Johns, Doug Mockett (Angelica Fuentes), Rich Morrison, Todd Landon (Kristin Stewart), Chris Salyer, and Dean Smith (and daughter). Six cars from the Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing club will also participate in this group.
Ron Davis has designed a special souvenir patch for your Strand 21 driving uniform. The patches sell for $10. Proceeds go to the Lupita Hernandez fund. Email gbledso@aol.com if you want one.
Gerie Bledsoe is still in need of a navigator. A racing license, moral fortitude, and a financial contribution are required. Navigation skills are NOT necessary, but an appreciation of mountain scenery is.
***CARRERA RECEPTION – July 24
The program for the 2008 event will be presented to the public and media on July 24 in Mexico City at the annual Pan Am reception. This will be the 21st year of the modern event.
The route is expected to include an overnight stop in Mexico City – the first time in over a decade – plus one or more speed stages inside the city.
Last year Pan Am cars ran a speed stage on the main freeway through the city, reaching speeds of 180 MPH. Apparently, the mayor of Mexico City is a staunch supporter of the Pan Am. The media exposure was significant.
***CARRERA at MONTEREY HISTORICS - August 16
Our annual Monterey fiesta and corral will be at Tarpy’s Restaurant, Saturday August 16, 3:00-6:30 PM. Tickets are $35 per person for food and beverages. Tarpy’s is near the Laguna Seca racetrack.
Please pay for your ticket by August 1, so we can guarantee the event. See Contact Info for snail mail address. PayPal dough may be sent to gbledso@aol.com.
***CONCURSO -- SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE -- October 18
The kick-off of the Concurso de Motor Sports is scheduled for August 8 with a press reception and “Carrera de Margaritas” at the famous Allende Institute in San Miguel. Restaurants and bars in San Miguel will compete for the title “Best Pan Am Margarita 2008.”
The Concurso is scheduled for October 17-19 when the Coyote Convoy visits the city on the way to the start of the Pan Am in Tuxtla Gutierrez. The event includes classic car and motorcycle shows and the Pan Am gala banquet on Saturday. Our Carrera cars will be displayed in the main square on Sunday.
The Coyote Convoy and the Concurso are open to all. Discounted hotel accommodations are available. To fly into San Miguel, the airport at Leon-Silao-Guanajuato (BJX) is recommended. From there, you may take the shuttle bus for the 60 miles ride to San Miguel.
***HERSCHEL McGRIFF – FIRST CONCURSO HONOREE
The winner of the first La Carrera Panamericana in 1950, Herschel McGriff, will be honored at the gala Panamerican banquet at the Concurso de Motor Sports in San Miguel de Allende on October 18.
McGriff, who resides and runs a business in Arizona, was inducted into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame, in Novi, Michigan in 2006. He raced in the NASCAR Cup series and the Winston West series before retiring at age 74. He holds the record for the oldest person to win a NASCAR feature event at age 61.
***CHIHUAHUA EXPRESS DATES--March 27-29, 2009
Chacho Medina has set the dates next year for the Chihuahua Express – March 27-29. The dates are determined by two primary considerations: when Easter week falls each year and the dates of the Silver State Classic Challenge in May.
Given the event’s unqualified success during the past two years, it should continue to grow. The Express involves over 325 miles of open-road racing over a course of 1000 miles – in just three days. The format—a stage rally on closed, paved roads--is identical to the Pan Am. The big difference is – the racers return to the same hotel each night.
The event is open to all cars – modern and classic. Overall winners will be declared in each of these categories.
Click on www.chihuahuaexpress.com for more information.
***IN MEMORIAM
Two members of the Carrera fraternity passed away recently. Jerry Churchill, a Carrera regular, died after surgery three weeks ago, and Hokán Cederburg died in a car accident on May 22.
Jerry Churchill had participated in the last nine Carreras, and was looking forward to returning this year in his beautiful ’54 Studebaker. He won the Historic C class in 2003, and was committed to winning the overall title.
Jerry, who had a long history of auto and truck racing with ARCA, SCCA, and NASCAR, was a true believer in Mexican road racing – in La Carrera and the Chihuahua Express, which he helped to establish.
Jerry was also a staunch supporter of Lupita Hernandez, the Mexican nurse who lost both legs at the hip in a Carrera accident in 2003. Jerry’s sister, co-driver (Jim Roxbury), and friends believe that a contribution to the “Carrera Friends of Lupita Hernandez” would be the best way to pay our respects to Jerry. (See address below.) We also plan to present Jerry’s family a framed collection of Carrera photos and signatures.
Our Swedish friend, Hokán Cederburg, died in a traffic accident in Europe. Happily, his wife and child survived the wreck. Hokán won the Historic C title in a ’65 Corvette roadster in 2005. His son, Erik, said he would like to return the car to the Carrera eventually.
***Need companionship? That is driver, co-driver, navigator, mechanic, or just a pal? Let me know at gbledso@aol.com (I do not, however, arrange other forms of companionship in Mexico, nor do I handle divorces between pilotos and co-pilotos.)
***Cheap labor? I have the names of guys who will travel to Mexico to help wrench or drive the support truck – just for a place to stay.
***COYOTE CONVOY NEWS
The Coyote Convoy will assemble at the Marriott Residence Inn de Mar in Laredo, Texas at 9:00 PM, October 17. Call 956-753-9700 and ask for the Pan Am discount. Anyone will an interest in the Pan Am or Concurso may travel with the convoy. However, the Convoy, La Carrera, or anyone else is not responsible for your safety and security while in Mexico. The convoy leaves at 6:00 AM for San Miguel de Allende.
Please let me know if you need a room in San Miguel de Allende.
***CONTACT INFO
Gerie Bledsoe
North American Coordinator
La Carrera Panamericana and Chihuahua Express
677 Highland Ave.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
650-726-9890 (home office)
650-726-9599 (fax)
650-867-9488 (mobile)
gbledso@aol.com (PayPal account)
www.panamrace.com
www.lacarrerapanamericana.com.mx
www.chihuahuaexpress.com
www.concursosanmiguel.org
Carrera Friends of Lupita Hernandez
Account #1851509370
Comerica Bank
Attn: Ms. Cindy Duda
2200 W. Fort St.
Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 222-4981
