Not Everyone Completes La Carrera Panamericana

Bill France and Curtis Turner hitching a ride after they crashed.







During the 1950 inaugural running of La Carrera Panamericana, then called the Mexican Road Race, NASCAR president Bill France and Curtis Turner entered a Nash Ambassador to race across the rough Mexican terrain. Back then the race was run from north to south starting in Juarez, Chihuahua, and ending in El Ocotal on the Guatemalan border. Bill France who had teamed up with Curtis Turner crashed and never finished the race. It just goes to prove, La Carrera shows no favoritism regardless of who you are and if you are going to get in respect it must be earned.

The crazy things we save

For as long as I can remember I have considered myself very fortunate to have been blessed to have been involved with great cars. There just isn't enough time to write about all the amazing cars, the stories, the adventures and opportunities they have afforded me not to mention the fact they are what put a roof over my head and beans on the table. But as interesting as the cars have been and indeed many of them have been the stars in my life, it's the owners and drivers of many of these machines that have made my life rewarding and Heaven knows there have been a lot.

Since 1968, one such person I have had the pleasure of being able to call my close friend is Carroll Shelby who was a driver, designer/builder, team manager, lover of fast cars and obviously a living legend way ahead of his time. Like I previously mentioned there have been cars and there have been drivers who I have known some of which stand out more than others when it comes to great memories. One such memory started back in July of 1990 while I was in Hollywood and found myself enjoying the company of a family man, his mother and father as well as his car all of whom were an amazing story unto themselves. This man was none other than Carroll Shelby's heart doctor that operated on him at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In a post I made back in January I talked about the time the good doctor took me to visit Carroll in his hospital room where Carroll autographed a bumper sticker for me. Last night while digging through some files I just happen to stumble over that very bumper sticker still un-used.





Who would ever have thought that something as ordinary as a bumper sticker would have a story to tell? Respectfully I suppose that in some way Carroll has always been alive and well and living under the hood of my car and others and I suppose he will for eternity.

Why Race?

A friend asked me why men race.... Isn't it obvious?

SOLD! Extrodinary Spec Miata - $12k

EDIT: Jon's car has been sold. Congratulations are in order to the guy who bought it.

Co-Piloto Jon Emerson is selling his Spec Miata and if you are looking for a very competitive ride this is it. This car was meticulously prepared and has the best of the best which helps it corner like a slot car. LOTS of fun and speed. Combine that with some expert driving instruction from Will Faules and you have the entire package.




Don't miss this once in a rare while opportunity to own a true gem of a race car. This is one of the cleanest Spec Miatas you'll ever find. Built over the course of a year by Impact Engineering, the quality of this car is beyond compare. Based on a straight 1991 chassis, this 1.6 Miata has a cage that's a work of art, and includes full drivers-side NASCAR bars. The suspension is fully updated including recent updates to the 99 strut tops. The car is fully wired for your radio including a custom steering-wheel mounted PTT. Full Chasecam system can be negotiated for inclusion in purchase. The car has 2 weekends of track time on it from new and has been stored inside.

The car includes:


Legal 1.6 motor, tuned by Mazda master Mike Haag (built Rampelberg's 2008 Runoff's winning motor)
Brand new straight shot intake
2 weekend old Mazda comp Limited Slip differential
Mazda comp exhaust
Suspension updated to '99 bump stops for improved ride height
2 sets of straight wheels (1 set of Kosei K1's and a brand new, un-raced set of Konig Rewinds (as shown in the pic))
Impact Engineering Cage with Driver side NASCAR door
Kirkey seat with 2 custom mounting points for different sized drivers
$1200 paintjob inside and out (pure white inside)
Completely wired for radios
2008 NASA annual with Log Book
Very solid well built, unmolested, unwrecked car
Will help setup and coach driver with purchase of car

Get'em While There Hot

If you are looking for a La Carrera Panamericana race car boy are you in luck. There just happen TWO Corvettes for sale both of which have been put to the grueling test of the La Carrera Panamericana.

Now this first one is what we might call a "lightweight" model and it will require a little fixing up as it was put through a little more grueling testing than the other one. One thing I can guarantee is that nothing on it can catch on fire. On the other hand I am sure the owner will be willing to come down on his price. In the first photo you can see the car doing a burnout.








The next car was driven by Bill Shanahan and co-piloto Smith Murray. Bill is a non-executive director of MSD Ignition and was formerly chief operating officer and then president of The Colgate-Palmolive Company. Needless to say this car was built with all the right stuff. Bill and Smith were both hard charging competitors and lots of fun to race against. On the final day Bill told me he was going to sell his Corvette and build a Monte Carlo Falcon. Being a Ford buy myself I must say I think his taste has improved. For more information on Bill's Vette which has a starting bid of $150,000.00 on EBAY CLICK HERE. Also included are two new front fenders.

Mexico Racing Videos

Take a ride inside a 1951Chrysler New Yorker.




Watch closely in this one for Jon and Gary.

What if?

Gary's 97 GTS Coupe


There are some days when I am driving around wondering what it would be like to run La Carrera Panamericana in my daily driver and leave the race car at home? Wonder how the Subaru guys would look in the rear view mirror? Then again there are those sneaky topes. Would be interesting.