Eyes Of The Beholder

There are many reasons why we are attracted to race cars. Sometimes it's simply because it looks fast but there are many more reasons that some cars fall more into the "eye candy" than others. If you have ever been to a high caliber Concourse de Elegance like the one we enjoy here at Pebble Beach and checked out some of the historical race cars then you know what I mean. While I do appreciate some of the finer qualities of some of those beauties if the truth were known I would much prefer to be on a gravel road behind the wheel of a beat up old 57 Ford with open exhaust breaking every law known to man. Like the old saying says, "If it don't go, chrome it." But still, I retain some decorum that allows me to enjoy some of the beauty that is always present in La Carrera Panamericana.

Here are just a few that caught my eye this year in the elegant and beautiful category.

Everyone just loves the 356 Porsches with their rich La Carrera racing history and god knows there were a lot of them this year but here are a couple that really got my attention. The flags painted on these cars were nothing short of eye catching.


#405 Original Panamericana Class Porsche was piloted by F1 driver Jan Lammers and co-piloted by Chris Zegars both from The Netherlands and finished 23rd overall and 2nd in class.


#264 Historic A Porsche piloted by Sebastiaan Bleekemolen and co-piloted by Jeroen Bleekemolen also both from The Netherlands. They finished 22nd overall and 2nd in class.

Another car that really foot the bill was this beautiful #212 Jaguar piloted by Byron DeFoor and co-piloted by David Hinton running in Sport Mayor Class. When I first saw this car the first thing that I thought of was the beautiful BMW that was destroyed last year. Something inside me made me fear this car was just too beautiful to finish this years race and I was sure there was a huge cactus that had the #212 all over it just waiting. They surprised me by finishing a respectable 28th overall and 2nd in class.


Photo Courtesy Of Coop.

Here is another awesome Jaguar. Car #304 running in Historic B Class. Piloted by Juan Osorio and co-piloted by Fernando Gonzalez.


Photo Courtesy Of Coop.

When I was going to Stanford and still racing funny cars Austin Healeys were a favorite choice of car for guys to stuff large V-8's under the hood and go like hell. Had it not been for those days I may never have grown to love the lines on these cars. Great looking #305 piloted by Pascal Devalkeneer and co-piloted by Stephane Dotremont. They did a lot better than Carrol Shelby and Donald Healey did who didn't even finish. They finished 53rd overall and 7th in class.


Photo Courtesy Of Go Fast.

Carroll Shelby once told me about his friendship with Donald Healey owner of Austin Healey. In 1954 Healey and Shelby took one of Healey's cars to Bonneville to set a record and then Healey asked him to race La Carrera Panamericana later that same year. During that race Carroll crashed and flipped 4 or 5 times ands broke some bones. Some Indians got Shelby drunk to ease the pain. Later on after some surgery Carroll teamed up with Phil Hill and raced at Sebring with a cast on his arm which they taped to the steering wheel.

La Carrera Panamericana Sportsmanship alive and well in Mexico

Websters defines SPORTSMANSHIP as; conduct (as fairness, respect for one's opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport.


One of the best things about racing is the amazing stories of sportsmanship. In the world of sports today, sadly, sportsmanship is something that has seemed to gone by the wayside. With high paid athletes comes the attitude that somehow many of them think, "It's all about ME." The good news is, that's not the way it is in La Carrera Panamericana.


One such example of sportsmanship at it finest was when Carson Scheller and Shields Richardson in the #433 Ford Victoria saw the #405 Porsche of Jan Lammers and Chris Zeggers in trouble. Even though Carson and Shields both knew that Jan and Chris were not in any immediate danger they felt the need to help their fellow competitors. They also knew damn good and well that by helping them they were making it possible for the world class driver, Jan Lammers, who had been on their tail all week long, to catch them but that still didn't stop them from going way out of their way to help.

It was right after the last speed run out of the mountains and onto the looong flats before Laredo. Carson stopped at a Pemex for refreshments as Carson wrote "our friends Jan + Chris in the #405 Porsche pulled in needing fuel." But the Pemex didn't have any fuel and the next station was 50 kilometers further up the road. Carson looked around and found a old garden hose and offered to siphon gas from his tank to theirs but when he tried the hose was so full of holes and kinks that he couldn't make it work after numerous try's. So Carson slowed way down and followed Lammers car up the road for the next 50 kilometers doing only 55 mph hoping to help them conserve fuel. He told them in case they ran out "he could tow'em in". Kidding and in true racing spirit Carson said, "I would have loved that."

As a result of their sportsmanlike behaviour they were 35 minutes late to the Z stop. Because of Shields carefully written note on the back of the card explaining why they were late (helping a competitor) the officials saw fit not to inflict a penalty. Carson wrote, "Beating them on the track and helping them get to the finish was the right thing to do. The spirit lives on."

Untimely they ended up only beating them by 3 minutes but in reality they finished up light years ahead as true gentlemen racers, something that La Carrera Panamericana is all about.

So ask yourself... If you saw a world class formula one driver racing in your class who was running on fumes, and you knew that if he run out it would only help your chances of winning the famous Original PanAm class, would you stop and help or doing your best Clint Eastwood imitation, roll down your window and say, "I know what you're thinking. "Does he have six gallons or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a 1954 Ford Victoria, the most powerful Ford in the Original PanAm class, and would blow your Porsche clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

Another Very Exciting Battle in Original PaAm

One of the battles I have been really enjoying is between my good friend Carson Scheller and F1 driver Jan Lammers.

We first met Carson during the 2007 La Carrera Panamericana and have been friends ever since and have stayed in touch as well as seeing each other once in a while at various get-togethers. Besides the likable personality another reason I like Carson so much is when he races he's there to win come hell or high water. Gotta like a guy with that attitude.



One of the drivers who is trying to teach Carson how it's done is Jan Lammers. Here's a small piece of Jan's resume... He participated in 41 Formula One Grand Prix races, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988 and is the seatholder of the Dutch A1 Grand Prix team. After winning the 1978 European Formula 3 Championship he
began his F1 career. In 1982 he tried IndyCar racing before turning to sports car racing. In 1988, Lammers, together with Andy Wallace and Johnny Dumfries, wrote history at Le Mans. In a Jaguar he drove 13 out of the 24 hours, and beat the Porsche team who had remained unbeaten since 1982. Lammers and the team managed to finish first despite a broken gearbox. It was the first victory for Jaguar since 1957. For this feat he received the title Honorary Member of the BRDC a title rarely awarded to non-British residents. Enzo Ferrari and Juan Manuel Fangio have also received the award. In 1990 Lammers won the 24 Hours of Daytona driving a Jaguar XJR-12 along with Davy Jones and Andy Wallace.




The next time you read where someone has written that the La Carrera Panamericana is just a bunch of fat old CEO types do me a favor and send me a note so I can contact them.

Anyway, here's Carson driving his beautiful Ford Victoria #433 and co piloted by Shields Richardson battling against world class Formula One driver Jan Lammers in a beautiful, nibble footed #405 Porsche and a battle it's been. Jan has taken 1st in class numerous days but as any good endurance racer knows it's all about consistency and consistency has been Carson's middle name for the last 6 days. All he has to do tomorrow is maintain. Take care of his car, don't be stupid and make mistakes and pray there are no donkys and he'll bring home 1st place.


Oh by the way, did I mention that Lammers co-piloto is a rockstar and has been to stunt driving school among other things? No kidding. (I wonder what Shields has done lately? LOL)