Cinco de Mayo... It all began in Puebla

The Battle of Puebla.


Unlike the victory the French had and lost in Puebla Jon and I get to keep ours forver.



Just gotta love the Mexican hospitality!




Jon and Gary unwinding with beautiful Elke from Germany.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "5th of May") is primarily a regional and not a federal holiday in Mexico. The holiday commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. A common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day; Mexico's Independence Day is actually September 16 which is the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.

Although the Mexican army was victorious over the French at Puebla, the victory only delayed the French invasion of Mexico City; a year later, the French occupied Mexico. The French occupying forces placed Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico on the throne of Mexico. The French were eventually defeated and expelled in 1867. Maximilian was executed by President Benito Juarez, five years after the Battle of Puebla.

All I can say is thank God Mexico kicked Maximilian's ass. Can you in your wildest imagination imagine what a French taco would taste like! Besides I can think of nothing that was more exciting than the grand welcome the city of Puebla gave us in what has to be one of the most special stops of La Carrera Panamericana. These photos simply do not do justice since there is not a camera built that can capture the beauty of Puebla let alone the vivid excitement bestowed on us by the citizens of Puebla.


This is my idea of how to enjoy a couple of Coronas. There is nothing like beautiful gals that are color coordinated to match the car. Yeah Baby!

A couple more fun LCP videos

From time to time I find some La Carrera Panamericana videos that help fuel the fire for those who are wondering what to expect or even to help feed the need for those of us who have been and just can't get enough.


CLICK HERE TO WATCH A 2004 LCP VIDEO.



CLICK HERE TO WATCH A 2005 LCP VIDEO.


Don't forget the soon to be available La Carrera Panamericana HD DVD. This promises to be the most exciting La Carrera video ever made. You know what the monkey said when he got his tail caught in the organ grinder.... "It won't be long now." Drop me a line at gfaules44@aol.com to be put on the list.

Crank it up and go like hell!

If it's video you thirst for then here is some older video footage from older La Carrera's that should help to wet your whistle.

Aftermath in Mexico City

At the 2007 La Carrera Panamericana on the day we raced thru downtown Mexico City they had to close the freeway which is the first time it has even happened. Needless to say it was a major undertaking and one that must have really raised some hell with regards to the regular traffic. All of us who were in race cars got the kings treatment while the freeway was entirely closed off allowing us to do out thing with no restrictions whatsoever. Having spoken to several teams whose chase and support crews had to follow it was a major undertaking to make way thru all that traffic. This video is the only one I have seen that actually shows the freeway reopening after all the race cars had taken off. I wonder how long the first commuter in line had to wait let alone those way at the back.