Ride Along On Pikes Peak Hill Climb

Obviously this is not a GT350R however it does give a good look at the entire run from start to finish.

C.J. "Chip Johns" Cowboy Up

Thank you to John Coyle at CarDomain for the photos.


Yes sir C.J. "Chip" Johns gets around and if you think he looks unable to keep up with the younger crowd then think again. Chip raced with us in last years La Carrera and he and his entire crew were a lot of fun not to mention a wealth of knowledge due to their veteran status in La Carrera. In a previous post I wrote not only about Chip but also about some of his escapades. If they were not interesting enough I would like to remind those who may have forgotten or didn't know, just six short months ago Chip was hanging out at his cattle ranch down in New Mexico and in the process was directly in the path of a cattle stampede! I kid you not! And in the process he was beaten up pretty good. In Chip's own words he said, "I got stomped by several of my darling cows a week ago Friday. Broke the damn leg in 4 or 5 places crushed the knee cap etc. Am having some reasonably serious surgery tomorrow morning and expect to be in the hospital until wed or so. Then "only three months" on crutch's." It's hard to keep a good man down.

The next thing I know I am looking at his face standing on the top of Pikes Peak having a cold one! Anyone who has ever seen the inside of Chip's beautiful ranch house will know that rock sitting on the front of his car will find a spectacular resting place along with countless other keepsakes.

Now THAT's What I Call Racin!

Congratulations to Kevin Jones and what simply put is an OUTSTANDING performance and a second place finish! In retrospect one can only wonder how things may have ended up had his awesome navigator Mark Williams been there. Kevin may not know it yet but he wasn't alone as far as I'm concerned since all of us from Team California's Best Racing as well as fellow La Carrera teams were riding with him today! For those of you who don't already know, Kevin has never run the dirt type of rally before let alone up what looks like a million mile drop-off let alone without a navigator which by the way the first place car had.

While I'm writing this two more cars have gone off and DNF. Don't think this race is a simple run up a hill. Far from it. And don't forget, not every entry even made it to the starting gate so there is a lot to be said about the car as well as the driver.

Kevin, thanks for keeping me young Bro.

Division: Time Attack 4wd

Driver Name Number Vehicle Halfway Picnic Ground Glen Cove Sixteen Mile Finish Line

Tom Wright/Quinten Wright 3 2003 Mitsubishi Evolution 8 02:15.408 05:43.720 DNF
Allison Kern/David Kern 9 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 02:04.473 05:14.632 08:15.051 11:48.434
Kevin Jones 43 2005 Subaru WRX Sti 02:04.317 05:23.503 08:30.187 12:27.854
Brent Fletcher 4 2004 Mitsubishi EVO VIII 02:06.823 05:28.291 08:43.484 12:35.375
Roger Norman 8 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution No Time No Time No Time 13:06.690
Jeff Gerner 44 1994 Audi S-4 02:12.104 05:46.564 09:05.570 DNF

Using A Crystall Ball Sucks

Photo courtesy of John Coyle, Community Editor CarDomain.

The live broadcast did not work for me so I am using a combination of reports and mental telepathy to get what I believe to be semi-accurate.

At this time, I believe Doug Mockett and Angelica Fuentes have won the Vintage Class!!! Congratulations. It's interesting to point out that car #66, a 1966 Mustang, had some fast times posted in practice all except for a DNS on his last run on the last day of practice. Hmmm. So far today there have been no times posted for his car so all I can assume is he broke???

Chip Johns, Todd Landon and Ralph Carungi have also finished 10, 11, and 12. Not knowing the rules as to qualification I was surprised to see fellow La Carrera driver Dean Smith completed the race as well since he had no practice times posted for the last three days. On the other hand I was glad to see they let him run. I will be curious why he didn't have any practice days posted.

All in all it looks like La Carrera Panamericana teams had a very successful showing and have made us all very proud. Considering this race is not what these cars were originally set up for and since they are all rookies to this event they all deserve a huge pat on the back.

Now lets all keep our fingers crossed for our Man Kevin. Do us proud Kevin!!!!


Division: Vintage FINAL RESULTS

Driver Name Number Vehicle Halfway Picnic Ground Glen Cove Sixteen Mile Finish Line
Angelica Garcia/Douglas Mockett 133 1954 Oldsmobile Super 88 02:13.547 05:58.464 09:38.997 14:26.034
Keith Davidson 163 1963 Ford Falcon 02:15.572 06:07.233 09:44.986 14:33.770
Joel Jantzen 656 1965 Ford Mustang 02:20.102 06:13.496 10:03.940 14:57.720
Mike Jones/Doug Coffey 220 1966 Ford Mustang 02:25.169 06:27.792 10:15.266 14:58.587
Jess Neal 42 1971 Plymouth Cuda 02:28.040 06:48.706 10:18.013 15:00.920
John Daniels/Bob Youngdahl 145 1949 Cadillac Sedanette 02:32.921 06:37.473 10:24.022 15:21.600
Douglas Allen 369 1965 Ford Mustang 02:24.124 06:30.445 10:22.373 15:23.877
David Cooper 403 1951 Chrysler New Yorker 02:29.578 06:40.037 10:46.300 15:42.810
Jim Linton 816 1969 Ford Mustang 02:36.427 06:53.997 10:44.694 15:44.471
Chip Johns 385 1964 Ford Rally Falcon 02:33.366 No Time 11:04.861 16:01.237
Todd Landon 399 1967 Ford Mustang 02:47.835 No Time 11:15.923 16:20.282
Ralph Carungi/Bill Richert 101 1954 Lincoln Capri 02:29.015 07:05.504 11:03.556 16:39.580
Richard Hamlin/Richard Morrison 422 1958 Mercedes 220S Coupe 02:52.615 07:34.514 12:24.229 18:02.513
Dean Smith/Ashley Akey 357 1961 Chrysler 300R 03:05.919 08:01.665 13:31.111 19:29.093
Carlile Wiley/Christopher Salyer 203 1954 Chevy Corvette 02:43.742 07:10.475 13:13.726 21:15.830

Third and Last Day of Practice

It's obvious and understandable to feel the disappointment as Gerie Bledsoe left today to head home after being unable to get his car repaired in time to qualify. Gerie made the long voyage to Pikes Peak by himself and now returns home alone as well. The truth is Gerie had a lot to do with helping make it possible for the La Carrera cars to run in this event which will put each one of the La Carrera cars in the history books something that may never happen again. On the other hand from what I am hearing the Vintage class is a big hit with the race fans there so there's hope we will all be invited back again. Regardless we would like to thank Gerie Bledsoe for everything he has done and his hard work has not gone unnoticed.

Here are today's practice times and it looks like Kevin is getting back on track with some better times in the 4wd Time Attack division which should make for a real interesting final day. Good job Kevin.



Division: Time Attack 4wd

Driver Name Number Vehicle Run 1 Run 2 Run 3
Allison Kern/David Kern 9 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 05:29.703 05:18.742 05:16.075
Kevin Jones 43 2005 Subaru WRX Sti 05:38.091 05:44.014 05:22.701
Roger Norman 8 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution No Time 05:43.411 05:29.275
Brent Fletcher 4 2004 Mitsubishi EVO VIII 05:40.783 05:31.798 05:35.962
Jeff Gerner 44 1994 Audi S-4 06:14.221 05:54.060 05:49.929
Tom Wright/Quinten Wright 3 2003 Mitsubishi Evolution 8 06:30.380 06:09.785 06:01.481
Peter Workum 11 2004 Subaru STI DNS DNS DNS


In the La Carrera/Vintage Division it looks like Doug Mockett is getting a good handle on things as his times are improving every session. Keeping in mind that consistency is the key to success things are looking very interesting since not only has Doug's car been consistent but in fact he has improved every session. He could be the car to watch. Another car that has done extremely well consistency wise is Ralph Carungi and Bill Richert in the 1954 Lincoln. Now everyone will have some time to work on the cars and rest before the grand day arrives. With any luck they should have everything all dialed in by now and be able to gets lots of much needed rest.



Division: Vintage

Driver Name Number Vehicle Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4 Run 5 Run 6 Run 7 Run 8
Keith Davidson 163 1963 Ford Falcon 03:23.921 03:01.561 02:55.263 02:50.650 02:47.027 02:43.896 02:41.065 02:41.782
Bob Hill 66 1966 Ford Mustang 02:51.793 02:51.748 02:45.428 02:43.911 02:43.561 02:47.074 02:50.919 DNS
Angelica Garcia/Douglas Mockett 133 1954 Oldsmobile Super 88 02:50.366 02:47.199 02:46.244 02:44.744 DNS DNS DNS DNS
Jess Neal 42 1971 Plymouth Cuda 02:56.331 02:53.871 02:49.722 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS
Mike Jones/Doug Coffey 220 1966 Ford Mustang 03:03.018 02:59.807 02:57.592 02:57.385 02:53.559 DNS DNS DNS
Joel Jantzen 656 1965 Ford Mustang 03:00.465 03:08.312 02:56.250 02:54.431 02:53.861 DNS DNS DNS
John Daniels/Bob Youngdahl 145 1949 Cadillac Sedanette 03:13.313 03:07.881 03:00.286 02:58.277 02:59.698 DNS DNS DNS
Ralph Carungi/Bill Richert 101 1954 Lincoln Capri 03:15.361 03:12.006 03:05.959 03:05.220 03:03.432 03:02.356 03:00.727 DNS
Douglas Allen 369 1965 Ford Mustang 03:50.556 03:25.530 03:09.623 03:08.822 03:13.148 DNS DNS DNS
Chip Johns 385 1964 Ford Rally Falcon 03:22.520 03:13.142 DNS 03:18.374 03:10.734 DNS DNS DNS
Todd Landon 399 1967 Ford Mustang 03:22.335 DNS DNS 03:14.365 DNS DNS DNS DNS
David Cooper 403 1951 Chrysler New Yorker 03:28.957 03:23.810 03:23.935 03:20.437 03:22.338 DNS DNS DNS
Jim Linton 816 1969 Ford Mustang 03:21.401 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS
Carlile Wiley/Christopher Salyer 203 1954 Chevy Corvette 03:27.573 03:22.973 03:21.779 03:23.107 DNS DNS DNS DNS
Richard Hamlin/Richard Morrison 422 1958 Mercedes 220S Coupe 03:59.145 03:54.673 03:56.622 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS
Gerie Bledsoe 395 1963 Chevy Nova DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS
Dean Smith/Ashley Akey 357 1961 Chrysler 300R DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS

I was told the Vintage division photos would be coming but nothing thus far. As soon as they are available I will post them. In the mean time here are some more photos of Kevin patiently trying to learn the dirt section yesterday.