2006.08.31 Tire announcement

The historic races have announced:

Due to the shortage of proper tires both in 15” for Historic C Class and high performance 16” for Turismo Mayor cars, La Carrera Panamericana 2006 is permitting the use of Yokohama A 032R with 60 rating of treadwear or any other high performance 60 treadwear rated tire in 16” wheels.

We will be adopting their rule for the Unlimited Class as well.

1954 Cadillac: GM’s Performance Division celebrates the spirit of competition at La Carrera Panamericana in 2006

(from GM Press Release)

52 years ago, Keith Andrews and Blu Plemons competed in the 1954 Carrera Panamericana - the Mexican Road Race.

Their privately funded 1954 Cadillac Series 62 coupe challenged the factory-backed teams, beating all of them on the final two stages.

Mr. Plemons has vivid memories of that race, recalling with delight the adventure by “5 ordinary guys from Colorado”. With a car ‘loaned’ by a local Colorado Springs independent car dealer (Barry Motor Sales), Andrews and Plemons were joined by three friends to take on a factory team that arrived with 28 mechanics, a doctor, a cook, a p.r. man, four cars and drivers, not to mention two photographers. In spite of the daunting odds, Andrews and Plemons almost won it all.

This year a “new” 1954 Cadillac “Carrera Panamericana” has taken shape at GM’s Performance Division in Warren, Michigan. The re-creation was a “frame-on” restoration beginning with a vintage car discovered in GM’s vehicle inventory that matched the original racer’s specs …even in color.

“We made updates that would enhance the vehicle and occupant safety but maintain the original design intent,” said Al Oppenheiser, GM Performance Division director of concept vehicle engineering.

“Their performance in 1954 is consistent with Cadillac’s DNA” said Kevin Smith, Manager Cadillac Communications. “Cadillac’s introduced America’s first V8 in 1914, the first V16 in 1929 and the first high-compression OHV V8 in 1948. Today, the V-Series CTS, STS and XLR express Cadillac’s performance heritage with power and style”.

The partnership of GM’s Performance Division and Cadillac delivers exciting benefits to people who have a passion for driving great cars. The V-Series Cadillacs, developed by the Performance Division, are some of the most powerful ever, offering levels of style, performance and exclusivity clearly projecting the ‘Breakthrough’ attitude that defines the brand.

Current plans have the 1954 Carrera Cadillac entered in this fall’s restaging of the Carrera Panamericana. At the starting line in Oaxaca, Blu Plemons will be reunited with this replica of the car that he and Keith Andrews entered 52 years ago. Andrews, unfortunately, was fatally injured in a crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during practice for the 1957 Indy 500.

Ferrari F430 in celebration of La Carrera Panamericana

Ferrari released the F430 in celebration of their last win at La Carrera Panamericana and then took the F430 to Mexico and ran La Carrera Panamericana’s route and made a nice promotional film to go along with it. Enjoy!

To correct their video, 1954 was not the last year of La Carrera Panamericana. For the last 18 years it has been a succesful historic race. This year, The Unlimited Class will bring back modern cars to the race. See you in Mexico Ferrari!

The hillsides filled full of catus seen in the video are part of Day 2- Oaxaca to Puebla Looking at the still pictures is recommended.

Autodromo Mexico City • La Carrera will race for the fans before the CART race!

As posted here in the day 3 pre-run notes, we will be racing Mexico City Autodromo Hnos. Rodriguez before the CART race. This is NOT a parade lap, folks! We are RACING! Nice velocity section! Here is the official announcement:

August 1, 2006, Mexico City – The Champ Car World Series will arrive to Mexico City next November 10, 11 y 12 to celebrate it’s season finale at the Autodromo Hnos. Rodriguez, but this time they will be sharing the track with one of the most important historic races of the world : La Carrera Panamericana.

The new edition of the famous race of the 50´s started in 1988 and since then a long tradition of new winners and exciting competition from drivers and cars from all around the world race from south to north in the highways of Mexico reaching speeds over 200 mph.

“During the course of the years we have worked really hard to innovate and bring a better show to the fans in our race, the Carrera Panamericana is the first of the surprises we have prepared for this year” said Federico Alaman, promoter of the Gran Premio de Mexico. “In the past the Autodromo Hnos. Rodriguez has held races of the best series like F-1, Champ Car, NASCAR Busch, Grand Am, Prototypes, Superbike and Trans Am among many others. We are very happy that the organization of the Carrera Panamericana accepted our invitation, this will be a great show along with Champ Car for the fans, and we will contribute to the rich history and tradition of the race”.

A total of 100 cars will start the Carrera Panamericana Friday November 10th in Oaxaca and they will arrive to Mexico City two days later. The promoters have arranged a speed stage around 9:00 am the 12th, CART race day (time to be confirmed). After their participation on the Gran Premio de Mexico, the caravan will continue it’s journey until they reach Monterrey on November 16th.

“This is great news for all the participants of the Carrera Panamericana, in the past our event has raced in other racetracks of the country, but this will be our first time at the Autodromo Hnos. Rodriguez, it’s a great opportunity and we are very thankful to OCESA for the invitation, we will contribute to make the Gran Premio de Mexico the biggest motorsport event in Mexico in 2006” said Eduardo Leon, promoter of the Carrera Panamericana.

DAY 4 • Querétaro to Morelia

To be held Monday, November 13th, 2006
Day 4 is a GREAT day of racing, but it does have some long transit sections. In the morning, there is a one hour transit before we get to the first unlimited velocity section. Velocity Section 1 is a fast section through shallow hills.

Velocity section two is a lead up to the inspired third and fourth sections, which are held at “Mil Cumbres”, or “1000 curves”! Driving Mil Cumbres is nothing short of amazing.

I would imagine that stages 2-4 are what great racing was once like in the Del Monte Forest in Pebble Beach. Trees … lush scenery … wonderfully banked turns …

The world over, these are the type of roads that all drivers call their favorites.

This will be some awesome racing!!! WATCH this video and LOOK at these roads!!!! WOW!!

Pebble Beach

I will be headed up to Pebble Beach on Thursday- Sunday if any of our drivers or race fans will be there send me an email and come say hello! (Bret -a-t- TheUnlimited Class dot com.)
I am looking forward to seeing the unveiling of James Glickenhaus’s Ferrari P 4/5 by Pininfarina! What a great looking one of a kind Ferrari!

I will also be blogging another pre-run stage here (hopefully tomorrow). The Maxtor drive that the footage was on died before the last days were uploaded and the footage needs to be re-digitized. Maxtors seem to crash a lot, I will not buy another one after this.)