Carrera Panamericana

The Carrera Panamericana is a car race on public roads in Mexico, similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy. There was one like this for the World Sportscar Championship.

The event

After the Mexican section of the Panamerican Highway was completed in 1950, he was consecrated cross with a multi-day stage race from north to south through the country. In 1951 the route was traveled from south to north. Because of too many fatal accidents, the road race in 1954 was the last time discharged and adjusted thereafter. From the year 1988, the event was added back as a rally for vintage cars.

In the first year, 1950, the Carrera Panamericana led from the northern border of Mexico to the southern boundary over a distance of 3436 km. So the race was twice as long as the Mille Miglia. There were nine stages that led from the Texas border to Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Parral, Durango, Leon, Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca, Tuxtla Gutiérrez and El Ocotal. The start was on May 5, 1950 the goal was reached after 6 days on May 10. For the first race in 1950, only five-seater series sedans were admitted. It won an Oldsmobile 88 In subsequent years, the Carrera Panamericana was driven from the south to the north, the race categories has been expanded. It was found that the European sports cars were much faster than the heavy American sedans. 1951 won a Ferrari.

1952 won the Mercedes- Benz 300 SL of Karl Kling / Hans Klenk, although a vulture had destroyed the windscreen, injuring the passenger.

After victories in the smaller classes in this race Porsche later called one model at a series - usually the most powerful - Carrera and the Panamera has its name from the fact, as well as the study design Porsche Panamericana.

The race was banned after 1954 and revived only in 1988, has been linked with old traditions and regulations.

In 2006, as a further class of the Unlimited Class recorded. This made it possible for the first time also for cars younger cohorts to participate in the race. The inaugural 2006 race was won by Rachel Larratt, Teilhaberin of BMEzine, in a Lotus Elise. In 2007, the twentieth anniversary of the modern race was celebrated, it was also the biggest race with the highest number of participants.

Overall winner