The Carrera Panamericana
A couple of races made history ... the Mille Miglia, the
Targa Florio, 24h Le Mans, 12 h of Sebring ... but all
were only a fraction in distance and time compared
with the Carrera Panamericana
In 1924 a conference was held in Santiago de Chile by
the Countries of North and South America, deciding to
construct the Pan-American Highway, to connect
Alaska with Tierra del Fuego. Mexico was the first
country in Latin America to finish this project in 1950
and wanted to draw the world attention to the
completion of the tremendous project and launched
the Carrera Panamericana race the only one of this
kind.
The Carrera Panamericana was held 5 times, the 1st
time in 1950 and until 1954 in each following year. It
this short period it established it’s place in racing
history, among such events with a long tradition such
as the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, 24h Le Mans, 12 h
of Sebring. A point to point race is the most difficult
races in our opinion, because every piece of the track
is new to a driver and we rate the CP as 10. The 1st
edition was a one class race and only saw the large 5
seat American stock production cars at the start.
The 9 legs with a total length of 3436kms had to be
covered in 6 days, twice as in the Mille Miglia and in the
24h of Le Mans. The 1950 race started from the
northern Mexican border to the southern border, in
1951 and the following years the race started in the
south at the border to Guatemala. From 1952 more
race classes were introduced and the 1st leg was
dropped.
... more info about the contemporary Carrera
Panamericana >>>
1950
It was a one class race starting at the northern Mexican
border hitting to the southern border: Ciudad Juarez -
Chihuahua - Parral - Durango - Leon - Mexico - Puebla
- Oaxaca -Tuxtla - El Ocotal
3436 km
1951
In ’51 the race started from south to north … the last
stage .. which would have been the 1st one in ’51 was
dropped, which shortended the Cp by aprx. 200km ..
still a one class race: Tuxtla - Oaxaca - Puebla - Mexico
- Leon - Durango - Parral- Chihuahua - Ciudad Juarez
3113 km
1952
2 classes sport and turismo: Tuxtla - Oaxaca - Puebla -
Mexico - Leon - Durango - Parral- Chihuahua - Ciudad
Juarez
3113 km
1953
4 classes; sport until 1600, sport above 1600, turismo
until 1600 & turismo above 1600
Tuxtla - Oaxaca - Puebla - Mexico - Leon - Durango -
Parral- Chihuahua - Ciudad Juarez
3084 km
1954
5 classes; sport until 1500, sport above 1500, turismo
until 3500, turismo especial & turismo europa
Tuxtla - Oaxaca - Puebla - Mexico - Leon - Durango -
Parral- Chihuahua - Ciudad Juarez
3070 km
|
