2009 LCP: Just Around the Corner

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Newsflash: LA CARRERA PANAMERICANA NOW ON TWITTER AND YOUTUBE
This year, La Carrera Panamericana will be even closer to all of it’s fans and followers all over the world on Twitter and YouTube. The organizing committee will publish up to the minute developments of the race from the pre-qualifying stage in Huatulco all the way to the finish line in Nuevo Laredo on Twitter, as well as videos from the speed stages, arrivals and award ceremonies on YouTube. We invite all of our drivers to comunícate these two websites with family members, crews, sponsors and fans so they can enter early and follow us on the web.
The 22nd. edition of La Carrera Panamericana will start on the 23rd. of October covering more than 3,200 km. in 7 days from Huatulco, passing thru Oaxaca, Mexico City, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Guadalajara, Zacatecas and finishing in Nuevo Laredo on October 29th. For more information visit us at: http://www.lacarrerapanamericana.com.mx/
The 2009 La Carrera Panamericana runs from October 23 - 29 and races 2,000 miles across Mexico south to north:

Day 0 (Oct 22): Prerace Qualifications in Hualtuco
Day 1 (Oct 23): Hualtuco to Oaxaca
Day 2 (Oct 24): Oaxaca to Mexico City
Day 3 (Oct 25): Mexico City to Queretaro
Day 4 (Oct 26): Queretaro to San Luis Potosi
Day 5 (Oct 27): San Luis Potosi to Guadalajara
Day 6 (Oct 28): Guadalajara to Zacatecas
Day 7 (Oct 29): Zacatecas to Nuevo Laredo

The changes from last year include a new start on the southern most west coast in Hualtuco, and an overnight in Guadalajara instead of Aguascalientes. Not that we ever get to sightsee but in case we return someday without a race car, Hualtuco looks like an incredible area:

"Hualtuco is located on the Pacific coast of the southwestern Mexican state of Oaxaca, at the foot of the southern tip of Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains, about 250 miles southwest of Acapulco. With mostly sunny days and an average annual temperature of 82F (28C), Huatulco resides in a natural setting of rainforest jungle, waterfalls and pristine rivers. It is the largest ecological reserve designated by the Mexican government, located within a large, undeveloped natural area. Huatulco features one of Mexico's most abundant ecosystems, and a large part of this area has been designated as a national park."


Unknown tourist with a great view of the mountains and beaches of Hualtuco.

Geezer's Team TumbaBurros de Zacatecas (TBZ) will be rolling again in a happy shiny renewed #11 "El Jefe" - his 1952 Ford Victoria. Rene Rodriguez and Vance Stewart III will rotate driving and navigating with Geezer, and Bimbo and Kristin will support in the service truck and trailer.

El Jefe spiffed up and ready to run.


This year Todd is honored to be supporting Gerie Bledsoe, our favorite LCP North American Race Director without whom many, many competitors would never make it to the starting line (or across the Mexican border).

Navigating again for Gerie Bledsoe will be Chris "Coop" Cooper (check out his famous artwork...if you are over 18). Kristin will float between Todd's support crew and Geezer's. Gerie will be racing the "Durango Deuce II" - a vintage Nova, which most everyone knows means, "No Go" in Spanish so we will be disproving that notion.


My favorite PPIHC picture of the the boys: Doug Allen, Todd, Gerie and Geezer (checking out Gerie's cologne).

Geezer in front of Gerie's "Durango Deuce II" at the 2008 PPIHC.

Rumor also has it that our beloved amigo Fernando Garcia of the Mustang Club Chihuahua will be navigating for "Alberto the Austrian" in a Saab. However...... Alberto cannot get out of China due to business committments and cannot pick the car at the US/Mexico border.

According to LCP Race Director Eduardo Leon, there are new issues at the border this year getting cars across. The LCP newsletter said, "This may be the result of problems Mexican trucks are having entering the USA. Basically, Mexican customs do not like us hauling cars into Mexico - permit or not. So, it is a diplomatic problem."

Alberto's Saab is in Tucson and will likely need a broker to get it to the border, where Fernando would then drive it to San Miguel de Allende. Sound complicated? Welcome to the LCP and it doesn't begin for another 2 weeks!

Fernando Garcia and Richard Tyzack at the 2008 Chihuahua Express racing the Bag O'Nails.





See you in Hualtuco!

!Viva La Carrera!

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