2009 LCP: Scrutineering and Tech Inspection

Wednesday we took the race cars a few miles up the coast to the park for registration, scrutineering and tech inspection. The temperature was in the 90s and not too crazy hot but the humidity was very high and we could see storm clouds in the distance. There is hurricane activity just up the coast I hear, though I haven’t seen the news in a handful of days. There were lots of long lines in the hot sun to register, pass through medical inspection, tech inspection on the cars and race gear, and getting race numbers and stickers applied.

The process takes a good half day or more and at times is a cluster. Spectators come to see the cars, there are booths with food, water and beer, tshirts, patches and race gear to buy, and girls washing race cars. It is crowded and a bit of a circus and we found shade where we could and drank lots of water and a few beers. Saw many more of my friends today and most of the chatter is around who has what horsepower, whose cars is rebuilt from last year and checking out the rookie cars.

This hombre could really make the harmonica sing.

Dos gringos explain El Jefe's sticker, "No Big Pedote."

I heard a rumor that Ralph was out late last night......

Rene going over El Jefe with the inspector.

Mi amiga, Dyana Marlett, speaks with the head inspector.
Sweet helmets painted like bloodshot eyeballs.

Kristin gets Team TBZ's suits, shoes, gloves and helmets through tech inspection.

Rene - happy at last.

Rene and I pass tech inspection. It is a giant benefit to have a native Spanish speaker on the team but I knew exactly what the inspector meant when he said accusingly, "You crashed last year." He wanted to ensure we had replaced our seatbelts since then. Rene reminded him that we actually crashed 2 years ago, and yes, we had new harnesses.

Coop finding some shade next to Gerie's Durango Deuce II.

Love this Corvette! When I took this picture I assumed it was a local coming to show off their beautiful car. To my surprise I saw it on the race course the next day. I hate it when people race these beautiful Corvettes - they usually don't fare so well.

My new German girlfriends - Silvia Lindner and Daniela Wagner - these chicas are ready to rock in their Porsche! Though the one behind them isn't theirs (theirs is faster).

There is only one Coop.

Todd reviews the race computer with Coop.

It was hot, baby, hot. We did our best to keep Gerie cool.

El Jefe, all stickered up and with the green light from tech inspection.

What a beautiful young lady! I love that her tshirt says, "OFF-ROAD."

Chatted for a while with these locals - he used to live near me in the Denver area - small world.

Los Bomberos (firefighters) keep an eye on Albert and Fernando's Saab.

Tough looking Falcon by the Euro Latinos.

The cars won't look this pretty every again.

Who is crazy enough to race a beautiful Maserati across Mexico?

A Falcon with a little Dia de los Muertos action on the front grille.

Creepy giant paper mache Mexicanos in a local restaurant. No, I didn't get to enjoy a meal there, I was just using the WC.

Don't mess with Maria, Sacerdotisa de los hongos magicos. 1894 - 1985. Priestess of the Mushrooms, Oaxaca, Mex.

Heading back to the hotel we pulled an old trick on Fernando - leaving without him. What a good sport. He's smiling so he must have forgotten that we really did leave him behind in the desert last year, only to find him at a gas station 3 hours later......still smiling.

Back at the hotel the staff prepares for the first 2009 LCP driver's meeting this evening.

That evening Todd and I hopped in a taxi and told the driver we wanted a restaurant with camarones gigantes (giant shrimp). The guy must have read our minds because he dropped us 10 minutes up the road in a tiny surfing bay with a handful of rough dwellings. The restaurant was an open palapa right on the beach. Surfboards were lined up for rent and a guy we guessed was the surf instructor passed out in a hammock. We ended up with three plates of fresh giant shrimp, a shot of local mescal and a couple of cold beers. The shrimp was amazing, prepared simply with butter and garlic. We were in heaven.

As the sun set the fisherman and surfers came off the beach and we continued to enjoy the restaurant all to ourselves. A quiet moment in time before the official madness of the LCP begins tomorrow - it will not quickly be forgotten. Tiny kittens roamed through the restaurant and our favorite became a white one with black spots. We named her Cow Car Kitty because she looked like Todd’s Land O’Lakes Mustang, “La Vaca de Hiero” – the Cow of Iron, AKA the fastest cow in all of Mexico. She was so tiny and yet she was feeding on her mother who was only a hair bigger. We gave her a few scraps of shrimp and watched her bat a crab around.

Ahh, what an evening - the calm before the storm - and we took it all in.

Cow Car Kitty

Kristin y Bigote Enorme - una comida especial con camarones gigantes

The restaurant - Los Gueros - eat, surf and siesta.

Dinner on the beach.

!Viva Mexico!