La Carrera Panamericana Mexico. There were two major roads in Mexico that were started to build in 1

During the post war era, Mexico, for the vast americans, was an undereducated country with lazy people under big sombreros.

As for the American people, I must say that all countries south from Texas seemed the same-far away from reality-, with low class people.

Eisenhower has created the great National highways plan and prosperity was all over. But Mexico was trying to make their country easy to ride for commerce and tourism purposes. Also the Pan American road started its construction, and Mexico’s section drove from Texas to Guatemala.

There were two major roads in Mexico that were started to build in 1935. One was the Central Highway with directions from Texas border to Chihuaua, then Durango going to Leon and finally arriving to Mexico DF.

The other major road started in the Mexico City, with direction to Puebla, Tuxla Gutierrez, ending in the Guatemalan border.

When they were finished, they represented nearly the twenty five percent of all the paved roads in Mexico.

A smart move to promote these new roads was planned by the Asociacion Mexicana Automovilistica and the Asociacion Nacional automovilisticva, and that was to organize a race.

Since the Second World War started, no major car races were organized and all the mexicans were enthusiastic about this idea.

It would be a long distance road race; very similar to the popular argentine “Turismo de Carretera” races.

By august 1949, the Organizing Committees started to work very hard and a Mexican Pontiac Dealer, Mr. Antonio Cornejo, was designed as the General Manager for the race. Mr. Cornejo was well educated, with fluent English spoken and this was a very strong point in order to attract American racers.

The financing was one of the main issues, but Antonio Cornejo was a successful businessman and he collected the necessary funds from other businesses from the car industry.

In order to get technical assistance, Cornejo contacted the American Automobile Association and at the same time, the Committee sent Press Releases with complete information about the race to American newspapers and magazines. Of course they were sent also to all the members of the American Automobile Association, which included racecar owners and teams.

The date of the start for the race was May 5, or “Cinco de Mayo”, the National holiday, and the location choice for that date was Ciudad Juarez, just front from El Paso, Texas, only divided by the Rio Grande.

One of the first drivers from the north side of Rio Grande was Herschel Mc Griff, together with Ray Elliott. Ray once appeared at Mc Griff’s house with a brand new Oldsmobile 88. The other partner in this team adventure was Sundstrom. They decorated the car with the lettering:” For You, a Rose in Portland Grows” and the Oldsmobile was soon named as the Spirit of Portland.

The total length of the race would be 2.178 mile, divided in nine legs, and for the winner, the cash prize was two hundred and thirty two dollars.

The rules for the racecars were very simple, as the cars should be strictly stock.

This race was an instant hit for American stock car racers, so the success of the race was nearly guaranteed.

A good amount of vehicles- 132, would took part of the start and the drawing for starting positions was done in Mexico DF in April 29, 1950.

Also many Europeans were interested in taking part of the Carrera Panamericana, as Felice Bonetto and Piero Taruffi who would drove two Alfa Romeos 6 C 2500 Coupes.

Even an old 1937 Hudson would start the race, with Mexican driver Ismael Alvarez at the wheel. Big names as Curtis Turner, Bill France, Bob and Fonty Flock, among Pikes Peak Hill climb champions Al and Ralph Rogers.

The first-ever racer to start was 1950 Hudson driven by Luis Iglesias Davalos.

Most of the cars in the first edition were Buicks, Cadillacs, Fords, Lincoln and Oldsmobiles. Only a few European vistis, as the pair of Alfa Romeos, one Jaguar driven by Jorgen Thayssen and one Talbot Lago, curiously driven by an American, Edward Walker from North Hollywood, California.

The very first winner was the Oldsmobile from Herschel Mc Griff of Portland, Oregon.

The 1951 edition shoed an army of Chrysler Saratogas, Hudson Hornets and Oldsmobiles, but one of the only eight European cars was the winner: Piero Taruffi’s Ferrari 212 Inter.

The 1952 edition shoed a “Categoria Sport” division, now with 22 European cars, mostly Ferrari, Lancias and just three Mercedes Benz, but with strong drivers as Hermann Lang, John Fitch and Karl Kling, who finally won the race.

The 1953-year race saw four different divisions: Sport International, Sport up to 1500 cc, Turismo Internacional and Turismo Especial.

In this last division, surprisingly there were 54 Fords, but the winner was the greatest Formula One driver of all times, the “Maestro” Juan Manuel Fangio, at the wheel of his Lancia D-24. In the Sport division, the winner was Jose Herrarte from Guatemala, while in the Turismo Internacional division, Chuck Stevenson in his Lincoln Capri awarded the top place, while in Turismo Especial the winner was C. D. Evans.

An amazing amount of 64 drivers came from Argentina, with multiple Turismo Carretera champion Oscar Galvez as the big star. But also other great argentine drivers as Ernesto Petrini, Tadeo Tadia, Domingo Marimon, Oscar Cabalen, Daniel, Musso, and Angel Lo Valvo, among others.

The last- ever edition saw Ray Crawford with his Lincoln Capri as the winner in Turismo, while the great Umberto Maglioli won in Sports with the Ferrari 375, in sports was Hans Hermann the winner, Sanessi with his Alfa Romeo 1900 in Turismo Europeo and finally, in the Turismo Especial division, the leader was Tommy Drisdale at the wheel of the Dodge V-8 The very first winner was the Oldsmobile from Herschel Mc Griff of Portland, Oregon

The Mexican Road Race lived a short life, with 26 people who lost their lives. It was a very dangerous race for both drivers and spectators. Also the power of the cars dramatically has increased since 1950 to nearly the double in some cases, by 1954 and the average speed, also increased in around 30 miles per hour faster than in its first edition.

Lincoln was the most successful brand in this race, with three consecutives one and two finished car.

But the decision to end this race was helped not only with the 26 deaths, but also with the biggest accident in motor racing history: the 86 death tool at the classic Le Mans 24 Hours race when Levegh’s car went into the spectators.

Mercedes Benz retired from motor sports due to this accident It was enough for “La Carrera Panamericana”.