Mexico Memories

It was a hell of a party, part Mexican fiesta, part class reunion, part a gathering of the VFW, all rolled into one. The place was the Petersen Automotive Museum and the occasion a reunion of the drivers and other participants in the extraordinary series of endurance races known as La Carrera Panamericana (though, in the U.S., it was frequently just The Mexican Road Race). Among the Carrera veterans, swapping stories over spicy tacos and Mexican beer at the Petersen, were Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby, John Fitch, Jack McAfee, Smokey Yunick, Rodger Ward, Chuck Daigh, and Ak Miller.

The Carrera Panamericana was one of the most prestigious and difficult road races in history, and it was contested by almost every great driver and marque of the era. At one time, Lincoln, Mercedes, Ferrari and Porsche all traded on their success in the Mexican races – whence came the name Porsche Carrera, by the way. Yet, in this era of overbred, cookie-cutter cars and artificial tracks, there’s a whole generation of enthusiasts, not to mention drivers, who have no idea of the unique challenge the Panamericana races presented.