What if?

Gary's 97 GTS Coupe


There are some days when I am driving around wondering what it would be like to run La Carrera Panamericana in my daily driver and leave the race car at home? Wonder how the Subaru guys would look in the rear view mirror? Then again there are those sneaky topes. Would be interesting.

Things Kevin & Mark said while doing 170MPH thru Mexico City

Kevin said, "Holly crap, I still have another gear!"

Mark said, "I was just wondering.... did anyone see what in the hell Mexico City looked like? I seemed to have missed it."

I was just kidding. What was really said was this.... "Hey Mark, it says here in the route book that there is a new Hooter's opening in down town Mexico City. If we hurry we can catch the grand opeing."

Kevin asked if anyone had any video of him driving thru downtown Mexico City....... All I can say is, "DON'T BLINK."


If you think this is good just wait until the new HD DVD comes out.

Here's some of what we missed

Finish line at the 1954 La Carrera Panamericana.


For those of us who have raced La Carrera Panamericana one of the things we hate most is not being able to take time to smell the roses so to speak. I'm talking about hauling ass all the way from one end up thru the backbone of Mexico all the way to the other and never really being able to remember what anything looked like. After all, if you take your eyes off the road for even a few brief seconds at the speeds we were traveling to enjoy some scenic site you may not live to tell about it. In all honesty I saw more of Mexico on blogs, websites, newspaper and other people's video quips than I did during the entire Jon and I raced there.

But now thanks to "BEAR'S MEXICO PAGE" all that has changed. I was amazed how many places I recognized on Bear's site and it truly took me back. Some of these places are intimately special and remembering passing thru them on transit stages was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us. It's impossible to explain the rush while people wave, children smile, senoritas blush, donkeys run for cover and the police are having a blast taking part. At least now I can sit back with a cold one, look at these photos and reminice all I want as so many of these photos look exactly like the very highways we raced on. Carretera means highway.

CARRETERAS 135 AND 190 FROM OAXACA

CARRETERA 51

OAXACA CITY

Two Wiiild And Craaaazy Guys

Kevin and Mark before Mark grew a beard. (Honest it's them.)

Ever notice how some people leave a more lasting impression on people than others? Having met Kevin Jones and co-piloto, better known as "partner in crime" Mark Williams we found them to be the kinds of guys we are proud to call our friends. Hey, I don't know what in the hell to say about them owning a pink iPod but some question are better left unasked. Besides, what goes on in Mexico stays in Mexico or so I'm told.

Check out the video Kevin and Mark shot as they traveled thru parts of Mexico on their way to race the Chihuahua Express. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO. After leaving Chihuahua every Chihuahua in the city of Chihuahua had been "sand proofed" at the request of the Subaru team. Some say they saw Mark and Kevin holding down the dog in the photo while saying, "It's the least we can do for the people of Chihuahua. Besides, what else can we do since there are no pigeons here?"

Research Proves Speeding Can Be Safe

Once in a while I am asked if I feel comfortable while speeding on the highways of Mexico. After giving this some thought Jon and I set out on doing some tongue in cheek research.

For years we have all heard reasons why we should slow down; Things like it saves gas, it's safer, less wear and tear on the car as well as the highways and many more reasons. But recent;y while doing some research of our own we learned that there are always exceptions to the rule. During our research we learned the depending on the circumstances that speeding can in fact save lives. Watch our recorded research that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that speeding was a good thing in this case.

CHUCK DAIGH MEMORIAL La Carrera Member

Some of you might remember a recent post I made paying respect to Chuck Daigh who had competed in La Carrera Panamericana back in the 50's. Here is a well written obit about Chuck and many of his accomplishments.



CHUCK DAIGH, THE UNSUNG HERO
By Art Evans

Carroll Shelby once remarked, “There are only two people I can think of who could sit
down, take a welding torch, build their own chassis, go out to test it and then win races with it.

They are Jack Brabham and Chuck Daigh. I put Chuck in the same category as Jack.”
Except for the war years, Chuck Daigh has been associated in one way or another with
internal combustion engines. At age 15, while still in high school, he ran a Union Oil gas station in Long Beach where he grew up. In his eighth decade he was busy at work preparing a car for a record run at Bonneville. Between those times, he had a legendary career both behind the wheel and wielding a wrench. Bruce Kessler told me recently that he thinks Chuck was the most under appreciated racing driver of his time. According to his Sebring teammate, Dan Gurney, “Chuck was not only an excellent engineer, but he could also drive the wheels off a car.” Dan went on to
say, “When I got into racing, I soon found out who the real heavyweights were. In those days,Chuck was like a god to us.”

Daigh’s parents moved to Long Beach in 1923 where Chuck was born on November 29th
of that year. His father owned and operated a garage where, according to older brother Harold, they grew up. Both were typical hot rodders. They made a car with a Model A chassis and an Alfa Romeo body. Chuck graduated from Compton High School in 1941.

Along came the war and Chuck joined up and served with the famed 82nd Airborne
Division for the duration. In the spring of 1943, the division parachuted into Sicily and later dropped near Salerno, Italy, and took Naples in October. The next month, they left for England to prepare for D Day, when they jumped into Normandy. After the Battle of the Bulge, they took Luxemburg where Chuck was shot and mustered out in 1945.

Returning to Long Beach, Chuck and Harold built a track roadster and raced it at Carroll Speedway in Gardena. Chuck was out practicing when J.C. Agajanian came over and asked Harold who was driving. Harold replied, “Oh, that’s Chuck; he’s just fooling around.” “I don’t know about that,” J.C. said, “but he just broke the track record!”

In 1952, Benson Ford hired Chuck, Clay Smith and Bill Stroppe to build Lincolns for the Mexican Road Race. Chuck went along as a riding mechanic and navigator. His first sports car race was at Moffett Field in 1953 piloting Marion Lowe’s Frazer Nash. Then he came in fourth overall in the main event at the October Terminal Island race behind the wheel of the ex-Dan Parkinson (Phil Hill’s brother-in-law) Jaguar Special. His first sports car victory was at Willow Springs in May 1954 driving his Kurtis with a Lincoln engine. Next, he started driving the
Troutman-Barnes Special for Dick and Tom. After winning the fall 1955 Santa Barbara, he campaigned the car for another year winning more than his share of races and always was a front-runner.

In 1957, Lance Reventlow asked Troutman and Barnes to build an all-American sports
car. The partners wanted to involve Chuck, so he went to work at Warren Olson’s shop where the car was to be constructed. Warren said of Chuck, “He was one of my two most valuable employees; the other being Phil Remington. Chuck would try anything. If something didn’t work, it didn’t bother him. He would just try something else or do it a different way.” Chuck was responsible for the Scarab engine, suspension and brakes. The first Scarab—the Mark I—won its second race at Santa Barbara with Lance at the wheel.

The first big-time professional road race in Southern California was the U.S. Grand Prix for Sports Cars sponsored by the Los Angeles Times in October 1958. Lance had named Chuck his number one driver and entered two Mark IIs. Chuck won against very serious competition, making a name for the marque. That year, in a Scarab, Daigh won the opener at Meadowdale. At Montgomery he defeated the Cunningham Lister team led by Walt Hansgen, and won at Laguna Seca and Nassau.

After the Scarab days, Chuck raced at Sebring three times, winning one with Dan Gurney in a Ferrari Testa Rossa. He also race in Europe including Silverstone and Le Mans, usually in a Maserati. During Carroll Shelby’s GT-40 effort at Le Mans, Daigh was in charge of carburetion. Even so, the Ford mechanics thought they knew better. Bruce McLaren went out to practice and complained, so, unknown to the factory people, Chuck fixed the problem. Bruce credited both his Le Mans wins in part to Chuck.

Daigh didn’t confine himself to four wheels. He had a very successful career with an
offshore racer called the Thunderball. Chuck not only built the engine, but was also the pilot. In later years, he left Long Beach and moved to Costa Mesa where he set up shop. A few years ago, I visited Chuck in Costa Mesa. There sat his Bonneville streamliner, up on blocks. It was gorgeous; a work of art! It seemed to me it would be as at home in the Petersen Museum as on the Salt Flats.

After a brief illness, on Tuesday morning, April 29, 2008, Chuck Daigh passed on. He
was 84 years old. He was not only a great driver and designer/mechanic, but also a wonderful person. I’ll miss him. I understand a Scarab reunion is planned for the July 17-20 Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman at Road America. Augie Pabst told me that a remembrance of Chuck Daigh will be included in the celebration.

We Live Vicariously Thru Them

Since Jon and I will not be attending this years La Carrera Panamericana it does not mean that we are not dreaming about it. At times family and business must come first but in either event there will be a tomorrow. In the mean time we live vicariously through other's stories all of which are exciting and filled with anticipation.

Today while I was talking with none other than Hershel McGriff we both agreed that having been involved in La Carrera Panamericana there will never be an end to the dream of returning again someday. The cars, the cheering and waving spectators, the danger, excitement, the ups, the downs and more. Yes, it is in fact a disease and I am happy to report there in no cure in sight. The only way we will ever be satisfied is to return and do it all over again. There is a remote possibility that Hershel and I might fly down to take part in CONCURSO MOTOR SPORTS SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE to be held in October 2008 in the beautiful Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende, the site of the first Concurso de Motor Sports Panamericana. The event will be a weekend of classic cars, vintage motorcycles, and motor sports entertainment. The Concurso will raise funds for groups providing assistance to the children of San Miguel de Allende and the area. Last year this is the village where we spent two days and nights with the Coyote Convoy and it is simply one of the most beautiful places in the world.















Gerie Bledsoe and his kids

Speaking of living vicariously... Last weekend at Ron Lee's fiesta I met a couple of guys who are getting prepared to compete in this year's La Carrera Panamericana. One of them was John McKain (Don't even ask) and his buddy Brent who will be filling part of the service team. John and his father, Jeff McKain, will be sharing the chores in one of my all-time favorite cars, a 65 GT350. I wonder why I like their choice so much? Hmmm. (Big Tool Man grunt!)

Having spoke to John and Jeff I couldn't help but feel a familiar bond as I hear their excitement of sharing this adventure as a father & son team. How cool is that. John has a fair amount of seat time and he wrote, "I've raced the car since the mid 90's in Tacoma then thru calif , Az and all up and down the east coast until Road Atlanta last year when a suspension failure put old 77 in the wall. We rebuilt it and decided that after a couple more races in 2007, we would retire her and make the Carerra the car's swan song, and then park it." For too many reasons to list Team California's Best would like to wish them well as they prepare for an adventure that us veterans know is to be life changing. I hope we will be able to keep up to speed with reports from them not only to wish them well but so we too can live through them vicariously.


John and Jeff's GT350



John and Jeff's GT350 at Daytona