Race to Copper Canyon

Today was great! As Dad told the race director today, these are world class rally roads, and though I really have no expertise to prove that, I will just have to agree because today kicked ass. I wish I could have all of you in the car with us to experience the rush of racing on closed roads at unlimited speeds with a driver I completely trust. We are taking some in-car GoPro footage but it just doesn't do it justice. I think the videos make it seem slo-mo. Anyway, did I mention how much fun we are having??

More beautiful Chihuahuan countryside. We had a long transit through land like this to the race sections, which were higher elevation and quite wooded. 

Servicio today was in Creel (twice). The crews left much earlier than we to arrive to the service spot before the roads close. Left to right is Jack Roger's Mustang, our Vicky, and Jake Shuttleworth's '54 Ford. 

Racing to the top of Divisadero, the outlook of Cooper Canyon, was a blast. The views didn't stink. 

Gregg is getting a first hand experience of car/mechanic/service crews. He is the best windshield washer around! 

The office:

Aaand...we wind the Original Pan Am class again today! 

One more day of racing - tomorrow east to Ojinaga (or Okinawa as Dad keeps saying). 

Giddy up! 

P.S. I hope this all makes sense. It's 10:45pm here and i don't have much brain power left today. I'll tell better stories later! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Madera in the Sun and the Rain

Today was a whirlwind! The day started beautiful with pretty clouds that turn to storm clouds by the afternoon. Regardless, we raced across some beautiful country in the state of Chihuahua. 

I really don't have many photos from today because it was nonstop. For some reason the transits (sections in between the speed sections) are really tight. Usually, if the sections aren't back to back and have about 30 km or more between, you have time to get out of the car and take a breather and there is especially usually time to take a breather at the servicio stop. Not today. It was hurry up to the next section and servicio was a circus and then it was time to haul ass down the road. I did have time to take one picture before a speed stage:

The Chihuahuan countryside is beautiful. This area was very agricultural with rangeland with cattle, horses, crops and many fruit trees. 

A few rain drops hit our windshields in the afternoon and then the heavens opened and the Chihuahua Deluge of 2016 happened. We, fortunately, we're done with the last speed section before it really came down. Others weren't so lucky. The streets of Chihuahua City were flooded and some of the cars with lower clearance had terrible troubles. We got soaked but found a minute to seek refuge in a car trailer in the hotel parking lot and share some laughs. 

The best news is: we won our class today! We only have three cars in our class and we are all friends so we have some healthy competition going on. Looking forward to Copper Canyon tomorrow! 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Qualifying and Blessings

All went smoothly today. We had the qualification run that not only determines the order of go for tomorrow but also gives everyone a chance to shake off the cobwebs, make sure all the equipment works, get used to the timing system and score cards, and see how the cars are running. It is good to get everyone's nerves out and to have a sort of dry run before diving in for all day tomorrow. 

We qualified well - the middle of the pack. Good place to be for us. The run was smooth and it felt really good to be back in the car. She feels like home! 

Gregg and I made a Walmart trip in the afternoon for some essentials for the servicio truck tomorrow. Gregg and Chislana Greggory are driving our truck with spare parts and snacks tomorrow and will be waiting for is at the servicio (service and lunch stop in the middle of the day). For Gregg's family: he is in excellent hands. Chrislana is an excellent navigator (I learned from her) and they will be with the other service crews. Chrislana's husband John and son Matt are also racing. 

Dad and Gregg putting on the car numbers after passing tech. 

 

Late night important "meeting."

 This evening we took the cars to a park for a blessing from a Tarahumara Indian. They live near the Copper Canyon where we race Saturday. I have video but it won't let me post it here. :( He gave a traditional blessing and song over our helmets for safety. 

Off in a north west direction in the morning to Madera and back. Giddy up! 

 

¡Ay, Chihuahua!

We are back to race in Old Mexico in the '54 Vicky (Ford Victoria). Dad and I last raced the Chihuahua Express in 2008 and we are excited to be back. It is so much fun to see old friends with whom we've raced over the years. My boyfriend Gregg is along to experience this racing business for the first time. He might think we are really nuts by the end of the week! 

This is the route for three days of racing. A benefit to this race is returning to the same hotel in Chihuahua City each night. 

Dad left California Monday morning and, to make a long story short, discovered a leaky fuel cell, found one in Santa Paula, drove to Phoenix, I found a shop and a great fabricator in Phoenix, we spent most of Tuesday fitting the new (slightly different size) fuel cell to the new trunk and refitting brackets for everything else in the truck, and finally got on the road Tuesday afternoon. 

And back on the road! 

We got into El Paso at 2:00am Wednesday morning and got some much-needed sleep. Wednesday morning was the always-dreaded border crossing. It isn't dreaded because of safety, it's dreaded because there is always some sort of snafu with paperwork. A person can only take two vehicles into Mexico in his name at one time. So the truck and car trailer in Dad's name are ok but he has to sign the race car over to me. This worked in the past but due to some minor technicalities, we had an issue. Fortunately, it was resolved by having Mom text a picture of a copy of my birth certificate and an hour and a few hoops later, we were on our way. 

We arrived to Chihuahua City at about 4:00pm and got the car and us through tech inspection. There are two other cars in our class (Original PanAm) which is very exciting to have a "full" class that will run! These old original cars are few but it will be great to have our own class and not be lumped into another. 

 

Off to qualification today to determine starting order for tomorrow. More photos to come!