Races didn’t come much more competitive, challenging, grueling, more followed, and unfortunately, more deadly, than the race that’s now widely described as “the last great road race,” the legendary Carrera Panamericana! A 2000 miles border-to-border hot dash through the heart of Mexico, Carrera Panamericana was launched by the Mexican government in 1950 to celebrate the completion of a Pan-American Highway and to also attract international business to the country.
However, the race would only last five years. With a total of 27 deaths recorded in those years, it became the deadliest racing competition in the world. Not able to bear it, the Mexican government effectively put an end to the Panamericana competition in 1954. But it was revived in 1988 and continues till date. Nonetheless, the first five years remain the golden years, and it's known as the 'original' Carrera Panamericana — asides from the deaths, there were so many adorable things about the iconic Mexican road race.
10 Completely Legal
Most big racing competitions all over the world are guided by several restrictive laws and regulations, and only certified race car drivers are eligible to participate in them. Not the Carrera Panamericana. The event is open to all categories of people, whether professionals or amateurs.
Notably, such kinds of free for all races — like the Cannonball Run — are mostly illegal, as there aren’t any rules or regulations backing them. However, with the full backing of the Mexican government, the Carrera Panamericana is completely legal.
9 Diverse & Inclusive
While the Carrera Panamericana was organized by the Mexican government and took place in Mexico, it however had several racers from different nationalities in attendance. The event was hugely promoted and publicized by the Mexican government.
Hence, more than 130 competitors made up of different nationalities — which include the United States, Spain, and Italy — took part in the curtain-raiser. Also, there was no gender discrimination; of the more than 130 competitors in the first race in 1950, nine were women drivers.
8 Endorsed By Great Automotive Companies
Having started with amateur racers with majorly stock production cars, the Carrera Panamericana quickly spiraled into a massive racing event that had the biggest automotive companies in the world building cars specifically to win the competition and assert their superiority over rival companies.
Some of the biggest first responders in the event include Alfa Romeo and Mercedes (Mercedes sent a team in 1952). Lancia, Ferrari, Jaguar, and Porsche are also some of the high-profile companies to have sent teams to the Panamericana.
7 Extremely Challenging Racing Factors
Several factors contribute to the Carrera Panamericana being called the most difficult race in the world. Asides from the challenging and unfamiliar road network which unfortunately has killed several racers and spectators, the race also gets extremely challenging due to extreme climatic conditions.
Beginning from a tropical climate with humid and high temperatures, the road network stretches from sea level to about 3000 meters above sea level. In just 72 hours, the temperature could go from near freezing to as high as 34 degrees. Amazing!
6 Featured Some Of The World’s Greatest Cars
What’s a car racing event without amazing cars? That said, the Carrera Panamericana had some of the greatest cars ever built in the world grace its track. Starting with the winners, the original Carrera Panamericana races were won in an Oldsmobile 88, a Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale, Mercedes-Benz W194, Lancia D24 Pinin Farina, and a Ferrari 375 Plus Pinin Farina.
With the categories getting bigger, Porsche also enjoyed great success in class wins with the 550 Spyder, while Ford’s Caballo de Hiero was among fans’ favorite.
5 World’s Greatest Racecar Drivers Participated
Notably, it was amateur drivers that majorly took the wheel of their cars for the first-ever Carrera Panamericana race. Nonetheless, these amateurs and the organizers did just enough to get the world’s attention, thereby luring in some of the most iconic names and drivers in the world motor racing sphere for subsequent events.
Among the big racing names that featured in the Carrera Panamericana are Bill France, founder of NASCAR, along with other popular racers like Juan Manuel Fangio, Carroll Shelby, Louis Chiron, A.K. Miller, and many more.
4 Extraordinary Victories Feats
Making it to the finish line in one piece at the Carrera Panamericana is a great feat, but winning it is truly inspirational. In what has become one of the great stories out of Carrera Panamericana, the Mercedes team won the 1952 race against all odds.
Team driver Karl Kling, taking a fast right turn, ran into a vulture that smashed through his windshield leaving his co-driver Hans Klenk with deep facial cuts. Notwithstanding, the team raced on, winning the event by half an hour.
3 Culturally Rich & Multi-Faceted
The Carrera Panamericana was designed simply as a racing competition, however, it quickly became one of the richest displays of culture, heritage, and promotion of great human virtues as seen through the persevering and great sporting spirit displayed by the drivers all through the event.
Notably, the event showcased Mexican culture, Spanish-colonialism, American racing heritage, and iconic cars, as well. It also featured great foods, drinks, exotic destinations, and glamorous women — all combining to make the Carrera Panamericana as memorable as it could ever be.
2 Huge Following
Ironically, even with rising driver and spectator deaths, the Carrera Panamericana didn’t lose followership. The event got bigger — more drivers, and a greater spectating crowd. Trooping out in droves along the Panamericana highway, Mexicans, non-Mexicans, and tourists come in huge numbers to watch the show.
From estimates, in the event’s five years duration, over two million people lined the newly constructed highway to watch the show. This makes Carrera Panamericana the most followed motorsports event in the world, in its era.
1 Greatly Organized
While the huge death record of the Carrera Panamericana often overshadows the greatness of the event during conversations, the Mexican government however did put on an exemplary show of event planning and organization.
The government had virtually every motorsport event represented, and it also had some of its representatives work closely with the American Automobile Association and several other motorsports groups in organizing and promoting the event. A major pointer to this was the participation of specially made Alfa Romeo coupes even as early as the first race.