posted
We received the following message from Chacho Medina, Organizer of the Chihuahua Express. The event offers 3 days of rallying and lots of fun!
Message:
As announced, everything is looking very, very good for the second annual
“Chihuahua Express - 2008"
Friday April 11--Sunday April 13, 2008
Entries are now open at a special discount fee of: $ 1,500 US (plus hotel rooms), until December 31st. Regular fee will be $ 1,700, starting Jan. 1, 2008.
A double (or single) room at the luxurious “Westin- Soberano” in Chihuahua city is: $150 US, plus taxes, each night.
We strongly recommend entrants to cover the entry fee as soon as possible, so you can be assured a room (or rooms) at the Westin Soberano since there are only a limited number of rooms availables at the headquarters hotel.
There are many other hotels in Chihuahua city but not as nice: Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Fiesta Inn, City Express, etc.
The Express is also part of the Silver State Classic Challenge International Series. For more information on the International Series go to the SSCC Rule Book on-line at www.sscc.us
This is an excellent opportunity to test your Carrera car, run your Z06, or take your spousal unit on a high-speed vacation to some of the most dramatic landscapes on the continent. It is also cool in April in this part of Mexico.
For information or entry forms in order to register, please contact:
Jerry Churchill email: jerrychurchill@hotmail.com
Gerie Bledsoe email: gbledso@aol.com
Chacho Medina - Organizing Committee President chachomedina@sportcar.com Office: 011-5255 5534 6090 Fax: 011-5255 5524 0039 Rodriguez Saro 125 - 2 Colonia Del Valle. Mexico City, 03230. M E X I CO
For information only: Steve Waldman - Silver State Classic Challenge email: stevezw@cox.net (702) 631-6166
Posts: 168 | From: Las Vegas | Registered: Jun 2003
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For more information, please contact the SSCC at (702) 631-6166 or email stevezw@cox.net
Posts: 168 | From: Las Vegas | Registered: Jun 2003
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Cost: $1500 USD entry free. Hotel accommodations extra. After December 31, 2007, the entry fee increases $200. Hotel rooms are $150 per night, tax included. Other hotels nearby.
Organizer:Chacho Medina (Mexico) Coordinator and PR: Gerie Bledsoe (CA,USA) Advisors: Jerry Churchill (FL,USA)and Steve Waldman (NV, USA)
Sponsors: Pemex, Telmex, Corona, Citizen Watches, FIAT, PFP, State of Chihuahua, Red Bull, SportCar.com, and Victory Engines.
Contact info: Gerie Bledsoe at gbledso@aol.com
Eligible Cars: Cars of all ages, with six-point roll cage, and safety equipment.
Classes: There will be several classes of cars for competition purposes: (A) normally aspirated up to 2.4 liters (B) normally aspirated 2.4 to 4.5 liters (C) over 4.5 liter and turbo-charged cars (D) Specials (E) Open After inspection, cars may be assigned to different classes based on their modifications to promote fair competition. Carrera Panamericana cars are automatically eligible and will be assigned to an appropriate classification.
Cars without roll cages may participate in a bracket competition (min. and max. speed in special stages) or a “tour” category (time/distance rally.
Prizes: Daily awards by class and overall trophies at finish. No cash prizes.
Event Schedule: April 9-10 (Wednesday-Thursday)The cars will be inspected and prepared at the Soberano Westin Hotel in Chihuahua.
April 11 (Friday) The competitors will race northwest to Ciudad Madera, and then run back to Chihuahua for the evening.
April 12 (Saturday) The competitors will run southwest into the famous Copper Canyon area, and return.
April 13 (Sunday) The competitors will head east to Ojinaga (Presidio, Texas), and race back.
Each night there will be a driver’s meeting and awards ceremony.
Format: In a “stage rally” like the Express, the competitors line up several times a day for “speed stages.” They are then started in thirty-second intervals over a road closed by the Mexican Highway Patrol (PFP)--with the fastest cars going first. The length of the closed road or speed stage will normally be five to fifteen miles. Bracket cars and tour cars follow.
After the speed stage, the cars will run a short “transit section” to the next speed stage. The cars must check in at the next speed stage within 59 seconds of their assigned time.
If they are early or more than 59 seconds late, they accrue a time penalty. The cars with the lowest total elapsed time (E.T.) for the speed stages, plus any time penalties, will be declared the winner by class and overall each day and for the event. An orientation to the pro-rally format and timing system will be provided. A rally computer is not necessary.
There will be 325 miles of speed stages; 1,000 miles of transit.
Rules: This event will use the same operational rules as the Carrera Panamericana. A co-driver or navigator is required for competition.
Rationale: This event was designed to be: (1) a weekend event, (2) close to the USA, (3) feasible without a support crew, (4) good, open roads, in a sparsely populated area, (5) scenic, and (6) relatively inexpensive. The weather should be sunny and pleasant.
Support: Tow (support) trucks travel to Chihuahua City or may be left across the border in Texas or New Mexico. The “Coyote Express” will leave El Paso on April 9 for the short trip to Chihuahua City. It costs $30.00 to purchase a tourist permit for your vehicle and $22 for a tourist card or visa. Permits may be purchased at some Mexican consulates and by internet.
Police Services: Officers of the Mexican Highway Patrol (PFP) accompany the event and work with local police and the military on clearing the roads and providing security. There is also a crash crew and a medical crew, along with the timing and scoring staff.
Auspices: The Federation of Mexican Auto Sports (FMAD), an affiliate of FIA, sanctions this event. You must purchase a FMAD rally license for 2008 to participate ($260 USD), which carries a level of personal medical, death, and dismemberment insurance. The event Organizer provides a level of general liability coverage. Make sure that you have adequate liability insurance coverage. The FMAD license will also be valid for the Carrera Panamericana in October.
Auto Insurance: All cars and trucks operated on public roads in Mexico, including the racecars for this event, must be covered by auto insurance issued in Mexico. U.S. auto insurance policies do not cover you south of the border. Coverage for Mexico is readily available at the border or by e-mail. You may purchase insurance by the day or week for nominal rates. This insurance covers your racecar only when it is not in competition.
Payments: May be made by personal check, PayPal, or wire transfer. Please contact Gerie Bledsoe gbledso@aol.com or chachomedina@sportcar.com for details. Call Gerie at 650-726-9890 for more details or an entry form. Payments made by PayPal must include a 3% commission ($45). Personal checks, payable to “Chacho Medina,” should go to:
Chihuahua Express c/o Gerie Bledsoe 677 Highland Ave. Half Moon Bay, CA 94019.
Include $150 each night of accommodations at the Westin. The rooms at the Westin will fill up fast. Make your reservations early. There is no refund on hotel rooms unless your rooms can be sold to another competitor for a 15% fee. Info on other hotels will be provided.
Warning: Auto racing in any form is dangerous and may lead to property damage, and serious injury or death. Competitors assume all risk to their safety and property, and hold the Organizers and their agents harmless. The authorities require a minimum number of cars to participate. The Organizers are confident that this minimum will be reached, but if not, your entry fee will be refunded.
The Express is a great way to test your car for Carrera Panamericana and learn how to drive and navigate in a Mexican stage rally. Set your own speed.
How did the Chihuahua Express go? Everyone safe? It looks like the results are posted and you and a number of our other friends did well. Give us the scoop!
-------------------- Tom King Life Member Car # 111 Posts: 352 | From: Danville, CA USA | Registered: Apr 2002
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