'The Last Great Road Race' - La Carrera Panamericana

Ride 2000 miles across the heart of Mexico as Benton Performance campaigns a 1962 Porsche 356 in one of the most historic road race's in the world, La Carrera Panamericana.

0:00 Intro
2:45 Veracruz / History of the 356 / Benton Performance
8:08 Day 1 - Veracruz to Oaxaca / Why Porsche?
10:23 Master cylinder problems
12:43 Why Mexico?
14:28 Day 2 - Oaxaca to Mexico City
15:51 History of La Carrera in the 1950s
17:53 Police escort into Mexico City
21:19 Mexico City to Queretaro / Finding your limits
25:18 Day 3 - Queretaro to Morelia
26:44 Morelia Centro / How dangerous the race is
30:04 Day 4 - Morelia to Guanajuato
32:06 Service Area Guanajuato / More master cylinder
33:43 Day 5 - Guanajuato to Aguascalientes
35:54 356 crashes on race stage
37:30 Day 6 - Aguascalientes hotel repairs
40:24 Day 7 - Aguascalientes to Zacatecas
41;53 Finish Line
42:52 The Race / Why do this race?

In the 1950s the Mexican government created a race to celebrate the opening of the Pan-American Highway. Canceled after only four years because of too many fatalities, and revamped in the late 80s, the rally today is widely considered the world's last truly great road race.

The seven-day road rally snakes its way through the heart of Mexico, From Veracruz on the Gulf to the mountain region of Zacatecas. The cars are required to be pre-1975 but can be modded to anything from enthusiasts to a Nascar-like setup with nearly 1000+ hp.

Classes divide the field of more than 80 competing teams running Porsches, Alfa Romeos, Mustangs, Studebakers, and many other vintage cars outfitted specifically for racing. The entire race is 100% legal as it is escorted by Federal police who compete for the honor to support the event.

John Benton from Benton Performance, a vintage Porsche shop in Anaheim, and their team runs a modified 1962 Porsche 356b in Sport Menor class competing for a shot at the title.

Costing a small fortune to even compete, La Carrera is an iconic event and as there isn't any substantial cash prize, what's at stake you might ask? Egos and bragging rights.

Executive Producer: Bonnie Gallanter

© Valkyr, 2013

Music by:
Pierce Fulton
Otto Yliperttula
Luis Isaac

[MikeBarnett]

It's both very different, and exactly the same, as the Carrera Panamericana 1989, for which I built a very authentic 1954 XK120M for a client, and went along for the trip to service the car if and when needed. There's nothing like sucking down a couple of canned beers (hard to find then as compared to bottles) as fast as possible because I needed the metal to fabricate a new lower bellhousing shield!

[jackrogersracing]

One of the great experiences of my life - running this race with our team and other participants multiple years in our GT350 clone

[litres]

Wonderful documentary. Love this event, the spirit, the risk, the experience and the memories. My aim to do it one day. Thank you for letting us in.

[shankarbalan]

Very stylish. A lovely tribute to La Carrera Panamericana.

[steveskeylimepie]

Great to revisit one of my greatest experiences following the race as “Prensa” and to see my old amigo Rene Ortega still in the mix. 👻👻👻

[lordraiden]

Been a gear head and racer all my life. 1st time ever hearing of this@ 39. I think. I want in..

[WilliamKiene]

The last true road race on earth.
If you are a classic car person there are so many wonderful videos on this iconic race over the years.
I think the newest cars that can race are built in the 1970s?

[andreww]

Brilliant Absolutely put together and shown/told in a fantastic manner! Great job gentlemen.

[bountyflyer]

This was incredible! Thank you!
I have a car what’s been to the Monte-Carlo Historique. That’s a walk in the park compared to this!

[BrundleFly]

Well done! Thanks for sharing, I finally found time to research the history of sports car racing, and stumbled on this. I knew about the original Carrera Panamericana but did not know this re-incarnation existed. Very cool. I'll have to put it on the bucket list... right under piloting a camera bike in the Tour de France. ;^)

[aboyandhisdog]

Outstanding video - I had no idea about this race! Thanks for putting this out there!

[gregorykulinski]

For me, that would be ultimate dream.

[carrosandpics]

Espero algun dia estar en esa gran Carrera 🏁

[berponteberponte]

!!!! Awesome!!!! You "da man!!!!

[michaelslack]

"This race this way?" you say.
To you sir I would ask two or four wheels...IOM TT forever!

[xCAFE_NINJAx]

Opening title s😊ng?

Pretty please with cherries on top can anybody tell me the full name of the opening song. Shazam gave me nothing and an exhaustive spotify search of the three artists listed in the description yielded nada. Thanks in advance.

[JeffLilly-mm]

Do the participants drive during night time? When it's dark? Or only daytime?

[enzo]

Ahm, actually what the guy said at the start there is/was no other place in the world where you can’t do such an event on public roads is quite inaccurate. Targa Tasmania, and thereafter all the other such Targa events in Australia and NZ are on par with the Carerra. That Targa Tasmania and the other Targa affiliated rallies havn’t been held for a couple of years now after successfully being run for over 30 years came down to the authorities not allowing it to continue due to the three tragic deaths in the 2022 event. It is supposed to recommence in 2025 under a new format but who knows yet if this will happen.

[davidnguyen]

How can I register my 1970 Datsun 521 Outlaw in the the next race?

[jeffhildreth]

Excellent video.
I disagree that you must have run the Carrera to be a "car guy", that is utter bullshit.
BTW I owned a 1953 bent Window coupe, bought in Big Sur in 1965. I miss the car.