Chihuahua Express
The Chihuahua Express is a three-day stage rally or open road race in Chihuahua, Mexico. The first edition took place in 2007 as a continuation of the Border Challenge rally(2005-2006). The Express comprises three daily stages: Chihuahua–Ciudad Madera, Chihuahua–Divisadero and Chihuahua–Ojinaga.
The rally cars cover about 1000 miles over the three days, including about 300 miles of unlimited speed or velocity stages, where they are started in one minute intervals to race against the clock. Each day the cars race to destinations outside of Chihuahua City and then race back on the same roads, returning to the same hotel each evening. Most of the speed stages are on closed, paved highways in the mountains, including a stage on Day #2 that takes the cars to the rim of the famed Copper Canyon, the "Grand Canyon" of Mexico. On the final day, the cars race 145 miles east to the city of Ojinaga, which is across the border from Presidio, Texas.
The rally is open to all modern and vintage cars and pickups that are divided into several classifications. Cars of La Carrera Panamericana may compete in their own classes, as well as for the overall championship. All stage-rally cars must be "street legal" and have a full roll cage and other safety equipment. Drivers and navigators are required in all cars, and each must possess a Mexican rally license, which is issued before the event. Competitors are expected to have a racing license from their home county or sufficient training and racing experience.
Regular street cars, even local airport rentals, may participate in the Express Tour, a "regularity" or time-to-distance rally on the same days and roads used by the stage-rally cars. A co-driver and helmet are the only safety equipment required for the Tour.
Medals are awarded daily and at the end of the event for the full competition cars and the Tour.
Assistance is provided to all competitors from the U.S. and Canada for importing their vehicles temporarily into Mexico. Convoys of tow trucks, trailers, and race cars leave from El Paso and Alpine, Texas for the 230 mile trip to Chihuahua City on the Wednesday before this weekend event.
The international drivers Stig Blomqvist and Michel Jourdain, Jr. have participated in this rally. Carrera Panamericana winners Doug Mockett and Bill Beilharz as well as some NASCAR Corona Series drivers have also participated.
The organizer of the event is Manuel "Chacho" Medina, whose office is in Mexico City. The representative for the U.S. and Canada is Gerie Bledsoe of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
The Chihuahua Express is affiliated with the Silver State Classic Challenge of Navada.
Champions
| Year | Driver | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  Doug Mockett |  Angélica Fuentes | Oldsmobile 88 (1954) |
| 2008 | Kevin Jones | Mark D. Williams | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2009 | Gabriel Pérez | Horacio Chousal | Studebaker |
| 2010 | Rodrigo González | Rodolfo González | Maserati Trofeo |
| 2011 | Michel Jourdain, Jr. | Miguel Angel Diéz | Studebaker Champion (1955) |
| 2012 | Eduardo Henkel | Sergio Puente | BMW M3 |
Fatalities
In the 2010 edition in two separates accidents died Carlos "El Chino" García Almazán, a local driver [1] and Hernán Solana, (Moisés Solana's brother) and Heberto García, his co-driver.[2] The final stage was canceled.
References
- ↑ "Lamentable fallecimiento en primera etapa del Chihuahua Express". Sporcar.com. March 19, 2010.
- ↑ "Fallecen Nanán Solana y Heberto García". Sporcar.com. March 20, 2010.