Frederique Constant will attempt to time the brutal Carrera Panamericana 2011
By Straight-Six, published on 22 September 2011
It takes a great deal to move us to write about sponsored events. And we mean something seismic. Like heavy suitcases filled with greenbacks.
You all know the sponsorship equation by now, right? Luxury brand + famous event/location/vomit-inducing celebrity = much consumer love and hoped for lift in sales. Celebrity by association. May as well take a rabbit foot and rub yourself repeatedly with it.
Anyways, this sort of sponsorship usually leaves us indifferent. Sometimes we giggle. Sometimes we shout. Often, we swear like sailors. But sometimes, just sometimes, the vehicle chosen by the brand in question is just too choice to ignore.
And this may go some ways toward explaining why we’re going to mention only once that watch brand Frederique Constant is the official time-keeper for the one and only La Carrera Panamericana 2011.
For those who don’t know, La Carrera Panamericana was originally a sports car racing event on open roads in Mexico, very much like the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio. Its reputation as one of the most dangerous races anywhere in the world goes a long way toward explaining why it only ran from 1950 to 1954 as a means of promoting the Mexican section of the Panamerican Highway, completed in 1950.
The first race in 1950 consisted of nine stages across five days covering a total of over 3,300 kilometres and was entered by racers from across the globe, representing every motor sport that existed: F1, sports cars, rallying, stock cars, endurance racing, hill climbs and drag racing.
Want a taste of just how brutal it was? In 1952, the winning Mercedes-Benz 300SL of Karl Kling and Hans Klenk hit a vulture head on at almost 200 kph. the impact was so great the vile bird smashed through the windscreen on the passenger side, knocking navigator Klenk unconscious. Did they stop? Of course not. When Klenk came to, bleeding badly from injuries to his face, he shouted at Kling to keep going until some 70 km later, when they finally pulled over to wash away the blood, feathers, guts and glass. Real men, eh?
Today, the race has become a classic road rally, run by Pedro Dávila and Eduardo de Leon. It remains daunting, punishing and violent, despite the trappings of a charming rally.
But all of this has conspired to make us forget why we even took the time to write about this insane, dangerous and most magnificent of driving events. What was it again? Oh yeah. The sponsorship of La Carrera Panamericana 2011 by a certain watch brand.
We hate being wrong for all the right reasons.
You can stay updated on the actual race, taking place from October 21 – 27, thanks to the following blog
Frederique Constant will attempt to time the brutal Carrera Panamericana 2011
We’re going to mention only once that watch brand Frederique Constant is the official time-keeper for the one and only La Carrera Panamericana 2011. Now, back to why this was the world’s most dangerous road race.
2 Responses to “Frederique Constant will attempt to time the brutal Carrera Panamericana 2011”
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You’re right, Chris, and don’t worry, we’re on it. Our spam filter has let a few idiots through of late but we’re deleting them as soon as.
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Chris I
7 May 2012
Fool and Six…I think you need a tighter span net. Some minnows are getting through and some whale sharks as well.
Best,
Chris