To
enter the Pan Am race for 2008 you should submit
the following documents and payments. Please
print out this page as your checklist and guide.
1. _____ the official La Carrera Panamericana entry form
(on this web site).
2. _____ digital pictures of the car (front and rear quarter
views)
3. _____ digital pictures (passport size) of the driver
and co-driver
4. _____ a check for the entry fee payable to "La
Carrera USA ." Call or email for the amount of the
entry fee. The fee will increase $500 on April 1
and September 30.
Documents and payment should be sent to:
La Carrera USA
677 Highland Ave.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
You may also enter through the official website www.lacarrerapanamericana.com.mx. Please
bring a copy of all documents and canceled checks to Mexico
.
The entry fee may also be sent by wire. Please notify
the Coordinator if you want to transfer funds by wire. Payment
can be made via Paypal.com for an additional 3% processing
fee.
Deposits. With prior written approval a deposit of $500 will
be accepted to guarantee a starting slot, with the balance due by March
31. You may make payment by personal check or Paypal.com to gbledso@aol.com. The
deposit is non-refundable.
Entries from the USA and Canada are limited. Do not hesitate
to send in your entry form early, if you believe there
is a good chance that you will be participating this year.
The early entries are assigned to the “headquarter’s” hotels
along the route. This and the $500 “discount” are
the two incentives for an early commitment.
Mexican Racing License. You must also purchase a Mexican rally
license for $260 for each driver and co-driver in the race car after you
arrive in Mexico. It is not necessary to have a US or European racing license,
only a valid driver's license. A short physical exam will be administered
in Mexico. Racing experience or training is highly recommended.
The Federation of Mexican Auto Sports (FMAD) racing license
application is available at their web site www.femadac.org.mx.
When you get to their home page, click on the following: "Tramites," Licencia
deportiva, formatos PDF, and then, “foreign competitors.” If
you cannot print out the form, please e-mail your request
to the Coordinator at gbledso@aol.com.
FMAD Import Permit. If you are importing a car into
Mexico by using the services of a customs broker you must fill out
the FMAD forms, including the racing license application, and send them
to FMAD. That form is also on their web site. FMAD charges around
$150 USD for the import permit for each vehicle. You will also pay
a substantial fee to the Mexican customs broker at your Port of Entry,
like Nuevo Laredo or Veracruz.
However, if you tow your racecar into Mexico, you may enter
as a tourist and pay around $28.00 USD for a permit at
the border or certain Mexican consulates for $37.00 USD. If
this is the case, then you do not need the FMAD import
form or a customs broker.
Where to Find the Pan Am Forms. You may print the entry form
off this web site. Upon request a complete entry package will be
mailed to you.
Insurance, You should consider buying additional liability
insurance coverage from a carrier in the USA . Air ambulance and medical
insurance are also available. Mexican auto insurance on your racecar is
recommended and coverage on your tow vehicle is required by the organizers.
What is included in the Entry Fee?
--administrative and logistical costs of a week-long, 2000
mile race
--one first-class hotel room per entry (two double beds)
for eight nights
--receptions, orientations, and drivers' meetings
--route book for race car and service vehicle
--souvenirs
--limited liability insurance while racing
--support and advice before you leave
Need Extra Rooms or Nights?
The entry fee automatically provides one hotel room for
the driver and co-driver for eight nights, from October
23 through October 30. An extra room for your support
crew and friends may be arranged for the same eight nights
for $1200.
If you need additional rooms, make this request via the
internet to the Carrera Office in Mexico Monica.Grossmann@yahoo.con.mx. All
rooms must be pre-paid. Every effort is made to assign
the racecar drivers and support crew ("servicio")
to the same hotels.
A luxury hotel option is available for $150 extra per night
in four cities, such as the Quinta Real in Zacatecas. There
is no refund on payments for hotel hotels.
Early Arrival Plans?
If you plan to arrive at the start of the race before the
night of October 23 and need hotel rooms, you should make
a request by email to Monica.Grossmann@yahoo.con.mx. Additional
rooms cost $150 per night. Competitors should plan
to arrive by October 21 to allow sufficient time for registration
and inspection. If so, they will need two additional
nights of hotel rooms.
Please do not call the hotels to change your Carrera reservation
before the race, as it only confuses the hotel staff and
may result in your reservation being canceled. Changes
should be only be made through the Carrera Office in Mexico
City by email, fax, or phone call.
Crew Members
Support-crew members (“servicio”) may also
purchase a special FMAD license that includes medical and
AD & D insurance. They are given a servicio route
book and door decals for the truck.
Refunds
Deposits and entry payments are not refundable.
However, some credit will the given for the next year's
race (2009) if you notify the Carrera Office by June 1
or September 1 that you are withdrawing. After September
1, the Organizers will give no credit toward the race next
year. Hotel payments will not be refunded or rolled
over.
Questions?
If you have questions about the entry process, please e-mail
the North American Coordinator at gbledso@aol.com. Please
remember that the Spanish version of the “Reglamento” (rules)
of La Carrera Panamericana is the final authority and the
final version may not posted on the Mexican web site until
the spring. All policies, procedures, and costs
stated above are tentative until then. When you register
for the event you are in effect agreeing to abide by its
rules.
Updates
You should check this web site and the Mexican web site
regularly for announcements. Normally, any changes in the
schedule, dates, and key rules (like tires) are announced
on the official web site. You should also sign
up for CARRERA
NEWS, a monthly email newsletter chock full of
info and insights into this adventure. See the home page
on this web site to sign up. Special bulletins are
also sent via CARRERA DRIVER, another email newsletter.
Warning!
Please understand that La Carrera Panamericana involves
serious auto racing, an inherently dangerous sport, over
an extended period of time--at high altitude. Please
take every precaution to make your car safe and to drive
it safely. Competitors assume all liability for their
safety, and will be required to sign a waiver to this effect.
The Organizers reserve the right to modify these procedures
and rules at any time, and to reject any entry. Because
he is normally a competitor, the North American Coordinator
is not involved in determining policy, interpreting the
rules, or rendering a final decision on any matter.
All fees and costs are based on the current exchange rate
of the USD to the Mexican peso (10.7:1) and will be adjusted
accordingly.
Please read the FAQ on this web site. It is full
of information and free advice.
See
you in Mexico!
Gerie Bledsoe
gbledso@aol.com
650-726-9890
February
2008
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