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