La Carrera Panamericana (1950-1954) -- "The Mexican Road Race," was one of the most famous events in auto racing history, attracting the world's greatest drivers.  It was canceled in 1955 by the Mexican government because of its cost and concerns about safety.  In 1988 the event was revived by rally enthusiasts in Mexico and the U.S.A. as a special-stage or “velocity” rally for vintage cars on closed public highways, and for thirty-five years has offered both professional and amateur drivers an opportunity to experience the thrills and challenges of the original Pan-Am.  Today it is unique in the world—racing against the clock at high speed on closed public highways, mostly through the mountains of Mexico for a week or longer. Also there is a tour for classic and sports cars. This year it ended in Morelia.

The next Carrera Panamericana will scheduled for October 2026. In 2025 the event started in Tuxtla Gutierrez down south in the state of Chiapas. It was eight days long and ended in the northern city of Zacatecas. The event stopped for the night in Oaxaca, Puebla, Mexico City, Queretaro, Morelia, Guanajuato, and San Luis Potosi and for the first time in several years the event started in Chiapas and ended in Zacatecas.

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Is Mexico safe to visit and to participate in an event like the Pan-Am? Yes, if certain rules are followed, such as not driving out in the countryside at night and staying on the toll roads when available.

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Sadly, the CHIHUAHUA EXPRESS (2007-2025) rally is finished. It was a unlimited speed or stage rally for modern and vintage cars. The last event in April 2025 was canceled before it started by the state police in Chihuahua because of drug cartel violence, a very unusual threat. It has been replaced by the “Rally Durango Express” that is schedule for April 15-18, 2026. Like the Chihuahua event, the Durango rally will be three days of competition for eight classes of classic and modern cars. Any car with the required safety equipment may participate. The route is displayed on its website www.durangoexpress.com and can be downloaded. The event will start with a qualification run on day “O” and followed by three days of racing covering a total 828 miles, of which 296 will be twenty-seven speed stages. Like the prior event, most of the stages will be on mountain roads. The entry fee is $5,500. The rules are the same as the Pan-Am. The organizer of the event is Carlos Cordero, who has served many years as the chief steward of the Chihuahua event and La Carrera Panamericana. Each morning, the cars will leave the city and state capital of Durango, and return to the same hotel each evening.