1954 Carrera Panamericana


The 1954 Carrera Panamericana was the fifth and final running of the Carrera Panamericana Mexican sports car racing event, run from November 19-23, 1954. It was the sixth and final race of the 1954 World Sportscar Championship. The race was run from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, over 8 stages and. 150 cars started the race, and 85 finished all 8 stages. The race was won by Umberto Maglioli in an Erwin Goldschmidt-entered Ferrari 375 Plus. He finished the race in 17 hours, 40 minutes, and 26 seconds, averaging.

Pre-race

For 1954, the Touring classes were divided into three classes, over, between, and under. The Sports classes were divided as before, over and under. This was in order to accommodate the huge number of participants and the diverse breeds of cars within the race.
Going into the race, Ferrari had already won the championship, but victory would ensure the marque would score maximum points for the season. Although no works entries were sent from Italy, there was a number of top quality entrants from both Mexico and the United States, hoping the get that victory on behalf of the Maranello concern.
Heading into the event, pressure was mounting on Mexican government, as the annual death toll from the event caused the country to be shown in a negative light. This wasn't the kind of attention the locals wanted. It had been abundantly clear the days were numbered for the Carrera Panamericana. 1954 would be the last time the event was run in this format, although it did return as a revival event in 1988.

Race

The race was held in eight stages over a total distance of. The race was won overall by Umberto Maglioli in a Ferrari 375 Plus. Maglioli finished the race in, his average speed of reflected the level of professionalism and technology that led the field: the inaugural 1950 event had been won in an average speed of - and the winner had taken 10 hours longer to complete the race distance. Phil Hill and Richie Ginther took second place in another Ferrari, over 24 minutes behind. The under-1500 sports car class winner Hans Herrmann finished third in his Porsche 550, a further 87 minutes behind the Americans. Ray Crawford and Enrique Iglesias won the over-3500 stock car class in a Lincoln, the European stock car class was won by Consalvo Sanesi and Giuseppe Cagna in an Alfa Romeo, and the small U.S. stock car class was won by Tommy Drisdale and Walter Krause, Jr. in a Dodge.
A number of the sedans from the US failed to make it through the first stage of the race. The Austin-Healey 100S of Englishman, Lance Macklin struggled from ignition troubles and retired before completing the first stage. The Ferrari 375 Plus of Jack McAfee and Ford Robinson had an accident that provided the first fatality, with the death of Robinson. Sadly, there would be fatality, when Leopoldo Olvera Zabado died following an accident on the fifth stage.
The Californian pairing of Hill and Ginther continued to look impressive, making it through the second stage in their Allen Guiberson-entered Ferrari 375 MM without incident and remaining close to the front of the overall standing. However, another American was not going so well: Carroll Shelby suffered an accident while driving his Austin-Healey 100S. Frustrated with his team-mate, Ray Jackson-Moore's slow pace, Shelby supposedly removed Jackson-Moore’s seat and took off on his own.
As the event progressed, the list of cars remaining grew shorter and shorter. Many of the strong competitors were either out of the race, or behind the leading Ferraris of Maglioli and Hill/Ginther. The two Americans continued to chase hard to rein in solo-driving Maglioli. It was a 375 MM spyder chasing after a 375 Plus, with still a long way to go before anyone could celebrate. After there was very little time separating the two cars.
Despite feeling the pressure, Maglioli strengthened his grip and did not make any mistakes in the closing stages of the race, finishing nearly 25 minutes ahead of Hill and Ginther.
Californian hot rodder Ak Miller became famous by finishing seventh overall, in his Oldsmobile-powered 1927 Ford.
Only months after its introduction in Mexico, the local distributor entered seven Volkswagen Beetles in order to prove their reliability and to make the car known. To maintain the given time bracket, they were required to keep an average speed of, but had achieved during the reconnaissance runs, so expectations to finish inside the time limits were high. As they were using standard Volkswagen engines, the cars were driving bumper-to-bumper in order reduce air resistance as available power was limited. By the time the event got to Ciudad Juárez, all seven Beetles were still within the given time limit, none was disqualified, with Alfonso de Hohenlohe and Alberto Álvarez coming home in 78th place overall, albeit, the Beetles filled seven of the last eight finishing positions.

Official Classification

Results

Class winners are marked in bold.
PosClassNo.EntrantDriverCarStagesTime
1S+1.519Erwin Goldschmidt Umberto MaglioliFerrari 375 Plus817:40:26
2S+1.520Allen Guiberson Phil Hill
Richie Ginther
Ferrari 375 MM Vignale818:04:50
3S1.555Dist. VW Central, S.A. Hans HerrmannPorsche 550 Spyder819:32:33
4S1.556Jaroslav Juhan Jaroslav JuhanPorsche 550 Spyder819:33:09
5S+1.522Prado Américas Franco Cornacchia
Enrico Peruchini
Ferrari 250 Monza Scaglietti819:45:06
6S+1.524John Shakespeare Luigi Chinetti
John Shakespeare
Ferrari 375 MM Pinin Farina820:10:28
7S+1.511Akton Miller Ak Miller
Douglas Harrison
Caballo de Hiero Oldsmobile820:21:09
8S1.554Monte Carlo Auto Sport Louis Chiron
Robert Delpech
Osca MT4 1500 Morelli820:34:56
9T+3.5149Lincoln Ray Crawford
Enrique Iglesias
Lincoln Capri820:40:19
10T+3.5103Lincoln Walt Faulkner
Francis W. Hainley
Lincoln Capri820:42:07
11T+3.5127Barry Motor Sales Keith Andrews
Blue Plemond
Cadillac Series 62820:43:14
12S1.558Dist. VW Central, S.A. Fernando Segura
Herbert Linge
Porsche 550 Spyder820:46:23
13S+1.59Jean Trévoux Jean Trévoux
Armando González
Packard Motto Special820:48:31
14T+3.5110Adolph Otterstein Edward A. Stringer
Truman C. Wood
Cadillac Series 62821:15:13
15TE1.9251Alfa Romeo Finmeccanica Consalvo Sanesi
Giuseppe Cagna
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI821:50:42
16T+3.5111Coca-Cola Mexico Luis Leal Solares
Alfredo García Avila
Buick Century821:51:17
17T+3.5113Coca-Cola Mexico Ricardo Ramírez
Joséfat Larios Zuniga
Buick Century821:59:34
18TE1.9256Alfa Romeo Finmeccanica Sergio Mantovani
Bruno Chiappa
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI822:06:25
19TE1.9267Alfa Romeo Finmeccanica Mario Della Favera
Egidio Campigotto
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI822:06:50
20TE1.9255Alfa Romeo Finmeccanica Piero Carini
Giuseppe Sambrotta
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI822:19:04
21T+3.5119Pacheco y Cia Douglas Ehlinger
Luis Solorio
Packard Clipper822:23:34
22T+3.5115Coca-Cola Mexico Julio Mariscal
Luis Pombo Rivadeneyra
Buick Century822:30:39
23TS226Tommy Drisdale Tommy Drisdale
Walter Krause, Jr.
Dodge V-8822:35:53'''
24TS217Dickshire C. D. Evans
Armando Velázquez
Dodge V-8822:50:44
25T+3.5133Abraham Yunes Raymundo Corona
Enrique Ortega Aguillar
Packard822:51:20
26T+3.5124Baja California Francisco Ramírez Fonseca
Alberto Maya Juarez
Lincoln Capri822:52:16
27TS231Ray C. Elliot Ray Elliott
Edward B. Stark
Dodge V-8822:52:16
28S1.551Calzado Canadá S.A. Salvador López ChávezPorsche 550 Spyder822:57:31
29TS211Álvarez Tostado Arturo Álvarez Tostado
Alfredo Cabrero Porras
Dodge V-8823:00:18
30TE1.9252Atoyac Adolfo Velázquez
Horacio Ruíz
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI823:00:57
31TS238Scott F. Yantis Scott F. YantisStudebaker Commander823:02:04
32TS208Dehler Moisés Solana
Enrique Doblado
Dodge V-8823:08:40
33TS209Oscar Cabalen Oscar Cabalén
Genaro Silva
Ford V-8823:08:55
34TS331Floyd Clymer Piero Taruffi
Bob Feurchelm
Ford 6823:15:51
35TS237Ferreteria del Sol Ramiro Aguilar, Jr.
Alfonso L. Franco
Dodge823:18:45
36TS201Refrescos Jarrito Octavio Anza Esquivel
Johnny Mantz
L. Constancio Ruíz
Ford823:19:06
37T+3.5117Tony de Rosa Tony de Rosa
Alfonso Bustos
Lincoln Capri823:27:31
38TS219Malcolm Eckart Malcolm Eckart
Carroll Hamplemann
Hudson Wasp823:28:09
39TS218Puebla Francisco Rodríguez Sánchez
Roberto Vargas
Dodge Royal823:37:47
40TS220Manuel Luz Meneses Manuel Luz MenesesStudebaker Commander823:47:42
41TS232Félix Alberto Peduzzi Félix Alberto Peduzzi
Eduardo del Molino
Ford823:56:10
42TS326Raimundo Caparrós Raimundo Caparrós
Heldi Paladino
Chevrolet Bel Air824:01:33
43TS243Osvaldo José Mantega Osvaldo José Mantega
Ernesto Nuñez
Chevrolet Bel Air824:07:51
44TS213Abelardo Matamoros Abelardo Matamoros Acosta
Raúl Blancas
Studebaker Commander824:12:47
45TS320Vincente Tirabasso Vincente Tirabasso
Ruben Giscoman
Chevrolet Bel Air824:13:16
46TS216Jorge Descote Jorge Descote
Mantolin Sánchez Marín
Chevrolet Bel Air824:13:17
47TS340Tadeo Taddia Tadeo Taddia
Sebastián Messino
Chevrolet Bel Air824:16:41
48TS342Baltazar Alaimo Baltazar Alaimo
Eliseo Rodríguez
Chevrolet Bel Air824:18:18
49TS229Marcos Ciani Marcos Ciani
Juan Munguin
Chevrolet Bel Air824:20:28
50TS227Enrique Paredes Enrique Paredes
Luis Herrastri
Ford824:22:58
51TS245Raúl Jaras Raúl Jaras
Tomás L. Bravo
Chevrolet Bel Air824:28:47
52TS205Union de Choferes Roberto Belmar
Félix San Roman
Studebaker Commander824:32:28
53TS330Robert C. Lilienthal Robert C. Lilienthal
Wendell Anderson
Ford824:37:27
54T+3.5130Guillermo Suhr Contreras Guillermo Suhr Contreras
Óscar Alfonso Aguilar
Oldsmobile Super 88824:42:00
55TS221Rafael Larocca Rafael Larocca
Virginio Aguilar
Chevrolet Bel Air824:43:48
56TS301Jorge Zorzi Olazábel Jorge Zorzi Olazábel
Oreste Botta
Chevrolet Bel Air824:49:46
57TS310Ernesto Beronio Ernesto BeronioFord824:54:46
58TS247Hernán Videla Hernán Videla
Domingo Venturelli
Chevrolet Bel Air824:58:20
59TS240Salvador Torisse Salvador Torisse
Enrique Torrente
Chevrolet Bel Air825:03:34
60TS303Ángel de la Rosa Ángel de la Rosa
Ángel Antenone
Chevrolet Bel Air825:11:40
61T+3.5107Manuel Acosta Muñoz Manuel Acosta Muñoz
Fernando Najera
Buick Century825:15:09
62TS241Pablo Gulle Pablo Gulle
Domingo Reyes
Chevrolet Bel Air825:33:21
63TS233Andrés Ferreno Barreiro Andrés Ferreno Barreiro
Luis María Martorani
Ford825:43:39
64TS314Daniel Musso Daniel Musso
Alejandro Navarro
Ford825:52:59
65TS321Melvin H. Stickney Melvin H. Stickney
Walter E. von Schoenfeld
Ford825:53:38
66TS325Luis Egidio Parnisari Luis Egidio Parnisari
Mario A. Alfaro
Ford V-8826:01:04
67S1.559Otto Becker Estrada Otto Becker EstradaPorsche 356 1500 Super826:07:59
68TS323Joaquin Salas Ferrer Joaquin Salas Ferrer
Carlos Buenaventura Pérez
Ford826:13:38
69TS305Alberto Loguló Alberto Loguló
Ismael Cañas
Ford826:16:22
70S1.553Ernst-Joachin Hirz Ernst-Joachin HirzPorsche 356 1500 Super826:22:24
71TS332Carlos Pfeffer Carlos PfefferFord826:31:25
72TS334César Óscar Vidales César Óscar VinalesFord826:40:32
73TS312Óscar Cremer Óscar Cremer
Marcos Pliego
Ford826:56:19
74TE1.9253Carl Borgward Adolf Brudes
Erick Bock
Borgward Isabella827:02:36
75TS316Pedro Petinari Pedro PetinariFord828:15:48
76TS242Antonio Pingeon Antonio Pingeon
Manuel José Galandrino
Ford828:18:23
77TS313Americo Guzzini Americo Guzzini
Bernardo Guzzini
Ford Crestline Custom 2 Door Coupe829:02:01
78TE1.9261Alfonso de Hohenlohe Alfonso de Hohenlohe
Alberto Álvarez
Volkswagen 1200 De Luxe830:14:12
79TE1.9263Alfonso de Hohenlohe Manuel HinkeVolkswagen 1200 De Luxe830:15:54
80TE1.9262Alfonso de Hohenlohe Jan Wyers
Rene Wyers
Volkswagen 1200 De Luxe830:17:56
81TS246Bartollo Abello Bartollo Abello
Adolfo Cañas
Ford831:01:04
82TE1.9270Alfonso de la Peña Cardona Alfonso de la Peña CardonaVolkswagen 1200 De Luxe831:01:43
83TE1.9271Alfonso de Hohenlohe Axel WarsVolkswagen 1200 De Luxe831:04:41
84TE1.9272Ara Arakelian Ara ArakelianVolkswagen 1200 De Luxe831:11:07
85TE1.9269Juan de Aguinaco Juan de AguinacoVolkswagen 1200 De Luxe831:15:59
86
DISQ
S1.5100Jacqueline Evans de López Jacqueline EvansPorsche 356 SL8Over time limit
87
DNF
T+3.5106Philips Radio Mexico Félix Cerda Loza
Raúl Aguilar
Lincoln Capri7DNF
88
DNF
T+3.5112Coca-Cola Mexico Fernando Razo Maciel
Sergio Campos Yanez
Buick Century7Accident
89
DNF
T+3.5122Pat Zoccano Pat ZoccanoBuick6DNF
90
DNF
TS212Dan Morgan Dan Morgan
Frank Valchucks
Ford6Accident
91
DNF
T+3.5116Super Diesel Alfonso César Franco
José Hernández
Buick Riviera5DNF
92
DNF
TS203Leonel M. Garza Leonel M. Garza
Leobardo Elizondo
Chevrolet Bel Air5DNF
93
DNF
TS210Hollywood Deeptone 'Flash' Gordon
Roberto Castañeda
Ford5DNF
94
DNF
TS215Productos Automotrices Carlos Díaz Garcilazo
Federico Carazín
Studebaker Champion5Accident
95
DNF
TE1.9268Alfa Romeo Finmeccanica Bruno Bonini
Piero Zanavoni
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI5Accident damage
96
DNF
TS315Victorio Menghi Victorio Menghi
Leopoldo Olvera Zabado
Chevrolet Bel Air5Fatal accident
97
DNF
TS319Santos Martín Santos Martín
Horacio Zumelzu
Ford5DNF
98
DNF
TS328Carlos Battilana Olazábal Carlos Battilana Olazábal
Óscar Martorani
Ford5DNF
99
DNF
S+1.513Javier Velázquez Francisco Ibarra
Fernando Pinal
Jaguar C-Type4Oil leak
100
DNF
S+1.516Óscar Fano Bush Óscar Fano Bush
Roberto Barajas
Jaguar XK1204Mechanical
101
DNF
TS207Lineas Union del Sur Olegario Pérez Pliego
Asención Morales
Ford4Mechanical
102
DNF
TS222Bujias MexiCanas Héctor Ortiz Palacios
Vicente Solar
Dodge Royal4Accident
103
DNF
TS230Plinio Larocca Plinio Larocca
Rogelio Cruz
Ford4Mechanical
104
DNF
TS250Patricio Achura Patricio Achurra Sánchez
Jean Safont
Ford4Accident
105
DNF
S+1.510Allen Guiberson Joaquin Palacio Pover
Celso Fernández
Pegaso Z-102 BS Touring3Accident
106
DNF
S+1.532Cabero Alberto del Campo
Jorge Mejía Martínez
Cabero Special Ford3Accident
107
DNF
S1.560Carl Borgward Karl-Günther Bechem
Rudolf Herzog
Borgward Rennsport 553Accident
108
DNF
T+3.5105Gas Atlas Miguel García Bastida
Pedro Gómez
Lincoln Capri3Wheel
109
DNF
TS204Mickey Thompson Mickey Thompson
Rodger Flores
Ford3Accident
110
DISQ
TS225Frank Davis Frank Davis
Dennis Cannon
Dodge3Accident
111
DNF
TS234Eduardo d'Alessandro Eduardo D'Alessandro
Francisco Vega Monroy
Chevrolet Bel Air3Over time limit
112
DNF
TS249Eugenio Guerrero Eugenio Guerrero
Ricardo Varela
Dodge3Mechanical
113
DNF
TE1.9257Alfa Romeo Finmeccanica José Antonio Solana
Luis Leguizamo
Alfa Romeo 1900 TI3DNF
114
DNF
TS311Bartolomé Ortiz Bartolomé Ortiz
Aurelio Lara
Ford3Engine
115
DNF
TS341Eugenio Modica Eugenio Modica
Ignacio Espina
Chevrolet Bel Air3Accident
116
DNF
S1.552Escuderia Espaňa Roberto MieresOsca MT4 15002Engine
117
DNF
T+3.5101Ángel Acar Ángel Acar Valle
Heriberto Angulo
Lincoln Capri2DNF
118
DNF
TE1.9265David Cerezo David Cerezo
Carlos A. Palacios
Alfa Romeo 1900T2Accident
119
DNF
TS318Antonio Gómez Antonio GómezFord2DNF
120
DNF
S+1.58Donald Healey Carroll Shelby
Ray Jackson-Moore
Austin-Healey 100S1Accident
121
DNF
S1.561Carl Borgward Franz Hammernick
Fritz Jüttner
Borgward Rennsport 551Accident
122
DNF
S1.562Manfredo Lippmann Manfredo LippmannOsca MT4 2AD 1500 Morelli Super1Mechanical
123
DNF
T+3.5108Lincoln Bill Vukovich
Vern Houle
Lincoln Capri1Accident
124
DNF
T+3.5114Coca-Cola Mexico Héctor Riva Palacio
Roberto García
Buick Century1DNF
125
DNF
T+3.5123Luis Rafael Garzón Luis Rafael Garzón
Luis Alfonso Murcia
Lincoln Capri1Accident
126
DNF
TS206Pedro Ovies Sánchez Pedro Ovies Sánchez
Federico Tomeu
Ford1DNF
127
DNF
TS228Pepe Russo Pepe Russo
Pedro González
Ford1DNF
128
DNF
TE1.9258Pedro J. Llano Pedro J. LlanoAlfa Romeo 1900T1DNF
129
DNF
TE1.9260Guillermo Airaldi Guillermo G. AiraldiAlfa Romeo 1900T1DNF
130
DNF
S+1.51John Edgar Jack McAfee
Ford Robinson
Ferrari 375 Plus0Fatal accident
131
DNF
S+1.52Scuderia Espana Alfonso de PortagoFerrari 750 Monza Scaglietti0Oil pipe
132
DISQ
S+1.53Dominicana Porfirio Rubirosa
Ernie McAfee
Ferrari 500 Mondial Scaglietti0Over time limit
133
DISQ
S+1.54Erwin Goldschmidt Roberto Bonomi
Carlos Peyloubet
Ferrari 375 MM0Over time limit
134
DNF
S+1.56Jack Ensley Robert ChristieKurtis-Nash 500S0Engine
135
DNF
S+1.57Donald Healey Lance Macklin
Donald Healey
Austin-Healey 100S0Ignition
136
DNF
S+1.512Bill von Esser Bill von Esser
Ernest Pultz
Chevrolet Corvette0Engine
137
DISQ
S+1.514Hotel del Prado Giovanni Bracco
Riccardo Livocchi
Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti0Over time limit
138
DISQ
S+1.517Duane Carter Duane CarterKurtis-Oldsmobile 500S0Over time limit
139
DNF
S1.599Cruz Blanca Jim CassidyCassidy Special MG0Mechanical
140
DNF
T+3.5102Lincoln Chuck Stevenson
Chuck Daigh
Lincoln Capri0Engine
141
DNF
T+3.5104Lincoln Johnny MantzLincoln Capri0Engine
142
DNF
T+3.5109Lincoln Jack McGrath
Manny Ayulo
Lincoln Capri0Accident
143
DNF
T+3.5118Lincoln Ferdinando de Leeuw Murphy
Victor Becerra
Lincoln Capri0Engine
144
DNF
T+3.5120Ronald R. Ferguson Leonard D. Sutton
Ronald R. Ferguson
Lincoln Capri0Mechanical
145
DNF
T+3.5128Ernest C. Hall Ernest C. Hall
Louis Unser
Buick0Mechanical
146
DNF
T+3.5167Converse Motors Bob Korf
Walter A. Judge
Chrysler0Mechanical
147
DNF
TS202Refrescos Jarrito Ricardo Anza
Ricardo López Ramírez
Ford 60Accident
148
DNF
TE1.9254Anaconda Nacional Guido Mancini
Francisco Mijares
Alfe Romeo 1900 T0Mechanical
149
DNF
TS302Jean-Manuel Bordeu Juan Manuel Bordeu
Raúl Bujeiro
Chevrolet Bel Air0Mechanical
150
DNF
TS324Humberto Maneglia Humberto Maneglia
Ramón Leal Contreras
Dodge Royal0Mechanical

Class Winners

ClassWinners
Sport deste 1500 cc19Ferrari 375 Plus Pinin FarinaMaglioli
Sport hasta 1500 cc55Porsche 550 SpyderHerrmann
Tourismo deste 3500 cc194Lincoln CapriCrawford / Iglesias
Tourismo Especial226Dodge V-8Drisdale / Krause, Jr.
Tourismo Europeo251Alfa Romeo 1900 TISanesi / Cagna

Standings after the race

PosChampionshipPoints
1 Ferrari32
2 Lancia20
3 Jaguar10
4 O.S.C.A.8
5 Maserati7

Note: