La Carrera Panamericana is an international car rally which covers 2000 miles of paved, public roads in 7 days. The race route diagonally crosses Mexico. Some of those miles are “transit” stages, completed with regular traffic. The clock only runs for the “special” stages when roads are closed and drivers put the pedal to the metal! These stages are primarily over mountain roads, even so average speeds are 60-70 miles per hour (in the historic car classification). The winners are the teams with the lowest total elapsed time, plus any penalty (time) points. Every team that crosses the finish line after a week of brutal racing has made a momentous achievement!
Pedro Vidal, a charter member of Minis of Miami, is preparing to compete in La Carrera Panamericana 2007. He began racing in his 20’s, participating in rallies in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. His participation remained idle for many years until his passion was reignited by the purchase of his 1972 Mini. Driving a car with incomparable maneuverability and legendary motorsports competitiveness, Pedro envisioned himself again behind the wheel at a rally. This time at the great Carrera Panamericana. For the past year, Pedro has been gearing up for this quest – assembling a team, transforming the Mini into a race car and sorting through endless details. He has enlisted his brother-in-law, Dr. Jose Abreu, as his navigator. Humberto Rojas is the mechanic in charge of making his Mini into a 100+ hp racing machine.
Pedro’s personal goal is to start and finish the race, while having fun along the way. A win would be icing on the cake. He realizes that a high speed rally presents many dangers and wants to come home safely to his family. Multiple forces push him to go faster – competitive spirit, adrenaline, and shouting spectators but he must use his instincts to stay just within the limits of the road conditions, his Mini’s capabilities, and his own driving skill. Pushing it just enough to maximize results without going over the edge (maybe literally!). He looks forward to the experience of being a part of such a major event and meeting people from all over the world. He also enjoys testing his own endurance.
Team Pedro/Jose invites you to participate in their journey, vicariously enjoying the thrill of the experience. In April we started with a bbq at the shop where the Carrera Mini is being worked on, British SportsCars in Doral. Pedro, Jose, and Humberto, along with the soon-to-be-famous Mini, made an appearance at Homestead Race Track on Memorial Day Weekend.
Body & Shell
Cooper S Engine
Front Subframe
Adjustable Suspension
Pedro & Carrera Mini 9/07
Carrera Mini Sponsors
Carrera Mini Sponsors
MoM Donates $1900+
Watch a video of a Mini that flipped for La Carrera Panamericana 2006. Then say a little prayer for Pedro and Jose to keep the shiny side up!
Watch a brief video (1 minute) about the history of the Panamericana Carrera.
When you've got more time on your hands (1 hour), watch this video about Pink Floyd's participation in the 1990 race. For historic footage, skip 38 minutes into the video.
