The Conclusion of Boyd Harnell’s First-Hand Look at the 1954 Carrera Panamericana Mexico City-Leon, Leon-Durango: November 21, 1954 The carnage continued to mount on the next leg, Mexico City to León. There were four major crashes and one fatality, all of them occurring at a washboard curve outside Mexico City near Rio Hondito. I had followed the last Carrera entrant from Mexico City northward, and in less then thirty minutes spotted Bechem’s battered Borgward. The sports menor leader had fallen…

The Pegaso Spyder Z102 BS of Joaquin Palacio. Palacio lost control near Rio Hondito totally destroying his car and claiming the life of a soldier controlling spectators by the side of the road.
Photo: Boyd Harnell