Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Edition and Design
Eugenio Robleda E. er@onewaybooks.net
Photography
Eugenio Robleda E. Antonio Sánchez Special Colaboration
Ing, Rodrigo Arrioja
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Co-Driver: Rafael Pérez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
2018 Chihuahua Express page 4
page 8
The Competitors page 12 Drivers and Co-Drivers page 12 The Cars page 14
Qualifying Stage page 18
Helmets Blessing page 20
Day 1 page 24
Day 2 page 34
Day 3 page 39
Overall Results
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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I
n 2018 the Chihuahua EXPRESS has had a significant increase in the number of enrolled, which allowed a more intense fight in all categories of this, which is one of the few invitation rallies in the
world that has categories for almost any automobile, that is of legal circulation in streets and roads. So the great camaraderie that is already traditional in this unique encounter in the roads of Chihuahua, because it reached degrees of coexistence and integration in which many call the “Community of the Chihuahua EXPRESS”. The pilots, co drivers, crews and families who participate closely in this race, agree that nothing changes these days that are unique in the motor sport calendar. Throughout three days, the journey through the very extensive state of Chihuahua always surprises everyone with many emotions, even for those who already know this route completely. And because the actions and emotions were not made to wait. Day 1. Chihuahua- Ciudad Madera-Chihuahua When we drive the road that crosses the Mennonites fields, we notice how the shy inhabitants of these communities each year dare to observe more and more closely to the competing cars. In other years, they barely peeped behind their windows. Now they go out to the fences of their extensive fields to find a good place and not miss anything. Of course, on the edge of the road they don’t come close and that’s good for security. The Mennonites children greet us all and are very visible with their traditional clothing.
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The very fast and long stage of initial speed of this day, is traversed in the opposite direction as the last before returning to Chihuahua. After an intense day of very demanding roads that take us back and forth to Madera City, the curiosity to know the positions of the other competitors makes us overcome the fatigue to reach radiant. And we still have two more days left.
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Day 2. Chihuahua-Divisadero-Chihuahua Touring the interior of the Sierra Tarahumara by imposing roads in a very good state is one of the best ways to enjoy race cars, both modern and historic. So close contact with the Rarรกmuri population in Copper Canyon is an insurmountable experience. The logging villages give us a little respite in the transit stages and the services of the day. The view of the Divisadero is unique in the world and reminds us that we have gone a long way since we left Chihuahua that morning. The way back is to be undertaken cautiously, as these roads demand
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absolute concentration. The challenge of driving at its best. We wondered if it would be possible to do this stage twice in a row, even if the rally lasted longer. But the grueling end of the day reminds us that dreams have a limit. Day 3. Chihuahua-Ojinaga-Chihuahua Arriving on the third day we renew the enthusiasm and energy seems inexhaustible at all. The fast desert stages are the delight of the most powerful cars and lots of fun for the lesser categories as well. Yester-
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
day in Divisadero we thought we had seen everything in Chihuahua organizers ask them to do more than one edition a year, which for surprises, but this day in the desert we overwhelms again when we now would not be so easy. The wish chest opens and sporting ideals arrived at the PegĂźis canyon, to get to the border Ojinaga where the overflow. population turns to enthusiasm with our visit. We have touched the clouds and now we want to touch the sky. And We can not stop thinking about the return, which although shorter we will. than the first two days, is much faster in maximum speed. Chihuahua ÂĄArriba Chihuahua! receives the end of our long Rally with a celebration on arrival and final awards at night. and the desire to return begins already. The
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Lugar N o.
Piloto
Navegante
Pais
Categoria
Marca
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Doug Mockett Jean Marc Terrein Eduardo Lopez M. Mark Rittenhouse Marcus C. Neff Jack Rogers Hayden Groendyke Scott Butler Zach Mester Doug McDonald John Greenwood Bassam Haddad Ramiro González Heilijgers Boudewijn Michael Bondarenko Steve Walters Steven Evans A. Jeff Frank Roger Furrer
Manuel Iguínez Carlos Colomer Sergio Villavicencio Mark Laitenberger Rafael Pérez C. J. Sstrupp Jaki Groendyke Angie Mohle Alfredo Martínez M. McDonald Ben Greenwood Marisa Marroquin Santiago Mestre Heilijgers Blaauw Sam Burg Gray Safford Gregg T. Gumbinger Phillip Williams Jorge Doffo
EEUU MEX MEX CAN EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU MEX HOL EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU SUI
PANAM TM 1.6 A 2.5 T 2 1.6 A 2.5 T 2 1.6 A2.5 T 4 1.6 A 2.5 T 4 PANAM HC PANAM TM 1.6 A 2.5 T 2 4.6 L 2.5 A 4.6 NA PANAM HC PANAM HB PANAM HA+ PANAM HC PANAM HC PANAM HB PANAM HC 1.6 A 2.5 AN PANAM HA
Oldsmobile Seat Cupra MINI Mitsubishi Subarú Ford Studebaker Mazda Corvette BMW M3 Ford Porsche 911 Porsche 944 Ford Ford Falcon Mercedes Benz Ford Subaru Triumph
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133 18 510 633 33 369 45 357 76 127 25 13 27 20 125 343 30 518 253
COMPETITORS
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
44 22 43 1 42 26 155 126 12 303 128 10 77 371 55 9 122 80 333 116 8 356
René Rodríguez Michael Shoemaker Wyeth Gubelman Rommey Bahhur Hans Lindbohm Jake Shuttlesworth Karlo Fores Reid Holzworth Kaming Ko José L. Salamanca Sr. Pascual Piccolo Francisco Diaz Gerie Bledsoe Jon Helmuth Arturo Mora Jr. Eduardo Henkel Gabriel Pérez T. Luma García Marcus Neff Dennis Varni Richard Tomlin John Fudge
Vance Stewart III Kristi Shoemaker Marisa Bodell Karim Shaban Christer Holmeren Ralf Christensson Carlos Salgado F. Dennis Chookaszian Stafford Galen José L. Salamanca Jr. Diego Piccolo Jorge Bernal Aaron Viperman Allison Hohn Alberto Sosa Sergio Puente Angie Fuentes Ricardo Iniesta Kreig Holand Larry Eugene Hursh John Starkweather Thomas Searls
MEX EEUU USA PAL SUE EEUU CAN EEUU CHI MEX MEX MEX EEUU EEUU MEX MEX MEX MEX EEUU EEUU EEUU EEUU
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
PANAM TP PANAM HA+ PANAM HC PANAM HB PANAM HC ORIG PANAM PANAM SM PANAM HC PANAM HC PANAM HB PANAM HB 1.6 A 2.5 T 2 PANAM HA+ PANAM HC 1.6 A 2.5 T 2 2.5 A 4.6 T 2.5 a 4.6 T SC 1.6 A 2.5 T 4 4.6 L ORIG PANAM OPEN SPECIAL PANAM HC
Ford BMW Chevrolet Porsche 911 Ford Ford Crown Victora Porsche CHEV MALIBU Dodge Porsche Datsun MINI BMW Ford VW BMW 1M BMW Subaru Subaru Nash (Tubular) Ford
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
1963 Impala purchased from Frank McKinnon, 2003 won its class in the La Carrera Panamericana, 2004 won Targa Newfoundland, and had participated in the Chihuahua Express when it was driven by Jerry Churchill. Today it is an instant crowd favorite where ever it goes.
Having grown up on a farm, I was driving at a very young age and become enamored with cars. My brother, Jake, and I drove the neighbors’ truck on the street together because we were not tall enough to reach the pedals and steer at the same time; I operated the clutch, brakes and throttle, my brother shifted and steered the truck. Around that time, I told my mother I was going to be a race car driver. I was 11 years old the first time I spun the tires on the street (mini burn out). Following that, I wanted to join law enforcement because they would drive by our farm exceptionally fast.
Even doing burn offs when they stopped or slowed for stop signs and take off again. Later, I began doing track days, I found rainy days to be the most fun. My friend Frank McKinnon, who has done just about every type of racing, said the one race he enjoyed most and if he could only do one thing a year it would be the Chihuahua Express. So that is what I decided to do. My first time participating in the Chihuahua Express was 2017 with my son Marcus C. as my copilot (navigator), we finished 5th overall. Frank was correct. Chihuahua Express is a bucket list event. Certainly, a lifelong memory for father and son, the transits were almost as fun as the race. In 2018, I became a driving instructor at Oregon raceway park. That same year we decided to take two cars to Chihuahua. Kreig Holland, my son-in-law, would be my copilot in a 1963 Impala. Marcus C. Neff and Rafael Perez would be pilot and copilot in the Subaru STI, which they drove to 5th overall up against a very strong field of competitors.
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland A car enthusiast from a young age, with an interest in the mechanics and handling of cars. He married into a car racing family, and soon found himself doing his first racing school at Portland International Raceway.
2014 Subaru STI vented front brakes, Girodisc 2 piece front rotors with ST 43 brake pads, upgraded suspension, forged pistons and rods, computer tuned, the rest is Chihuahua stock
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That started several more racing schools and track days. With an enthusiasm for adventure and cars, it was an obvious yes when the opportunity came for him to participate as a navigator in the 2018 Chihuahua Express.
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Some would say that racing is in their blood, but for Marcus C. Neff it’s true. Whether an 18 wheeler, motorcycle, or unicycle if there are wheels on it you will find him driving it. From the ripe age of 2 years old he was riding in a 1969 Nova next to his dad doing burnouts with his arm around his dads neck. It was then that he started working on cars and
mechanical things as part of their father son time together. By age 11 this natural born car enthusiast was driving manual transmission cars around industrial park. No surprise that by age 13 he was driving semi trucks around the same industrial park, and by 14 he did his first burnout in a Chevy pickup truck. Creating memories in cars is a theme that has always been in his story, and by 15 he was painting that story in work parking lots while doing burnouts for 45 minutes straight. His need for speed found a place in ski racing about this time, and that provided the opportunity for more father/son bonding while practicing advanced skid practice in parking lots of ski resorts late at night. Around this time they started to adventure on forest roads during the summers, and this brought rally racing more into focus. This fostered a con-
Co-Driver: Rafael Pérez obsessed with buying and selling them. He is the person I thank for introducing me to cars and the automotive world. The one car I will never forget, is when we moved to Puebla, Mexico. I was five years old and my father and I would just cruise around in his little white, 1954 Volkswagen Beetle (Vocho).
My name is Rafael Perez. I was born in Ventura, California on a somewhat cold, Californian, October night. As a child, I was always around many different cars, since my father was a little
I started racing when I was 15 years old, after having moved to Portland, Oregon with my family. My first experience was drag racing with my best friend and mentor, Irrallel Aquino. We would drag race in a 1996 Honda Civic, but that wasn’t enough for me. I got into
trol for driving that would make more advanced maneuvers possible, even before his drivers license. This love of cars went beyond real life, and the father son team enjoyed playing realistic car video games during the raining season, most notably Gran Turismo. The father son had the opportunity to participate in a DirtFish Rally School day, and it lit a fire that wouldn’t find its home until they competed in Chihuahua Express 2017 as a father son team. They drove a recovered stolen STI. They thought “well we are going to drive it like its stolen, somebody else just broke her in for us!” They finished 5th overall in the STI on their first official road racing adventure together.
and dialing the STI in, often taking a second car (2016 Focus RS or a 1963 Impala). They helped each other perfect each track, and learn more about the cars. In 2018, Marcus C would get the opportunity to pilot the STI with his Co-pilot and long time friend Rafael in the Chihuahua Express. They drove to a 2nd in class with an astonishing 5th place overall finish. If it wasn’t for the passion of his father, he would not have been challenged in speed sports giving him the ability and opportunity to compete in such a fantastic race. He looks forward to where this love of cars and racing will take him on new adventures to come.
Following the 2017 Chihuahua Express they did several track days honing skills
Auto X the following year at 16. With my parents now gone back to Mexico, and only my self to care for, I continued racing to stay away from trouble. Currently, I compete in the Oregon Region SCCA, and off season I compete in indoor go karting. Throughout the past 11 years, I have been fortunate enough to lock in multiple championships. I am also grateful to have met some wonderful people. In the many years of racing, I have learned to control, and understand many different car platforms, and this has helped me instruct and navigate others. In 2018, I received an out of the blue phone call from my good friend, Marcus. A few weeks later, I was given a very special opportunity to copilot with Marcus C. Neff in the #33 in the 2018 Chihuahua Express. I am very
thankful to have been part of this experience, that has helped me evolve both in, and out of the car, as a driver, co-pilot, and person. I am looking forward to being involved in future races, and to see what the future brings for me. I would like to give a special thanks to the Neff Family for allowing me to be a part of this experience. Thank you to my girlfriend for joining me on my crazy adventures, all my friends and family that has supported me and continues to support me through my racing career. Quiero dar gracias a mis papas por siempre apoyarme en mis suenos y aventuras los quiero mucho.
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
45 > Thursday april 19th > 12 km.
C h ih u ah u a-C h ih u ah u a
D AY 0
Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Q ua l i f y i n g
>Day 0 >Thursday april 19th > Km. 1 Cihuahua-Cd. Juรกrez Free Road
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
helmets blessing >El Palomar
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
50 > Friday april 20th > 592 km.
Chihuahua-Cd. Madera-Chihuahua
D ay 1
Driver: Marcus C. Neff
20
S ta g e 3
>Agua Caliente-Namiquipia Road
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
16 > Saturday april 21st > 610 km.
Chihuahua-Divisadero-Chihuahua
D ay 2
Driver: Marcus C. Neff
24
S ta g e 2 >CuauhtĂŠmoc-Creel Road
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
S ta g e 8 >Carretera Creel-Divisadero
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
s ta g e 1 6
> CH Control >CuauhtĂŠmoc-Creel Road
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
16 > Sunday april 22nd > 468 km.
Chihuahua-Ojinaga-Chihuahua
D ay 3
Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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s ta g e 6
>Chihuahua-Ojinaga Road > CH Control >PegĂźis Canyon
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
C h ih u a h ua E XPRE S S 2018
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus C. Neff
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Co-Driver: Rafael Perez
Driver: Marcus J. Neff
ov e r a l l r e s u lt s
Co-Driver: Kreig Holland
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Driver: Marcus C. Neff
Co-Driver: Rafael Perez