Caminos del Inca 2007 - 14-23 Sep 07

Posted: May 9, 2007 1:24 PM

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09/05/07
FINNISH RALLY LEGEND JUHA KANKKUNEN SET TO TACKLE CAMINOS DEL INCA 2007
The Automóvil Club Peruano (ACP) have confirmed that Finnish rally legend Juha Kankkunen and co-driver Juha Repo will tackle September's Rally Caminos del Inca in a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII. The punishing 10-day event begins in Lima on Friday, September 14th and finishes in the Peruvian capital on Sunday, September 23rd.

Kankkunen and Repo will join Team Cataneo for the 37th running of the Gran Premio Nacional de Carreteras (Caminos del Inca), which permits the use of trucks, station wagons, buggies, vintage cars and FIA N2, N3 and N4 vehicles. There is also an Open Masters class and an Open 4WD section.

Kankkunen won 23 WRC rallies in an illustrious career which saw him clinch no less than four world titles in 1986, 1987, 1991 and 1993, initially with the Peugeot and Lancia factory teams and, latterly, with Lancia Abarth and Toyota Team Europe. The 48-year-old Finn won his first two WRC rallies in Africa in 1985, by clinching victories in both the Safari and Ivory Coast rallies.

He has always relished a sense of adventure and is looking forward to tackling the Peruvian event, with the co-driver with whom he won WRC rallies in Argentina and Finland towards the end of his regular WRC career in 1999.

Kankkunen also made a name for himself in the world of cross-country rallying and is a former winner of the gruelling Dakar Rally with Peugeot Talbot Sport. In recent years he has tackled select events around the globe and was a member of the Volkswagen cross-country team a few years ago.

"It is a major boost to have sealed the entry of Juha Kankkunen and Juha Repo so far in advance of the start of the event," confirmed Promotions Director Henry Bradley. "We have had enquiries from competitors around the world and are also delighted to announce that three drivers from the Dominican Republic and one from Mexico have already entered as well."

Renowned factory rally drivers have a glittering record on the legendary Caminos del Inca, which takes place on Perú's closed public roads with the backdrop of the stunning Andes mountain range. Back in 1969, Tony Fall visited the event in a works Ford Escort and emerged victorious. One year later the great Finn Hannu Mikkola entered and retired early on, although he did win the coveted London-Mexico Rally the same year in a Ford Escort. Both used the respected Swede Gunnar Palm as their co-driver.

In 1995, the former Audi and British Leyland factory driver John Buffum raced an Audi Coupe S2, but the American lost a potential victory when he was excluded for running his Audi with an oversized turbo restrictor. Kankkunen will be hoping to follow Tony Fall on to the list of previous winners.

The event is being held with the full support of the FIA and the Federatión Peruana de Automovilismo Deporttivo (FEPAD). In a total route of 2,722.90km, the organisers anticipate that 2,289.50km will be competitive, with a mere 433.40km taking place on non-competitive liaison sections.

Entries are now open for this year's event from the Automovil Club Peruano, Av. Canaval y Moreyra 671, San Isidro, Lima 27, Perú, Tel: + 511 224 3222 and + 511 225 5283, Fax: + 511 224 1405, E-mail: acpperu.com.pe

Foreign entrants will receive a generous incentive package, including ocean freight for competition vehicles, air tickets for the driver and co-driver and accommodation during the event.

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19/01/07
PERUVIAN ORGANISERS ANNOUNCE RUNNING OF 2007 CAMINOS DEL INCA
Gruelling event set to cross Perú in September 2007;
Generous incentives available to foreign competitors;
Route set to pass through Lima, Cuzco and Arequipa

The Automóvil Club Peruano (ACP) have announced the running of the Rally Caminos del Inca 2007 - a gruelling 10-day event across Perú, starting on Friday, September 14th and finishing in the capital Lima on Sunday, September 23rd.

The 37th running of the Gran Premio Nacional de Carreteras (Caminos del Inca 2007) is open to trucks, station wagons, buggies and vintage cars over 25-years old, cars complying with FIA Group N2, N3 and N4 classes, S1600 and there will also be an Open Masters class and an Open 4WD section. The event is being held with the full support of the FIA and the Federatión Peruana de Automovilismo Deporttivo (FEPAD).

The event will be held on Peru's national roads that link the cities of Lima, Huancavo, Ayacucho, Andahuaylas, Abancay, Cuzco, Arequipa, Ica and Lima. There will be five legs, 12 special stages and 14 liaison sections. Jaime Rey Movano will act as the race director.

In a total route of 2,722.90km, the organisers anticipate that 2,289.50km will be competitive, with a mere 433.40km taking place on non-competitive liaison sections.

Scrutineering will take place for foreign teams on Thursday, September 13th and competitive action gets underway on Friday, September 14th with a timed super special stage in Lima.

The second section of the opening leg starts from Moyopampa on Sunday, September 16th, runs for 240.60km to Huancayo and includes a pair of tarmac special stages of around 125km and 102km in length. Leg two extends for 288.60km and takes teams from Huancayo to Ayacucho and includes a pair of 241km and 27.60km gravel special stages. Tuesday, September 18th has been planned as a service day in Ayacucho.

The third leg takes crews on a daunting 579.95km section from Ayacucho to Cuzco and includes a pair of 237km and 140km gravel special stages and a 167km tarmac section at Abancay. Teams will then enjoy a day's service in the historic Inca capital city of Cuzco on Thursday, September 20th. Foreign participants and media will be invited to visit the historical ruins of Machu Picchu - a candidate to be included in the Seven Wonders of the World.

Leg four stretches for 455km and guides teams from Cuzco to Arequipa and includes a 274km gravel stage and an 82km tarmac test between Pampa Canahuas and the overnight halt. A day's service is planned for Saturday, September 22nd in Arequipa.

The fifth and final 998km leg guides the surviving crews from Arequipa to the Peruvian capital of Lima and includes three tarmac stages of 547km, 133km and 109km on Sunday, September 23rd.

Entries are now open for this year's event from the Automovil Club Peruano, Av. Canaval y Moreyra 671, San Isidro, Lima 27, Perú, Tel: + 511 224 3222 and + 511 225 5283, Fax: + 511 224 1405, E-mail: acpperu.com.pe

Foreign entrants will receive a generous incentive package, including ocean freight for competition vehicles, air tickets for the driver and co-driver and accommodation during the event.

For further information about foreign entries for the 2007 Caminos del Inca, contact Henry Bradley, Promotions Director, Tel: + 1 770 844 1740, mobile: + 1 404 502 0990, E-mail: bracoracing@aol.com or hbradley@rallyworldmagazine.com