Some pictures from WRC Corona Rally Mexico, 2004. These are in chronological order as shot over the course of the event. Pic quality is not so great, but even though this was in 2004, the only camera I had access to used floppy discs. So, these pics represent a few pounds worth of memory... I have the route book, maybe I will scan some relevant sections and post some samples some other time. Enjoy.
The service area was inside a convention center, luxurious...
Even in gravel trim, the cars run a relatively low ride height
Underbody protection, rally consumables.
Honeycomb, billet and composite construction. How may hours to build, how many minutes to destroy...
The Ford Rallyesport service truck, like a roach coach full of unobtanium
I think they put the tarps down out of habit only...
Ford Focus WRC engine shot, note the surprisingly long exhaust manifold tube lengths (wrapped) as well as the extreme engine layback on the crank axis.
The less well heeled teams were outside.
Sandals Resort Rally Team, Ya Mon!
Citroen rear suspension detail, strap is because the damper/spring is off for servicing.
Front view of the Mitisubishi front suspension, dampers out for service.
The Sebastien Loeb's WRC Citroen almost ready to sleep for the night.
Petter Solberg's WRX almost ready to sleep means SWRT almost ready to head back to the hotel. Drivers and co-drivers had some late nights ahead going through their pace notes, however.
The Petronas team, not factory, but with the resources that oil wells provide, for sure.
This privateer EVO started as a caged shell at the beginning of the event out of the crate.
Very cool Volvo S series recce cars used by the Ford Rallyesport team.
Mitsubishi EVO recce car.
Goodies come out of the crate.
Gigi Galli's Mitsubishi
The privateer EVO the next morning, lots of progress overnight!
Factory Ford Rally Team and Ford Privateer share space
Rental car recce! Stopping for some refreshment.
The locals hanging out, waiting for the rally crowd.
Toyota Corolla wagon flat towing a Dodge sedan through the mountains. The tire tied to the rear hatch of the tow car was for slowing BOTH cars down. This was a tough pass to make...
The privateer EVO, ready to run!
Ford Ka recce car for a privateer.
The Ford Rallyesport service truck, tasty bits...
Air management for the Ford Focus WRC, twin outlets for the intercooler/fans, with engine air inlet snaking between the two outlets and back to the filter box.
Care for a pedal box, rotors, some impacts?
The Mitsubishi RalliArt service truck.
The Citroen service area. I think they were watching naughty French movies in there...
Guanajuato, Mexico.
Bread anyone?
The Europeans in town all commented on how similar Guanajuato felt to Spain or Portugal.
The town center preparing for the opening ceremonies, sunshine for now...
The opening ceremony, the downpour started towards the end of the ceremony.
Waiting for the bus in the tunnels underneath the city.
All of that for this! You wander all over for hours, for a chance to see this for a few seconds. And it's worth it! Amazing...
Guanajuato is uphill, then downhill, then uphill, then downhill...
1565 A.D. Proper.
When the dune buggies are all delayed on the exit to a stage, you know something happened...
...and there it is, the privateer EVO that was built from a shell overnight, crashed again. There is a madness to it...
Here we finish with two videos, they took up lots of space on the floppies : ) It took a few hours of driving, hiking and waiting to get these videos. The first is the privateer WRC Focus, then the Mitsubishi of Gigi Galli. I can say with confidence that as the cars came through, the crowd did, in fact, go wild...
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