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From the April 2022 challenge of Automobile and Driver.
Renée Brinkerhoff started off rally racing at age 57 with an ambitious intention: to race a 1956 Porsche 356A on each individual continent. Neither vehicle nor vacation spot daunted main mechanic Simon Redhead. Here’s how Valkyrie Racing conquered the globe.
1: 2017 North The united states
Brinkerhoff’s to start with race in the 356 was La Carrera Panamericana in 2013. Two decades later, a crash sidelined her ambitions. Right after paying out 2016 rebuilding and upgrading the car or truck, she kicked off Undertaking 356 Earth Rally Tour the up coming year by returning to Mexico and profitable her class.
2: 2018 Australia
Unable to pre-run at Targa Tasmania, Brinkerhoff experienced to retain speeds down. Although that discouraged her, the slower tempo likely manufactured Redhead’s career a lot easier. “We had no challenges there, mechanically,” he suggests. Once more Brinkerhoff claimed a podium spot, 2nd in her course.
3: 2018 South The us
Peru’s Caminos del Inca rally proved to be one particular of the most difficult. The 356 cleared customs, but the spare components didn’t. Then the motor struggled in the slender mountain air. Overheating difficulties claimed the flat-4 but failed to faze Redhead: “We altered the engine and continued on.”
4, 5: 2019 Asia, Europe
Starting up in Beijing, the Peking to Paris rally stretched 8500 miles in excess of 36 days. Following the mechanical gods smote a different engine, a substitution air-cooled flat-4 was flown in. It arrived in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 4 suitcases, requiring assembly for Brinkerhoff to complete the race.
6: 2019 Africa
The rough terrain of the East African Safari Basic referred to as for unique dampers, much more ground clearance, and chassis reinforcements to increase longevity. Huge bumps in Kenya bent numerous steering arms above the 9-working day rally, but the 356 nevertheless produced it to the finish line.
7: 2021 Antarctica
With no a sanctioned race, Brinkerhoff set out to travel 356 snowy miles on her most hard continent yet. The 356 went observe-and-ski, the carbs necessary many chilly rebuilds, and frozen filters wreaked havoc on electricity. But the small Porsche conquered the polar ice.
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