Throwback Thursday: Geoff McCarthy Wins La Carrera Classic II

Larry Lawrence | March 31, 2016

Cycle News Collection Photo/Chuck Clayton

In this week’s Throwback Thursday we go back nearly 29 years to April of 1987 and the La Carrera Classic II. La Carrera was a timed run-whatcha-brung, rally-style road race in Mexico that basically went from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez (Ensenada to San Filipe) mostly using Highway 3, which was closed for the day for the event.

Riders (and drivers) started at one-minute intervals and then hammered west to east across Mexico. In this photo two riders line up to start. On the No. 713 Ducati is Duane Summers, much better known as an off-road desert racer. Summers finished second in the event. Next to Summers on No. 747 is eventual winner Geoff McCarthy, 19, of Ojai, California. McCarthy, riding a 1987 Ducati 750 F1 with backing from Cagiva North America, won the race at a pretty amazing average of 108.75 mph! Not bad for racing across public roads.

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