The 36-day 2019 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge is still underway.
Renee Brinkerhoff, philanthropist, driver, and team owner for Valkyrie Racing, is one of only four women and 110 total rallyists embarking on the 36-day 2019 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge. The event covers a distance of nearly 10,000 miles and has been going on since June 2nd. It is scheduled to end on Sunday July 7th.
With just a few days left to go, Renee and her 1956 Porsche 356A have endured a long trail together spanning numerous countries like Mongolia, China, Russia, and Kazakhstan. The journey forced Renee to take her Porsche to its limits on desert paths, ice-covered passes, treacherous river crossings, and a tough Russian road that included all areas of topography from solid roadways to murky swamps.
More importantly, however, the Motor Challenge served as a platform for Renee Brinkerhoff to share her mission and goal of defeating “child trafficking”. She continues to work hard to bring the important social issue to light and put it at the foreground of every stop along the way. Porsche really supports Renee, with several dealerships around the world offering their services and facilities to her.
The Colorado-based racer recently experienced an engine issue in St. Petersburg that required an all-new motor to be put together and installed in her Porsche 356. The engine rebuild happened after dirt had clogged the carburetors when driving through Mongolia. The city’s Primorsky Porsche dealership held a press conference in Brinkerhoff’s honor and offered a facility with “standing room only” to greet the racer and her car. Porsche dealerships from Ulaanbaatar, Novosibirsk, Ufa, and St. Petersburg have supported Renee to the fullest by offering shelter and service for the newly serviced 356 during each of the rally’s rest days. That just goes to show you how positivity is contagious and it’s truly amazing to see the communities come together to support the automotive event and a bigger non-profit mission.
Tuthill of Tuthill Porsche had to dismantle the motor as per the U.K. airport’s orders. It was eight pounds overweight and, thus, could not be approved by the baggage check-in area. It took nearly 12 hours to put it back together before it was placed in Renee’s 1956 Porsche 356A. It’s not hard to see that Porsche really came through and helped keep her on track during the incredible event that is the Project 356 World Rally Tour.
“We’re extremely thankful that Francis Tuthill was able to bring a new engine all the way from the UK in his luggage,” said Renee.
