Lot 102: Carlo Demand (1921-2000), 'Carrera Panamericana 1952',

signed, charcoal on paper, depicting the Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing of Kling and Klenk on thier way to victory, 29 x 25 inches, mounted, framed and glazed.

This lot is mounted and framed, but not glazed.
Famously, the victory of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL of Kling and Hans Klenk came despite the car being hit by a vulture in the windscreen. During a long right-hand bend in the opening stage, taken at almost 200 km/h (120 mph), Kling failed to spot vultures sitting by the side of the road. As the birds scattered at the sound of the virtually unsilenced 300SL, one impacted through the windscreen on the passenger side, briefly knocking co-driver and navigator Klenk unconscious. Despite bleeding badly from facial injuries caused by the shattered windscreen, Klenk ordered Kling to maintain speed, and held on until a tyre change almost 70 km (43 mi) later to wash himself and the car of blood, bird and glass. For extra protection, eight vertical steel bars were bolted over the new windscreen.

Innovative use of pre-prepared 'pace-notes' in this event allowed Klenk to ascertain and communicate upcoming road bends and terrain features in rapid shorthand to Kling. This system proved so effective that it is now used in all motorsports involving a navigator.