Chattanooga: DeFoor races Jaguar in Mexico

A Chattanooga developer is pursuing his passion for cars south of the border in an international, 2,000-mile vintage-car race.

Byron DeFoor is racing a 1960s-era Jaguar in La Carrera Panamericana, the Mexican road race, said brother Ken DeFoor.

“He’s always loved cars,” Ken DeFoor said.

Byron DeFoor said via e-mail that he and his partner, David Hinton, won a first-place and a second-place trophy. The race awards the fastest racers every day.

The 2,200-mile La Carrera Panamericana, or Pan Am, began Friday in the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, in southern Mexico, and ends on Thursday in Nuevo Laredo, across the border from Texas, according to the race’s Web site.

The race was first held from 1950 to 1954, and revived as a stage rally in 1988, and has continued since as an event for experienced and novice racers, the Web site states. There are about 100 teams from Mexico, the United States and other nations.

Byron DeFoor owns four vintage cars, his brother said, including a 1970 S-class Mercedes convertible that he restored.

Ken DeFoor said his brother sold him the car once but bought it back because he didn’t like the way Ken maintained it. His brother loves restoring vintage cars, and has a mechanic team to help him, Ken DeFoor said.

The DeFoors are developing Waterside Lifestyle Center on Shallowford Road. In addition, they plan to develop a condo project at the former Fehn’s Restaurant site on the North Shore once an archaeological study is finished.