Wild Ride for the US crew of car 76 Ryan and Isaiah Salter on Peking to Paris 2025
‘Quite an adventure’ would be the best way of describing the father and son’s experiences on the 2025 Paris to Peking Motor Challenge so far, and with five competitive days left, their voyage of discovery and wild experiences should come to an end in Paris on Sunday 22nd June.
The distinctive Zebra striped 1975 Datsun 240Z and crew of Ryan and Isaiah Salter have enjoyed an incredible experience, some of it on the edge, but setbacks that would have stopped many in their tracks and forced them to shout ‘enough.’ Mere mortals would have given up and asked to be repatriated, but this American crew have dealt with adversity, showed incredible resourcefulness and determination to get back in the rally in the true spirit of the original Peking to Paris in 1907.
Unlike the Spyker driver Charles Goddard who was arrested for fraud at the finish line in Paris in 1907, the Salters were detained by the Chinese authorities after Ordos just six days into the P2P. They had broken down and shown early signs of the resourcefulness they would demonstrate on the event by finding the parts and fixing the car to get mobile again. By now, nearly a day and a half behind the event they attempted to catch up with the rally.
In their hurried attempts to catch up, they strayed off route and into a red zone. They were escorted into detention by two police cars, in front and directly behind so they could not deviate from their journey to interrogation. Naturally, the authorities suspected information gathering by foreigners and continued to ask questions as the Slaters remained in detention for a number of days.
It is to their credit that through their continual explanations of being part of the P2P and 100% not being there to gather any sensitive information, Ryan and Isaiah were eventually released. The outside influences of P2P ground agents lead by HERO-ERA’s Eleonora Piccolo, also helped convince the Chinese security forces that the Salters were genuine competitors, which brought relief to all concerned.
HERO-ERA thanked the Chinese for their patience and understanding in what could have escalated into a more difficult situation.
However, this was the start of the wild ride that has continued as part of the team’s amazing adventure. By day 14, having caught up with the rest of the rally at the Almaty border after incarceration, they snapped their front strut five days later, the Zebra Datsun ending up on a flatbed recovery truck. After the Caspian Sea ferry ride to Baku where the stricken car was fixed, including a replacement differential, the 240Z was back in action, only to blow its head gasket with the engine quite sick on day 24 from Azerbaijan to Georgia.
Ryan and Isaiah decided to retire the car and send it back to the USA, with the aim of buying another car in Eastern Europe so they could continue in the rally and achieve their ultimate goal of getting to Paris.
Their determination knows no bounds though. Days later the striped Datsun was spotted, the beast was miraculously alive again and back in action on day 30 – the Slaters had found another engine and installed it, then driven hard to catch the rally up again, this time by Istanbul!
Their epic adventure continues, but will they make it to Paris? Given their sheer grit, press on regardless attitude and resourcefulness on the P2P so far, even if Ryan and Isaiah have to drag the Zebra there, they will surely cross that finish line to seal their ultimate wild ride.
Please enjoy their diplomatic explanation of their time with the Chinese security forces.