32 Search Results for ""2008 baja""

• Christys Racing wins Score Baj Christys Racing wins Score Baja 500 2009

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:

     

    Make this one heck of a winning streak. Very very impressive...Press release from the Christys Racing camp...

    Team Christy takes first in the SCORE Baja 500.
    
    The Burbank, California based team started 3rd off the line and led the race from the summit area of the course all the way to the finish.  By Halfway through the race Christy, Dave Scott and Andy Lagzdins opened the lead up to almost 30 minutes.  Team riders Joe Bernal and Steve Abrego held that lead for the last half of the race.  The Duncan Elka suspended TRX450R performed flawlessly the entire race.  Dave Scott navigated the treacherous rocky summit with zero tire issues.  "All we did was put gas in it from the start to the finish.  The motor just kept pulling and pulling"  The Team ran the entire race on only one set of ITP XCT tires with tireballs.
    
    "This is five in a row for us" said Christy.  Starting at the 2008 Baja 1000.  The SCORE Class 24 and BITD Quad Team led by Craig Christy has dominated both series with five 1st place wins in a row.  "We are looking forward to 2 perfect seasons and this win positions us well to dominate the SCORE series.  Next up is Vegas to Reno the long way.  The way our program is developing, longer races are our strong suit.  We can't wait to get riding again"
    
    Team Christy is supported by Elka Suspension, ITP Tires, PWR Radiator and Sunoco Race Fuels.
    
    Additional Support is provided by:  Rockstar Energy Drink, Cycle Gear, RGEAR worldwide, Instinct Charter Boat, and Spider Grips

     

     

    

     

  • Blog post
  • 8 months ago
  • Views: 395

• Team Honda ATV Josh Caster Rac Team Honda ATV Josh Caster Race Report San Felipe 250

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:

    I would like to thank Josh Caster for allowing me to use his race report from Baja.net. Straight from the keyboard of one of the riders of the winner of this years San Felipe 250. Josh assisted Wayne Matlock and Harold Goodman to kick some butt down in San Felipe last weekend. Congratulations to Team Honda and Matlock Racing. Hope you enjoy the read.

    I would like to share with you guys the great opportunity I was given to race the Tecate Score San Felipe 250 on the #1A American Honda Pro Quad Team.
    
    
    First I will start off with a little info on how I got started with racing and Baja-
    
    I have been visiting Baja for most of my life with my family on fun week long trips and more recently in the last few years had spent most of my time in Baja at the Score races. I ended up getting hooked to Baja racing and would go to every race I could to help out my friends and learn as much as I could. I spent many races down there prerunning, prepping and chasing with the McMillin & Scaroni families and learned a lot thanks to them.
    
    In January of 2008 I bought a quad (crazy idea I know!) after riding bikes for the last 8+ years and decided to try racing after talking to Wayne & Kristen Matlock at a family trip to the dunes. After my first race at a local District-38 race I was hooked to racing quads. I ended up racing at about half of the D38 races and continued to improve and learn more about racing quads. It seemed I was more comfortable on the quad than I ever was on the bikes and my speeds picked up and soon I won a couple of races.
    
    
    And here is what lead me to racing in Baja-
    
    Wayne Matlock called me before the Tecate Score Baja 500 last year and asked if I would like to go down and chase for him. I of course said yes because I can’t pass up Baja and it would give me a chance to learn more about racing down there. I ended up chasing Wayne at both the 500 and the 1000 last year and learned a lot about the amount of work and time it takes to be the best in Baja. At both races I got the chance to ride the new Honda TRX700XX and prerun the first 50 miles with Wayne. I was amazed on how well the quad worked and how much I liked it.
    
    After returning from the Baja 1000, Wayne told me I needed to try riding the Honda TRX700XX at an upcoming BITD race in Henderson, NV so I could see how I liked it. Well I ended up REALLY liking the quad and won my class. Soon after Wayne told me he had talked to Bruce Ogilvie at American Honda about me and said he would like me to ride with him next year in Baja. I got really excited about this news, but was also a little worried because now the pressure was on!
    
    Wayne and I continued to ride as much as possible and started hitting the gym twice a week for training. We also continued to race the local D38 races because they are great training for the whoops in San Felipe. Just three weeks before I was scheduled to start prerunning for the race I crashed while out on a fun ride. I ended up cartwheeling my quad end over end and when I got up my right thumb hurt bad and was starting to swell up. We weren’t finished with our ride so I sucked it up and finished the 60+ miles we still had to go. By the time we got back to the trucks my hand felt better but my thumb was swollen and black & blue. I figured it was just sprained by decided to visit my doctor just in case because San Felipe was coming quick. After the doctor visit and some X-rays I learned I had a broken thumb. Not exactly the kind of news you want to hear just before a race like San Felipe. I told my doctor what my plans were and he fixed me up with a cast so I wouldn’t hurt my thumb anymore before the race and the plan was to visit him just before heading to Mexico so they could take more X-rays and give me a brace I could prerun with.
    
    Now the fun (or work!) began! Due to another racing going on the weekend before the SF250 Wayne and Harold Goodman would not be heading down until the Monday before the race. I had to work the Monday and Tuesday before the race so my plan was to head down the weekend before to get a jump on prerunning my section and see how my broken thumb was going to work out. The day before we headed down I stopped by my doctor and they did some X-rays and removed the cast. My thumb had healed but he still gave me a brace to wear while riding the first weekend if it was bugging me. I picked up my cousin Terrence and a friend on Friday afternoon and we headed to SF. We got to SF just in time for some dinner and then found the house I had rented north of town.
    
    Saturday morning we headed out to race mile 93 at Morelia Junction where I would be getting on the race quad. We were unsure how far I would be able to run while prerunning so we strapped ½ gallon of gas to my back just in case. We checked the radio before I took off and everything was working fine. I also wore the brace my doctor gave me for my thumb and put it on over my riding gloves. After taking off down Morelia Rd we soon realized I could hear my chase truck but they couldn’t hear me, so I would just click the PTT button to let them know I would understand them. Soon I was out of range of the radios and was headed south towards Matomi wash. I was not running TireBalls in the rear tires and after dropping into Matomi wash I got a rear flat. After stopping to fix the flat, I continued on and finished up my section at race mile 170. My chase crew was right on time and we loaded the quad up to go do it all over again.
    
    This time we agreed that I would click twice on the PTT button if everything was ok because the radio was still not working. The thumb brace I wore on the first ride was bugging me and my hand felt good so I stuffed it in my pack and decided to try riding without it to see how it felt. I was off again and before long I had another rear flat. I fixed it and continued on my prerun checking the multiple lines running through the washes. Before I was midway through my second prerun I had three more rear flats and was out of plugs and CO2’s, so I had to ride the last 25+ miles on a rear flat. The flat caused me to eat up more gas than the first ride and I just made it back to the meeting point at race mile 170 before running out of gas. The good news was my thumb felt great after the ride and I never had to put the brace on. We headed back to the house to shower so we could grab some dinner and go check out the town (Terrence had never been to SF before). I was out of CO2’s and felt really good about my two preruns so we decided to just head home Sunday morning rather than try to prerun again and take a chance of getting another flat.
    
    After getting back home that night and unloading my quad I stopped by a friend’s house to pick up Harold Goodman and his wife Jessica so I could take them over to Wayne’s house. We talked about the race plans a little bit and then I headed back home so I could strip my quad back down and get it ready for the next trip. The shocks had felt a little worn down during my prerun so I took them off so I could have Precision Concepts service them. I also rounded up my radio and helmet so I could get those checked. I spent the next couple of days stressing at work and running around on my lunch break to get all the last minute stuff done before heading back down. Mark over at Precision Concepts did an awesome job getting my shocks serviced in time and Mike over at Racer-X spent some time with me trying to figure out what was going on with my radio. We found the jack inside the radio was worn so Mike let me use one of his radios for the race.
    
    Tuesday after leaving work I ran home and finished putting the quad together just before Terrence showed up. We finally got out of town after making a few stops to pick up parts for the race quad that had not gotten there in time for Wayne to take down with him. We arrived that night and found the house that the team had rented north of town. It was a nice house with a large garage for working on the quads. We unpacked our stuff and I made sure my radio and gear was ready for the mornings prerun.
    
    Wednesday morning the team went to breakfast and talked about the prerunning plans for the day. One truck would head north with Harold and my truck would drop me off and then take Wayne to race mile 170 so he could prerun his last section while they waited for me. The course was a lot more tore up from the last weekend and lots of stuff had changed so I took my time looking at everything again. Just before dropping into Matomi wash I managed to get 2 rear flats and so I stopped to try and plug them. I made it about another mile before all the plugs were gone and I had to ride the rest of my section on the 2 rear flats. It was not real fun and I couldn’t get over second gear because I didn’t want to destroy the wheels on all the rocks buried under the sand in Matomi. I finally made it to the pick up point after what seemed like days and was not real happy at that point. We loaded up and headed back to the house so I could change out the tires with some new ones. After changing out the rears at the house I decided to just ride from the house to the local Pemex gas station and just carry a 5 gallon gas can with me to the end of Morelia Road. After the fill up at the gas station, me and my 5 gallon gas can headed down Zoo road towards Morelia Junction and down Morelia Road. When I got to the end of the road where the course turned off I stopped and topped off my gas tank with the 5 gallon can before hiding it behind a bush so I could fill up with it again tomorrow. The new tires worked great and I only ended up with a single flat near the end of my ride and at this point I was feeling a lot better about my section even though I finished up in the dark. That night the team all had dinner at the house and we worked on the quads getting them ready for Thursday’s prerunning.
    
    Thursday I decided I was pretty confident about my section and knowing all the bad areas so I wasn’t going to run mine again until the race. I took Wayne south with my chase truck to race mile 170 so he could run his southern section one more time. My cousin Terrence ended up going with the other chase truck so he could view his visual checks that he would be at during the race. After returning to the house I waited for the rest of the group to return. Wayne showed up first just after lunch time and asked if I wanted to take his Prerunner around my section. I said yes, because his Prerunner had TireBalls and the suspension was set exactly like the race quad we would be running. I stopped at the Pemex station to top off and then rode towards my gas can I had hid the day before. After filling up at my secret hidden gas stop I took off south on my section towards Matomi wash one more time. The quad was working great and I was able to really pick up the pace without having to worry about getting flats in the rocky areas. I ran my section at about ¾ of what I would do at race pace and after finishing up I was really excited about my section and race day. That night the whole team worked on the race quad, finishing the last look over on the bike and installing the stickers.
    
    Friday morning the team went to breakfast before loading the race quad and heading to tech and registration. After a quick stop at registration we all signed in and then headed to tech to get the quad and helmets looked at. We were in and out within an hour and then the whole team headed back to the house to start packing the chase trucks and preparing everything for the race. We got all the trucks packed and readied before dinner and then the riders headed back to town to attend the riders meeting in my truck. After the riders meeting, we loaded my truck with everything Terrence would need for race day and then the whole team went to bed early.
    
    Race morning we were all up before 5 am double and triple checking everything. Everyone was off before 6, headed to each of their areas for the race. Wayne headed to the start line with the quad, Kristen would take Harold to race mile 25 where he would get on, Terrence would take my truck north to Borrego for his visual checks and I would ride with Wayne’s parents to the Zoo road crossing where we would watch Wayne come through before heading west to Morelia Junction where I would get on the quad. Wayne came through Zoo road dead even on time and had not lost any time even with all the dust. By the time he was handing the quad off the Harold the 3A team had gained about 3 minutes on us with a better line. While Harold was off on his section we headed towards Morelia Junction so I could get ready to get on the quad. We arrived before the first bikes came through and after what seemed like hours of waiting (wasn’t that long!) we finally heard Terrence over the radio talking to Harold and telling him he now had a 3 minute lead on the 3A team and were first quad on the road. I was really relieved to hear this because I knew it would be hard to catch and pass someone on my first section.
    
    Soon I could see and hear Harold coming down the course. As he came into the pit, he was diving off one side of the quad while I was jumping on the other. I got the quick headshake that the quad was ok and I was off! My first section down Morelia road was about 10 miles of graded dirt road so I kept the 700XX pinned the whole time at over 80 mph just trying to keep the pace Harold and Wayne had set. At the end of the road I came into the first Honda pit and got a quick fill up before heading into the silt and dune sections towards Matomi wash. I made it to check point 2 with no issues and managed to pass a couple of bikes along the way. I did the quick stop and go at check point 2 before getting into the rocky sections above Matomi wash. I was very careful in this area because the rocks were sharp and could slice open a tire at high speeds. Next I was dropping into Matomi wash side by side with a bike but he decided to give me the right of way and I passed him mid way down the hill.
    
    Matomi wash is one of those famous Baja washes where you get a little bit of everything. The sand is very coarse and hurts when the tires kick it up at you, the rocks are bigger than cars and some are hidden under the sand so that when you hit them they can send you over the bars, there are waterfalls and rock gardens that would challenge most jeeps, so I was planning on taking my time through this section and not make any mistakes. I set a nice steady pace and made sure I stayed away from the rocks so I wouldn’t damage any tires or wheels. By the time I had made it to the end of Matomi I had passed a few more bikes and was lucky enough to have avoided all the rocks.
    
    Just out of Matomi wash was my next Honda pit where I would again grab some more gas and continue on to check point 3. The Honda pits did an awesome job of getting me in and out with the fuel and a quick look over on the quad. From the Honda pit all the way to check point 3 I did not see another single rider and I was really enjoying this section of the course where it worked through the cactus with big sandy whoops. The quad was working great and I was having a blast just pounding through the big sandy whoops like they weren’t even there. Pretty soon I knew I was within range of the radios so I could talk to Wayne & Kristen to let them know I was about 5 minutes out and was just about to check point 3. I told them the quad was working great and had no issues so Wayne would be ready to jump on and go. They radioed back that they heard me loud and clear and told me to watch for spectators driving backwards up the course. Just before reaching check point 3 I started passing trucks going the opposite way up the course but all of them saw me coming and moved out of the way. I did another quick stop and go at check point 3 and radioed ahead to let them know I had cleared and would be to them in a couple of minutes. The last section before I passed the quad off to Wayne at race mile 170 was a wide open two track road and this let me look at all the tires and wheels to make sure everything would be good for Wayne. Everything felt great so I radioed that I was coming in and the quad was in good shape. As I came in I pulled my radio cord and jumped off while Wayne was jumping on. I gave him the thumbs up and he was off towards the finish.
    
    I waited at the rider change with Kristen so we could see how much of a lead we had on the 3A quad. I ended up putting about 6 minutes on the 3A quad in my section and after getting the time split we headed towards the finish so we could try to beat Wayne there. While we were on our way towards the finish, Wayne’s parents were waiting for him about 12 miles from the finish to do a visual check. We made it to the finish in time and I made my way to the finish line to wait for Wayne. We got word that Wayne still had the lead when he passed his parents and he had also gained another 6 minutes on the 3A team. He parents were telling him to slow down as he passed but Wayne continued to push hard all the way to the finish.
    
    As Wayne got the checkered flag I could not tell you how happy I was! We waited around for most of the other Pro quads to finish and we all ended up telling stories about the race at the finish line. I don’t know of any other group of racer like this and it has been really cool to join this quad racing group.
    
    This was something I have been dreaming about for years and it was awesome to finally get the chance to race Score in Baja. It is indescribable on how you feel after winning a race like this. All the weeks of being up until 1-2 in the morning prepping the quads and trucks only to be back at work at 6 am were really worth all the lack of sleep. I was so choked up at the awards I couldn’t even speak.
    
    One of the things I have learned over the last year with the Matlock family is that there is a big misconception about their team. People seem to think that because the Matlock team rides for American Honda that they get everything just handed to them. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! I do not know anyone that works harder preparing for a race than this family and you can see it in the results. I couldn’t be happier to be part of this team and to ride and work with such a dedicated group of people.
    
    I would like to thank Wayne for giving me the opportunity to race.
    
    I would like to thank Bruce Ogilvie for OK’ing me to ride on the Honda team even though I am fairly new to quad racing.
    
    I would like to thank the whole Matlock family for all the help and fun.
    
    I would like to thank Harold Goodman and his wife Jessica for the great teamwork and entertainment.
    
    JCR and the Honda Pit Crews
    
    And I would like to thank all our sponsors for all the help. Without you I know this could not be done-
    Honda, Alba, Precision Concepts, Maxxis, Elka, Houser Racing, KZ Trailers, HMF Exhaust, Fly Racing, Pro Honda Oil and Chemicals, Baja Designs, Tire Balls, DWT, Renthal, Motion Pro, Streamline, IMS-Roll, IMS, TCX Boots, Quadtech, Scott Goggles, UNI Filters, DID Chains

    #1A Matlock Racing
    American Honda/Precision Concepts

     

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 656

• Suckin' Air Suckin' Air

  • From: PowersportsEditor
  • Description:

    We get lots of press at Off-Road.com; race press especially.  Which is good.  But when we get over 30 in a single day, from teams, factories, series promoters, sponsors - the little guy kinda drops down pretty low on our radar.  This one though, certainly got our attention.  Read carefully -

    ATV News - Harold Goodman, 2-Time Dirt Track National Champion, agrees to Sponsorship Deal from Oxygen4Energy.com

    Harold Goodman, 2-Time ATV Dirt Track National champion, just agreed to a new sponsorship deal with Oxygen4Energy.com. In his contract, Oxygen4Energy also agreed to donate a portion of the proceeds generated by Goodman's representation to his favorite charity.

    Harold Goodman is a professional ATV Dirt Track Rider. He won both the 2007 and 2008 AMA Extreme Dirt Track Pro Nationals, and was member of the 2008 Baja 1000 Championship Team. His nickname is the "Bumble Bee," and his aggressive, yet technical riding abilities have made him a force to deal with on the ATV Dirt Track Tour.

    Goodman agreed to this sponsorship because he truly believes that the 99% Pure Oxygen in a Can from Oxygen4Energy.com makes him a better rider. According to Goodman, from the very first time he used the product, he noticed faster recovery times, improved energy and stamina, and "an increase in focus that seems to lead to faster lap times."

    Needless to say, if you see Harold "Bumble Bee" Goodman out at the race track with a strange blue can in his face, you'll know he's breathing in 99% oxygen from Oxygen4Energy.com in preparation for his next race, or recovering from a previous race. Goodman finds that the canned oxygen offers more benefits than energy drinks without all the sugars and stimulants.

    Click on the link below to see Harold Goodman's full testimonial and to see how he uses his oxygen: http://www.poweredbyoxygen.com/haroldgoodman/

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 247

• Toyo Tires and Robby Gordon’s Toyo Tires and Robby Gordon’s Team Dakar USA Prepare for Dakar 2009

  • From: Ultimate Off-Roader
  • Description:

    Veteran French Driver, Eric Vigouroux Joins Team to Drive Second Hummer H3

    CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA – Toyo Tires, Robby Gordon and Team Dakar USA will once again take on the Dakar rally.  The 2009 event will cross the continent of South America from January 3 – 18.  Beginning in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the race will cross over through Chile, then back to Buenos Aires for the finish.  Once again, the sophisticated Hummer H3 racers will be equipped with 37X13.50R17 Toyo® Open Country M/T®-R tires while Andy Grider will serve as navigator for Gordon.

    The team of Gordon and Grider has been a force in endurance off-road racing.  In addition to winning the 2006 Baja 1000 while driving a Chevrolet trophy truck outfitted with Toyo Open Country M/T-R tires; the duo piloted their Monster Energy/Toyo Tires Hummer H3 to a Stage 6 win during Dakar 2007.  The team also won the Open Class of Dakar 2007 and finished eighth overall.  During 2008, they competed in the Central Europe Rally through Hungary and Romania.  The team had an impressive showing, running second in the Car Class during Stage 1, then winning “specials” during Stages 5 and 6.

    For Dakar 2009, veteran French driver, Eric Vigouroux with his long time navigator, Alexandre Winocq, will drive Team Dakar USA’s second Hummer H3 racer.  Vigouroux was first introduced to the Open Country M/T-R tire during Dakar in 2006 when Gordon was forced to drop out of the event due to a badly damaged radiator.  Vigouroux’s Chevrolet trophy truck was struggling for traction and speed in the desert, so Gordon provided his unused Open Country M/T tires for the remainder of the race.  Vigouroux was impressed with the performance of the tires and soon after he joined Team Toyo as a sponsored driver in Europe.

    Once again, Ramses Perez, project manager of events for Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp., will travel with Team Dakar USA throughout the race chronicling the team’s exciting journey.  Check out the adventure on his blog Ramses’ Rally Journal which can be accessed by logging on to toyo.com.  Toyo Tires manufactures and distributes a complete line of replacement tires for high performance cars, luxury vehicles, light trucks and SUVs as well as tires for commercial trucks, buses and off-road and construction applications.

    

    Eric Vigouroux and Robby Gordon

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 734

• Baja 1000 on NBC this Sunday! Baja 1000 on NBC this Sunday!

  • From: Ultimate Off-Roader
  • Description:

    Despite the busy time of year... I think we can all make time for this! Pretty cool stuff:

    2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to air on NBC TV Sunday, December 14

         PORTLAND, Maine, December 11, 2008--- NBC Sports will air the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 on Sunday, Dec. 14th  at 1PM ET/10AM PT. Produced by Aura360 in association with NBC and SCORE International, the one-hour special will feature green flag to checkered flag coverage of the 41st running of the granddaddy of all desert races.  This year, the treacherous 631.35-mile course designed by legendary Sal Fish on the majestic northern part of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula was regarded as one the most technical and taxing courses in decades, with many vehicles falling prey to the terrain. The legacy of the race lived on; with harsh conditions, fierce competition, and unforeseen threats cementing its legendary status in the realm of off-road racing.

         This TV special will chronicle the endurance, nerve, and luck that carried the victors to the finish line where they emerged from the dust to claim their fame and glory. It will highlight the battle for the overall victory among the Motorcycle classes as well as the competition for the overall win among two-wheel victories.

          It will celebrate the overall motorcycle victory of the No. 1x Honda team of Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif./Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif.,  as well as the overall car and truck win by Roger Norman, Reno., Nev./Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., in the No. 8 Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck.

         The legendary desert race is held mid-November each year and is the season-finale of the five-race  SCORE Desert Series and season point championships were decided in all 28 Pro and 6 sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

        Competing in this year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 were 347 entries from 39 U.S. States and 24 countries. This year’s race was a ‘loop’ race starting and finishing in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

         Additional unreleased footage of the races is available at www.thebajaunlimited.com and on the official 2008 SCORE Baja 1000 DVD to be released via website soon after the broadcast.

        Media sponsors for the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 broadcast include Volkswagen, BF Goodrich, Honda Motorcycles, Garmin, Activision’s SCORE International® Baja 1000™ and The SPOT Satellite Messenger.

        SCORE will begin its 36^th year as the World’s foremost desert racing organization in 2009, starting the season with the 15^th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge to be held Jan. 22-25 in Laughlin, Nev.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 605

• 2008 Baja 1000 with Wayne Matl 2008 Baja 1000 with Wayne Matlock`s crew

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:

    So has any one of you ever wondered what its like to be on the winning ATV team of the Baja 1000? Josh Caster lets us hang with the crew. This story, as told by Josh Caster. The American Honda winning ATV team of Wayne Matlock, Marc Spaeth, Harold Goodman, Wes Miller. Great story and thanks to Josh for allowing me to post this, originally told on Baja.net.

    Congratulations to Wayne and the entire crew.

    Here is a recap of my trip to the Baja 1000 chasing for the Matlock – American Honda 8a ATV team.
    
    Thursday –
    After spending a few days in Phoenix for work I headed home to El Cajon. I had a bunch of stuff to pack and had to finish welding up the chase rack I was building for Wayne to hold the race quad.
    I got home late in the afternoon and started packing stuff. About 9:30 pm I stopped by the shop to swap trucks with Wayne and found him, Harold Goodman and Mike Kline working on all the bikes, trying to make sure everything was prepped for the trip down in the morning. I didn’t stay long because I knew I had a long night ahead of me just trying to finish the chase rack in time. I worked all the way through the night and finished the rack with just enough time to get about 2 hours of sleep before we had to finish loading everything up and head to Mexico.
    
    Friday –
    By the time we all got everything packed and loaded it was getting late. We ended up stopping for dinner after passing through TJ before we got to Ensenada. We got to the main house we would be staying in for the majority of the week and got unpacked and ready to start prerunning the next morning.
    
    Saturday –
    Early in the morning Harold Goodman and his chaser Mike Kline headed north to La Rumarosa to start prerunning Harold’s section of the course. The rest of the group headed to San Felipe. After arriving in San Felipe and checking into the house we would be staying at for the weekend, both Wayne and Marc Spaeth geared up to start prerunning.
    Wayne rode to the course from our house and Kristen and I gave Marc a ride to Borrego where he would start his prerun. After dropping Marc off in Borrego we waited for Wayne so we could head back to San Felipe and do it all over again. After some serious games of “Go-Fish” I can now declare that I am the Official Baja 1000 Go-Fish Champion. After Wayne showed up, we headed south to do it all over again.
    
    Sunday –
    Harold and Mike again headed north and While the rest of us stayed in the San Felipe area. Both Wayne and Marc preran their sections a couple more times before we headed back towards Ensenada for the night. After making so many trips back and forth from San Felipe to Borrego the Federalizes at the check point just started waving me through which was really nice of them.
    
    Most of the following week was the same with each rider prerunning their different sections of the course. Wes Miller arrived during the week and started prerunning his section on the coast also.
    
    Wednesday –
    Wayne wanted to prerun the start to Ojos. Marc had already preran his sections multiple times and decided to let me ride his quad to prerun the start with Wayne. We unloaded in town at the start of the wash and planned on meeting up with Kristen and Marc in Ojos. Soon after leaving town I noticed that the course had changed a little bit from the start of the 500. A few good lines were no longer useable. After we met up with the chase trucks in Ojos we headed back to Ensenada to do it all over again.
    On the second round we picked up the pace a bit. I was taking my time staying back out of Wayne’s dust so I could check out the course and look for any lines when I looked over my shoulder on one of the switch-backs and saw BJ Baldwin in his TT coming up the course! Time to step up the speed a bit! I got on the gas and started to try and chase down Wayne.
    After a few miles I came up on Wayne while he was stopped looking at a turn. I warned him a TT was coming up the course so we both pulled off and waited for them to pass. After 2 Baldwin TT passed by we jumped back on the course to finish our prerun to Ojos. Near the end of our run I was 5th gear coming out of the hills when I had a ball-joint fail on the tie-rod. Both front tires went opposite directions and I went off the road into the bushes trying to stay on the quad. I straitened the wheels and was able to ride it out a ¼ mile to where Wayne had stopped ahead of me. We zip tied the tie-rod to the frame to keep the wheel pointed strait and we both rode out to the highway in Ojos to be picked up by the trucks.
    
    Thursday –
    We finished getting the race quad ready before heading to town to have it tech’d. The rest of the day was spent taking pictures of the quad and restocking all the chase truck boxes.
    
    Friday – RACE DAY!
    On race morning we all got up at 4:30. Wayne headed to the starting line while Kristen and I took Harold north to La Rumarosa where he would jump on the quad for the start of his section. Wayne’s parents would head north with us and keep leap-frogging ahead with us at pits. Mike took Marc and headed to Borrego where Marc would take the quad from Harold. Wes headed to Valley T where he was to jump on the quad and take it to the coast.
    After our 2.5 hour drive to La Rumarosa Harold, Kristen and I started make big bets ($.25) on what position Wayne come in at. Wayne started 7th quad off the line and I knew how bad the dust was going to be after following him prerunning. Wayne came in as the third physical quad so Harold won the $.50.
    
    After the quick rider swap we headed down the grade to try and catch Harold at the top of Laguna Salada. We made it there just in time to see the 1a quad come through the Honda pit. Harold had moved into the second spot and gained 1.5 minutes on the 1a quad before stopping for gas at the Honda pit.
    We were off again with Cliff in the lead trying to make it to the next visual check we had planned. We make it to the visual in time to see that Harold had taken the lead and was pulling away from the 1a quad. As soon as we had some time splits we were all off again to another visual check. Again Harold had the lead and was maintaining his gap.
    Cliff headed to Borrego to help at the rider swap where Marc would jump on the quad and head to San Felipe. Kristen and I took Wayne south to San Felipe to set up for the rider change there.
    
    After we got to San Felipe and the Honda pit we set everything up and waited. First quad to the pit was the 1a quad with Marc in his dust. Wayne jumped on the quad and was off before Marc could tell him a rear tire was going flat and the shocks needed a few adjustments for the big whoops ahead on zoo road. Before he was out of sight we got the radio call from Wayne that we would need to get to our visual check and be ready to change the rear tire.
    We quickly loaded up and headed north to meet up with Cliff at the visual check with tires waiting. Wayne came in not far behind the 1a quad and while adjusting the shocks we noticed both rears needed to be changed. Wayne was in and out of the pit very quick trying to chase the 1a quad down.
    All the trucks headed to Borrego again where Harold would jump back on and take the quad around the Mike’s loop. In Borrego Harold jumped on while the lights were installed. Harold again gained time on the 1a quad before handing it off to Wayne after the Mike’s loop.
    
    Wayne took the quad for a small 10 mile section in Valley T before handing the quad off to Wes Miller. Wes had the whole coast section from Valley T to Ojos. He jumped on and took off trying to chase down the 1a quad. Soon after reaching the coast Wes was able to make the pass for the lead and start pulling away from the 1a quad.
    While Wes was busy racing up the coast we did the best thing we could think of- head in to Valley T for tacos! We sat down for tacos with the 1a guys and talked about going back and forth all day long. After we were all full on tacos we headed to the Ojos field where Wayne would get back on the quad to take it to the finish.
    We got to the field and waited for lights to show up. We could not contact the Honda pit in the area because they were tucked up in the hills, so all we could do is get ready everytime we saw lights coming.
    Soon we saw lights coming over the mountain and could make out the sound of the big 700xx. The radio started skipping and scratching but we couldn’t make out what was being said. Sure enough it was Wes in the lead! Wayne jumped on and took off into the night towards the finish line. About 4.5 minutes behind came the 1a quad trying to chase Wayne down.
    
    Everyone jumped into the trucks and headed to the finish line. We made it to town and found a safe place to park the trucks before running to the finish line hoping we would make it in time.
    Wayne came in as the first quad to finish and the 1a team was second about 9 minutes later. Such a close race all the way to the finish!
    
    Saturday –
    Let’s just say I don’t remember much on Saturday other than waking up, heading to breakfast and having one (yeah right!) Bloody Mary. The rest of the day is still a blur!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    This is going to be one of my most favorite trips to Mexico. The Matlocks are a great family and they all work very hard to make this team work. You would not believe the amount of work they put into their racing program! The rest of the crew was great also and I look forward to many more trips with them. I wish I could tell you guys all the little stories that happened between all the stuff I wrote but then it would end up being a novel.
    
    What a great trip and I can’t wait for the next one!

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
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• Arctic Cat Prowlers Sweep Baja Arctic Cat Prowlers Sweep Baja 1000.

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:

    Thundercat Finishes Fifth and is First Utility-Style ATV to Finish Baja

    The finish line at the 41st Annual SCORE Baja 1000 was as dramatic as it was historic. Racing a pair of stock Arctic  Cat Prowlers, the Bi-Polar/Arctic Cat team beat the brutal conditions to finish first and second place in the world’s longest, continuous off-road race. It was the first time in race history a side-by-side UTV vehicle has finished what is widely regarded as the most grueling off-road race in the
    world. Reid Rutherford complemented the historic triumph with a fifth-place finish in the Pro ATV class on an Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000 H2 EFI. “We were the first-time finishers and first-time winners
    in this greatest of all races because of a total team effort,” said Bi-Polar team co-owner and driver Jim Creagan of Yacott, Wash. “From start-to-finish, every person fulfilled their role perfectly and each Prowler performed magnificently.” Finishing first in the 634-mile race with a time of 27 hours and 57 minutes was a stock 2009 Prowler XTZ 1000 driven by Creagan and co-pilot Tim Wagner for the first 409 miles, followed by driver/co-driver Chris Fallon and Aaron Bahner for the remainder of the
    course. Taking second place at 28 hours and 13 minutes was a 2009 Prowler XTX 700 EFI driven by three driver/co-driver combinations:
    Shane Morgan and Tabor Cresap, Scott Sorenson and Justin Serface, and Casey Squires and Mike Connors.
    It was just the second attempt at the Baja 1000 for the Bi-Polar/Arctic Cat team. In 2007 they made it to mile-810 before succumbing to a broken suspension bolt. They returned this year,
    ready to prove the Prowler’s durability and to support their sponsors: Arctic Cat, Wired
    Energy Drink, Vision X Lighting, GBC Motorsports, Trail-Ready Beadlock Rims and King Shocks.
    “These were stock Prowlers except for the required roll-cage, extra night lights, King shocks and
    tires,” said Creagan. “Nothing broke on either machine during the race and we had only one flat tire on the 700. Our support crew never even had to put a tool to either machine. It was just gas-and-go at the pit stops, which is a testament to their durability and performance. ”The fifth-place in Class 25 Pro ATV by Reid Rutherford, Ben Vernadikis and Tony Valerio aboard a stock Thundercat 1000 H2 EFI was equally compelling. It was the first time an Arctic Cat ATV attempted the Baja 1000, competing against and beating all but four modified racing models.

    Rutherford credited his Thundercat for handling the extra-tough course:
    “This was my sixth Baja 1000 and it was the most difficult course yet. The Thundercat handled it without a problem, giving us an advantage over the sport models in the rocky and silt terrain. I know we finished stronger and fresher than the other teams, thanks to the suspension and comfort of the big Cat.” With a stock suspension, stock chassis and stock engine, Rutherford’s Thundercat proved that the most powerful production ATV is equally durable. He was sponsored by Planet Motorsports, Speedwerx, Douglas Wheels, Rox, Fly and RTT. Most competitors were in agreement that this year’s course was the toughest in race history. In addition to the usual array of car-sized boulders,
    horrible silt sections and surprise obstacles, the course delivered a 60-mile section of 4-ft. whoop-de-dos that claimed many of the 347 racers. Only 227 vehicles survived to finish the famed event.

    “Team Arctic racers delivered a historic performance at the 2008 Baja 1000 and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Arctic Cat ATV Race Manager Ted Bettin. “The Bi-Polar Prowler team worked incredibly hard for two years. To earn the honor and distinction of being the first-ever UTV to finish the Baja 1000, and to finish first and second place, speaks volumes about their dedication and “The Thundercat team’s fifth place in their first-year effort with our program proves their capability as well as the awesome performance of our ATV. Everyone at Arctic Cat appreciates the hard work and success of our racers at Baja.”

    Posted with permission of Reid Rutherford of Team Bi Polar Arctic Cat.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
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• Baja Photos Baja Photos

  • From: CraigPerronneatORC
  • Description:

    I added some more photos from my trip to Baja. Check out my page to see them all.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 571

• I Survived Baja and so did the I Survived Baja and so did the Ford Raptor

  • From: CraigPerronneatORC
  • Description:

    I am finally back across the border and home after what seems like an eternity. Even after close to ten hours of sleep I am still pretty wiped out. Having only four hours of sleep the night before the race, being up for 35 hours straight and being in a race truck for 13 hours would make anyone tired. However the best news is that the Ford Raptor race truck finished the 2008 Tecate Score Baja 1000. Even better is that it took third in Class 8. Not bad for a truck that was more of an engineering exercise and a team whose main focus was just to finish. Not to mention that only hours before the race the truck wasn’t even running!

     

    Racing the Raptor race truck in the Baja 1000 was a very unique program and an amazing challenge. First off Greg Foutz had to build a stock full race truck from a vehicle that wasn’t even in production yet and do that in a little less than three months. Parts were a bit hard to get as many weren’t in full production yet and prototype pieces. Luckily the SVT team at Ford was able to help and get as many parts off the upcoming Raptor production truck as possible.

     

    Building the truck is only half the battle. Logistics and support during the race is just as important and for that a dream team of Ford racers and chasers were assembled along with plenty of Ford SVT engineers. Another dream team of Ford drivers including Steve Olliges, Randy Merrit and Greg Foutz was then formed to drive the Raptor during the race.

     

    Making the program even more unique was Ford’s invitation to me to participate. Big factory teams will sometimes bring journalist to the race but most of the time they are kept away from the actually racers and equipment. Often they are paraded out to a viewing area to watch the truck go by and then it is back to a posh hotel. Ford’s program was much different as I would literally be part of the team and even riding in the race truck. It was full access and anything that happened would be there for me to see.

     

    Come race day I spent an amazing 300 miles in the race truck. I was only supposed to do 150 but Greg Foutz asked if I minded doing the next leg as well. It was definitely an adventure. I got in the truck at San Felipe at the 350 mile mark with Greg Foutz and the course was simply brutal. It was miles and miles of whoops all the way past Borrego that nothing short of a Trophy Truck could swallow. We simply had to pick our way through and roll over them. From there it was new and nasty way into Valle de Trinidad that was rough as well. Once in Valle T we discovered we had broken a rear leaf spring and another one was cracking. The chase team replaced one and then we drove over the mountains and to the Pacific side where the other spare spring was and it was replaced.

     

    Randy Merrit then got in the truck and it was up the Pacific coast side. We got stuck once but amazingly Randy was able to work the truck out of it. While the whoops of San Felipe were behind us the course was just as brutal as we turned inland. This time the enemy was silty hill climbs that were flat out nasty. We got stuck a couple times but were able to claw our way out with four wheel drive. How any of the little buggies managed to get up those hills is beyond me. After that we made good progress until we were stuck behind in a log jam behind a rolled Pro Truck. Finally that was cleared and we were able to get in faster graded roads just beyond town and Randy took full advantage of the 500 horsepower put out by the 6.2 liter V-8.

     

    Rounding the final corner and seeing the finish line was absolutely breathtaking. There was a huge amount of Ford Raptor Racing team members, Ford personnel, tons of fans and media waiting for the truck to cross the line. Right there it struck me just how much of team effort racing the Raptor was. While the drivers may get all the glory, the chase crews, Ford SVT engineers, prep guys, co drivers and everyone else is just as important. Every one of them made it possible for the race truck to cross the finish line at the Baja 1000 and prove that the Raptor is tough enough for Baja.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
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• 2008 Baja 1000 ATV official fi 2008 Baja 1000 ATV official finishers

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:
    PRO ATVs

    CLASS 25 (over 251cc)—1. Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Harold Goodman, Brownstown, Mich./Marc Spaeth, Ramona, Calif./Wes Miller, Fallbrook, Calif., Honda TRX700XX, 14:47:25 (42.69 mph); 2. Danny Prather, Ramona, Calif./Mike Cafro, Bonsall, Calif./Chad Prull, Laveen, Ariz./Levi Marana, Hemet, Calif., Honda TRX700XX, 14:56:24; 3. Stefano Caputo, San Felipe, Mexico (Italy)/Felipe Velez, San Felipe, Mexico/Heriberto Marquez, Ensenada, Mexico/Nick Destaut, San Felipe, Mexico/Alfonso Alonzo, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 16:14:27; 4. Greg Row, Alpine, Calif./Travis Dillon, Santee, Calif./Tony Baker, Alpine, Calif./Rich Kappel, Remsenburg, N.Y., Bombardier DS650, 16:30:15; 5. Reid Rutherford, Montrose, Colo./ Ben Vernadakis, Rico, Colo./Tony Valerio, Telluride, Colo., Arctic Cat Thundercat, 21:47:45; 6. Jason Greenhaw, Bakersfield, Calif./Nick Nelson, Tehachapi, Calif./Brandon Brown, Eumatilla, Ore./Andy Nelson, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 23:11:01; 7. Ray Fay/Mike Crawford, Phoenix/David Scarponi, Peoria, Ariz./Jason Fritz, Globe, Ariz., Kawasaki, KFX450, 26:10:44
    (8 Starters, 7 Finishers)
    CLASS 24 (under 250cc)—1. Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif./ Steve Abrego, Covina, Calif./David Scott, Belen, N.M., Honda TRX450R, 16:57:53 (37.22 mph); 2. Tom Wright II, Tabernacle, N.J./Andy Lagzdins, Baltimore/Jim Stack, Quarryville, Pa., Honda TRX450R, 17:51:51; 3. Sergio Alvarado/Gary Gonzales/Bilgerto Perez/Angel Martin, Mexicali, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 19:03:57; 4. Rob Ransford, Downers Grove, Ill./Mike Rodgers, Brooksville, Fla./David Bailey, Spring Hill, Fla., Honda TRX450X, 19:50:37; 5. Benjamin Lopez Jr., San Ysidro, Calif./Jesus Lopez, San Diego/Miguel Arellano, San Ysidro/Marco Marruio, Chula Vista, Calif./Jesus Monguia, San Ysidro, Honda TRX450R, 21:10:40; 6. Shawn Robins/Matt Remesz/Clayton Hurlbert/Rocky Glasgo/Eric Bremer, Canada, Honda TRX450R, 21:22:38
    (8 Starters, 6 Finishers)

    OVERALL SPT ATV— Jesus Mendivil/Alain Gamino/Alfredo Gonzales, Mexicali, Mexico/Oro Calderon, Calexico, Calif./Carlos Raygoza, Mexicali, Mexico, KTM 450, 20:33:40 (30.71 mph)
    (15 Starters, 8 Finishers)
    
    
    OVERALL SPT SIDECAR—(2 Starters, 0 Finishers)
    Note-5SC did finish the race. They finsihed about 10-30 minutes after the cutoff time.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
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• Craig Christy wins Class 24 PR Craig Christy wins Class 24 PRO ATV at the 2008 Baja 1000

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:

    I am extremly happy to report that the Honda 4trax team of Craig Christy powered by Duncan Racing has just won the Baja 1000. Just got off the phone with the team from the finish line 2 minutes ago. After a killer start which had Jeremy Sanchez in the mix with Mike Cafro and Wayne Matlock up to mile 190. At that point the engine sputtered and and a lenghty pit stop put them way back. It took 45 minutes to diagnose the problem to a faulty CDI unit. Once back on the road they were about 15 minutes behind the 103A team of Tom Wright. After chasing from mile marker 190, the finally were able to overtake them on the San Felipe loop at mile marker 360 in the whoops. I believe whoops ace Dave Scott was on the bike at the time. Team Duncan steadily pulled away through Mike`s Sky Ranch and Valley De Trinidad. Jason Wade continued to pull away from Valley de Trinidad during the night run up accross the penninsula and north up the beach run to Santo Tomas. Encountering a booby trap at mile marker 524, which left Jason a little shaken up. The locals built a huge bump out of rocks/pebbles in that area and it launched him into the air. He slowed down because he did not notice that there a couple days before the race while pre running. This team deserved this win. They have worked so hard this year. I was lucky enough to have Craig ask me to race with them at last years 1000 and they put alot of effort into this program. It paid off this year. We took 2nd last year at double the mileage! It couldnt have happened to a better bunch of guys. I loved hearing the whooping and hollering on the phone a few minutes ago from them in Ensenada!  As of this writing no other quad has come across the line. Congratulations Team Duncan and Craig Christy. 

    Craig Christy Sponsors are

    Christys Editorial-Duncan Racing-Instinct Charter-Rockstar Energy Drink-Cycle Gear-PWR Performance Products 

    Riders are

    Craig Christy, Dave Scott, Steve Abrego, Jeremy Sanchez, Jason Wade

    Pit Crew

    Beau Nillson, Schellinger, Justin Aaron Ard, Leonard Duncan, DSJ, Tom and Matt, Capt. Dan, Morgan, Adam Mayfield

    Internet Crew

    Yours truly, Marc Choquette

     

    Duncan Racing International press release.

    http://www.duncanracing.com/news/index.phtml?nid=96

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
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• Baja Mission Control Baja Mission Control

  • From: jburns
  • Description:

    So, this has been my home today since 6 a.m. It will be my home until probably 6 a.m. tomorrow. It is the command station. Mission control. The war room. Whatever. It looks pretty fancy, right? It's actually really, really cool that BFGoodrich put this room together for the Baja 1000, because we have more access to information and data than arguably ever before. We also have WiFi and direct LAN Internet connection, so we're able to bring stories, updates, photos, videos and more live and direct from here in Ensenada, Mexico. Anyway, I figured it was about time to show y'all what's going down on my end. This is my home. I'm glad they feed me.

    
    

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 616

• Machine Guns Machine Guns

  • From: jburns
  • Description:

    Getting down to the start/finish line this morning was about as interesting a moment as I've ever had at any race event I've even been involved with. With the Trophy Trucks firing off the line at 10:39 a.m., the crowd had grown considerably since the morning when the bikes took off from the line and were filling up every spot around the road. The small breaks in the fence that I squeezed through earlier in the day were closed up with barricades and fences. I walked down right near the start line and came upon an area that I could hop ... then I noticed a soldier. For the safety of everyone at the event, soldiers were posted up about every 10 feet or so on each side of the start line. I walked up to the fence, looked at the soldier and asked if this was a good place to hop the fence. He looked at my badge and saw the media credentials and waved me over.

    

     

    I set down my camera and made the jump. Once I landed, I offered thanks and he nodded and moved aside so I could squeeze by, and I made my way over to the finish line. Moving closer to the where the first Trophy Truck was posted up I noticed even more soldiers in the area. I quickly realized how glad I was that the dudes with semi-automatic rifles are on my side ... the clincher of it all when when I made my way from the start back to the media room and saw a full-blown military truck with a handful of soliders inside and a machine gun atop. I don't claim to know much about guns, but these guys are all packing some serious heat. Iit's really good to know the Mexican authorities are doing everything they can to make the event safe. Did I mention how happy I am these guys are on our side?

    

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 459

• Friendly Competition Friendly Competition

  • From: jburns
  • Description:

    Ahhh, sometimes the best ideas are dreamed up in bars ... a few Negra Modelas during dinner last night spawned a little friendly competition between editor Scott Rousseau and I. We strated talking about overall winner in the Trophy Truck class, and before we knew it we had a small wager mapped out, with each of us picking a few teams in the class. We picked four teams, but only our top two will be in play. Our wager is on the combined finish of the top two, and then we have a seperate one on whether or not we pick the winner. Our waiter Victor pulled out a coin to decide which of us picks first ... I guessed wrong. Just a note: Always call tails! For some reason I abandoned this rule. Awesome.

    Anyway, Scott jumped out and took Mark Post/Rob MacCachren, then  I took Brian Colins/Chuck Hovey and we went from there. Here's how the teams shook out:

     

    Scott:

    Mark Post/MacCachren

    Larry Roeseler/Roger Norman

    Rick & Ricky Johnson

    Mark Miller/Ryan Arciero

     

    Josh:

    Brian Collins/Chuck Hovey

    Ironman BJ Baldwin

    Chad & Larry Ragland

    Robby Gordon

     

    You'll be hearing plenty of gloating or whatever at some point, but we both feel pretty good about our teams. Scott definitely had the advantage with the first pick, but I'm feeling solid on mine. Anything can happen in Baja ... like my team kicking his to the curb. Go team JB!

     

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 1775

• Space Monkeys Space Monkeys

  • From: jburns
  • Description:

    This being my first Baja 1000, I was really excited to be at the starting line to see the first racers off the line. We got down there a few minutes before the start after setting up our spots in the media room. The first racer off the line was the 2x bike of the Grant Steele, brother of desert racer and off-road celeb Cameron Steele. The bikes all shuffled into position, and Grant took his spot up front after his family wished him well. He looked focused and determined, but I couldn't help but think he was like a space monkey ... I don't know, maybe I heard the Pixies song recently or something, but once Grant fired off the line and turned the corner, it's nothing but 630-plus miles of brutal, awesome adventure. Who knows what will be in store for the racers once they're on the course. As I post this, Grant actually is in the physical lead at race mile 90 - still a long ways to go but he's looking good. We'll keep you posted on how things are shaping up ... and how the space monkeys fare in the desert.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 409

• Toughest Baja Ever? Toughest Baja Ever?

  • From: CraigPerronneatORC
  • Description:

    In between the chaos of today I got a chance to briefly talk to BJ Baldwin and Robby Gordon. Both mentioned that the course was one of the toughest and most technical they had seen in a long time. Highlights include the infamous La Rumarosa grade where the Trophy Trucks will have to do four-point turns to get around some of the switchbacks. While performing this stunt they will be on a narrow road with no guard rail and massive (as in hundreds of feet) drops just off the road. After surving that they get to endure over 10 miles of massive silt beds just south of Mexicali. Then there is the infamous San Felipe loop which is infested with whoops, g outs, and deep sand washes. From there it gets a little easier as the course heads over to the Pacific side but the last 50 miles into the finish get pretty hairy with some steep hills to climb that should be a mess. One competitor said he expected to see a "graveyard" of cars stuck there. While this Baja 1000 might be a short one, it will definitely be a tough one. We expect to see large amounts of DNF's, broken cars and spirits.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 412

• Baja Contingency Photos Are Up Baja Contingency Photos Are Up

  • From: CraigPerronneatORC
  • Description:

    The photos from the Baja 1000 contingency are finally up. I know it took awhile but if you read my other blog you will see today was quite the adventure. It was the usual chaos that is the Baja 1000 contingency with thousands of people. However the crowd was a little more tame this year without the usual stupidty and gaggles of babes. Okay it is 2:30 am and I am off to bed to get my 5 hours of sleep before being up for at least 24 hours. What a way to start race day. Follow the link to the photos:

    http://my.off-road.com/kickapps/service/searchEverything.kickAction?keywords=tech08&includeVideo=on&includeAudio=on&includePhoto=on&includeBlog=on&includeUser=on&includeGroups=on&includeMessages=on&as=27589

    

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 485
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• Beaten by Baja? Beaten by Baja?

  • From: CraigPerronneatORC
  • Description:

    Baja has a funny way of showing you that it is ultimately in charge. You can plan all you want but Baja always seems to throw a monkey wrench in your plans. Today was a perfect example of Baja being a bitch. Supposedly the easy day, we were to head to contingency around 9 am, shoot some photos and then be back in time for lunch. After that is was some downtime in which I could blog, load photos and then off to a test session around 2 pm to get plenty of photos of the Raptor production and race truck.

     

    Of course contingency ran late and moving in a convoy of 10 different vehicles always takes a major amount of time. By the time we arrived back to the hotel it was 1 pm and it was a quick bite to eat and the try to gather everybody to head off to testing. With a team of over 50 people that gathering process is similar to herding cats. Finally it was off to what was supposed to be a quick two hour test session. Unfortunately we got stuck behind every Mexican semi-truck imaginable and then couldn’t find the wash. After going down numerous roads that were not what we were looking for, we finally found the wash, quickly off loaded the race truck and began testing just before dark.

     

    Everything was looking peachy until a bit after dark the truck stalled and would not start again. Racing a truck that is not even in production yet is an extreme undertaking and it was beginning to show. Being a production truck, it has a large amount of electronics on it and with the Raptor not even in production yet most of these electronics are completely untested. The Raptor would fire up and then the computer would shut down four injectors and the truck would die. Ford SVT engineers crawled all over the truck with laptops, replaced sensor after sensor but the result was still the same. A long wait then ensued for more sensors to arrive. Of course switching those sensors along with the ECM produced no results as well. The Raptor race truck had been tested for over 200 miles and ran flawlessly but of course the night before the Baja 1000 it decides to take a major crap. That is Baja.

     

    The call was then made to drag the truck out of the wash it had stalled in. Unfortunately a Super Duty got stuck in the soft stuff trying to get it out. Finally it was dug out and then the production Raptor was strapped to the front of the Super Duty which was then strapped to the race truck. With both of them pulling the Raptor race truck was finally dragged out and then onto a trailer.

     

    Our two hour test session turned in an eight hour ordeal. Now it is just after 1 am and I am finally back at the hotel with the team tearing apart the truck looking for the electrical gremlin. Is Ford’s Raptor race truck beaten by Baja? With only hours to go before the race hope is dwindling. As I rolled out of the support truck upon arriving at the hotel and after a great dinner of M&M’s and Ritz crackers, Ford’s public relations dude simply looked at me and said, “Welcome to Baja”. Well put my friend.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 366

• Ensenada - Ready for the 1000 Ensenada - Ready for the 1000

  • From: jburns
  • Description:

    We made it. I'm in the media room for the Baja 1000, which will be my home base tomorrow and the following day. BFGoodrich and VW put together a killer media room and hospitality area. Just down the street, there's even a restaurant that BFGoodrich, VW and Red Bull put together for media and racers (see right). I mean talk about doing it right! As part of the media trying to bring stuff to everybody back home, I really appreciate when our job is made easier to provide news and updates to our readers. I'm not talking about getting pampered (but feeding us is nice), but some race organizations don't do the media any favors, which kind of stinks when we're simply trying to give their races exposure to our readership. So it's nice when companies and organizations go the extra mile.

     

    Anyway, racing kicks off tomorrow morning. I'll be set up here in the media room, which has high-speed Internet connection, race updates and race tracking. I'm stoked because this means I should be able to keep you all in the loop during the race. I'll be posting updates as soon as I get them on my blog, so stay tuned if you want to follow the race while it's happening. Stay tuned.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 369

• 08 Baja 1000 Team Duncan/Chris 08 Baja 1000 Team Duncan/Christy Racing ATV team

  • From: Vtr_Racing
  • Description:

    This year, I have sat on the sidelines pretty much all year. Watching Craig`s team and doing what I can to help and offer technical advise and support. Its really neat to watch a team evolve from hardcore weekend warriors to a contender. This is whats been happening over at the Christy`s Editorial, Duncan Racing, Rockstar Energy, Instinct Charter, Cycle Gear, PWR Performance Products sponsored racing team. Their Honda 450r is immaculate. They have an awesome support crew and a communication system that is top notch that even the Weatherman would be jealous. The communications area is done by Beau Nilsson. He keeps that system up and running and it can transmit extremely far and very clear. Thats what top notch equipment and preperation gets you. The tracking system is via the Spot Satellite service. Ive been keeping tabs and relaying information for them for over a week since they have been pre-running. Some small mishaps but nothing serious. Your typical Baja issues. Something always breaks that never does and its the one part that you DIDNT bring with you. Nice to have your buddies watching your back. Their riders are Craig Christy, founder and leader-El Jefe....David Scott, current BITD pro class points leader and awesome rider. You really gotta see this guy ride! His New Mexico partner in crime Jeremy Sanchez who is an awesome rider in his own right. He should be, riding with Dave all the time. Steve Abrego who is Craigs partner and can hold his own. Did a maginficent job at last years 1000 through a very tough section. Jason Wade, my Texas riding partner. He has really matured in desert racing and gives his 110% every time. Each rider has run their sections at least once this past week. They are the first class 24 atv off the line. All this combined makes for a very formidable team. Keep your eye on these guys. Here is a video of he team

    http://www.christysracing.com/racing/Christy-Main/Entries/2008/11/11_Baja_Teaser_Video.html

    Tracking information for Fridays race

    http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Nr7joXLB5SXgbsifLG8PWVp8ucHqLLEE

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
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