Archive for Baja Racing News
Menzies Motorsports will return to the storied Tecate SCORE Baja 500 this June to defend their 2011 title. The squad is favored for a top result in 2012 after scoring a decisive win at the race a year ago. In 2011, Menzies and co-driver Pete Mortensen drew the No. 1 starting position and led the top class trophy trucks throughout the nine-hour race. They finished more than 10 minutes ahead of the next-fastest trophy truck finisher. The team, which rides on KMC wheels, won’t start first in 2012. But they are up to the challenge posed by a talented field and notoriously tough terrain. So far, a total of 38 trophy trucks are on the entry list for the Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Read More→
Baja 500 2012, approx. 450 miles (724 kilometers). Start and finish in Ensenada, Riviera Convention Center, Baja California (northern Baja Peninsula), Mexico. The Tecate SCORE Baja 500 off-road desert race and race related events will be held 1.-3. Juni 2012. The race will be round 4 of the five-race 2012 SCORE Desert Series. SCORE is in its 39th year as desert racing organization. SCORE Intl organizes a US national championship that is held in south-west USA and Mexico. The Baja 500 race is traditionally one of the more popular events on the SCORE schedule. With mainly US desert racers, some participants from Canada and Mexico and a small group of international racers in action is this year’s 44th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 one of the highlights of this race series. The original Baja 500 desert race produced by SCORE on July 26, 1974. Read More→
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Despite the fact that the NORRA 1000 rally was this week here in La Paz and finished in San Jose del Cabo and compared to the last 2 years – very little entries from that participating teams also use the opportunity to race the Dos mares 500. In fact we are only aware of one entry as Ben Phillips / Marty Morehead with their 2011 Trophy Lite R4. We had a brief conversation before the start and the guys real enjoyed the time here. The more funny part: they been not aware of the mandatory minor medical check-up required at Baja Sur races and could not provide their wrist-bands while already in the staging for the (ceremonial) start. Read More→
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NORRA 1000 starting – This morning, starting at 7:00 hr the remaining participants of the 2012 NORRA Mexican 1000 Rally departed from La Paz. It was a pleasure to see a living legend like Malcom Smith on his “classic” Husqvarna leave. There been surprisingly many of them “pre-historic” pieces running and starting to the last stage bringing them to San Jose del Cabo. At 8:00 am the cars went of the line with the Herbst’s truck first as it is up on top of the evolution (modern) classes with Calvin Jensen and Ben Schlimme in their open wheel buggies running in the front as well. Robby Gordon in his Hummer look-alike-buggy Read More→
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Vintage and evolution class overall standings at the NORRA Mexican 1000 Rally has changed with day 3 arrival in La Paz, Baja California Sur. The unlimited evolution class shows now Jerry Herbst in the #119 car leading the filed about 8 minutes ahead of Clyde Stacy. In the vintage class Michael Gaughan featuring a 16 seconds lead over Mark McMillin with David Westhem and John Swift trailing them by about 10 minutes.
In the Motorcycle class Mexico’s Octavio Valle is “hauling the mail” on his big bore bike and showing a commanding lead over the entire 2-wheel field. No surprise with that resume: Octavio born in Ensenada, raced some Baja´s, 3 national enduro championships, 4 ISDE (International Six Days Enduro) medals and 1 Dakar Rally under the belt.
The stage from Loreto to La Paz was featuring a new section in timed special #2 as the rally headed east from Ciudad Constitution toward the Sea of Cortez. The route wound through the “Mini Grand Canyon” and zig-zagged passed Las Iglesias de Solidad and De La Luna before passing Las Animas and El Bosque. Read More→
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We spend a few hours today walking over to the Grand Plaza Hotel access street that served as NORRA 1000 finish area for today’s leg of this Mexican 1000 Rally. It was ok but considering some statements by some of the folks involved as of this event rival the Dakar Rally one day… well – I think they have ways to go on that. There was not as much “commotion” as the past 2 years when the rally ended in La Paz. At the most, being very optimistic, there been maybe 250 people present including team members. Robby Gordon walked around doing the timing sheets (I though he was chasing and not a member of the rally staff). Read More→
Prominent Mexican racer Juan C. Lopez along with Cody Parkhouse, Mike Brown and Josh Frederick all drew pole positions in their respective division during Saturday’s drawing for starting positions in the upcoming 44th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race. The draw was held at the SCORE International headquarters in Los Angeles. Round 4 of the five-race 2012 SCORE Desert Series will feature over 275 entries, competing in 28 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, and it will be held June 1-3 in Ensenada, Mexico. With late entries accepted up to race morning, entries are expected from 30 U.S. States, and 10 countries. The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday (June 2) for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes three hours after the last ATV at approximately 10 a.m. The elapsed-time race will start and finish in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center on Boulevard Costero in the heart of Ensenada, Read More→
Racers always seem to return to places of past success and this weekend’s 26th Annual MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 will be no exception as 71 desert racers who have combined for 186 class wins are all part of the favored field of nearly 250 entries in this popular spring race on Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula. Attracting entries from 25 states and 10 countries, the lineup includes 25 entries in SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee racing division for unlimited production trucks. Round 3 of the 2012 SCORE Desert Series will be held this weekend in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe, located 120 miles south of the U.S. border on the East side of the Baja California peninsula along the azure waters of the tranquil Sea of Cortez. Read More→
At the beginning of February was a public meeting that also covered the opening of another short-course / off-road facility in Baja California Sur. At the presence of race pilot Curt Le Duc (lately active part-time piloting the #84 “Got Milk” Vanderwey Trophy Truck), Mike Pearlman (NORRA) and ProBaja head honcho Manolo Nuñez as well representatives of the BCS Tourism Secretary and potential sponsor Grupo Modelo (Brewery Pacifico) was the grand opening of Ranch Probaja for the 4. of March 2012 announced. Planned are races in LOORS format Lucas Oil Off Road Series. Below is a promotional clip for the event showing footage from US short course off-road racing. Will Curt Le Duc and his son Kyle bring their sponsors – Rockstar Energy – into the event?? With Roger Norman’s involvement by another race body this is the second known US off-road racer showing some activity in BCS racing! Trend or opportunity?
The Grand opening or as they call it the “Big Curt Leduc Show” includes the following:
29. February 2012 autograph session with Curt Leduc in Loreto
1st March 2012 autographs session in constitution
2nd of March 2012 parade and autograph session at the Malecon (kiosk) in La Paz
2nd and 3rd of March practice session
4th of March “Curt Le Duc day” and race. The short course competition is thought to be held in LOORS format (Lucas Oil Off Road Series)
Image shows the location of the future “Rancho ProBaja” Baja Off-Road motorsport venue site. In addition to a short course there is also a permanent Moto Cross track in the infield to be established where 2 of the 6 state Motocross championship races to be held.
Whats the Puro Off-Road editors take on all of that?? Well, it looks like Curt Leduc is giving his good name as an promotional tool, Grupo Modela presence indicates that they try to get some involvement in the off-road sport that is mainly dominated by the competing Tecate brewery. Tourism BCS secretariat involvement – less for the tourism that event will create but personal involvement by some of the folks respective more geared to the NORRA 1000 Rally connected to the announcement.
There are now 3 short-course race-tracks in Baja California Sur, population in all BCS state was 520’000 according to 2005 census and I’m wondering how this will pan out. San Jose Short Course, Circuito Bronco Race Park in La Paz and now Rancho Probaja between La Paz and San Pedro (+/- 30 minutes from La Paz centro) gives BCS 3 short course style race tracks. This is more as for example in the greater San Diego area with a population of 3 million (2010 U.S. Census).
I can imagine problems in long-term to attract sufficient spectator crowds required to operate profitable as well this many locations and NOT ALL races planned synchronized between the different organizing bodies may put monetary and logistic strain to the smaller race teams. At least that is the general word by some of the folks we talked to.
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The initial announcement by ProBaja disappeared miraculously from their website, we dont know why, a copy of that can be found here.
We keep an eye on the situation, will visit the next days the future site of the event to check how progress is and supply Off-Road Union the info so it can be published for english reading race-fans here…
Puro Off-Road is in no way affiliated with the event or any of the organizers. We do have NO direct contact with that organizing entities. Our information resources are very credible, long time in #bajasur off-road sport established contacts on a personal level with racers and race teams in La Paz and Baja Sur as well different spanish language websites. We are not responsible for any reporting errors based on incorrect translation.
Image credits: Pablo Ormart
