Rider at Mile 328 of the Baja 1000

Four-wheel vehicle known as a Truggy

Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in the fall. The event includes various types of vehicle classes such as small and large bore motorcycles, stock VW, production vehicles, buggies, trucks, and custom fabricated race vehicles. The course has remained relatively the same over the years with the majority of events being either a point to point race from Ensenada to La Paz, or a loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada. The name of the event is misleading as the mileage varies for the type of event (loop or point to point) and has represented Kilometers in the past. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x600, 94 KB) Summary Photo by Robert Stokstad, 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x600, 94 KB) Summary Photo by Robert Stokstad, 2004. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Truggy. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Truggy. ... A truggy or truggie is a specialized off-road vehicle. ... In offroad racing, various classes of specially modified vehicles, including cars, compete in races through off-road environments. ... Baja California Peninsula (highlighted) The Baja California Peninsula or Lower California is a peninsula in the west of Mexico. ... A motorcycle (or motorbike) is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by an engine. ... Volkswagen (VW) is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany. ... Note: A cart may also be short for cartridge, particularly in the radio industry, where 8_track cartridges (and later CDs and zip drives) were used. ... Trucks can refer to several things: The plural of: Truck, the motorized vehicle Truck, other uses of the singular As a name: Trucks was a rock band Trucks is a short story by Stephen King Trucks is a movie based on the Stephen King short story Trucks! is a television... The port of Ensenada Ensenada is a city in the state of Baja California, Mexico. ... La Paz (NASA aerial view) Central La Paz Panoramic sight of the city of La Paz Nuestra Señora de La Paz or Chuquiyapu (chuqui, gold, yapu, farm) is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ...

The first official race started in Tijuana, Baja California on October 31, 1967 and was named the NORRA Mexican 1000 Rally. The course length that year was 849 miles and ended in La Paz, Baja California Sur with the overall winning time of 27 hours 38 minutes (27:38) set by Vic Wilson and Ted Mangels while driving a Meyers Manx buggy. Tijuana (Spanish [tixwana], English usually [ˌtiːəˈwɑnə]), is the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California and the seat of the municipality of Tijuana. ... Baja California (literally lower California in Spanish) is the northernmost state of Mexico. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The Bay of La Paz, as seen from the International Space Station La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico, is a small city on the shores of the Gulf of California. ... Baja California Sur is one of the 31 States of Mexico, occupying the part of the Baja California Peninsula south of the 28th parallel. ... Hours is the name of the critically acclaimed second album by Welsh rock group Funeral for a Friend. ... Bold text:This article is about the written record of a meeting. ... The Meyers Manx dune buggy, shown in its natural environment at the New Jersey shore. ... Dune buggy A dune buggy is a recreational vehicle with large wheels, and thick tires, designed for use on sand dunes or beaches. ...

From 1967 to 1972 the race was organized by the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA). In 1973, Baja California governor Milton Castellanos handed over sanctioning of the event to a non-profit Mexican corporation called Baja Sports Committee (BSC). BSC renamed the event to Baja Mil (Baja 1000) and scheduled the race to run on the original dates chosen by NORRA. Though NORRA held a competing event in the United States that same weekend, BSC successfully ran the race from Ensenada to La Paz like the years prior. Unaware of the challenges, BSC found promoting Baja races more difficult than anticipated. Instead of giving up the race, the Mexican government requested help from Short Course Off-Road Enterprises (SCORE) in hosting and promoting future Baja races. Through negotiations with Mickey Thompson and his SCORE organization, the Mexican Government agreed to give exclusive rights to SCORE to hold Baja races and also reluctantly allowed SCORE to cancel the event for 1974. SCORE hired Sal Fish as president and took control of the Baja 1000 from that year on with the Baja 1000 race resuming under new control in 1975. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... A race is a competition of speed. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... A governor or governour (archaic) is a governing official, usually the executive (at least nominally, to different degrees also politically and administratively) of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the Head of state; furthermore the title applies to officials with a similar mandate as representatives of a chartered... A non-profit organization (often called non-profit org or simply non-profit or not-for-profit) can be seen as an organization that doesnt have a goal to make a profit. ... Corporate redirects here. ... SCORE International is an off-road sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is famous for its flagship event, the Baja 1000. ... Mickey Thompson, born December 7, 1928 - died March 16, 1988, was an American racing legend. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Sal Fish is CEO/President of SCORE International, the leading sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

Prelude to the event

First timed run

When Jack McCormack and Walt Fulton of American Honda decided to hold a long distance run to prove the reliability of Honda's new CL72 Scrambler, they approached well known off-road dirt biker and local Honda dealer Bud Ekins for suggestions. Bud suggested the Tijuana to La Paz route (Mexican Highway 1) which was 950 miles of rocks, sand washes, dry lake beds, cattle crossing, mountain passes, and paved road. Bud Ekins declined to perform the run because of Triumph motorcycle ties, however, Dave Ekins (Buds bother) and Billy Robertson Jr. agreed to perform the trip for American Honda. After pre-running the peninsula in Fulton's Cessna 180, they began the journey to La Paz just after midnight on March 22, 1962. While being followed by two journalists in an airplane and using telegraph offices at the Mexican border and in La Paz, Dave Ekins recorded the first official timed run in 39 hours 56 minutes (39:56) with a total distance of 952.7 miles. The event appeared in the Globe, Argosy, and Cycle World magazines touting adventure, awe and respect for Honda and the Baja run. The Globe and Argosy also included close encounters with death and other dangers which Ekins claims were "colorful additions". This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Off-roading. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Triumph Motorcycles is an English motorcycle manufacturer, originally based in Coventry. ... Baja California Peninsula (highlighted) The Baja California Peninsula or Lower California is a peninsula in the west of Mexico. ... The Cessna 180 is a four- or six-seat, fixed conventional gear general aviation airplane which was produced between 1953 and 1981. ... March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in leap years). ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Telegraphy (from the Greek words tele = far away and grapho = write) is the long distance transmission of written messages without physical transport of letters, originally over wire. ... The Globe is a supermarket tabloid published in North America. ... Argosy was an American pulp magazine, considered to be the first pulp magazine, published by Frank Munsey. ...

Four wheels vs two

Wanting to beat the existing motorcycle record and to help fuel sales of the Meyers Manx, Bruce Meyers used his original prototype buggy called "Old Red" for an attempt at breaking the record set by Ekins. After pre-running a course south to La Paz, Ted Mangels and Bruce Meyers started the record breaking attempt back to Tijuana from La Paz at 10:00pm on April 19, 1967. With journalist from Road & Track magazine following the two to witness the attempt, the final official time was 34:45 beating Ekins run by more than 5 hours. Upon returning back to the United States, the journalist documenting the run sent out press kits with photographs and a news release with the headline "Buggy Beats Bike in Baja." to hundreds of magazines and newspapers. Soon, more stories of adventure, close calls, and broken speed records flooded media coverage around the world. Following the event, Bruce Meyers and his Meyers Manx became an overnight sensation and the competition between four wheels and motorcycles for the fastest Baja run began. The Meyers Manx dune buggy, shown in its natural environment at the New Jersey shore. ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

In the following months, more attempts at breaking the record would continue. One of the attempts included a multiple vehicle run organized by Ed Pearlman (Mexican 1000 founder) that ended in an official four-wheel drive record being recorded but with the overall time falling short of the record set by Meyers. On July 4th, 1967, an American Motors Rambler sedan would leave Tijuana at 9:00am to successfully break the record set by Meyers with an overall time of 31 hours. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... Logo used by AMC 1954-1969 Logo used by AMC and Jeep from 1970-1987. ... Rambler logo, 1960s Rambler was an automobile brand name used by the Thomas B. Jeffery Company between 1900 and 1914, then by its successor, Nash Motors in 1950, and finally by Nashs successor, American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1969. ... A Toyota Camry, a recognizable sedan The Ford Five Hundred, a medium-sized sedan A sedan car, American English terminology (saloon in British English), is one of the most common body styles of the modern automobile. ...

History

As the timed runs recorded via telegraph became popular, a need for an organized event to compete for the quickest Baja run was starting to grab the attention of other competitors. Once Ed Pearlman caught word of Meyers run, Ed convinced Dick Cepek, Cluade Dozier, Ed Orr, Drino Miller and journalist John Lawlor to give a run to La Paz a try. In June of 1967, Ed Pearlman and group left Tijuana and immediately ran into mechanical troubles. This trip provided much downtime for Ed Pearlman to brainstorm the idea of the National Off-road Racing Association (NORRA). After Pete Condos and Perlman put up the funds to incorporate NORRA, the group announced an official recognition of the previous record setters and created classes that related to the type of vehicle used to break the record. During the later part of summer, NORRA named the event the "Mexican 1000 Rally" and announced the first official race from Tijuana to La Paz was to be held on November 1, 1967.

Vehicles

Honda CRF450X; winner of the 2006 Baja 1000. Taken at the San Jose Motorcycle Show.

Although motorcyclists participate and are often the overall winners, many competitors drive modified or stock 4-wheel vehicles such as cars, trucks, ATVs and dune buggies. Race teams consist of factory supported groups that build custom fabricated vehicles and provide chase vehicles via helicopter, to the much smaller and less glamorized sportsman teams competing in an all-stock vehicle with no chase vehicle support at all. Stock Volkswagen Type One Beetles are modified for use in off road terrain, known as Baja Bugs, have been a common sight throughout the event duration, but the factory-supported all-spaceframe Trophy Truck entries are the most visible. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 443 KB) A picture I took of the Honda CRF450X that placed first in the 2006 Baja 1000 race (taken at the 2006 San Jose Motorcycle Show). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 443 KB) A picture I took of the Honda CRF450X that placed first in the 2006 Baja 1000 race (taken at the 2006 San Jose Motorcycle Show). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A group of “quad” all terrain vehicles The term all-terrain vehicle is used in a general sense to describe any of a number of small open motorized buggies and tricycles designed for off-road use. ... Dune buggy A dune buggy is a recreational vehicle having big wheels and tires designed for use on sand dunes or beaches, especially a light vehicle with a modified engine mounted on an open chassis. ... The Volkswagen Type 1, more commonly known as the Beetle, Fusca (in Brazil and Uruguay), Coccinelle or Cox, Vocho (Spanish), Bug, Volky or Käfer (German), Escarabajo (beetle in Spanish) is an economy car produced by the German automaker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003. ... The term Baja Bug generally refers to a Volkswagen Beetle modified to operate on sand dunes and beaches, although other versions of air-cooled Volkswagens are sometimes modified as well. ... Trophy Trucks are the largest and fastest class of off-road racing vehicles which resemble Pickup trucks. ...

In contrast to the current factory supported modern race vehicles that overall the car and truck classes, Erik Carlsson drove a basically stock front wheel drive Saab 96 V4, finishing third in 1969 and fifth in 1970. Erik Carlsson and Saab 96 pictured in 1999, Keystone Resort, USA Erik Carlsson, aka Carlsson på taket (Carlsson on the roof), born March 5, 1929 in Trollhättan. ... Saab 96 The Saab 96 is an automobile made by Saab. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ...

Baja course

• Point to point: A point to point race is one that starts and ends in two different locations. The start is traditionally held in Ensenada but has been held in Tijuana and Mexicali as well. The course length varies for a point to point but is often over a 1000 miles and ends in La Paz.

• Loop race: A loop race is one that starts and finishes in the same location. Traditionally the race starts and ends in Ensenada but has started/finished in Mexicalli as well. The course length averages 830 miles.

Mexicali is the capital of the state of Baja California, Mexico as well as the capital of the municipality of Mexicali. ... Look up Mile in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Sabotage and booby-traps

Each year there are reports of spectators sabotaging or booby-trapping the course by digging holes, blocking river flow, or burying obstacles. Racers are warned to beware of large crowds of spectators in remote parts of the course since it may indicate hidden traps or obstacle changes. Many of the booby traps are not created to intentionally injure the contestants but are created by the local spectators as jumps or obstacles for spectator entertainment. The haphazardly-designed jumps, created by the spectators, are very dangerous as the contestants are not aware of the course changes (after previewing or prerunning the course) and may negotiate the modified terrain at a much higher speed than the competing machine can handle. Awareness of booby traps and course changes are often part of race day strategy but competitors quickly communicate course hazards to other competitors through on-board radio communications and radio relay. German supply train blown up by the Armia Krajowa during World War II Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy, oppressor or employer through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction. ... Star Trek: The Next Generation, see Booby Trap (TNG episode). ...

Overall winners

• Year - Racer(s) (Vehicle) time ^[1]
• 1967 - Ted Mangels, Vic Wilson (Meyers Manx VW) 27:38
• 1968 - Larry Berquist, Gary Preston (Honda) 20:38
• 1969 - Rod Hall, Larry Minor (Ford Bronco) 20:48
• 1970 - Drino Miller, Vic Wilson (Miller VW) 16:07
• 1971 - Parnelli Jones, Bill Stroppe (Ford Bronco) 14:59
• 1972 - Parnelli Jones, Bill Stroppe (Ford Bronco) 16:50
• 1973 - Bobby Ferro, Johnny Johnson (VW Buggy) 16:50
• 1974 - No race
• 1975 - Al Baker, Gene Cannady (Honda) 18:23
• 1976 - Larry Roeseler, Mitch Mayes (Husqvarna ) 11:30
• 1977 - B. Wallingsford, Scott Harden (Husqvarna) 14:37
• 1978 - Larry Roeseler, Jack Johnson (Husqvarna) 10:23
• 1979 - Larry Roeseler, Jack Johnson (Husqvarna) 19:48
• 1980 - Larry Roeseler, Jack Johnson (Yamaha) 12:45
• 1981 - Scot Harden, B. Wallingsford (Husqvarna) 17:14
• 1991 - Larry Roeseler, Marty Smith (Kawasaki) 13:35
• 1982 - Al Baker, Jack Johnson (Honda) 17:25
• 1983 - Dan Smith, Dan Ashcraft (Husqvarna) 14:48
• 1984 - Chuck Miller, Randy Morales (Honda) 14:34
• 1985 - Randy Morales, Derrick Paiemant (Honda) 17:44
• 1986 - Bruce Ogilvie, Chuck Miller (Honda) 18:05
• 1987 - Dan Ashcraft (Honda) 12:02
• 1988 - Paul Krause, Larry Roeseler, Danny LaPorte (Kawasaki) 11:33
• 1989 - Larry Roeseler, Danny LaPorte, Ted Hunnicutt Jr. (Kawasaki) 17:53
• 1990 - Larry Roeseler, Danny LaPorte, Ted Hunnicutt Jr. (Kawasaki) 11:11
• 1991 - Larry Roeseler, Ted Hunnicutt Jr., Marty Smith (Kawasaki) 13:35
• 1992 - Danny Hamel, Garth Sweetland, Paul Ostbo (Kawasaki) 16:50
• 1993 - Ivan Stewart (Toyota) 13:29
• 1994 - Danny Hamel, Larry Roeseler, Ty Davis (Kawasaki) 10:20
• 1995 - Paul Krause, Ty Davis, Ted Hunnicutt Jr. (Kawasaki) 19:31
• 1996 - Paul Krause, Ty Davis, Greg Zitterkopf (Kawasaki) 14:11
• 1997 - Johnny Campbell, Tim Staab, Greg Bringle (Honda) 13:19
• 1998 - Johnny Campbell, Jimmy Lewis (Honda) 18:58
• 1999 - Johnny Campbell, Tim Staab (Honda) 14:15
• *2000 - Johnny Campbell, Tim Staab, Craig Smith, Steve Hengeveld (Honda) 30:54
• 2001 - Johnny Campbell, Tim Staab (Honda) 13:51
• 2002 - Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell, Andy Grider (Honda) 16:17
• 2003 - Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell (Honda) 15:39
• 2004 - Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell, Kendall Norman (Honda) 15:57
• 2005 - Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell, Mike Childress (Honda) 14:20
• 2006 - Steve Hengeveld, Mike Childress, Quinn Cody (Honda) 18:17

*Officially the race was called the Baja 2000 (1726 miles) for the year 2000. Rufus Parnelli Jones (born August 12, 1933 in Texarkana, Arkansas), is an American racing driver who won the 1963 Indianapolis 500. ... Marty Smith, born in San Diego, California on November 26, 1956, won three AMA National Motocross championships, all aboard Hondas, and was runner-up twice. ...

Notable competitors

• Steve Appleton, President/CEO Micron Technology
• Johnny Campbell
• Erik Carlsson
• Anna Jo Cody - First Female to complete the baja 1000 solo.
• Walker Evans
• James Garner
• Robby Gordon
• Jesse G. James
• Johnny Johnson
• Hiro Matsushita
• Corky McMillin
• Steve McQueen
• Roger Mears
• Gunnar Nilsson
• Patrick Norton
• Larry Ragland
• Ivan Stewart
• Mickey Thompson
• Patrick Dempsey
• Tim Herbst
• Ed Herbst
• Nick Baldwin
• Malcolm Smith
• Paul Simon
• Dave Simon
• Danny Ashcraft
• Marty Coyne
• John Swift
• Tom Bradley
• Tommy Bradley Jr.
• Wayne Cook
• Chuck Johnson
• Bob Gordon
• Jerry Whechel
• Brian Collins
• Jeff Masson
• Kenny goggin

Steve Appleton is the CEO of Micron Technology, based in Boise, Idaho. ... Erik Carlsson and Saab 96 pictured in 1999, Keystone Resort, USA Erik Carlsson, aka Carlsson på taket (Carlsson on the roof), born March 5, 1929 in Trollhättan. ... Walker Evans (born December 3, 1938) is an offroad racing legend. ... 1976 TV Guide cover, of The Rockford Files, featuring Noah Beery, Jr. ... Robby Gordon (born in Bellflower, California, on January 2, 1969) is an American racing driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, owning his #7 Ford Fusion, sponsored by Jim Beam, although he has also raced in the NASCAR Busch and Craftsman Truck series, Champ Car, the IRL... Jesse G. James Jesse Gregory James (born April 19, 1969) is an American and CEO of West Coast Choppers, a manufacturer of custom-made motorcycles, and the host of Motorcycle Mania and Monster Garage on the Discovery Channel. ... Hiro Matsushita (born March 14, 1961, Kobe, Japan), is a former driver in the CART series. ... Macey L. Corky McMillin Jr. ... Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980) was an American movie actor, nicknamed The King of Cool. He was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s due to a popular anti-hero persona. ... Roger Mears (born March 24, 1947, Wichita, Kansas), is a former off-road driver who also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. ... Gunnar Nilsson (November 20, 1948 – October 20, 1978) was a well known Swedish racing driver. ... Patrick Norton on the set of , circa 2006. ... Ivan Stewart is best known for his off road racing career. ... Mickey Thompson, born December 7, 1928 - died March 16, 1988, was an American racing legend. ... Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor. ... Malcolm Smith is an American off-road racer, born March 09, 1941. ...

Current and past classes

Trophy truck vehicle

Class 10 vehicle

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1203x869, 222 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Baja 1000 Trophy Truck Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1203x869, 222 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Baja 1000 Trophy Truck Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Bajaclass10. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bajaclass10. ...

Four-Wheel Vehicles

• SCORE Trophy-Truck: Unlimited Production Trucks.
• Class 1: Unlimited single or two-seaters.
• Class 1/2-1600: Single or two-seaters to 1600cc.
• Class 3: Short wheelbase 4X4.
• Class 5: Unlimited Baja Bugs.
• Class 5-1600: 1600cc Baja Bugs.
• Class 7: Open mini trucks.
• Class 7S: Stock mini trucks.
• Class 7SX: Modified mini trucks.
• Class 8: Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks.
• Class 9: Short wheelbase, single or two-seaters.
• Class 10: Single or two-seaters to 1650cc.
• SCORE Lites: Limited single(1776cc) or two seaters(1835cc).
• Class 11: Stock VW Sedans.
• Stock Full: Stock full-sized trucks.
• Stock Mini: Stock mini trucks.
• Pro Truck: Limited Production Trucks.
• Baja Challenge: Limited, identical Baja touring cars.

Motorcycles

• Class 20: 125cc or smaller two-stroke and 250cc or smaller four-stroke motorcycles.
• Class 21: 126cc to 250cc.
• Class 22: 250cc or more.
• Class 30: Riders over 30 years old.
• Class 40: Riders over 40 years old.
• Class 50: Riders over 50 years old.

ATVs

• Class 25: 251cc or more.
• Class 24: 250cc or less.

Results

• 1998 Baja 1000

Winners of their respecitve class are Bolded Category: ...

References

• Fiolka, Marty (2005). 1000 Miles to Glory. Arizona: David Bull Publishing. ISBN 1-893618-36-6.
• Ekins, Dave. A Ride Down the Peninsula. Retrieved on 2006-12-24.

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ...

Notes

See also

• Baja 500 (from Ensenada, in June),
• San Felipe 250 (from San Felipe, Baja California, in February or March)
• Mini-Baja

San Felipe in the Mexican state of Baja California is located 190 km south of the international border at Mexicali (connecting with Calexico, California, USA). ... It has been suggested that Mini-Baja be merged into this article or section. ...

External links

• SCORE International, the current race organizer
• "Dust To Glory Official" Movie Site
• Video Footage and Photos from 2006 Baja 1000