The Baja 500
In my youth, the adventure of traveling to Baja
California thrilled me. But until a month ago, I
had not crossed the border since 1994. Now, I've
been deep into the peninsula twice in less than 30
days. This weekend, I once again tried something
new, checking out the Baja 500 off-road race for
the first time. Accompanied by a 20-year veteran of
off-road racing, I got a real inside glimpse of
this elite sport. Meeting up with my friend Lory's
brother Lee, who managed the pit crew for one of
the pro trucks, we got to watch the split-second
pit stops up close and personal.
This weekend's race marked the 30th anniversary
of the famous competition, with 255 competitors
plowing through the Baja dirt in trucks, buggies,
motorcycles and quads. In terms of spectating, the
event played out as somewhat of an exercise in
hurry-up-and-wait, but the lulls were punctuated by
moments of sheer adrenaline as high performance
vehicles roared past at high speed. The so-called
"trophy trucks" in particular—into which as
much as $300,000 had been spent on
each—inspired awe and excitement. The throb of
their engines dug deep into one's bones. The skill
and bravado of the drivers were most impressive,
however. The racers neither slowed nor apparently
even batted an eyelash as they raced through areas
heavy with spectators, mere feet of space on either
side of the bumpy dirt separating the people from
the metal behemoths. One slightly overcompensated
move or unexpected bump could quickly cause a
catastrophe.
But all went well this weekend, or at least as
well as one can expect when racing nearly 500 miles
through rough terrain in less than 24 hours at high
speed. As in every off-road race, many vehicles
broke down—some mere miles from the start. The
pro truck whose pit crew we accompanied had its own
share of problems, which included getting stuck in
the sand, getting a flat tire and having to rewire
the engine's fan to keep it from
overheating—but they at least were able to
finish the race. Many others didn't.
The off-road racing community is definitely a
world unto its own. Within that world, many of
these racers are giants, with many victories under
their belts. Thousands upon thousands of dollars
get poured into these vehicles, making
sailboats—which my father has often called
"holes in the water into which you throw
money"—look like positively practical
investments. But the competitors' skill and mastery
of the sport is without question. It'll be a while
before the growl of those engines fades from my
memory—long after I get all of the Baja dust
out of my ears, to be sure.
©2003 Michael
Strickland ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED
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