With the year-end holiday season and the promise of a new year just around the corner, the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) is making final preparations for opening registration for the sixth annual General Tire NORRA Mexican 1000 and its recently announced Cortez Rally Raid and Cortez Challenge.

In what has become an off-road motorsports New Year’s Day tradition, official registration will commence online on January 1, 2015 at precisely 12:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Standard Time (PST). Official rally registration paid in full will guarantee early entrants the chance to pick their own vehicle number and earn a front starting spot within each class the first day of competition. In addition, racers entering on New Year’s Day will earn hotel room allocations (one per entry) in Bahia De Los Angeles (Bay of Los Angeles) on a first-come, first-served basis until they are gone.

The New Year’s Day registration will take place online at a revamped NORRA Website (www.norra.com). Based on growing interest by competitors wishing to enjoy NORRA’s unique hospitality and camaraderie, the organization expects the upcoming New Year’s Day registration to be strong. Last year’s registration set a single-day record of 73 entrants, a healthy number that grew to an event record of 174 racers by the drop of the green flag last May in Ensenada, Baja, Mexico.

Once again the NORRA organization is working to greatly enhance one of the Mexican 1000’s most distinguishing elements – the rally’s camaraderie, hospitality and fun that takes place at the end of each day’s competition.

In addition to having an option to race in the General Tire NORRA Mexican 1000, for 2015 competitors can also register for an additional three days of competition leading up to the “The Happiest Race on Earth” via the recently announced Cortez Rally. For the first time in NORRA history, all of the competitors running in the Cortez Rally, as well as the Evolution, Rally Raid and Historic Trophy categories will run with international-style odometer and rally book navigation for both events.

This year’s NORRA Mexican 1000 will take place from April 25 – 29, 2015 and run from Ensenada the northern portion of Baja to the very southern tip of the fabled peninsula in the Los Cabos area. The unique off-road rally is a once-a-year, four-day rally that features vintage off-road vehicles and motorcycles, along with a number of modern desert and Rally Raid classes.

NORRA’s new Cortez Rally will commence from Mexicali, Baja on April 21 and run for three full days of Rally Raid competition from April 22 – 24, 2015.

Competitors seeking to run both events can do so under NORRA’s new seven-day “Cortez Rally” umbrella. All of NORRA’s Rally Raid competition will be run under the veteran guidance of the organization’s recently appointed Rally Master Darren Skilton.

Each day of both the NORRA Mexican 1000 and Cortez Rallies consist of special stages (unlimited speed timed stages in the dirt) linked together by controlled speed liaison / transit sections (highway). While still a competitively timed event, all entries will enjoy the beautiful Baja scenery and legendary group festivities. As it did in 2014, NORRA will also add additional elements to make the experience for racers better and safer – a list that includes online vehicle tracking, the NORRA “Airborne Radio Relay,” a medical/media helicopter and world-class parties along the way.

“We have to admit that while 2014 was a great year for NORRA, the next 12 months looks even better,” shared NORRA President Michael Pearlman. “Our team of has grown and gotten even stronger, and 2015’s event line-up will offer the NORRA experience to even more adventure seekers and racers around the world. Best of all, we are still having fun building our brand of motorsports.”

For more information, please visit the NORRA at www.norra.com

2015 NORRA Cortez Rally — Dates
April 21: Rally School, Registration and Tech, Mexicali
April 22: Rally Day 1, San Louis Rio Colorado
April 23: Rally Day 2, San Louis Rio Colorado
April 24: Rally Day 3, Ensenada
April 25: Prep and rest day (Cortez Challenge Only), Ensenada

2015 NORRA General Tire Mexican 1000 Rally — Dates
April 24: Pre-Rally Registration/Bike Tech, Ensenada
April 25: Technical Inspection, Motorcycle Start, Ensenada
April 26: Mexican 1000 Day, Bahia de los Angeles
April 27: Mexican 1000 Day 2, Loreto
April 28: Mexican 1000 Day 3, La Paz
April 29: Mexican 1000 Day 4, Los Cabos Area (T.B.D)