Wide Open Baja's Nick Johnson relishes headaches and feeds off of nightmares.
As the Operations Manager for both Wide Open Baja's highly successful Baja tour and Baja 1000 race packages, the 29-year-old
Johnson is the guy who handles the logistics and operation of all of Wide Open's open-wheeled rental buggies.
"Anything that has to do with those cars running week in and week out, clients – where they're going, where they're staying
and what they're eating – tools, supplies, parts, the whole deal," Johnson says.
At this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Johnson will be tasked with the orchestration of 13 racecars filled with return clients
encompassing sports figures, celebrities and "Joe the Plumber" types from all walks of life. Attached to those 13 vehicles
will be 28 chase trucks, five Ford F-450s with spare racecars on trailers, five four-seater pre-runners, two airplanes and
some 150 crew members to take care of it all. Preparation for the army of Wide Open racers, pacers and chasers that invades Baja is pretty much a year-round job. Johnson
says that the drill begins each January, when the talented and dedicated Wide Open crew begins to handle repairs of such items
as radios and related equipment. By June, however, the routine is in full swing.
"By mid-September, we're pulling 60- to 80-hour weeks until everything is done," Johnson says, "and once those cars leave
the starting line, anything can happen."
And it usually does. Johnson says that it isn't uncommon to have to repair a Wide Open car early in the race because some
overanxious customer decided to treat the event like it is the Baja 10 rather than the Baja 1000. Fortunately, the team is
prepared for such happen-stances, which can occur anytime and anywhere during the race.
"Our whole crew really works hard to make sure that every car finishes the race," Johnson says. "Last year, Bill Weber and
Bud Brutsman hit a palm tree right outside of Todos Santos, about 84 miles from the finish line," Johnson says. "It literally
wiped off the whole left side of the car. I was either fortunate or unfortunate enough to just happen to pull upon the scene
and help our guys get it back together. It took four different chase trucks dropping off parts to get that thing back together.
It needed everything, and it took us about six hours to get it finished and back in the race. But the car left and made it
to Cabo. We had 18 cars start and 18 cars officially finish. That's the most we've ever had, and I'm pretty proud of that."
For Johnson, the headaches and nightmares and endless preparation add up to one heck of a rewarding job at Wide Open Baja.
"I have a lot of fun, and this year should be another good year," Johnson says. "This year we'll have 13 leave the starting
line, and with any luck we'll have 13 finish. For anyone who ever wanted to go and race in Baja, this is really the way to
go do it."
