Question: What are the two most famous motorsports events known to the common man in North America?

Answer: The Indianapolis 500 and the Baja 1000.

  Just like you, as an off-roader, I enjoy being a part of the event, getting as close to the action as possible as a spectator, or being in the seat of a serious racing vehicle, getting dirty, wearing the event on my skin and in my nostrils.

The regular enthusiast can do these things in off-road racing, while a ride in an Indy car, or helping in the pits at that event is out of the question.

 This year, I tagged another ride with Scott Steinberger, in the big one, "The Baja 1000." Scott was out for a SCORE, Protruck points championship, a class win and a shot at the SCORE (Toyota) milestone award. I was in it to tell you a story and to live a dream of racing in the Baja 1000.

 He did, I did it, the team did it, and I'm here to tell you about it:

 About two months ago, I was trying to convince family members to come down to the event. I felt that we would win the class and that they should be a part of it. Something like this just had to be shared! One family member took me up on this, mostly because of my rabid enthusiasm.

 You see, sometimes you have this feeling, and I envisioned a scene with the team gathered at the finish line, in the dark in Ensenada, celebrating. That's a good feeling to start a race with, and I carried it all the way to the finish line.

 However, you don't just hop in a vehicle and enter the Baja 1000. Not if you want a decent chance at finishing, let alone snaring a class win. But what goes into preparing for the Baja 1000?

 The vehicle had just come back from a dominating class win at the SCORE PRIMM 300 in September. An entire tear-down and re-assembly was in order. The engine, transmission and rear-end were removed and sent out to specialists for rebuilds and testing.

 The suspension received all new bushings and rebuilds on all shocks. Miscellaneous moving parts such as brake, power steering and electrical components were all checked and renewed where necessary.

 Lastly, the entire truck was "dyno tested"to tune the Hammes Brothers Racing Engine to perfection. The majority of work was done at Scott's shop in Signal Hill. The work started just after the "Best In The Desert - Vegas to Reno" event in late September, with the last details completed in the night before the race.

 Every serious competitor drives, rides, or "pre-runs" the Baja 1000 race course. Scott, and Dane Cardone - the second leg driver, did this twice in most sections and three times in others. I covered the first 90 miles, with intentions of 220, before a shock broke on our four-seat car.

 Pre-Running the course is absolutely invaluable! You see and remember the danger areas and the paths that will cut time and save the vehicle. While you have a huge amount of fun, the team gains usable information and a high resolution GPS track marked with every danger spot, legal shortcut and probable spectator area on the course.

 The day before the race at Contingency, I made sure my "living area" was comfortable for my estimated nine hours in the seat. I adjusted the belts, found a place to stow my cheap camera, and looked for anything in my proximity that had changed since my last ride at the Baja 500.

 Lastly, I familiarized myself with the new Lowrance 3000 GPS system. This new GPS box was awesome. With it's huge, high resolution screen, I could call turns and danger points like a rally driver. While other drivers backed down in thick dust, Scott could maintain a competitive pace to get up to and around slower vehicles.

 I also prepared my body. This is a simple task starting with potassium supplements for two weeks before the event. On the day before a race, I drink a lot of water, suck down a few energy drinks and eat light. On race morning, I drink a few glasses of juice and eat a some bananas. The bananas burn slowly and supply some long-lasting energy. The potassium helps prevent cramps. With this schedule, I can get in the car, and only sip water at times and never have an urge to pee. A lot of racers wear catheters but, I hate those damn things.

 SCORE officials juggled the starting order, moving the Protrucks down two notches behind the limited, open wheel cars in class 10 and "SCORE Light." The extra time offered us a chance to get a little more sleep.

 By 8:00 AM, we were staged in line as the first Protruck to go off the line. By 8:53, we were off. The start of the Baja 1000 is an absolute blast, and the first part of the course takes you through major city streets, a river wash and side streets up to the edge of town.

 The crowds of people are everywhere! Between vehicles, the hordes encroach on the course and then jump back as vehicles approach. Picture a moving wave in a sea of humanity.

We are next at the start with the city streets and race fans of Ensenada just ahead.

 Two drivers in this event two put on a spectacular show for the spectators, sliding around turns, tires smoking, and blasting rooster tails of dirt over the crowds in the river wash. The cheer of the crowds was heard over the engine noise and behind the safe confines of my helmet.

 Those two drivers: Robby Gordon and Scott Steinberger, the man to my left side at the controls of our truck.

Right off the start, Scott pitches the truck sideways for the hard left pass the crowd of spectators.

 Once onto the main part of the course and out of town, we were immediately on the tail of slower, open wheel cars. Within ten miles, we picked off eight or more. By race mile 13, we were on the pavement of the Tecate Highway for 14 miles, and picked off more open wheel cars as the big Ford stretched it legs and we cruised at over 100 MPH!

 Our pass through Guadalupe was fast and clean. The wash was not nearly as treacherous as in the past. Recent gravel excavation had depleted necessary ammunition for the booby traps often built by the locals. Only a few jumps here and there impeded a high speed run. The section to Ojos was rough and chewed up.
We kept a good pace 'till race mile 42, where we dropped into a small ravine with two options out: a steep climb up a short wall to the road, or right to a three-point switchback. From my pre-run, I remembered that the climb left little room for the blind left turn at the top.

 Scott was already committed as I yelled, "No, go right!" The truck couldn't make the climb. We rolled back onto large rocks placed by our friendly spectators. Damn! We were stuck! We got out and yelled at these buffoons to help. A few who helped were actually less than worthless.

 After 15 miserable minutes of digging, jacking, pushing and shoving, we were off. This down-time was costly. All but one truck in our class passed by. Scott and I reminded each other that the race is long and we never looked back.

On the ascent of a big jump just south of Ojos Negros.

 Out of Ojos, we were on super fast, wide rolling farm roads. At race mile 65, we crossed the big jump of the day. Rick Sieman, the Off-Road.com editorial director, later said that only Robbie Gordon jumped higher or farther. (Note from Sieman: I paced their jump off and it measured very close to 100 feet!) Again the crowds screamed, and gave us the early morning Tecate salute: beer can hoisted high in place of the "thumbs up." Scott was singing a short verse from some "Airborne Ranger" tune.

A quick stop for gas at the BFG Pits before we head up to "The Summit".

 This section left the smooth roads and followed choppy, fairly rough old race course routes. There are numerous danger areas just before the highway junction. Each was marked with a "skull and crossbones" on the GPS and was easy to call out as we approached. It's hard to imagine holding our pace doing without GPS. In this section, we passed the Hoffman and Pfleuger Protrucks and never saw them again.

 The roads to the Summit were a blast; smooth, fast, fun and diverse in scenery. Looming ahead were the Mountains. We gassed up at El Alamo Trail and headed out with the passing the Magno Racing, Scaroni amd Herzog trucks ahead of us.

The approach to "The Summit". Taking it easy. There is no room to fix a flat up there. Blocking the course would be a disaster!

 The approach to the summit is a rock infested road that can flatten a tire in a heart beat. Scott took it slow and easy, like driving on an iceberg. There was nothing but pure carnage in front of us. This section was evil! The climb up the road turned into a scene from a rock crawling event gone bad. The road was nothing more than jagged rock faces and steps of varying size through immovable rock, littered with loose rocks in varying size from the dimension of small TV sets, to golf balls.

 Our best line was partly blocked by a motorcycle with no rider close by. Scott was committed and bounced off the bike slightly as the BFG "Baja T/A" Tires clawed for traction. We made it and never looked back. Behind us, the accumulation of trapped vehicles no doubt grew as day turned to night.

 On the way down the hill, we saw dejavue in double from the Baja 500. Instead of a lone cabellero high on his horse with Tecate can hoisted, we saw two! Baja is bitchin'!

 The path down from the summit offered a few shortcuts and then dropped us into a long, soft deep sand wash with a twisting course around rocks and trees. This wash is not an option. We took a well marked and known shortcut onto an old course, that kept us high on a plateau.

 We passed the Outlaw (Class 5) and were soon in the dust of the Seeley Class 5. George makes this old car move! We had a very hard time catching him, but finally got by.

Chasing George Seeley in the Dust.

 At race mile 156, we hit a large, deep silt bed. Even at a moderate speed, the silt poured over the hood and into the car! We were absolutely blind and worked hard to get across the section to firm ground. Later, this section claimed dozens of vehicles, as the silt deepened to waist deep and fallen bikes and quads disappeared from sight.

 At race mile 168, we came across a downed quad racer. He was crawling on the ground on all fours and looked dazed. He motioned that he was OK(sure). We threw out some water to him, and called the weatherman and reported the incident. After the race, we learned that he lapsed in to unconsciousness.

 The Hoffman Protruck, not far behind us at this part of the race, stopped and left their co-driver with him. The Hoffman team was tied in points with our entry. My hat is off to them for the kind gesture of taking care of a downed and now seriously injured fellow racer.

 Back on gas, we reeled in and passed the Magness, "Mango Racing" Protruck. We raced by extremely remote ranchos and the edge of the Laguna Salada dry lake, then headed to Borrego. For many miles, we did not see a single spectator.

It doesn't look like it but, we are doing @100 MPH at this point near Laguna Salada.

 After cresting a grade approaching Borrego, we suddenly saw dozens, then hundreds, then a thousand or more spectators. While flying over a slow steep jump heading back to Highway 3 near Borrego, we heard ORC staffer, Tim Sanchez, on the radio wishing us luck and calling out a split of 10 minutes on the lead Scaroni Protruck.

 This section was fast and brutal. The cross grain along the highway to San Felipe offered numerous lines. Dust of racers was to the left and right at times as we left and rejoined the GPS track and main course.

 Spectators were scattered here and there. The smart ones left, as a casual camp in this area can quickly become a small piece of traction for the rear wheels of a race vehicle.

 While heading onto a straight powerline road of deep sand whoops, Scott took the Protruck up to 100 MPH , sailing across the crests of each whoop. The ride was extremely violent, almost like being strapped into a paint can shaker on steroids.
The truck tracked perfectly and we gained an enormous amount of time on the Scaroni truck ahead of us. We crossed Zoo road and its natural jump, and our truck landed on a rock, destroying the right rear tire! Luck was on our side, in that our chase crew was within yards. We slid over and the flat was fixed in short order.

 As we neared Huatamote wash, a hard right turn had a well-worn gradual approach leading into it. Unfortunately, a gaggle of boneheads had taken up camp in the area, right on the course! Scott got close and squared off the turn. They all jumped from their lawn chairs and fled.

More photos from the various galleries:

• Pat Bell telling his story to Judy Smith
• Dane Cardon and Pat Bell at the Finish Line
• Binders on hard at the Ojos Negros, Mud Hole
• No "mud show" for the locales this time
• Driver side close-up
• Inside the Truck View
• Sunset at San Matias
• Scott and his Lucky Flag at the Finish Line.