The man behind the curtain. Marty Fiolka had to pull a lot of strings and levers before taking a crowd over 1000 strong on a whirlwind tour through an off-roading "Oz"

It's really amazing what the vision of one man can accomplish. It can set a new record for attendance at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Hollywood CA. It can bring together the fans and legends of the sport, on a scale previously unequaled. It can bring a level of mainstream "legitimacy" to what many have long considered a niche market. And perhaps most importantly, it can pay a long overdue tribute to one of the greatest races that has ever been. The "Baja 1000".

"Toyota Presents - The Baja 1000 Tribute Night", the brainchild of Marty Fiolka and the Rennsport Group, brought out a crowd of well over 1400 to the doors of the Petersen Automotive Museum, breaking the record for previous fundraisers at the motorized Mecca by a substantial margin. It would be the first of many surprises throughout the evening. In addition to the record crowds, well over 100 members of the press stood by to chronicle this celebration of the Baja.

Where to begin?

It began in the parking garage at Petersens, where attendees were greeted with the ultra-modern lines of Bob Gordon's Chenowth Millenium, displayed at the facilities' entryway. It continued with Four Wheeler Magazine's Jeep CJ, as patrons passed through the museum doorway. An escalator rose up to the second floor, revealing slowly the fully restored "Big Oly" Bronco made famous by motorsports legends Parnelli Jones and Bill Stroppe.

Legends of the sport, including Parnelli Jones, came out in force to make the Baja 1000 Tribute Night at the Petersen's Automotive Museum the great success that it was.

Throughout the museum, the ghosts of Baja past met face to face with those of it's future;

The "Banshee", with it's tractor type "flotation" tires and off the shelf Monroe shocks, sat alongside "Arnold", the multi-time Baja 1000 winner and technological Tour de'Force driven by Larry Ragland.

The original Funco "Wampuskitty", the pioneer of single seat, tube chassis technology, with it's radical camber-changing front suspension, and the Toyota/PPI Tundra, Ivan Stewart's mid-engined, V8 Trophy Truck that set a whole new standard for custom fabrication.

And of course, there was the "Baja Boot", Steve McQueen & Bud Ekins' custom creation that turns as many heads today as it did so many years ago.

For many, seeing these vehicles would be worth the price of admission alone, but the Baja 1000 Tribute Night was about more than just titanium, trucks, and technology. It was about a breed of man that would dare pit himself and his machinery, against "The Baja".

"Dare" is the right word to use, for as harsh and unforgiving as the Baja peninsula can be to the race teams and equipment of today, it was a far wilder place in the 60's, 70's and well into the 80's. As we were reminded in the footage and video clips provided by ABC's Wide World of Sports and Shoemaker Productions, the racers of days gone by, men like Jones, Steve McQueen , Bud Ekins, and Malcolm Smith had a whole different size of "huevos".

"Das Boot!" The "Baja Boot", driven by Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins, has a couple pieces of modern hardware, but remains largely unchanged from the days it raced the peninsula. Many historical vehicles came out of the mothballs and private collections to show their stuff before new fans, and longtime followers of off-road racing.

The trip down the peninsula was measured in days, not hours. There were no 50 man "chase crews". There were no fully equipped fab shops parked in 18 wheelers along the route. There were just men, their machines, and an indomitable will to "survive" the journey a little faster than the next guy.

Many of these true "survivors" were in attendance at Petersens'. Some looking as fit and ready as the day they set off from TJ, Ensanada, or Mexicali, others looking a little rougher for the miles. Man by man, these Heroes of the sport took the stage, recounting their memories of races past, and each looking forward to what will be the granddaddy of'em all, "The Baja 2000".

From the crowd emerged Ed Perlman, the father of the Baja 1000, Sal Fish, who along with Mickey Thompson, built SCORE into the world's premiere off-road racing organization. Motorcycle legends Malcom Smith and Bud Ekins, whose converted street bikes paved the way for dawning of the "dirt bike" industry, and the millions who've since taken part in 2 wheeled off-highway activity.

As the night went on, we moved ahead in time, with legends from the 80's, 90's, and today. Imagine a stage with Baja champions Rod Hall (now of Team Hummer), Baja, CORR, and soon to be Rockcrawling champion, Walker Evans, and Ivan "The Ironman" Stewart, who earned his reputation for his short course and solo peninsula victories. There was Larry Roseler, the motorcycle champion who made the move from two wheels to four. Larry Ragland, whose made it a hobby to collect 1st place Baja trophies, Corky McMillin, the 72 yr. old construction/Real Estate baron who is as competitive today, as he was when the sport was young.

The Father of the "Baja 1000". Ed Perlman brought us back to a time when races down the peninsula were measured in days, rather than hours. Could he have ever imagined what the "Mexican 1000" would one day become?

The Adventure Continues

While the night belonged to the Baja 1000, talk of the upcoming Baja "2000" was on the lips of many. Among many B2k related topics, SCORE CEO Sal Fish announced that Autozone, a longtime participant (via the "Duralast" marque) would be coming aboard as the event's flagship sponsor. Fish, along with the men and women of SCORE also announced that course marking, all 1700+ miles of it, would begin within days. With miles of course marking tape to lay, thousands of stakes to pound, and tens of thousands of directional/warning arrows to put up, this crew has it's work cut out for it. But when their job is done, the excitement really begins. Among the many announcements made at the Baja 1000 Tribute night, there were a few real eye openers.

After a several year absence from the desert, the trademark Stetson will be coming off one more time. Walker Evans announced he'd be competing in the upcoming Baja 2000's Trophy Truck class. It will be another page in the history books, marking what may be the last time we see Walker, Stewart, and Hall on the same course, if not the same class, in the desert. With Walker's retirement from short course racing coming to a very positive end with the 99 CORR Championship, he's looking to make victory at the Baja 2000 the crowning achievement of his stellar career.

Back to the podium, there was Bob Gordon, who despite many wins on the peninsula of his own, still laments being recognized as "Robbie Gordon's Dad". Of course, "Bob Gordon's son" wasn't far away. The current NASCAR and sometime Indy car racer is never too far away from a Baja 1000, and this one will be no exception. As we learned this night, he'll be teaming up with another of the sport's true legends, Las Vegas' own Rob MacCachran, to vie for the overall title in a remodeled Ford F-150 Trophy Truck.

Bruce Oglvie, the long time leader of Team Honda's wildly successful desert racing effort, announced big Red's lineup for the B2K. While it's no surprise that Johnny Campbell and Tim Stabb will be heading up the "A team", the "B team" left the crowd both in awe, and applause. Oglvie himself is coming out of retirement, along with another Honda legend, Chuck Dixon, to prove that the old dogs can still throw a whoopin' on the young pups. With nearly 2000 miles of racing ahead, old age and treachery may well prove to overcome youth and skill.

The car that changed the face of racing - Funco's original "Wampuskitty". With it's tube chassis and camber changing suspension, the 'Kitty could be a handfull. It's pioneering technology paved the way for cars like the Chenowth Millenium, popular in the sport today.

And what would a Baja get together be without a few cold Tecates, bench racin', and a couple fish tacos? Throughout the night, guests of Petersens', and Marty Fiolka's Baja 1000 Tribute enjoyed some of the finest Mexican dishes and brew this side of Ensanada. The fully catered event mixed the fans and the racers together, in a casual and relaxed atmosphere.

It was the first event of it's kind, and we all hope that it won't be the last. Fortunately, Fiolka is already working to build on the event's success. Aside from bringing in Indy Car greats like Roberto Gurrero to race the Baja 2000 in Wide Open Baja's "Baja Touring Car" class, plans are under development to create a much needed "Hall of Fame" for off-road racing. Other plans allude to a tribute night for another of the great events in the annals of Off-Road Motorsports - "The Mint 400", in Las Vegas NV.

As I stood in the crowd watching history unfold before me, I felt a bump on my arm, turning to see Parnelli Jones looking on, a smile etched on his face.

"Wasn't this great?" he asked?

Yes PJ, it certainly was.