Jalopnik: baja 1000

Dirty Love: The Baja 1000 Toyota 4Runner

Sam Smith — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Toyota built a 2010 4Runner for last month's Baja 1000. The truck finished second in the Stock Mini class, and the Big T brought it to L.A. still covered in Mexican dirt. Amen.

Be honest: If you could afford it, you'd go desert racing too, right? Tear hell-for-leather across miles and miles of Mexican sand and gravel, hanging it out 'til the vacas come home? I would. Heck, if you wanted to go blast through the desert on SCORE's watch, I'd pay just to be allowed to help. Is that crazy? Tell me it's not crazy. Maybe it's crazy. Maybe I like rallying too much. Is that even possible?

Oh, right, the Toyota. (Sorry, got distracted.) Old Man Emu springs in back, Eibach coil-overs in front, Bilstein dampers at all four corners. Roll cage, transmission and power steering coolers, GPS, grab handles, blah blah blah — everything you'd expect is there. It's a race truck. It looks (and likely acts) like a race truck. This is not news.

To be honest, none of the details are important. The dirt, however, is. It means something. It's emotion; it's proof; it's real. It made me stop in my tracks and stare for ten minutes. I can't remember the last time I did that with a Toyota product. Hell, I can't even remember the last time I did that at an auto show, and I've been going to auto shows for a long, long time.

Thank you, Big T, for the dirt. Keep it up. And if you need some free labor, well, you know who to call.

Septuagenarian Wins 21st Baja 1000 Title In Hummer H3

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

Rod Hall, 72, and his son Chad Hall won their respective classes racing Hummer H3 Alphas in the 2009 SCORE International Baja 1000, marking the 20th and 21st victories for Team Hall in the event's 42nd year.

Rod Hall Racing and HUMMER H3 Capture Stock Class Victories at 2009 Baja 1000
· H3 Alpha first stock class vehicle to finish in third consecutive Baja 1000
· H3 Alpha captures stock full class win; H3 captures stock mini class win
· Rod Hall, 72, earns record-setting 21st Baja 1000 class win

DETROIT – Rod Hall Racing once again demonstrated the inherent off-road capability of the HUMMER H3 as the team secured both the stock full and stock mini class wins at the 2009 SCORE International Baja 1000. The #860 H3 Alpha, piloted by Chad Hall, captured the stock full class victory, while team owner Rod Hall partnered with Emily Miller and Mike Winkel to earn the stock mini class win with the #761 H3.

With the combined wins, Rod Hall holds the record of 21 Baja 1000 class wins and remains the only racer to have competed in all 42 Baja 1000 competitions.

The 2009 SCORE International Baja 1000 marked the 42nd anniversary of the grueling off-road race and covered 672.85 miles, starting and finishing in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. It ran from November 20-21, 2009.

"Off-road motorsports is an integral part of HUMMER's vehicle development process and a cornerstone of the brand's DNA," said James Taylor, HUMMER CEO. "We're extremely proud of the team's resilience to earn these stock class victories and congratulate the Rod Hall Racing program on another successful Baja 1000. Race after race, they continue to prove the rugged nature of HUMMER vehicles."

In the stock full class, Chad ran a trouble free race in the #860 H3 Alpha, finishing in 22:48:40 hours and averaging 29.50 mph. While the team won the class by more than four hours, they battled the nearest competitor's Dodge Ram 2500 for the entire race until the Ram suffered a broken front axle less than 30 miles from the finish. The victory marked the third consecutive Baja 1000 in which the H3 Alpha was the first stock class vehicle to finish the race and was Chad Hall's eighth Baja 1000 class win.

"These production trucks are the right size. They're fun, take a lot of abuse and just keep running and running," said Rod Hall. "You'd be surprised at how much abuse the H3 can take."

In stock mini, the team suffered an early 100-mile deficit as a result of a broken steering rack seal caused by a significant impact to the front end of the #761 H3 near race mile 40. Despite the odds, the team battled back to pass the class leader less than 30 miles from the finish line and post a winning time of 28:53:30 hours.

One of the three Halls has been the driver of record behind the wheel of a HUMMER on a class-winning team in the SCORE Baja 1000 for the ninth straight year and 13th time in the 16 year-history of the stock class. With 33 class wins, the Halls continue to be the winningest family in the history of the race.

About Rod Hall Racing
Rod Hall Racing was founded by legendary off-road racer Rod Hall and joined forces with HUMMER in 1993. Since then, Rod and his sons Josh and Chad have compiled 18 class wins at the Baja 1000; countless podium finishes in the Best in the Desert (BitD) Racing Association series; two SCORE International class championships; and eight BitD class championships. Rod Hall Racing competes internationally in some of the planet's most grueling off-road races. They currently race the HUMMER H3 and H3 Alpha in the stock class, which features production-based vehicles with stock frames, stock suspension designs and production-based engines. For more information about Rod Hall Racing, visit www.rodhallracing.

About HUMMER

HUMMER is a premium all-terrain vehicle manufacturer, with a product line-up that consists of the H2, H2 SUT, H3 and award-winning H3T. HUMMER models are available today in 38 countries around the globe.

Volkswagen Touareg V12 TDI Baja Racer

Andrew Didorosi — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST

VW launched into another class of Baja today as it released it's Touareg Baja Racer at the LA Auto Show. Racing along the same 630 miles of desert peninsula as the ever popular Baja Bug class, this Trophy Truck packs a 542 HP 5.5 liter V12 turbodiesel powerhouse motivating only the rear wheels to kick up some thick, dusty awesome. A tubular chassis only retains the visual dimensions of a Touareg - It's actually 10% larger than the production model. Full press release below the jump.

Check out more on the Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 TDI from CarandDriver.com

The answer: the Volkswagen Baja Race Touareg with a V12 TDI engine

The surprising success achieved with the "Dakar" Touareg sparked an ambitious programme by Volkswagen of America specifically geared to the Baja rallies. In close collaboration with the team of Mark Miller and Ryan Arciero an innovative prototype for the Trophy Truck class was created. For the first time, an automobile manufacturer dares to tackle this class with diesel technology. The rear-wheel driven Baja Touareg TDI’s power of more than 550 PS is supplied by a 5.5-litre V12 diesel engine from the Volkswagen Group. The efficient and fuel-saving TDI engine, together with a gearbox operated by steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, promises to develop its power in a clearly better, and thus tyre-saving, way than spark-injection engines do. Whereas the fuel tank capacity of the petrol-powered vehicles is unlimited and typically designed to handle 120 to 130 gallons, the diesel vehicles must settle for 65 U.S. gallons (246 litres).

The chassis, with a tubular frame and a rigid rear axle with an enormous suspension travel of 75 centimetres, follows the typical principles of Trophy Trucks. The Baja Touareg TDI is prepared and fielded by Arciero-Miller-Racing in the USA; the engine is prepared in Germany. Visually, the Baja Touareg TDI will resemble the production vehicle. However, in all of its proportions the prototype is slightly ten per cent bigger than its production role model; it is practically an XL-sized Touareg.

Mark Miller and Ryan Arciero are two proven experts in the cockpit. Both have won several Baja 1000 and Baja 500 competitions as well as off-road titles in the USA. 46-year-old Mark Miller from Phoenix / Arizona is navigated by 34-year-old Willie Valdez jr. from Los Angeles. Ryan Arciero hails from Los Angeles and is 35 years old. He comes from a family that has been active in racing for over 50 years and for whose teams the likes of Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Michael Andretti and other well-known names have driven. Arciero’s co-driver is 32-year-old Benny Metcalf jr. from San Clemente/California. The decision about the time and place for the driver change will be taken after the track inspection and strategy planning.

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen and Clark Campbell, Motorsport Manager of Volkswagen of America, agree about the objective," At the Volkswagen Touareg TDI’s maiden race we want to master the route of the Baja 1000 and reach the finish. At such a tough and unusual event this would be a first success and a promising starting base for the first full off-road season in 2009."

PCH, Vintage Baja Racer Edition: Peugeot 404 or 1957 Baja Bug?

Murilee Martin — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:20:00 EDT

The recently-exhumed Lancia Scorpion takes the win over the electrical-system-challenged Merkur XR4Ti by a 60/40 ratio in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, preserving Italy's status- for now- as a PCH Superpower. And, speaking of PCH Superpowers, we have some unfinished business from Wednesday; it seems that a German car managed to beat a French one (albeit by a margin thinner than a typical Hell Project owner's wallet), which casts some doubt on France's status as the world's lone PCH Omnipower. Was it a fluke, caused by the Peugeot's Chevy running gear? Let's see how another Peugeot-VW matchup plays out today, with a couple of sand-in-your-teeth desert heroes vying for your vote!

How much do you have to pay for a rare European rally car steeped in 1960s and 1970s racing history from one of the most famous races in North America? More than you could ever afford, of course. But wait! An unaccountable distortion in the Vintage Race Car Reality Field (VRCRF) has produced this 1963 Peugeot 404 Baja 1000 veteran. How can we tell the VRCRF was involved? The $1,200 price tag. No, really- just barely over a thousand bucks; in fact, the seller states "No Reasonable Offer Will Be Refused!!!" so you might be able to get it for under a grand! Of course, you'll have a ~~Sisyphean ordeal~~ somewhat challenging road in front of you with this project, since the car has been sitting for 34 years and the engine is long gone. That shouldn't stop you, however- it's a rear-wheel-drive car, so the junkyard is overflowing with suitable engines that could be swapped right in without too much trouble. BMW M10? Toyota A? Is the suspension good? Probably not! Is anything on this car good? Who knows? Once you've got it running, however, it'll be time to head to the desert for some vintage dirt-eating adventure! Thanks, once again, to PCH ÜberTipster LTDScott.

When you're going racing in Baja California, don't you want a vehicle with "Baja" in its name? Ah, the ol' Baja Bug! Remember when you used to see them doing daily-driver duty all over the Southwest? The air-cooled Beetle in stock form is no slouch off-road- no radiator to boil over, most of the weight over the drive wheels, and so on- but put nerf bars, roll cage, and big tires on it and you'll be ready to leave tire tracks across the backs of the most elusive endangered species in the desert! To be vintage, however, you need an oval-window Beetle for your Baja Bug project...and have you priced 1953-57 Beetles lately? Fortunately for you, we've managed to find this '57 Beetle that's already well on its way to Baja-ness. You get a significant fraction of a 1776cc engine and "many other parts," and all for just $1,400! Old VWs have the dubious distinction of being the only cars that manage to get terrible rust in Southern California, so you have to figure on some pan rot to deal with. While you're shopping for your great big wheels, roof-mounted oil cooler, sixer of Primo Beer, and lid of Acapulco Gold, you'll have plenty of time to contemplate stuffing a Roots-type blower on the engine, just like yesterday's PCH Beetle!

First Finishers Hit Cabo in Baja 1000

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:59:14 EST

Despite our best laid plans conceived in March, we never quite make it to the Baja Peninsula in November for the most testis-outward off-road race on this continent. It's the Baja 1000, a thousand-mile-plus jaunt from Ensenada, Mexico down to the rich-gringo playground of Cabo San Lucas. It's largely an affair of the unlimited-class trucks, buggies and motorcycles into which most corporate dollars pour, though anyone with a Volkswagen and a dream can attempt the combination of searing heat, talcum-grade dust, quicksand, blazing speed and free beer that is the Baja (see the brilliant Dust to Glory for more). Yesterday, the first finishers crossed the line, and Baja watchers know them as the somewhat usual unlimited-class suspects. In the TrophyTruck class (the pickups), it was Riviera Racing's Mark Post, Rob MacCachren and Carl Renezeder in a modified Ford F-150; in motorcycles it was the Honda factory team of Robby Bell, Johnny Campbell, Steve Hengeveld and Kendall Norman. Next year, we're going for sure. Click through for current results (ends Friday). (Photo: Getty Images)

40th SCORE Tecate Baja 1000 Distance: 1,296.4 miles

TrophyTruck
Winner: Rivera Racing
Drivers: Mark Post (San Juan Capistrano)
Rob MacCachren (Las Vegas)
Carl Renezeder (Laguna Beach)
Time: 25 hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds
Average speed: 51.13 mph

Buggy
TBD

Motorcycle
Winner: Honda factory team
Riders: Robby Bell (Sun City)
Johnny Campbell (San Clemente)
Steve Hengeveld (Hesperia)
Kendall Norman (Santa Barbara)
Time: 24:15: 50
Average speed: 53.428 mph.
(It was the sixth straight Baja 1000 overall win for Hengeveld and the 10th overall title for Campbell.)

Unlike me, this guy actually understands...

Ray Wert — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:40:02 EDT

Unlike me, this guy actually understands the Baja 1000 and the importance of the two new Dodge Ram pickups. Plus, his pictures are better than ours. [PickupTruck.com]

Cruiser for a Bruiser: TLC's SCORE Baja 1000 Limited Edition

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:00:30 EDT

The Baja 1000 off-road burn down that westernmost peninsula is in its 40th year. In honor, Van Nuys-based TLC is rolling out the SCORE Baja 1000 Limited Edition Icon. That's the company's repro Toyota Land Cruiser. The company's retro off-roaders start at $84,000, and the Baja edition will cost $145,000 as a turnkey Cruiser. It's powered by a hand-built LS6 V8 producing 450 horsepower, and sports a hand-brushed aluminum body with "black crocodile" trim, TLC coil suspension, five-point harnesses and Racepack instruments. All of that sits on 17-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires, though hardcore off-roaders can get non-street-legal 35-inch Baja meats. And there's more than just an arbitrary connection with the big race; a Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser won its first Baja in 1973. We'll see it in person at the SEMA show in Las Vegas later this month. [via Edmunds]

Bio-Diesel Baja! Veggie Monsters Aim for Run in Baja 1000

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:30:05 EDT

We just got a tip from our guy Skiny (above), idea man and Audi Avant road-rallyist. His latest project involves a ragtag group of diesel engineers, celebrities and related cohorts. Their mission is to field a 100% biodiesel team to run the Tecate Baja 1000 in November. Heavyweights Bosch and Gale Banks Engineering are reportedly on board to work up three stock truggies (those are the half truck, half dune buggies Baja types use for their intradesert runs). And there's talk of biodiesel proponent and driver of a veggie El Camino Daryl Hannah, and Hayden "That Anakin Guy" Christensen, being involved in some capacity. More details to come when Skiny decides to spill the whole thing. No word on whether the bio juice will come from corn or cactus hooch. – Mike Spinelli

Dirrrty: Inside Jimco

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 14:16:31 EST

Gottlieb Daimler. Henry Ford. The Dodge Brothers. George Barris. Jim and Mike Julson. It takes a special breed of gearhead to take a passion for building cars and turn it into something more than a backyard or hole-in-the-wall industry. Jim Julson started Jimco back in the 1970s, building off-road buggies as a hobby. In 1980, his son Mike came to work for him and ultimately turned the company into a multimillion dollar operation, building Baja 1000-winning buggies and becoming known as the buggy chassis builder. The San Diego Union-Tribune's got a fairly lengthy profile of the Julsons in anticipation of this week's slog down the Baja Peninsula. Check it.

Baja-tough buggies [SignOnSanDiego]

Related:
Maximog: When a Unimog Just Isn't Enough [Internal]