Winning the Baja 1000
by Patrick Chicas
Originaly published at Off-Road.com, December 2001

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?

TRUCK PREPARATION

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.

PRE-RUNNING

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 SHOTGUN SEAT

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.

THE START

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.

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

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.

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

TO GUADALUPE WASH - RACE MILE 27

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!

GUADALUPE TO OJOS NEGROS - RACE MILE 63

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.

OJOS NEGROS TO HIGHWAY 3 - RACE MILE 97

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.

HIGHWAY 3 TO THE SUMMIT - RACE MILE 130

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 Mango 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 SUMMIT TO BORREGO JUNCTION - RACE MILE 220

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.

BORREGO TO HUATAMOTE WASH - RACE MILE 275

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

HUATAMOTE TO LAGUNA DIABLO DRY LAKE - RACE MILE 315

The Hautamote wash is a strikingly beautiful area. It's amazing contrast to the previous section of the course, that wanders through illegal refuse dumps on the outskirts of San Felipe. In the start of the wash, we saw the sidelined Trophy Truck of Robby Gordon, down with alternator problems.

We headed into the twisting wash and make good time. The racers were spreading out now. There was no dust - and no spectators - in this remote area.

The tough part of the race was now behind us, and we were treated to Morelia Road for 12 miles of 100+ MPH running on the straight sections and 85+ MPH, sliding through the broad turns.

Back into a short rough area, we passed the very stuck Trophy Truck of Mark Post and drove up on to the high road above Laguna Diablo.

LAGUNA DIABLO TO SAN MATIAS, HIGHWAY 3 - RACE MILE 360

Next, we hit an extremely straight, fast and rough sand whoop section as we followed the powerlines. Scott was again up to full speed and probably faster than 99% of all the vehicles through this section. Just before the intersection to the highway, we stopped at a SCORE checkpoint and became high centered and stuck as we tried to leave. The entire road bed was a silt bowl! The Checkpoint people were all commonly colored the local shade of silt. A few pushes later, and we were off, losing a minute in the process.

Through the wash, we gained on the last Protruck ahead of us. We were within a minute of Matt Scaroni and were able to later pass them in their pit.

We backed down and cruised the highway looking for the reported Federales.

We heard on the radio that the Federales were giving tickets on the paved sections, so we backed down for the short highway trip to our pits.

At our pit and driver change, Scott and I get out, replaced by Dane Cardone and Pat Bell. The truck looked great, and was working perfectly. As the sun sets, Dane and Pat were off, but not before the Scaronni truck slipped by. However, it was short-lived, as later they were passed before Mike Sky Ranch by our guys.

At the driver change at San Matais, Dane and Pat are just 30 miles away from their nightmare.

NIGHTMARE AT RACE MILE 390

What followed next was a nightmare shared by dozens of racers and chase crew personnel. Some woke up and escaped; others spent the entire night and part of the next day on "Sal's silt hill from hell." In case you didn't know, Sal Fish is the owner, President and basically "Mr. SCORE International."

At roughly mile 390, already in steep, technical and tough terrain, the course changed from the original plot to deviate around an Ejido (rancho co-op) which would not allow the racers to pass without a steep fee. In the last weeks before the race, a new road was cut-in by bulldozer and grader to connect the dots , so to say. Unfortunately, the new road was built on silty terrain and was not compacted in preparation for the race day traffic.

Our Protruck was the 8th car/truck to this section. Before us, dozens of pre-runners, some with over 600 horsepower had laid waste to this route. On race day, an onslaught of hi-powered, Class 1, open wheel cars shredded the road. What was left was a long twisting, soft, five-mile section of course marked by two deep wheel ruts from the passing traffic.

A cross section of this road looked like the character "W," with the valleys being the wheel tracks and the center peak waiting to snag any vehicle without proper ground clearance, and that is exactly what happened to numerous unfortunate racers.
The stories of woe are many. I'll touch upon a few names as I describe how our team freed themselves from Sal's Road and the nightmare it presented.

At race mile 390, the race truck came into an area where of hordes locals were pointing racers down a new course that deviated from the GPS plot. Because the course was clearly marked with SCORE course markers, Dane committed to the new route.

Within a mile, Dane and Pat came across the first stuck and stranded racers. By mile 392, they were stuck solid, high centered on the peak of the road between the wheel tracks. Keeping Dane in the truck behind the wheel, waiting for any possible opportunity for a tow, Pat Bell worked for hours to dig and pile rocks under the rear wheels. The truck would advance only to the next bad spot in Sal's Road. At one time, our team had to nerf (push) the broken, Meyer's racing 10 car out of the way to get a run up a bad section.

To make matters worse, the 10 car was behind our truck. Dane and Pat devised a system where Pat would kneel on the co-drivers seat looking backward, steering the truck with his right hand while Dane worked the pedals. After a few good smacks they had enough room to make the run. All told the truck was stuck six times between mile 392 and mile 395, sometimes advancing less than 100 yards. Each stuck required back breaking shoveling and rock piling to free the truck. At one time, Pat bell collapsed in exhaustion, but gained a second wind and carried on.

The key was to be methodical in all efforts. To gain and keep momentum, to scout out alternative paths and to work together with other racers. As Pat worked to free our truck, he saw how people made it out of or over certain areas of the road. He passed this info on as much as possible. Rob MacCachren took his advice and scooted up an alternate path and on to victory in class. Larry Ragland did the same and would pay back his debt just a few miles up the course.

At the sixth and last bad spot, Dane and Pat came on Larry Ragland's stuck Trophy Truck. When momentum was lost they, too, became stuck, soon followed by the Herzog Protruck. The three teams then worked together to free each other. This effort is typical of the sportsmanship in Desert Racing. Could you imagine any pavement team helping another in their venues? I cannot.

Not only racers were stranded in this area. Many chase crews went in to help their teams and simply became part of the problem. Others did help, but some were selective. The big red pre-runner of the Herbst Team helped a few racers before becoming a victim. The greates effort to free racers and chase vehicles came from the "Locos Mocos" Racer Enthusiast and Pit Group. Their motto is "We Fix Stuff For Free". There is no doubt that they can now add the phrase "We'll get ya unstuck For Free".

This section defined the race for many in our class. The Scaroni truck that had pushed so hard all day, lost the second driver to a injury. After getting in and out of the truck so many times, he was back in for an assault up a section of Sal's Road without a helmet or belts. A jolt slammed his head against the roll bar and he suffered a concussion. A third driver was brought in via the Scaroni, Stock Full entry to complete the race.

The Hoffman Protruck received the worst of Sal's Road. They were stuck for over seven hours back in a gaggle of limited class racers all incapable of making it through the deep ruts and silt.

All told, the last stranded racers and chase crew made it out by the end of the day Sunday. Consider that most found their way into Sal's Road, early Saturday morning.

SAN TELMO ROAD TO VALLE DE TRINIDAD - RACE MILE 476

Dane and Pat, "Good to go" and in contention for the class win at the Valle de Trinidad BFG Pit.

This section was fast and fun with a few technical areas around Simpson's Ranch. The Herzog Protruck got around our truck at the San Telmo Road pit and was ahead by just a few minutes by "Valle T." One of the Mango trucks was spotted with race ending mechanical problems around race mile 410. When Dane and Pat came in this pit, the truck looked a little more battered, but was running strong.

VALLE T TO ERENDIRA - RACE MILE 543

Dane and Pat passed the Herzog truck around race mile 480, down with some of the same electrical problems that plagued our team at this year's Baja 500. Our team was now in the lead and they never looked back.

ERENDIRA TO OJOS NEGROS - RACE MILE 621

Caught in the dust behind the Class 5 car of George Seeley, our team radioed to George for a chance to pass on his radio frequency. Although in a different class, an overall race position was still in contention. Being the gentlemen that he is, George let our team by and went on to win his class and an overall position just behind our truck.

Immediately out of the BFG pits at Urapan, Dane began to experience brake problems. He circled back to the pits and topped off with brake fluid. We checked the fluid again at the Ojos pit and all was good. They were off on the last leg, without a sign of another Protruck on their tail for a long, long time. Victory was in everyone's minds, tempered only by the knowledge that Baja could take it's vengeance out anywhere in the next 50 miles to the finish.

OJOS NEGROS TO FINISH

We chased the race truck down the course from Ojos Negros to the finish line. Ahead was the faint trail of dust in the night air of the race truck, broken only by patches of thick fog. At race mile 643, we came across the open wheel car of Jeff Lothringer, off the course with a front flat. A quick tug from our tow strap put them back on the course and in our dust. Soon, we were in back in the Guadalupe wash. Only a handful of spectators remained huddled around the apocalyptic-like pyres from camp fires, fueled by burning tires.

Out of Guadalupe Wash and onto the Tecate highway, we followed at a moderate pace. Scott again reminded Dane to take it easy, since we had a huge lead. With just six miles left in the race, Dane radioed from the race truck that he again had lost the brakes and would wait for us and our brake fluid in the chase vehicle. We topped them off and proceeded down the hill in to the outskirts of Ensenada at 4:30 in the morning.

At the finish, a smaller crowd of hardy race fans watched the 20th car/truck and first Protruck come across the finish line with our chase truck just behind. Most of the support and chase crew were there to greet us. We had won our class in the Baja 1000. The toughest ever! Scott had won the points championship and was a probable winner of the SCORE (Toyota) milestone award.

Rick L. Johnson congratulates Dane on bringing the truck in.

We stopped for a few cold Tecates, photos, a few slaps on each others back, and the warm, sincere congratulations from Sal Fish on the 36th hour of his day.

I then took some private time to etch this moment firmly in my brain, not as a vision, but as a fact! My first ever Baja 1000. We Won!

And that family member I mentioned. Well, Mr. Pat Brady, my brother in-law is now hooked. On the way back to the US, he asked about "the next race". Before I could answer, he simply said "count me in".

With that, I leave with the very fitting quote from Oscar Wilde as seen on the Documentary "1000 Miles to Glory":

"At best, we can in life have but one great experience.

The secret to life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible."

The Team at the Finish Line Mark Hammes, Nick DeAvilla, Wes Huston, Kelly Steinberger, Shelby Steinberger, Pat Bell, Pat Chicas, Scott Steinberger, Dane Cardone, Tim Jones, Jim Reynolds, Rick Johnson (arm up), Brendan Hammes, Eric, Eric, Jim Hammes (top of head). Not in picture: Brenda Johnson, Duane Hammes, Daryl Putnam, Kerri O'Connor, Ann Carrol, Travis Fletcher, Gerardo Garcia.

Click here to see the Split Times at each BFG Pit.

More photos from the various galleries at Of-Road.com: