Little is known about the Baja 1000 this side of the Atlantic, but at TrackDays.co.uk, we feel this needs to change. With the race due to start this Friday (18th November), we felt it was worth a quick check-in with why the Baja 1000 is loved by so many off-road purists.
Located less than 100 miles south of San Diego, sitting comfortably on the pacific coast of Mexico, you'll find the small city of Ensenada. Every year you'll find daring adrenaline junkies gathering in this beautiful seaside city for the annual, 1000-mile-long, Baja 1000: the final race of a four-race series.
Ensenada hosts the event due to its location as the entry point to the Baja Californian desert, a desolate and other-worldly location.
Host to mountains, vast swathes of inhospitable desert, and the occasional ranch, the Baja desert has it all in terms of the most testing terrains available. Not only does it offer the harshest landscapes, but the weather conditions also mean racers could encounter heavy fog, blistering heat or even snow! Then there is the silt: a thin, sand-like substance. Kicked up by the vehicle's spinning wheels, silt impairs a drivers' vision and can expose any weaknesses in the engine's durability.
In other races, drivers can get used to the consistency of circuits; the Baja 1000 offers no such solace. The Baja 1000 track alternates between a loop, beginning and ending in Ensenada, and a point-to-point track, which starts in Ensenada before finishing in La Paz.
And no loop or track is the same when they return to the calendar. Careering down coastlines or flying through the desert, this track is ruthless; it is generally seen as a massive accomplishment if you even manage to make it to the finish line.
At the starting line, spectators will find an eclectic range of vehicles ready to take on the monstrous track in front of them. From dirt bikes to dune buggies, any car is allowed to enter the Baja 1000 if it meets the safety and entry requirements set by the event organisers. However, the desert racing scene has a couple of iconic cars we wish to bring to the front.
First of all, the Trophy Truck – an unstoppable off-road machine. These trucks include some impressive machinery to allow them to cope with the demands of the course. Kicking out anywhere between 700 to 1000 bhp, these monstrous engines have to be able to tackle near vertical climbs and navigate through sharp rock formations.
Designed for the desert tracks, these trucks are built in a way so that they are not actually road legal – so don't expect to see any when you pop out to your local corner shop.
Then there are the iconic Baja Bugs which have become synonymous with those in the desert racing scene. Originally a cheaper answer to Volkswagen's dune buggies, the Baja Bug features the iconic bodywork we associate with the Beetle but with significantly raised suspension and an exposed engine at the rear. Whack on some mean off-road tyres and you have an off-road performance beast ready to tackle the toughest terrains.
While we cannot jet you out to the Baja desert, Trackdays.co.uk can get you pretty close to the experience through our range of Off Road Experiences. Whether it is learning how to tackle near vertical inclines with one of our 4x4 Off Road Experiences, or understanding how to approach and tackle rally terrain at speed with our Full Day Rally Experience, we can ensure our packages will still get your adrenaline pumping.
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