Back in February my friend Chris was just coming off of a third place finish in sportsman moto at the San Felipe 250. It was his first time racing in
many years and he was really pumped up about the whole SCORE series. So he decided to put a team together to race the Baja 500...and I was the first
person he asked to join the team.
Now, I have only been riding motos a handful of years, but my volunteer work pitting with MAG-7 had given me a lot of firsthand experience at the
SCORE races. I felt my Baja knowledge and logistics would help make up for my lack of speed on the race bike. A few weeks passed and we had put
together a four person race team and a chase crew. The team riders would be Chris Shultz, Travis Rock, John Bach and myself. We registered in Pro
Class 30 simply because we wanted to be as far ahead of the four-wheeled vehicles as possible. Our main goal was to have fun, be safe and get the bike
across the finish line.
At the end of May we headed down to prerun the course and get the chase crew familiarized with the areas we would be switching riders. Aside from a
few crashes we had a great time. We were ready to race!
We were up at 4:00AM on race day to get up to the start line. Chris took the bike off the line and handed it to Travis who rode the first 142 miles.
He handed the bike to John at the top of Laguna Salada, and John rode from RM 142 down to RM 305 where I got on the bike. I left San Matias on the
pavement then took the crossover road from Valle de Trinidad out to highway 1 and up to San Vicente where Chris was waiting. He got on the bike at RM
360 and took it to the finish line....battling Trophy Trucks, lots of dust and riding in darkness.
As we waited at the finish line for Chris, we heard that the 2014 Class 30 champion 300X bike had blown it's motor. All Chris had to do was finish the
race and we would win Class 30! After over 15 hours of racing, Chris brought the 301X bike across the finish line for the win. It was a moment that I
will never forget! Here are some photos:
The race bike and prerun bikes all loaded up and headed to Baja!
John getting the chase truck stickers in place.
Tacos from El Trailero are always a good way to kick off a Baja trip!
Our home base was the RV campground at Estero Beach. Not a bad view!
Chris with the chase truck getting ready to help prerun.
Russell and Travis after prerunning a 40 mile section of nasty San Felipe whoops in 105 degree heat. Russ was almost purple and Travis was so
overheated Chris was pouring water down his back. It was their first time riding in Baja and all they could say was "There aint nothing like that in
Northern California!"
John getting some shade and water after prerunning part of the San Felipe section in the nasty heat.
Nice sunset at Estero Beach!
Travis getting ready to prerun from the start line out to Ojos Negros.
Chris, myself and Jaime after prerunning the crossover road from Valle de Trinidad to San Vicente.
The team getting registered at Riviera Convention Center in Ensenada
Me about to do a shakedown run on the race bike to get a feel for it.
Team 301X race and chase crew!
The 301X race team: Geoff Hill, Travis Rock, Chris Shultz and John Bach.
301X ready for tech day!
301X and 5X going through bike tech.
Getting the helmets checked and approved.
Chris ready to race!
Chris about to take 301X off the line.
Me having a cold one after finishing my section and handing over the bike to Chris.
After I got off the bike, the kids in San Vicente wanted stickers and autographs. They were super excited and made us feel like rockstars!
Chris on the gas near Erendira. Photo by Jackson Asset.
Chris just after finishing in Ensenada. He battled for three hours with trophy trucks in the dust and darkness. The look on his face says it all.
Me checking to see if the finishers medal has chocolate inside.
The race team at the finish line.
301X race and chase crew celebrating the win!
Chris with the Class 30 1st place trophy after the awards ceremony in Ensenada.
Team 301X after the awards ceremony in Ensenada.
Thanks to all of the sponsors that supported us and helped make our race possible:
Ok. Had to watch it a second time. (Edit: third time...) Definitely totally awesome. Huge grin on my face! It must be such a sense of achievement
just to finish that race.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
Thankyou to Baja Bound
Mexico InsuranceServices for your long-term support of the BajaNomad.com Forums site.
Emergency Baja Contacts Include:
Desert Hawks;
El Rosario-based ambulance transport; Emergency #: (616) 103-0262
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