BajaNomad

NORRA Race Report

TMW - 5-9-2010 at 10:38 AM

This is from Chris Wilson racing the #32 Bronco:

So there we are sitting in the staging area for the start of the first special stage on day two. The sun is bright and there is a nice breeze which should be good to clear the dust. It’s not cold but it’s not really very warm either. I expected Bahia de Los Angeles to be warmer at the end of April. We chat with friends and I glance into the mirror and notice the collection of vintage desert racing machinery around us. There is an AMC, an Edsel, James Garner’s Olds Banshee, Bob Gordon’s Chenoweth beam car, the Robby Gordon Hay Hauler, Dr Feldkamp and Malcolm Smith in the old high jumper, Randy Salmont in the old leaf spring Westham 8 truck, and many others. It’s quiet, the calm before the storm. Billy Robertson points out the missing screen from the front of our grill, a victim of the first day. Since we still have 30 minutes until the start, Billy recruits a local and with a combination of finger pointing and spanglish he heads off and returns shortly with an old screen door. Perfect. Billy makes quick use of his leatherman and a handful of zip ties and our trusty steed is now sporting a new Baja fix – a perfectly functional rock and stick protector for our radiator and oil coolers. The quiet morning is broken and Glen starts the engine and the little 289 barks to life. It showtime and I wonder how we ended up here.



It started about 6 months earlier when I contacted Todd Zeutcher to see if he might know of a historically significant bronco we could use for the upcoming NORRA 1000, a 3-day rally for vintage desert racers. It turns out that Todd and his partner Andrew Norton had a couple of early Stroppe racing broncos. One in particular was very intact but in need of some significant mechanical restoration. The bronco in question turns out to be the actual bronco that won the 1969 Mexican 1000 overall driven by Larry Minor and Rod Hall. The truck had a bent front axle, needed a tranny rebuild, a rewire and re-plumbing, the original fuel cell needed refurbishment and installation, there was body damage to repair and paint to apply and numerous other details details. I struck up a 4-way deal with Todd, Andrew, and my friend, ace race fabrication and prep man Glen Straightiff that Glen and I would restore and race prep the truck in exchange for Glen and I driving it in the 2010 NORRA 1000. After 6 months of weekends and nights, she was ready to race, prepped to the same standards as we do for a modern Baja 1000.



The day before the race, we trailered the bronco to Mexicali for technical inspection and registration. We met up with our crew of Bob Ham who would haul our fuel to each pit stop all the way to La Paz, Stuart Chase and Billy Robertson, friends who would shadow us in Stu’s 4wd prerunner should we need assistance, Jan Janota our cinematographer, my wife Dyanne who never misses a Baja race, and of course the team owners Todd and Andrew.



The line up for tech inspection was a real blast from the past with Parnelli Jones, Walker Evans, Rod Hall, and many others milling about. After the inspections we found a parking spot on the far side of the hotel in a quiet area. Parnelli Jones and Rod Hall hung out and talked to us for over an hour. Rod climbed in his old truck and signed the dash. Parnelli told us about his drives in the Stroppe racers. He had driven a 4x4 Stroppe but one day at Bill Stroppes shop sat a 2wd version with twin I-beams. Parnelli noted right away the advantage of having double the wheel travel and half the sprung weight and told Bill he wanted to race that one. Turns out Bill had prepared it for Dearborn and it was on its way to Detroit as the factory was considering a low cost 2wd version of the bronco in the late 60’s that never came to pass. Parnelli went on to tell us that had put the bug in him to build a 2wd super bronco. He said the screen roof on our Stroppe gave him the idea to put a wing on the top instead of just a screen. He needed a roof anyway so why not make use of it and employ some aerodynamics from his Indycar experiences. He told us he built the wing with a 5-position adjustable rear so he could flatten it out on the straights for more top speed then crank it up for downforce when he needed it for turns or big rollers. He told us of a time when he had it trimmed out and was flat out but as he came up on some big rollers he forgot to adjust the wing up and as he crested the first big roller the air got under the wing and almost blew his bronco over backwards. The bronco came back to earth on its tail and he said he never missed a wing adjustment after that!



Race day 1 awoke to high winds as the vintage collection assembled for the police escorted parade out of town. They took us from downtown Mexicali south to the bypass toll road then west out the toll road and back up north to the main Mexicali to Tijuana expressway. Along the way the Autofab El Camino stopped on the shoulder, victim of a broken crankshaft. We lined up for the start and took the green with a very sedate pace in mind. We knew we had over 1100 miles to cover and we knew we were in a 42 year old racecar. We ran about 70mph and were quickly passed by a few faster cars. About 20 miles into the first special stage we came upon a junction where we found a green road race Porsche with a huge pikes peak style rear wing parked deep into the sand bluffs, an obvious victim of a missed corner. A short while later we had some real navigational challenges and began to rethink our decision to do this event old school with no gps, no radio, no intercom and open face helmets. We could not communicate with each other except with hand signals and we really had no idea where the course went other than to follow the most worn in fresh tracks ahead of us. We knew we needed to go generally south but finding the specific route turned out to be a real challenge. The faster cars ahead left deep berms on the corners but the wind was so strong that tire tracks were completely obscured in places. We managed to hit all the corners and pressed on even when one of the trucks ahead of us did a u-turn in an area where there were no tire tracks due to the strong wind and blowing sand. About three quarters of the way though the special the engine began acting like it was starving for fuel. Instead of flat footing it across the dry lake bed, we babied it at 50-60mph to the finish of special 1 then headed down the highway on the transit section in fuel conservation mode looking for our first pit stop.



Once at the first pit stop we refueled the car and opened the hood to see zero fuel pressure. As part of our race prep we had taken the 30 year old electric fuel pump off the car and installed a new Holley fuel pump. And it was now dead. Of course we kept the old fuel pump and had it on board as a spare so we quickly swapped it in and gave the dead Holly to Bob our chaser with instruction to find another spare for us in San Felipe. The bronco was now good as new and a quick check of the stopwatch showed that if we drove fast we would just make our start time for stage 2 without a penalty. We were off to the next stage. Then as we were cruising down the highway at 85mph we suddenly lost all drive. We coasted to a stop and climbed under the truck expecting to find the driveshaft gone but could find nothing wrong. After a few seconds we put the transfer case back into gear where it remained without touching it for the duration of the 3-day event. We never locked the hubs and only used 2-hi the whole event.



We made the start with a couple minutes to spare. Our 40 minutes of transit downtime did not count against us in the timing and scoring but it did hurt us for track position as there were now about twice as many cars between us and the overall leaders. More dust but fortunately the wind was still strong. Special stage 2 was fairly uneventful. There was a serious dust storm on the El Diablo dry lake that reduced visibility and speeds but that soon passed. We made up some time with superior navigation and passed a few cars before Morelia road that had passed us on the lakebed. I’m not sure if we were on the official course or not but we took the most direct route along with a few other cars but others took a side route that was longer and slower. In San Felipe our crew had a new spare fuel pump for us and we stashed in on board. We were to never lay another tool on the race bronco the rest of the trip.



Special stage 3 on day 1 was only notable in that we passed both our fuel truck and our crewcab/trailer on the special. Both should have been well ahead with the crewcab leaving Mexicali at 5am to go directly to LA Bay. Our first fuel dump had told us we were getting better mileage than expected so we pressed on waiving our fuel goodbye as we passed. At the end of the special we bummed 5 gal from a friend and took the racecar on into LA Bay. I had driven the first two specials and transits and Glen drove the third special and transit. Once I got into the passenger seat I became chilled and noticed I was dehydrated. By the time we got to LA Bay I was beat and went straight to the hotel for a shower and bed and lots of water while the team went out to socialize and celebrate our arrival in LA Bay. If we took off the 40 minutes spent dealing with the fuel pump, our arrival in LA Bay was only 10 minutes later than what we had predicted in our race plan. We had arrived well before dark, the truck was in tip top shape, and we were running our plan.



On the morning of day 2 I felt a lot better than I had the night before but suggested to Glen that he better start. Now I’m a nervous passenger in these things and I normally keep myself occupied by barking out info from the gps. But in this case, there was nothing to do but waive my hands so I did. I know these roads very well and had cautioned Glen before the special that there were some real sneaky slippery corners and that because of how far we had yet to go and how we really did not want to take many risks in Todd and Andrews rare truck we should try hard to avoid sliding the truck and charging corners. The stage started and we ran about 80mph when we could see the road ahead. Glen did a great job of going fast when he could see and slowing early when he could not. And sure enough around one of those sneaky slippery corners we found that beautiful class 1 jimco with the red baja bug body on it sitting upside down in a ravine on the outside of the corner. We stopped and confirmed both occupants were ok but did not stop to tow them out as it would of blocked the course. The sag wagon will help them. We took off but the pause put the Old Banshee in our mirrors. Now how often do you see that? On this road there was no way anyone could come through our dust and pass us but I knew the Olds was running faster than us so we waived them by and sure enough they checked out on us. The run up through El Arco was uneventful but we did pass a car in town when we did a better job of navigating. After El Arco we blew a corner and had to do a 3-point turn to go back. No sooner did we get turned out than the Harley side car misses the same turn and comes sliding up toward our front bumper. Then the Edsel came careening in all crossed up and locked up down the same wrong way. We went around the side car but waived the Edsel on ahead of us. As we neared Vizcano our pace was slowed from 80+ to about 65mph for the last 5 miles which turned out to be a VW car. The stage ended in Vizcano and the transit took us to San Ignacio where we were happy to see Bob and our fuel. Glen and I jumped out and dumped fuel. I asked Glen to finish driving the day and I’d drive all day and day 3. We told Todd and Andrew to suit up to do the final transit so they could take it over the finish that day.



Special stage 2 on day 2 started out right on the pavement in front of the La Pinta. They had us race through town turning left in front of the 300 year old mission to run alongside the park and up the narrow streets. Now our Stroppe racer may only have a 289 under the hood but it’s a racy engine with a big cam and the long tube headers dump into 3” straight pipes out through the sides of the body and when you let her rip she really wails. San Ignacio has not heard such beautiful music since she last ran here in the early seventies. The echo of the old racer had even the oldest men dancing in the streets. Now the smooth road out of San Ignacio really had the Stroppe feeling more at home as its 6-7” of wheel travel was all that was needed. 90mph was no problem and we caught and passed a few cars on the way to El Datil. The best was the Edsel we had let by on the previous stage. We had caught it up and where hanging in its dust waiting. As we got to the salt flats the course would run through some whooped out sand then race across a short salt flat before jumping back into more sand whoops. There was no dust but we could not hand with the Edsel in the whoops. So each time we would hit the salt flat, Glen would flat foot it and the little bronco would open it’s secondary's at 70-80mph, cough then spin its tires. But each time we had to shut it down before the next sand pile. Finally we found a longer slat flat and the little bronco hit its stride as we blew past the Edsel at over 100mph about a foot off its door side. I could hear our engine echoing off the side of Edsel as we passed. Finally clear air again. We ripped down the road coming into Scorpion Bay running hard at 80-100mph as conditions allowed. We had a great run going and did a nice power slide though the Scorpion bay pits roosting Raffo as payback for an earlier roost he gave us.



Now on the paved road south from Scorpion Bay I closed my eyes for a little relaxation. I thought I new the pavement would end soon and we would continue on the graded road into La Purisima. But when we got to the end of the pavement it all looked so unfamiliar. I saw a dirt road and figured that must be the route so off we went into unfamiliar trails southbound and on a mission. Well I knew we were not on course but I thought we were still north of the big La Purisima wash when we came over a rise and saw a big graded road and a town south of us. We got on the graded road and charged off into the town where we stopped the first person we saw, shut off the engine so we could speak and asked them Donde Esta La Purisima? They pointed back the way we came. Quantos Kilometers? 40. Oh chit! We thanked him and fired the bronco up. There ahead of us was a paved road. I figured this paved road must run out to the paved road that feeds La Purisima from the south so down the pavement we went. Forever it seemed. Even at 85mph we kept cresting rise after rise and still no La Purisima. Finally we crested a rise and there down below us was the graded road we should have been on. We did not feel at all guilty since we just did and extra 50 miles or more. I thought about searching for some fuel but figured we ought to make it since we had calculated a 220 mile range and with the extra 50 this would be a 225 mile run but then we had gotten better mileage than expected and besides if we ran out it would be close to the highway and we could pass a note to a competitor to come bring us some fuel. Well we made it to the highway and later fuel dumps showed we came in on fumes. Glen and I jumped out, Todd and Andrew jumped in and we all took off for Loreto. We had a good run and felt really good about our pace and the bronco. She was running like the champ she was even though our timesheets don’t show it as we got lost just like they used to do in the 60’s.



Loreto was beautiful, the bronco was perfect, and we were feeling good. We checked the fluids and added gas then had dinner drinks and told lies about how fast we were. Good times. Day 3 started out with great weather and I felt much better than the day before and was eager to get back behind the wheel. The first special started in the sand wash under hwy 1 and ran up the switchback to San Javier then out to Insurgentes. Right off the bat we saw the Javelin and Edsel stuck in the sand and another car that we could not identify. I turned right to jump out of the wash and did a little wheelie up and out of the wash and into the cactus. Once we passed the blockage I went to jump back into the wash but the bank was about 5ft high so we bashed through a few more cactus then jumped back in when the bank was only 2ft high. We ended up jumping in right behind Parnelli who had started about 4 positions ahead of us and this was only race mile 2. We had passed Parnelli shortly after San Ignacio the day before but our 1+ hour detour had us finishing well behind him. The wash was rocky and there were several either or’s. On the second try we were able to get by Parnelli (who in all fairness was not racing anyone). We hit the pavement up towards San Javier can caught up to fellow Checker Matt Crowley in his full size bronco. We watched as he blew a tire in front of us on a corner and we charged off to the next guy. A short while later we closed up on the old Datsun of Fantelli. Glen laid on the horn and I down shifted and made lots of loud engine noises and he immediately pulled over. Perfect. Now we hit the dirt and the only guys ahead of us were fast guys. We were finally running up with the leaders and made the most of the free air. The last 10 miles slowed us as we caught another underpowered VW on the fast graded road and had no choice but to follow him in.



We made haste to our fuel stop just before the start of the final special, a 175mile monster that included the SCORE course though the whoops and siltbeds. We wanted to keep our track position and lined up right on the money for our start. We had clear air and ran good passing a few disabled fast guys including Kupiec in the super-bronco that Glen built, Steinberger who tossed and transmission, and Collins down for unknown reasons. The run started by taking us to the east side of Hwy 1 where it wound around and jumped onto the Cabo 500 and Baja 1000 course. The fast graded road west toward Hwy 1 had some terrible vados, the worst I’ve ever seen but we did see them and whoa’d down in time for each. A quick jog south on Hwy 1 where we blew the exit and had to turn around then out to the coast where we got lost for the first time this day. We ended up on a trail that looked like the race course but kept getting fainter until it was just a cow trail. We finally got onto a ridge and saw dust trails in the valley below so we bushwhacked and followed cow trails until we hit a road to the west that put us back on track. I don’t think we lost a whole lot of time since we were going in generally the right direction and probably not much slower than the whooped race course. By the time we finally found the race course, we were alone again with no dust to be seen. The going was slow in the 42-year old with whoops and rocks that seemed to go on forever. This slow going culminated in the Santa Rita silt beds where our open face helmets gave us the full old school treatment. We had mud in our mouths for 15 miles after that. The full blackout you get in a sitlbed is even more intense when you have nothing but a pair of goggles. It’s the same deal as today, you point and you stand on the gas and you don’t lift until you are clear. One thing the old Stroppe is not lacking is horsepower, especially given it’s light weight. I’ve always felt that a proper desert racer should have more horsepower than you can use in most situations so that it’s just enough when you really want it. This truck delivers in that regard. After the siltbeds the course smoothes out into rolling terrain with some ruts and a few washes. The Stroppe really loves this terrain and we let her rip touching 100mph on a couple of the straights. In the process we caught up to the Swellenger Jeep of Greg Adler and passed him when he pitted for fuel. Then to our horror I realized that while I knew we had to take a Y junction to the left to end up in La Paz instead of Todos Santos and Cabo, I really had no idea where it was or what it looked like. I’ve grown too dependent upon my gps and we had none. We gapped the Jeep in a big way then had to stop on a hill top and wait until we saw a dust trail so we knew we were going the right way. I took off again but then came to a checkpoint and decided to wait for the Jeep so we could follow it in. We stayed with it to the end. On the final run up to the end of the final special there were some rollers and a couple of bad ones with some tire tracks that did not look good. But we did not see any carnage. We flew one and landed in the bottom. The final special ended without issue.



The final transit had us run into La Paz where the ceremonial finish was on the malecon. We finished well and early and with some of the fast guys. I backed the Stroppe into a spot where everyone could check it out and did the post race interviews and autographs. We climbed out and looked the truck over and it was in as perfect a condition as possible and we did run it hard. My most memorable moment here was an older Mexican (same age as me) who spoke not a lick of English but came up to me and for a good 15 minutes told me how as a boy of 10 years he had seen this same Stroppe bronco finish in La Paz in 1968 and 1969. He had a tear in his eye and was overjoyed like seeing a long lost friend after so many years. And for so many in Baja as well as racers from all over, seeing the 1968 Rod Hall Jim Fricker Stroppe Racing Bronco take to the baja at speed again brings back similar memories. After all these years I can say that this truck is still a real racecar. It’s a real sweetheart of a racer. It has heart and has that something special that makes it a true champion. Glen and I are humbled to have been given custody of this champ to let her run again as she was designed to do so many years ago by Bill Stroppe.



Thanks Todd and Andrew.

Oggie - 5-10-2010 at 03:28 PM

TW,
What a great story teller you are. I was right there in the bronco with you!
I will be the navigator for Igor Galvan in his Class Seven Truck in the 2010 Baja 1000. I can't wait.

[Edited on 5-10-2010 by Oggie]

P.J

Norm - 5-11-2010 at 07:31 AM

Can you find some photos of P.J & THAT BLAZER ???
We missed him when he can in to lapaz..
Thanks ~Norm

David K - 5-11-2010 at 02:25 PM

The video showed PJ driving his classic original 'Big Oly Bronco'.. not his Chevy Blazer (which he sold to Scoop Vessels)...both were 2WD and the first true 'Trophy Trucks' of 40 years ago!

Tomas Tierra - 5-11-2010 at 06:42 PM

Great write up on the race!
the boys in the Edy are my friends and neighbors.Three generations raced together! Gramps finished.
can't wait to hear some stories about this one!

TMW - 5-12-2010 at 05:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
The video showed PJ driving his classic original 'Big Oly Bronco'.. not his Chevy Blazer (which he sold to Scoop Vessels)...both were 2WD and the first true 'Trophy Trucks' of 40 years ago!


P.J. did drive a red Blazer. The Old Oly Bronco was driven by Pete Schmidtmann and Debbie Faber according to the NORRA list. It blew a head gasket near El Datel and limped back to Rice and Beans Friday evening. It was two guys in it and I don't remember their names. We were eating dinner when they came in and they were going to try and fix it. The next morning when we left it was still in the parking lot.

TMW - 5-12-2010 at 05:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Tomas Tierra
Great write up on the race!
the boys in the Edy are my friends and neighbors.Three generations raced together! Gramps finished.
can't wait to hear some stories about this one!


Perhaps you could answer a question about that car. What is the scoop looking thing on the right rear? Is it for air to a cooler? I never saw anyone around it at the hotel before the race to ask.

baja-chris - 5-14-2010 at 07:57 PM

Here's another race report from this EPIC event.

#23 CZ 400 NORRA Report

Heading to the NORRA Mexican 1000 I realized this was going to be one of those occasions that nobody talks about before it happens, but everyone will be talking about for years to come. When the notion of a vintage rally came together we decided to do this the way they did it back in the good old days: one rider on an old bike. Sure we could have picked any newer motorcycle but this old CZ 400 was beckoning to be ridden. The challenge was set to see if I could pilot an old steed, alone, all the way to La Paz.

Getting the bike ready early is always a good idea and just as I was about to mount the tires for the September run, a hurricane decimates Baja and the rally is postponed. In the ensuing months we had more time to check out the top speed by changing the sprockets. The first ride with motocross gearing the bike would barely break 58mph. After the switch of adding 5 teeth to the front and dropping 26 in the rear I got her up to 91mph. I figured she would get around 23mpg with this gearing and that the clutch would be fine slipping the four speed up to speed. This would be critical to making the fuel distances needed with the 40 year old 3 gallon Vesco tank mounted. I also fitted the front wheels with magnetic pickups for the odometer so we could follow the road book mileage. Road book racing is something new compared to riding on pre-marked courses and really enhanced the feel of a rally raid. Next I decided to make the motorcycle even more Baja ready by mounting a head light to it. There was room in the stator area for two more coils so with the help of Baja Designs winding the coils I mated them to the stator plate. I fabricated a head light frame and she finally looked the part.

We packed some spares and headed to Mexicali for check in and Tech Inspection at the Colonial Hotel. Ah the smell of race gas and the sights of a rolling antique auto museum brighten the morning. Seeing Bruce & Winnie Meyers, Rod Hall, Parnelli Jones, Malcolm Smith, Ron Bishop, walking through the parking lot is something that would be impossible to recreate. Together were some new faces and some old ones all getting ready to go south. The variety of different age equipment being readied in the parking lot, the different fevered levels of race face and smiles, and the relaxing attitude of everyone there just enhanced the excitement and made the clock tick by way too quickly.

Race morning comes early so we all gear up and get on the bike. The Teams Husky’s problems begin early as the Harley Side car pull starts both of our team’s rides until they are running. We head next door to line up for the parade out to Laguna Salada for the start. Instantly it seems that the road book mileage is slightly off, but that is only because we all have different ideas on how to get to the Canyon de Guadalupe turnoff. So after going around the block once I head out west on my own rolling the road book forward to the actual special start. At a red light I look back and it appears that a lot of people are following me, so on we go. At the start the frenzy is heating up. Cameras are flashing, support people with their over loaded their trucks are mulling over the race cars. There’s a menagerie of smoking varied vehicles ready to take on the desert and the clock. I knew this would be the last time we’d see some of these contraptions, the Edsel, the Rambler, the Banshee, Jeeps, a Saab, two Porsches, a bunch of Manx’s, a 1972 full size Suburban. Some looked like they would make it, but a lot of them did not. I wonder what the differences in average speed will be between them.

As the green flag begins to fly, the vehicles roll off the line. It feels like we’ve gone back in time. The wind is blowing hard and the dust trails beginning to disappear in front of me as my start time approaches. I get waved off the line and the journey begins. Instantly it becomes obvious that I’ll need to adjust the timing for this bike to make it through the first special. It starts sounding like a knock at the door. Then as the road becomes deeper sand it starts to sound like I’m dragging a bag of hammers behind me. I stop for a moment and open the case where the ignition is, retarding the timing slightly. Quickly I pack it up before any vehicles pass. It still knocks loudly at full throttle. I pass the 1972 Datsun pick up. It reminds me of the Chevy LUV I drove after high school. It even has the blown exhaust gasket sound like mine did. A little north of the lake bed I see the Side hack pulled over but they wave me past. Collins passes me as I’m overtaking the sprint car in some rough bumps. I get to the lake bed and it looks wet. I stay on the main trail looking for the first Mag 7 pit so I can make another adjustment to the timing to try to save the motor from self destruction. I head out to the finish of the first stage with the motor still complaining about the fuel quality. I pull into the time control and find my time card. They write the arrival time on the front fender and my time sheet and wave me through. It is different to be involved with scoring this way and seems relaxing compared to the usual way of being scored. I pull up to our chase truck where Team DP Racing Steve “Seve” Bourgeois, Jimmy Lopez, and Terrence Caster are waiting , telling me I’m first motorcycle through. The handle bar tank was not flowing enough air to allow gas to enter the carburetor fast enough. The old plastic gas cap is also not staying on properly either. This will haunt me for the next few days. I also make another adjustment to the timing to hopefully prevent the bike from breaking. The guys tell me that many others are blown up out on course and I might be the only two pop still running. We remove the fork tank and subvert to the gallon bottle on the waist belt for reserve fuel capacity. Next we high tail it to the start of the second special. The sidecar #22 arrives just as we depart.

The second special stage start begins without the crowds and cameras. It is starting to feel like Baja should, on a motorcycle with an empty road ahead and a full tank of gas between my legs. Down the road I go after checking in with the time keeper and getting waved off by a flagger. It is full throttle all the way to the Laguna Diablo dry lake bed. Just before turning on to the lake there is that sprint car with a broken axle in the middle of the road just past a big dip. I hear on the radio that the side car is right behind me a few minutes and not soon after that they pass me in the middle of the lake. We get to the bumps before Zoo Road and I get creative trying to pass the side car on a smooth side path. I catch their dust but they are too fast. Pulling into the Mag 7 pit for fuel I catch the side car and hastily head out at the same time as they do down the trail. Scott Whitney and Kevin Anderson do all they can to pass me back while riding through the deep whoops to San Felipe. I head into the trees again seeking out a smoother path. I’ll do anything to avoid the four foot tall bumps on my bike with three inches of suspension. When the side class 11 smooth paths end I pull back onto the main course right in front of the three wheeler and pin it for all I got to the stage finish. It is about bragging rights after all. I may not be faster than the V-Rod but I got a quicker time in the first two specials so far. I ride down to the Malecon and then to the gas station for fuel and water before rolling towards the third special start in Puertecitos.

We start in the dirt then hit a new wide road for a few miles before returning to the wretched rocky road to Gonzaga and Coco’s Corner. I catch and pass the Rambler and just as I pull out of their sight it happens. I hit the rock you never see but feel real well knocking the gas cap off and filling my goggles and mouth with gas. As I complete my flying “W” I luckily land on the seat quickly dropping my goggles to my neck just in time to hit a second more violent jolt knocking me one handed into the air again. I’m not as lucky the second time as the bike kicks to the side and I land on my knees at over 70 mph. Somehow on the way down I get my other hand on the grip but the bars drop flat on the tank. It runs through my mind, “So this is how it is going to happen, I wonder how bad it will turn out?” as flip end over end violently a few times smashing into rocks with my helmet before beginning to slide down the side of the road landing knees first on a drainage culvert headwall. The bike rolls to a stop just in front of me leaning on the side of the hill. I crawl to the top of the bank for help because I know I cannot get up on my own. Gary Dixon in the Lost Boys Racing American Rambler stops and asks if I’m alright or if I need help. I ask him to please give me a hand getting back on my bike .He collects my gas jug, brings down some tools to lift the bars and gets some zip ties then picks up my bike for me. That saved me an hour. I tell him to get going and that I’ll be alright now. THANKS FOR HELPING I yelled as they peel out. The bike starts in five kicks so we’re back in the game. Slowly I begin to feel the extent of my damages and start looking for trail without big rocks to knock me off again. While hunting for terra smootha I notice the side hack and Chris Wilson’s Bronco blow past me on the road. Mike Shatynski & George Earl’s class 9 car goes by along with the McMillin trio next, then Tim Morton on a very slow going XR600. Coco’s comes up not soon enough and I meet one of the Hale brothers gassing me up. Off to Laguna Chapala for the finish for the day.

That night in Bay of LA I hit up the Baja Fools for some blended medication. Ray and Bozo never disappoint, even LR stopped in for some. They hook me up with some quality first aide. Mean while the DP (dedicated people) Crew changed the air filter and smashed pipe on the CZ for me. The next day we noticed that the front rim is split down the middle for six inches.

Morning breaks and it’s time to go again. We line up in staging an hour before we need to. I try to not have to walk or smell the fumes from the hopped up race cars or sit in the sun too long. Anticipation is getting to everyone. Race faces all around new and old. Billy Roberson pulls some tuna crackers from his pocket and offers them to me. Steve Kassiyani form Checkers rolls by to say hello and drops off some Motrin.

A few other stop when the see my bike. The biggest question leading up to this event was WHY?Why would you choose THAT bike? What did you lose a bet? How come? Why would you do that? For what? What for? Are you OK? Isn’t there an easier way to need back surgery? Couldn’t you find a better bike? Did you truly think through what you just told me you were going to do?

As these questions get asked over and over again I begin to question my decision. Oh well, too late now. My turn to start & off we go. Just like that I forget the pain in my knees and ride on through the big valleys to El Arco. I pass Gay Smith at the tight left corner before Rafael’s with a big puddle of smelly oil under his car. It looks fine but I hear later that he rolled there. A few faster buggies, a Ford Ranger, the Ivan replica Toyota pickup all pass by. Later just after the gold mine a big motored Jeep blows by before the big fast road to Vizcaino. What a fun course so far if I just stay off the ground.

The next special is through San Ignacio to La Purisima. It’s like a dream with the cool weather, sunny skies, and a bike loaded with gas. With the long smooth road ahead I realize that it is my first time on it in daylight in a long time so I pin the throttle. 40 miles later I see Tom and friends at the Datil turn off with the side car right behind me again. Off to the salt flats as the V-rod passes me at speed. I cut a few spots short while seeing Scott looking at the road book and pass them back on the outside going as fast as she’ll go. Then it is back to deep sand whoops and the hack goes by again. Through Cadaje and the military check, over the hills to the San Juanico Mag 7 pit for fuel. The gas is red. I insist they give me different fuel, he insists there is oil in it. We mix new fuel with my oil. Back on the road again I wind up the road book and adjust the reset mileage. The road book says turn right as a turn appears, next turn is left on pavement and there is the pavement, but it looks strange? Down the road I go, and then the road ends. I see a well traveled road across the wash and head down about ten miles before coming to what looks like an old abandoned town. There are power lines so I head towards them and find more pavement, four miles later there is a sign for La Purisima. What seems like 20 miles and an hour and I’m finally on the San Isidro road to Loreto. I have just 26 more rocky miles to complete for the day on the bike and what a relief it will be when it is over. I get to remove the torture devices (knee pads) from my aching knees for the evening along with a healthy dose of Motrin. We get to the hotel and prep the bike for tomorrow while waiting for room assignments and bags from within the locked trucks. There is a little confusion with who sleeps where before getting dinner and a bed before the start of a new day. I blame my wrong turn on not eating enough that afternoon. We plan a stop on day three for a chicken in Cd. Constitution for lunch.

Day three starts with a confusion over the time change from Pacific to Mountain Time. Again we line up too early and skip breakfast. Stacy David strolls past and “Whoa that’s a real old one!” he says. We chat for a while before he wanders off. Larry Roeseler sitting in Norman’s truck is telling how he will only get to drive for 60 miles that day. The parade to the wash for the timed start seems chaotic and unorganized. People are trying to pull out of their drive ways to head to work while we are buzzing by. I almost get caught off guard by a car pulling out during our parade. Barking dogs chasing the race cars, the smells of burning plastic, dust in the air, a light two stroke oil scent. Three race days in a row on an old bike in Baja, what could be better? Under the bridge for the highway we line up for the timed release. Up the wash a mile and there are the kids laughing and pointing. It looks like a field of dry grass not a race course. Then it is back down into the wash again with four cars parked up to their doors in the deep sand. Tow straps are stretched across the trail as guys are waving frantically to warn us of their obstructions. They must have thought I was ignoring them as I speed closer and closer. I pick a route right past the Edsel and the Rambler that scooped me up a couple days earlier. I feel helpless as I pass by getting back on course. There is a 4x4 Jeep making good time and lots of dust right in front of me. A strong gas smell fills the air and the ground looks wet. Someone was leaking a lot of fuel. Soon we’re up on the pavement again and heading towards San Javier. As I pass the Datsun pickup, he cuts towards me and my handle bars tangle in the side window nets for a moment. A few minutes later I pass Parnelli Jones as he clears a stream/rock crossing. There’s a pass I won’t soon forget! On a motorcycle of the same vintage as his first Baja 1000 win no less! Next I see the 1989 CR250 of George Pennington in front of me. Any racer knows that dust in your way and what drives us to push through it for clean air. I miss two turns trying to get by him. Next sharp corner I almost miss and he pulls over and stops. I pin the throttle slipping by before he figures out what happened. I feel like David beating Goliath. Full throttle now knowing I’ve got a chicken waiting for me in the car and nothing’s going to stop me from eating the whole thing!

With 175 miles to go and being the only two stroke left running, it’s time to just cruise it in. Down the beautiful west coast of Baja the parade of antique racers and drivers head. Four more tanks of fuel and then it’ll be over. I wanted to slow it down and make it last forever. Actually I just really didn’t want to fall down again. I feels like a second ago I was just starting when I pull into Santa Rita after the big whoops for a splash of gas. I get a sandwich from Seve and the DP boys then onto the broken concrete looking rocks. The gas cap must have fallen off a dozen times through there. A couple of hand stands later it was smooth sailing to the end. I check into the final timing control, get unto the pavement and hang a perfect wheelie down the road to the Malecon Finish for a BEER!

What a ride! I couldn’t have made it without the support of Desmond McDonald, Seve and the DP crew, Mark Anderson and Team Hog Wild, CR High Performance, Baja Designs, Joe Hauler with Family support, One Industries, Checkers Off Road and Mag 7. I felt so lucky to finally be a part of the family of off roaders I always look up to. Now I know how tough those old buggers are. They had to be tough, just like they said they were!


Subject: #23 71 CZ 400 NORRA ride report


I’m a little behind in getting this out, sorry for the delay.

Thanks again to everyone who helped make it happen!



Joe Desrosiers

surfer jim - 5-14-2010 at 08:15 PM

I haven't read very much about this race. This story was worth the wait!

Tomas Tierra - 5-16-2010 at 03:51 PM

Thanks for posting that Chris. Cool read..

TW, still checking the scoop on the Edy

Tomas Tierra - 5-21-2010 at 08:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TW
Quote:
Originally posted by Tomas Tierra
Great write up on the race!
the boys in the Edy are my friends and neighbors.Three generations raced together! Gramps finished.
can't wait to hear some stories about this one!


Perhaps you could answer a question about that car. What is the scoop looking thing on the right rear? Is it for air to a cooler? I never saw anyone around it at the hotel before the race to ask.


T Dub,

As suspected, the big scoop on the Edy is air to an oil cooler..That car (and the many others in the race) is a piece of Baja racing history..

TT