BajaNomad

2018 Norra Mex 1000 50th Anniversary Oh what fun !!

chivatojoe - 2-25-2018 at 05:40 PM

So my son has signed us both up to be entered in the 50th Norra Mexican 1000 Rally April 20th to the 27th . Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas ~1270miles.Last time I raced was before GPS in the early 80's Score Class 7 Toyota PUP.In this Rally the course is not marked nor any allowed Pre running. So my question for anyone out there who may have participated in years past "is it easy to follow?" You do get a course book but we're in a class 1 700 HP Jimco so unless I memorize the course I don't think I'll be reading as we go... Sounds like a lot of fun and we get to see all of the peninsula since we missed the 2017 Score run with a broken car...this sound like it should be a lot easier on all things concerned $$.

David K - 2-25-2018 at 07:26 PM

Well, unlike the early NORRA Mexican 1000s and the Score Baja 1000s, these Mexican 1000s are daytime rallies with overnight stops. There will be a planned route map before the event. Each team gets a route book. A more relaxed and maybe more fun way to 'race' the Baja peninsula.

PaulW - 2-26-2018 at 08:58 AM

New rules coming. No modern rigs in the future.

TMW - 2-26-2018 at 10:26 AM

There are a few places that can be confusing but for the most part it's not too hard to follow. There are GPS tracks and your map book. I suggest you study the map book very carefully in those areas that may be confusing or that you are not familiar with. Also study the Google Earth tracks. If you should be in a lost situation rely on the GPS tracks for your location to help get you back on the route.

It is true that it is not a marked course but much of the route is over roads and trails used many times in previous races by various promoters. Another note is this is a rally race and pulling into the check points after a transfer stage timing is everything, pull in late and you lose a lot of time against your race time.

StuckSucks - 2-27-2018 at 12:29 PM

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but 2017 was the 50th running. But regardless, you will have an awesome time. Mike Pearlman knows how to organize a very fun desert race better than some of the big promoters, in my non-committal opinion.

willardguy - 2-27-2018 at 12:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
New rules coming. No modern rigs in the future.


XLNT! :bounce:

TMW - 2-27-2018 at 12:44 PM

This is on the NORRA Rules page. Kind of getting ahead of themselves I think.

Click here to download the 2018 Vehicle Rules v 3.12 revised February 23, 2019 (PDF)

David K - 2-27-2018 at 12:54 PM

To be even more crystal, the race or rally didn't run 50 times, it was just 50 years since the first NORRA Mexican 1000 (the original 1000 race in Baja) that most called "the Baja 1000" even back then.

NORRA founded the 1000 and ran it from 1967 to 1972. They also founded the Baja 500 in 1968 and ran it to 1973.

NORRA was removed from running races in Baja after their June 1973 Baja 500. The Mexican organization called Baja Sports Committee (BSC) thought they could do better and keep more money in Mexico ("for the children" they touted).

BSC created the Baja 1000 (Baja Mil), ran it in the November 1973 time slot, and the racers who qualified for payback money who arrived in La Paz only got a set of Samsonite luggage! The funds vanished... Viva Mexico!

BSC did have a 1974 Baja 500, but almost nobody showed up! NORRA had countered with a Parker Dam 500 race in Arizona.

Baja Norte businesses were frantic and with the governor helping solve this terrible loss, Mickey Thompson with his new SCORE organization was asked to take over Baja racing. SCORE was going to be just for Short Course races.

In July 1974, the first Score race (called The Baja Internacional) raced some 400 miles out from Ensenada and back and was a huge success. Mickey felt there wasn't sufficient time to properly organize a 1000 that year, so 1974 was the only year there has not been a '1000' since 1967. It had nothing to do with any fuel crisis as modern writers have said. The first Score 1000 was a loop starting and ending in Ensenada in 1975. In 1979, with permits secured, Score ran its first race into Baja Sur, returning the Ensenada to La Paz tradition, but avoiding as much of the new paved highway as possible.

Until Score could have legal use of the name Baja 500 (owned by NORRA), the shorter June race was officially called 'Baja Internacional', but it was usually known as the 500, anyway.

The third Score Baja race was originally the Mexicali 250 before becoming the San Felipe 250. It actually began as the Hotel Lucerna 250 before Score entered the scene.

OK, back to your original programming!



[Edited on 2-27-2018 by David K]

StuckSucks - 2-27-2018 at 01:11 PM

I looked at the 2019 rules and was relieved to see the Evolution Era for modern race cars still existed:
Quote:
- Pioneer Era (1967 - 1975)
o Characterized by early Burros and original Stroppes
o 2” shocks, 33” max tire size, swing axle buggies (35” tire for trucks)
- Legend Era (1976 - 1982)
o Characterized by early open class IRS buggies and stock trucks
o 2” shocks, 33” max tires (35” tire for trucks)
- Challenger Era (1983 – 1988)
o Type 4 & early Porsche 6 cylinder buggies and quarter elliptic trucks
o 2.5” shocks, 35” max tires
- Vintage Era (1989 – 1997, rolling 20 years old)
o Big engine buggies, racing transaxles, linked production based trucks
o Big modern shocks allowed, 37” max tires
- Historic Era (20+ year old tube frame trucks and truggys)
o A new era in pure tube frame unlimited trucks and truggys
o Unlimited class for 20+ year old machines
- Evolution Era (Modern machines)
o Multiple classes of modern racing machines
o Pro Unlimited class, race for cash


However, when I looked at the Evolution Era specifically, it appears Unlimited Trucks has been eliminated:
Quote:
Evolution Era Categories (racing for Evolution O/A)
Unlimited Truck (this category is eliminated in 2019)
Unlimited Buggy
Rally Raid AWD
Rally Raid 2WD
Rally Raid Production
Stock UTV
Stock Turbo UTV
Modified UTV
Modified Turbo UTV
Class 10
Heavy Metal (8, 6100, TT spec, PT, 1450, 6, 7200, 3)
Class 7100
Ultra 4x4
Trophy Lite / 3000
Meyers Manx
Modern Military Vehicles
Prerun Trucks (must have doors)
Prerun Buggies (must have back seat)
RV (Recreational Vehicles)

David K - 2-27-2018 at 01:15 PM

In 2019

Modern rigs?

AKgringo - 2-27-2018 at 01:33 PM

What separates 'modern' rigs, from an acceptable vehicle?

chivatojoe - 2-27-2018 at 02:05 PM

Yes no rain on my parade here. Before I could get to it David explained it better then I ever could. So to be clear this is the 50th running but it is the 51st year since conception. A bit more of my story .. in 1973 myself and three of my friends living in New Jersey decided to buy new motor cycles ( Honda 250 R ) and take a year to plan and equip the rides for a peninsula run. So in November of 1974 we trailer 4 bikes from GW bridge in Northern NJ to Sunny and wild La Jolla. Off we went on our adventure and fortunately the Trans Peninsula highway was just completed as we soon found our rides were not ready for the true brutalness of Baja. Took two weeks down and back . Got to see the finish line painting on the side of the motel we stayed at in La Paz and then camped at the old light house beach at " lands End. Cabo had just had a Hurricane and the town was rather quiet. Only the Finisterra and Hacienda where open. Turned around and headed back up north. Trailed bikes back from La Jolla to NJ and then packed up everything and moved to So Cal to be closer to Baja. And the next 43 years have been exploring all the Baja has.. The fun shall continue.. Viva Baja.:bounce:

David K - 2-27-2018 at 05:58 PM

Thanks, chivatojoe... I am kind of the Baja history nut here, so my life's goal is to try to get the facts of the past! The missions are such a potential to attract more visitors, especially to the backcountry where locals don't get the same opportunity as those in Cabo or along the highway. So, getting the data we do have on the past accurately told was my goal in writing my Baja mission book.

I was actually at the first Baja 1000, in 1973, but was a fan of the earlier NORRA Mexican 1000 and Baja 500 races and followed the achievements of people like Parnelli Jones, Rod Hall, and Walker Evans. After watching my first Baja race, I couldn't get enough... until I was actually strapped into a race car seat for the 1979 Baja 1000. So my passion for the early days of this sport is pretty high.

Having old-time Baja racers like 'thebajarunner', 'TMW', and 'RogerMears' (to name a few) here on Nomad is pretty cool!

StuckSucks - 2-27-2018 at 06:35 PM

Awesome story!
Quote: Originally posted by chivatojoe  
Yes no rain on my parade here. Before I could get to it David explained it better then I ever could. So to be clear this is the 50th running but it is the 51st year since conception. A bit more of my story .. in 1973 myself and three of my friends living in New Jersey decided to buy new motor cycles ( Honda 250 R ) and take a year to plan and equip the rides for a peninsula run. So in November of 1974 we trailer 4 bikes from GW bridge in Northern NJ to Sunny and wild La Jolla. Off we went on our adventure and fortunately the Trans Peninsula highway was just completed as we soon found our rides were not ready for the true brutalness of Baja. Took two weeks down and back . Got to see the finish line painting on the side of the motel we stayed at in La Paz and then camped at the old light house beach at " lands End. Cabo had just had a Hurricane and the town was rather quiet. Only the Finisterra and Hacienda where open. Turned around and headed back up north. Trailed bikes back from La Jolla to NJ and then packed up everything and moved to So Cal to be closer to Baja. And the next 43 years have been exploring all the Baja has.. The fun shall continue.. Viva Baja.:bounce:

TMW - 2-27-2018 at 09:04 PM

Good read chivatojoe. The Baja 1000 provides memories that last a life time.



whistler - 4-14-2018 at 09:57 PM

Friends purchase a service that gives directions , hazzards over their I phones. Plumbed into their intercom system.