chivatojoe
Junior Nomad
Posts: 99
Registered: 9-6-2007
Location: French Valley /Chivato/Asuncion
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2018 Norra Mex 1000 50th Anniversary Oh what fun !!
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 $$.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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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.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3074
Registered: 5-21-2013
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New rules coming. No modern rigs in the future.
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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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.
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
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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.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 9-19-2009
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XLNT! 
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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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)
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64848
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Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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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]
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
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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) |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64848
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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In 2019
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
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Modern rigs?
What separates 'modern' rigs, from an acceptable vehicle?
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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chivatojoe
Junior Nomad
Posts: 99
Registered: 9-6-2007
Location: French Valley /Chivato/Asuncion
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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.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64848
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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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!
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
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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. |
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Good read chivatojoe. The Baja 1000 provides memories that last a life time.
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whistler
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 12-5-2002
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Friends purchase a service that gives directions , hazzards over their I phones. Plumbed into their intercom system.
10%
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