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PJC
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No Account, Wrong Way Prerunning
Mr. Wirkus needs attention.
The letter:
-------------------------------
This is an open letter to anyone racing in SCORE Series races in Baja California as a warning. The issue deals with prerunners going the opposite
direction of the precribed race course. Despite warnings on SCORE's website about this very dangerous practice and horror stories that go back for
years about it, irresponsible individuals continue to do it and I am extremely lucky to be alive to tell about my own personal incident. What's worse,
I did not take immediate legal action against the individual involved and he is now gloating in how he got away with it.
I have been racing SCORE professional motorcycle classes since 1999. I ride extensively in Baja California and the usual Mexican surprises such as
wandering livestock, farmers headed to town, unknown drop-offs, and a few other Baja-unique events are familiar. A Class 1 prerunner going in the
opposite direction at speed is not.
On Friday May 27, I was prerunning the Baja 500 racecourse from Ojos Negros to Uruapan. This was my second pre-run of the day, since I had done it
earlier and returned to Ensenada from Uruapan. When I reached Tres Hermanos, I was stopped by a group who inquired if I had seen a prerunner and to
"be on the lookout for him." This is a common question with prerunners as we all see prerunners here and there on the race course. What this group did
NOT tell me was this prerunner was coming the opposite direction from Uruapan. Maybe they did not know. At approx Race Mile 55-60, west of Tres
Hermanos and on my way to Uruapan, I was struck head-on by this prerunner on a blind corner. I did not have time to react to the oncoming buggy and I
knew that my worst nightmare was about to happen. The exact details of the collision are hazy but what I do remember is the sound of the incredible
impact as I was struck, the prerunner rolling over my lower body and the hot engine burning my back when the buggy and I came to a standstill as I was
stuck underneath. I thought the worst as a I lay there on the ground on the middle of Baja in excruciating pain. As I came to my senses and realized I
was alive I couldn?t stop thinking about what I would do if I could never walk again. In pain, I proceeded to assess my injuries as the useless diver
of the prerunner stood over me in shock. My first thought was that my legs and hip were broken and that I may be bleeding internally. The driver?s
co-driver did as much as he could to comfort me and he instructed the driver to seek help.
Soon after a group of prerunners came to my to see what they could do to help. They loaded me and my bike onto their prerunners so that they could
drive me off the coarse and get me into a truck so that I could get back Ensenada for medical assistance. I am extremely grateful to the guys at KIT
Racing who were nearby and willing to help.
My brother was also prerunning that day from Uruapan to Llano Colorado and was expected back at our motel. I was able to stand and walk with
assistance and decided to wait for my brother to take me to a San Diego hospital. Amazingly, when we got to the ER at Scripps Memorial Hospital,
x-rays and CAT scan showed no broken bones nor any internal injuries. I have no one to thank but God Almighty. The bruising set in and my legs, hips
and torso were soon jet black and swelled so much that I went up two pant seizes. A hematoma in one of my legs required draining of blood and fluid
every 2 days.
The driver of the prerunner only left me his first name, cell phone number and e-mail address. Believe me, if I was not in pain or shock and could
think coherently, I would not have let him leave until I got every available information on him and the prerun vehicle. I realized the danger of
prerunning by myself as no one was going to look after my best interests until my brother's arrival. I telephoned my race teammates the next day, who
in turn phoned Sal Fish at SCORE. Sal was extremely concerned about the incident and took whatever information he could. Unfortunately, Sal found out
that the individual's team "affiliation" was bogus and the guy was not even entered in the Baja 500.
I was able to come down for the Baja 500 and I appreciate Sal recognizing me at the Driver/Rider's meeting the night before the race at the Riviera
Convention Center. I then talked to Factory KTM rider Andy Grider, who said that he also almost had a head on collision with the same buggy only
moments before my accident. Andy stated to me he yelled at them not to be going the opposite direction of the race course and the driver acknowledged
him by giving him the ?bird?.
I then began the long process of trying to track this guy down so that I could be compensated in some way for the damages he caused as a result of his
reckless and negligent behavior. The name that I got was Greg, that?s it. I paid my own medical expanses, lost time from work and lost all money that
I invested in for the race. The compensation I asked from Greg was only for damages to my bike to be repaired or replaced. He avoided my phone calls
and e-mails. Two weeks after the race, he responded in an e-mail saying that I "was partially at fault and he would not assume full responsibility." I
WAS SHOCKED! I was almost killed, my bike was snapped in half with $4600 worth of damage and the opportunity to race was taken from me by Greg. He
stated that he would pay me what he thought was fair ($1500), take it or leave it! I insisted on him paying the $4600 bill for my bike, nothing else.
He refused. He won't even tell me WHY he was going the wrong way on the course, his last name, or who owns the prerunner.
CONCLUSION: Fellow racers, some idiot will always think he is better than the system and pull a stunt like this. Be very careful on your future Baja
preruns as "Greg" is out there waiting for you. Being evasive and elusive just adds to not owning up to his responsibilities.
For the driver of the prerunner, GREG WIRKUS., also known as "Flipper" from San Diego: You are hardly an excuse for a "man." Enjoy your reckless
lifestyle. You have made my life a living hell.
Carlos Molina
San Diego, CA
GREGORY VINCENT WIRKUS
DOB 5/8/59 AGE 46
1794 E WESTINGHOUSE ST
SAN DIEGO, CA 92111
HOME PH 858 279-2943
CELL PH: 858 401-3504
E-mail: Gvw58@aol.com
[Edited on 6-29-2005 by Baja Blackie]
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TMW
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What an idiot. This guy was prerunning and should have known better. Now he won't take responsibility for his actions. I hope the team he was helping
gives him the boot and no other will take him on. Both men are very very lucky. The MC rider for not getting killed and the pre-runner driver for not
doing the killing.
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Baja Angel
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Oh my gosh!!!!! This idiot needs to be tracked down and taught a lesson in proper behavior
Its amazing how stupid people can be sometimes as if everything is all about 'them'.
Thanks to the good man above that your ok... your bike is replaceable but your life isn't.
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PJC
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Quote: | Originally posted by TW
What an idiot. This guy was prerunning and should have known better. Now he won't take responsibility for his actions. I hope the team he was helping
gives him the boot and no other will take him on. Both men are very very lucky. The MC rider for not getting killed and the pre-runner driver for not
doing the killing. |
Exactly TW...
And believe it or not, there are a few from the Flat Bill crowd that think Sal Fish is to blame.. Unfrickenbelievable!
Shoot, Shovel and Shut-up!
-- A simple operating practice.
‘Global warming’ has become the grand political narrative of the age, replacing Marxism as a dominant force for controlling liberty and human
choices.
-- Prof. P. Stott
Time was, people warning the world \"Repent - the end is nigh!\" were snickered at as fruitcakes.
Now they own the media and run the schools.
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tunaeater
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Location: Chula Vista, CA
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TW
This happened I believe the day that you and I preran from VDT to K 78. Remember Seve, blue tundra that meet us there after the prerun. I was in
complete shock when Seve told me about this that day. It was good to see Carlos at the 500 up and walking around. He was in great spirits after all
that happened. Carlos is a great guy and this is very unfortunate for him. He had tire tracks running across his body. Even more unfortunate is that
this guy that ran him over insults him by making an offer of $1,500. Like Carlos wrote in his letter the only one that saved him was God Almighty and
like TW said they are both very very lucky. Things could of easily gone for the worse. Carlos isn't even asking for medical assistance all he wants is
compensation for his motorcycle. This guy Greg/Flipper needs to pay his dues and get on with it.
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thebajarunner
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Wrong way idiots have no place on the course, or even in Baja!
Years back, we were pre-running in the pine forest, slid around a corner at full chat and tore the back fender and bumper (plus some other stuff) off
a Baja Bug idiot, going the wrong way.
Fortunately we were driving our pickup, and had a bar on the front.
Well, fortunately for us, and well deserved for Mr. Idiot.
We made sure that he was not personally injured, then drove off and left him.
And, who can forget the really dumb, really really dumb bike rider that was riding backwards on the course when Parnelli rumbled up and put him away!!
Sorry that your moto was not a 4/4 with a really big bar on the front.
Baja Arriba!!
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Mike Supino
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I believe that it is time to "get a grip".
Pre-running is just that. Not driving at break-neck speeds.
The pre-runner could have just as well been a farmer's pick-up with a few cattle in the back.(Try to get compensation from the farmer)
There is only one side of the story, so far.
It would seem that the pre-runner driver should have been more compassionate and more generous financially to Mr. Molina.
Even DURING a race more caution needs to be exercised by all.
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surfer jim
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Sad story but you take your chances on these things....these roads are OPEN to EVERYONE ....going whatever direction they want ....until race day....
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David K
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Mike and Jim, you both speak the truth here... these are access roads for all to use, and only on the race day is it approved for racing on.
However, those that come to Baja only to take advantage of the great terrain a couple times a year... and may come (perhaps weeks) before the race,
think it is their land to play on and to Hell with anyone else that may want to use that road, are the rude ones... and maybe the dangerous element,
afterall?
One can 'read' the road at normal speeds and save the 80 mph+ driving for race day (specially on blind curves), right?
On the surface, I read this and (as a former SCORE member/racer) sided with the m/c rider... and feel really bummed he lost so much, and the chance to
race the Baja.
But, if one looks at this from an independent angle, you might see it this way:
The m/c rider sounds like he expected that road to be clear of all traffic for his personal use, and we would never have heard of this accident if it
was a local truck full of chickens he plowed into.
However, because he had a head on with a fellow 'pre-runner' (entrant or not), going the 'wrong way' (only wrong on race day), we hear about it.
Being able to see both sides of this situation one might change thinking where the responsibility lies... ??? Posible, no?
Food for thought...
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thebajarunner
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David, pre-running always was, and always will be, very dangerous.
Having said that, it is a part of the racing package, if you don't pre-run, you don't succeed.
And, I am not sure what you are saying about pre-run speeds, but running at slow speeds is generally not very productive. What is mellow at moderate,
is possibly ugly at speed, and that is essential knowledge in the race.
My great concern is for the locals... they live there, they have to cope with all of our nonsense.
But, having said that, there is absolutely no excuse for either racers or 'wannabies' to be running backwards on course during the days before the
event.
It is surely a dilemma, one that will exist as long as these events continue.
(and with 350,000 visitors to Baja for the sole purpose of seeing the event, they surely will continue)
Baja Arriba!!
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David K
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Yes, I agree with you that if all pre-runners went the correct direction then this would not have happened.
I guess the guy in the buggy could not even be considered a pre-runner, since the race did not run that direction!?!
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Calexicocarrera
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There is always more than one side to a story folks (from race-dezert.com)...
--------------------------
Michael Pfankuch wrote:
Steve,
My name is Mike, I am the person from KIT Racing you need to talk to, as I
was the person that stopped Carlos at the Y-crossing...
The KIT race team was all together and stoped at the Y when I stopped
Carlos, and told him that a person that was with our group was somewhere
ahead, and that I tried to contact him by radio and let him know of our
whereabouts without any answer.
I asked Carlos to "keep his eye out for this buggy and let him know where we
were at" if he saw him..
About 5 min later Greg drove up to us and said he hit a motorcycle about 2
miles down the road.
Our Group of about 4 buggy's went to the scene to discover a rider down and
hurt...
our group then took Carlos back to Ojos to get him to a hospital. Some of us
loaded his bike on the roof of our buggy to get it out for him...
Greg is not affiliated with KIT race team. He was a friend of a person in
our group and asked if he could tag along with us.
I am very sorry that Carlos was hurt, and am glad he will get better soon...
However because KIT race team came to his rescue and transported him and his
bike back to Ojos, and had Greg take him to the hospital, KIT is getting
blamed for this mishap..
I don' think this is right, as KIT race team has always stoped to helped a
fellow racer in need..and would like to continue to do so..
Thanks,Mike
Here'z what Dietrich (Wirkus' codog) said:
WE SAT AND HAD A FEW BEERS THURSDAY
The K.I.T. guys were supporting Adam Pf's prerun and were waiting at the
Ojos Hwy 3 crossing area.
They decided to drive several buggies south on the course and meet him.
It was late in the day
Greg tore off, passing everyone, running "90".
They were NOT wearing helmets so DD insisted that they slow down.
The other cars stopped at the cattle guard on the hill but Greg, in the
front, blew on south, past the "Tres Hermanos" "Y, toward Uruapan.
The K.I.T. guys told Carlos of the car that had blown the stop and that it
would be coming back and warned him "Not to go" until the car came back AND
that Adam would be (ethically) coming in on the "in-and-out" section.
He did not remain there.
Greg & DD turned around and headed north at "25" mph.
Greg & DD heard no radio warnings - due to the deep arroyos?
The KTM came over a blind rise, Greg swerved to his right, the bike swerve
to THE RIDER'S LEFT = BANG!
It was pointed out that ALL Mexican roads are ALWAYS open!
"Expect the unexpected!"
(DD said that flipping off ANYONE was "Total bullmierda!")
------------------------------
I (Ramsey) had a chance to talk to Greg Wirkus over the phone and asked him several questions that I thought he should respond to. I feel that the
Race-DeZert community deserves to hear his account and that he deserves the right to respond to Carlos Molina?s public letter and all of the
accusatory posts that followed. I should state that I only know Greg very casually through mutual friends and his work in the Off-road industry. I do
know the individual that was riding in Greg?s prerunner; he is a veteran off-road racer, attorney, and straight shooter with no reason to give
anything but an honest account as he remembers it. I ran these questions and responses by the co-driver and the comments he had in relationship to
them is in italics. Greg is not a member of the Race-DeZert community and can not post directly. If you have seen my other posts related to this
accident, you will understand my feeling that ?perception is reality.? Carlos? perception is his reality and below is Greg?s; the truth is somewhere
in between.
Ramsey: Greg, did you read the letter from Carlos Molina on Race-DeZert?
Greg: Yes, my friends told me about it and I read it fully.
Ramsey: Were you surprised to see it published?
Greg: No, I believed that Steve Burgeois (sp?) the team manger for DP Racing had been threatening to go public if I didn?t do what they wanted. Steve
is the one pushing the issue in my mind.
Ramsey: Were you involved in the accident with Carlos while prerunning near Tres Hermanos?
Greg: Yes, he ran into my car at speed when I was on the right side of the road.
Ramsey: Were you driving against the prescribed course direction at the time?
Greg: Yes, that is a true statement. That is not disputed.
Ramsey: Why were you going against the prescribed course direction?
Greg: I had made a wrong turn at an unmarked road crossing and lost track on our friends. I was going back to look for them.
Ramsey: How fast were you driving?
Greg: I was driving 10 to 15 mph cautiously hugging the right side of the road where visibility was limited. We saw another bike (possibly Andy
Ginder) in a wide, open area and I waved at him. Obviously he was upset with me for going backwards, but I did not flip him off, I waved at him
acknowledging his frustration, we were thirty feet apart and he was in no danger whatsoever.
Ramsey: Do you regret driving against traffic, or do you think it was okay to do?
Greg: It wasn?t an option to continue on to Urapan, back to Ensenada and then back to Tres Hermanos because I had missed a turn a mile or so back.
Driving cautiously retracing my steps seamed like the right thing to do. Anyone who thinks that I was prerunning at speed against traffic with total
disregard is sadly mistaken.
Ramsey: Do you feel the accident was your fault?
Greg: I believe it was a 50/50 fault situation. On any dirt road, Mexico, Barstow, Glamis or wherever you always have to be careful around blind
corners or rises. I was driving slowly and carefully, he ran in to me at speed. He had been warned just a few minutes earlier that I was there.
Ramsey: How fast was he going?
Greg: Carlos said he was in third gear. He was on the wrong side of the road, going too fast.
Ramsey: What happened when you collided?
Greg: The motorcycle hit the passenger side front wheel and A-arms, and Carlos went over the front tire. I may have started to backup, not sure what
to do, but he was not under the hot motor as reported, he was between the passenger side tires and under the middle of the car. We did not have to
move the car to help him.
Ramsey: What did you do to help him?
Greg: I moved the bike to the side of the road. My co-driver stayed to comfort him and I drove back to get help.
Ramsey: Did he say anything to you?
Greg: He said, ?You are that buggy that they warned me about. I didn?t think you would be going backwards. They said you would be down the track.?
Ramsey: So you went for help. What happened next?
Greg: I found the KIT Racing group and some of them went to get Carlos and I stayed with the others to warn any other prerunners that might come
through. We all went back to Ojos Negros and I and another friend took Carlos and his bike back to Ensenada in my truck. We took him to his Hotel; he
didn?t want to go to the hospital.
Ramsey: Carlos? letter makes it sound like you did nothing to help him.
Greg: I know, I know. I don?t know why.
Ramsey: He also said he had a hard time contacting you.
Greg: I gave him a card where he could reach me at work. He called me there, Tuesday afternoon, May 31st a few days after the accident. I gave him my
cell phone number and email address. On June 2nd Carlos sent me an email telling me that he felt I was fully responsible for that accident and that I
should pay for all the damages to his bike. At first he wanted something like $3,200.00 for the damage and that grew to $4,600.00.
Ramsey: How did you come to the $1,500.00 that you gave him?
Greg: I looked in the Cycle Trader and found five of the same bikes for sale in the $3,000.00 range and feeling that he was also at fault, I split the
amount. An insurance company would only give you fair market value, why should I pay more.
Ramsey: Did he agree to the $1,500.00?
Greg: Yes. He said ?That was all that was available to him at that time.? I said, so this is a done deal? And he said ?yes.?
Ramsey: Did you shake hands?
Greg: Yes, we shook hand on it and went our way.
Ramsey: Is there anything that you would like to say to Carlos and the Desert Racing community?
Greg: (pause) I guess I?ll say that I truly regret this whole thing and we should all learn from this. It was an accident, I admit my responsibility,
Carlos needs to accept his.
Co-drivers comments to above:
I find the statement to be fairly within my recollection. However, I don't know intent of the meaning "at speed". I would say that the motorcycle was
going slightly faster than the car. But it certainly was not going at a high rate of speed. What I did not understand was why Carlos swerved to his
left when he became aware of the buggy. American instinct would be to swerve to the right. Had Carlos done so, there would not have been a collision.
When Greg became aware of Carlos' presence, he swerved all the way to his right side of the road. Carlos crossed over in front of the buggy and struck
the right front of the buggy.
Southbound and down!
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
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I have not raced in 20 years, but I still know "dumb" when I see/hear it!
And, backwards on course, during race month is
DUMB!!!
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
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wirkus effffed up largely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and needs to pay Carlos big time...................of course he won't....................what a piker...................:moon:
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering
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Mexray
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Wow...this could'a been really nasty...
Quote: |
Sad story but you take your chances on these things....these roads are OPEN to EVERYONE ....going whatever direction they want ....until race day....
|
If what Surfer Jim has said above is the case, it seems like the intended 'race' track would be open to anyone, anytime. As such, anyone traveling
this 'track', seeing the course markers, would be doing so at his own risk.
I would think most prerunners wouldn't 'expect' to see another 'prerunner' like vehicle (racer or not) going 'upstream', coming toward him...however,
knowing the 'track' is open to anyone before race day, wouldn't a prerunner have this in the back of his mind when rounding blind sections???
I have to ask if Carlos would have run into Greg's buggy, had Greg been facing the 'right' (downstream) way, but stopped on the track on the same side
of the road as where the collusion occurred???
Would Carlos have collided with a local in his pickup driving 'upstream', in the middle of the dirt track as most locals do on Baja roads??? Would
this local have been 100% at fault? 50% at fault??? 0% at fault???
In any event, it seems the tales on both sides of this incident are interesting to read and comment about, but it appears the direct parties involved
have worked out their differences, and concluded the event with a 'hand shake' - I think a credit to them both.
While it seems Carlos felt his losses were greater than the settlement Greg offered...lets not forget Carlos was prerunning at his own risk...and it
was a situation of who ran into whom (forget the upstream/downstream stuff, for the moment)...was Greg offered any relief for the damage to his buggy?
Would Carlos have asked for damages to his bike if he had 'clipped' Greg's buggy while passing, both going downstream?
Much more damage could have been done, but it looks as if those nearby at the time, stepped up to help all they could - what more could one want in
such a time of need???
I personally believe that if the race track is not really a 'race course' till race day, prerunners should beware that danger is just around every
blind curve...and isn't that really the lesson to be learned by discussing it here and other appropriate boards?
Thank god Carlos wasn't badly hurt - and will have the story to tell for years to come!
[Edited on 7-12-2005 by Mexray]
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
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Who and what are they spray-painting?
Don't say a "rock" either
[Edited on 7-12-2005 by Sharksbaja]
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mexicali
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: 11-9-2004
Location: Newport Beach, CA
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WTF?
What a bunch of crapola, who is ramsey trying to be, matt lauer, bob costas?
None of that bullchit changes anything, no body should be going backwards period. If you do and cause an accident, you better have lots of cash and
you better not kill anybody.
Discrediting pompous liberals world wide for free..
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PJC
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So CalexicoCarrera, can we come to your big party on September 29th?
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PJC
Super Nomad
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Quote: | Originally posted by mexicali
None of that bullsh-t changes anything, no body should be going backwards period. If you do and cause an accident, you better have lots of cash and
you better not kill anybody. |
I have also heard that Wirkus was in a lawsuit for an accident at Ocotillo Wells where the judgement was against him for big cash. Seems to be a
pattern here.
[Edited on 7-12-2005 by Baja Blackie]
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
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I guess that is why he takes an attorney along as co-rider.....
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