TMW
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BFG 1976 Baja 500
Film produced by BFGoodrich Tires documenting the 1976 Baja 500, with Scoop Vessels and many other racers.
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUSvlka6NyQ
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evFuNjVZ3-8
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yLu6NwNV10
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StuckSucks
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Added to YouTube's "watch later" - will view on the big screen tonight. Thanks for finding this gem.
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David K
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks Tom, very fun to look back at the simpler days of Off Road Racing!
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David K
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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After watching those three You Tubes, I spotted a couple more that looked interesting. One was on the 1973 Baja 1000 (BSC Baja Mil), and another on
the history of the Baja races (some of them) from the same producer.
In both cases he has either assumed or erred on the reason NORRA didn't run the 1000 in 1973. The videos claimed it was the oil embargo and NORRA
feared there would be no gas to race on, so pulled out and created a Parker Dam race. Well gasoline in Baja was not effected, because it came from
Pemex and from Mexico.
Not only do I remember the talk and writings of the time, but I was at the 1973 Baja 1000 in Ensenada... and watched from east of Ojos Negros.
Mexican officials believed they could run the race, keep the money in Mexico, create a fund for the 'children', and so they cancelled NORRA's contract
to run the Mexican 1000 (as NORRA officially called the race, since they began it in 1967). This was done after NORRA ran the June 1973 Baja 500...
that Parnelli Jones won overall.
Mexicans created BSC, The Baja Sports Committee (for the 'children'), and renamed the race, the Baja Mil (Baja 1000)... the course avoided much of the
nearly completed paved Highway 1 by going east from Ensenada to San Felipe to L.A. Bay south then west to El Arco and rejoining the traditional route
between El Arco and San Ignacio, on to La Paz.
In those days, besides any prize money paid to racers from sponsors, the purse to the top finishers came from 50% of the entry fee total. The other
50% would go to the 'children' of Baja (after expenses of course). The race was sponsored by Samsonite Luggage and at the finish line the winners got
some free luggage... but NO money winnings... the money disappeared! Viva Mexico! I am going to guess the 'children' or real children didn't get a
centavo!
That about did in the Baja Sports Committee, but they did try running a 500 race in June of 1974 (Mexican 500?) and nobody or almost nobody came. That
was it... Mexico out, Mickey Thompson in....
Mickey Thompson had recently created SCORE as a Short Course Off Road Enterprise as a way to show desert racing to paying grandstand fans. He also
created a full set of rules for safety and fairness. BSC actually used the SCORE rule book at their Baja Mil.
The governor of Baja California and other people in Baja did not want to lose the sport after the disaster of the BSC run events and came to Mickey
Thompson to ask him to run races in Baja. SCORE's first race was the July, 1974 Baja Internacional. It was a 400+ mile loop race starting and ending
in Ensenada with a one hour mandatory stop at Mike's Sky Rancho (rest, repair, safety). It was a major success in getting all the racers to come back
to Baja. Rumor has it that Mickey paid the money to the '73 1000 winners who got cheated in order for them to return to Mexico.
I was at Mike's Sky Rancho for the first SCORE race in Baja. The campground was filled with pit teams and race enthusiasts.
It was a hit, SCORE was in... and the race moved to the traditional June slot in 1975, was officially called The Baja Internacional for many years (as
NORRA retained rights to the name Baja 500 then)... but was known as the Baja 500 typically.
Now having gained the contract to run races, it was determined there wasn't enough time to plan a Baja 1000 in 1974, so that is why no 1000 that
year... the only year since 1967 with no 1000.
In 1975, SCORE's first 1000 was the first 1000 mile (or nearly 1000) loop to start and end in Ensenada (as the 500 always did). In 1976, 77, and 78
the race was shortened to about 600-700 miles and called the Baja 1000 KM.
In 1979, SCORE secured a contract with the southern state (Baja CA Sur), and the first SCORE peninsula run from Ensenada to La Paz occurred... it was
the year I was in the race! Since then races would alternate from staying in the north or running to La Paz or Cabo.
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3710
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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I ran that race (did not see my truck in the BFG flick however) and also the 1973 Baja Sports Committee fiasco.
Some day when I have a lot of time I will dig out my notes and try to add a lot to what DK just said,
We finished fourth (Best as I remember) and finally got paid about 6 months after the event. Darold MacDannald and I ran it in the original "Old
Blue" pickup.
And David is correct, they ran the 500 the following year and we all told them to "Va caca en tu sombrero" or words to that affect.
Also, remembering the really good guys- the Vessels.
Frank's quarterhorse Timtothinkrich won the million dollar futurity, biggest purse ever to that time, and then Frank fell into depression and
tragically ended his own life. Great guy and a fun competitor.
And Scoop also sadly lost his life a couple years ago in a small plane crash.
Lots of memories....
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David K
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Posts: 64743
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Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks Dick, I appreciate the validation of my memory! I was 16 at the '73 Baja 1000... my dad and I went to Ensenada for contingency and then out
past Ojos Negros to watch the race. Got up close with Parnelli Jones and then after Mickey Thompson failed to qualify his truck to race, he came out
to where we were and camped next to us, to watch the race.
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Ateo
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Episode 1, 7:00.
Hauling ass with no seat belt.
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micah202
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.....funny BFG sales pitch and the 'controversy' over radial tires 
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