baja 1000 2010

[BajaF250]

FlyinBronco and I just got back from an epic week down in Baja. We headed down on Monday and headed south along the course out of SF. We camped the first night just north of Gonzaga Bay along the beach. Nick, artsy fartsy pics for your viewing pleasure!

[BajaF250]

We had some early morning visitors in camp, very curious... and absolutely not afraid to make themselves at home! Rick attempted to feed them a granola bar breakfast, they neither would have any of it... But, the cooler was of much greater interest... they decided to enjoy the contents of the cooler! We had to chase them out of the cooler and we finished packing and headed south to Gonzaga for breakfast.

[BajaF250]

We blasted back up to SF and preped for the next day's trek up to Ensenada. We hit Tech/Contingency and joined up with the Moss brothers race team. Rick got registered and the truck cleared tech. We then all headed back to the beach house to finish preps on the race truck, distribute spare parts amoung all the chase vehicles while Don, Ken and Rick headed to the mandatory driver's meeting.

Race day, we all split up and headed in our respective directions for chase/race duties. Rick suited up and was the codriver for the first part of the race, with Don driving. We wanted to get out to Ojos with sufficient time to clear the military check point and set up pit for the first stop.

Flyinbronco and I had chase duties from Ojos through BFG pit two, south of Puerticitos.
• First stop - Ojos, driver change and spash of fuel
• second stop - road crossing at RM77, splash of fuel and visual
• third stop - BFG pit 1, fuel and visual check
• chase course and stay in radio contact with the race truck
• forth stop - BFG pit two

[Nick]

Nice artsy-fartsy Tom, thanks!

[BajaF250]

Crossing at RM 77 pit

[BajaF250]

We then headed down to BFG pit 1 at San Matias... unfortunately, no pics, I had my hands full. The truck took gas and a visual before they headed back out on the course. We jumped in our trucks and literally chased them parallel along the course. At RM135, they had a blow out and we desended on the truck like a duck on a june bug. We had the tire changed, a fresh spare in the rack and the truck back on the course in a matter of minutes! Awesome teamwork!

We then chased along the course, stayed in radio contact as the race headed south into, and then south of SF. We beat the truck to the intersection where the course jumped back on pavement. When the truck made it, we jumped on their tail and chased them about 20 miles into BFG pit 2. We dumped fuel and did a quick visual and sent them south. We stuck around about 45 minutes in the pit and stayed in radio contact until we lost contact.

Our duties were done and we handed the chase duties off to the next chase team via sat phone.

Time to head north to SF and get some Pacifico and tacos... it was 1930 and we hadn't had a bite since our breakfast at 0630! Plus, we had a date to meet Tony, Victor, Chris, Steve and Andy at Rice and Beans.

It was awesome, we met the group and chatted until about 1... too much to talk about... and I got my very first opportunity to check out the Princess, in person! Awesome truck, exceptional detail and fantastic workmanship. It was great to meet everyone in person... we need to do that more often.

Unfortunately, the gang had to head north Friday morning and rescue broken Broncos and get back to reality. We stuck around SF all day Friday and enjoyed SF and then headed backacross the border Sat.

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to Don and Ken Moss for a hard win and as the 2010 class 3 Champions! Well done, you just can't keep them down.

Also, C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S go to Dave Moore (Gunit) for a fantastic showing and race... and to the Garage Queen for a fantastic first showing at the king of all off road racing! We all hope there are many more races to come!

[billy1911]

Crossing at RM 77 pit

I honked at you guys right at that spot I was in a white chevy 1500

[BajaF250]

I was Chaseing M1 couldn't talk about it, I meet up with PBR the day of the race at breakfast. I honked and waved at flying bronco and baja 250 at Ogeos Negro crossing

Crud, I didn't see you out there... mission focus and target fixation! Sorry!

[BajaF250]

Crossing at RM 77 pit

I honked at you guys right at that spot I was in a white chevy 1500

Apparently, Rick saw you a couple of times and waved... I apparently, suck really badly!

[tcm glx]

Time to head north to SF and get some Pacifico and tacos... it was 1930 and we hadn't had a bite since our breakfast at 0630! Plus, we had a date to meet Tony, Victor, Chris, Steve and Andy at Rice and Beans.

It was awesome, we met the group and chatted until about 1... too much to talk about... and I got my very first opportunity to check out the Princess, in person! Awesome truck, exceptional detail and fantastic workmanship. It was great to meet everyone in person... we need to do that more often.

Was an absolute blast chit chatting with you all Thursday night, and it only made the trip better!! As for workmanship, i should apologize for all the drool on your truck Tom!! Great meeting you, and definitely looking forward to our next trip!!

[BajaF250]

Nice artsy-fartsy Tom, thanks!

Hey Nick,
Should be an easy win in the artsy farsty photo competition! Well, says me!

[yikes]

Great write-up Tom! Look like you guys got along great with the "locals". Haha! Man I'm jealous! Can't wait to get out there again.

Hey, notice Tavo doesn't have a front bumper? ...he knew.

[BajaF250]

Great write-up Tom! Look like you guys got along great with the "locals". Haha! Man I'm jealous! Can't wait to get out there again.

Hey, notice Tavo doesn't have a front bumper? ...he knew.

Hey Brian,
Yeah, we really missed you down there... even tho Tony was texting you while we were sipping Margarita's and eating fish tacos on the Beach! That was too funny!

[Polarcub]

Wow Tom great write up sounds like a great time...watching the class 3 battle via tracker and forums just wasnt the same!

[BajaF250]

Wow Tom great write up sounds like a great time...watching the class 3 battle via tracker and forums just wasnt the same!

Had a tough time getting updates, I need to add my phone to the text update list! We got some very good info from Yikes, he was texting Tony providing the latest.

What was cool, Gunit and Moss were battling back and forth in the first few hundred miles. Don blew by Dave (with Rick co-driving) within the first 20 miles but evey time we saw them on the course, they had swapped lead back and forth. When we got down to BFG 2, at RM242, Gunit had beat Moss into the pits. It looked like they were concerned with something on the truck and they took some extra time checking it out. Moss blew into the pit, quick turned it, and blew out of the pit with about a 4-minute lead! What a great race!

[Polarcub]

How cool...I would have texted folks since I have been off all week I had really nothing to do other than watch coverage haha oh well hopefuly next year I can make it down for the race.

[billy1911]

Its OK Tom, I know how it is just trying to focus on getting the job done.

[flyinbronco]

Well boys Tom filled you all in on most of our adventure but I've got to share my experience riding with Don from the start. I've had a lot of great rides with Don and Ken over the years but nothing even came close to his ride.

We started 2nd in class 3 right behind Gun-it. I've seen a lot of video of the start and the dry wash but nothing beats first hand experience. The 30 second gap between Dave leaving and us starting seemed like forever. I could tell from the first corner that Don wanted to send a message to Gun-it that this wasn't going to be a cake walk for the thophy Bronco.

He was on it hard and hell bent on catching Dave asap. We blasted through the streets of Ensenada like we were shot out of a cannon drifting around the corners like Tanner Foust. We dropped down into the dry wash and Don dropped the hammer again trying to reel in Dave. Racing through the wash with the crowd on both sides, inches from the course, was a little unnerving but nothing was going to slow Don down. We exited the wash and hit the pavement again and in a long straight their he was. We could see Gun-it ahead and Don just mashed the gas. We caught him quickly and blew by him before the end of the pavement at over 90 mph, what an awesome pass. I doubt Dave even knew we were coming even though I was on the horn to warn him we were coming.

After we cleared Gun-it Don didn't let up. We picked off a couple class 7's and a couple of 5 cars as well. Don wanted as much distance on Dave as we could get knowing we were stopping at Ojos for a drver/rider change and was hard on the gas the whole way.

We arrived at Ojos, slid into our pits, made the swap while Tom dumped in a slash of fuel and sent Ken and Dan on their way for the next leg still in the lead. You guys know the rest it was neck and neck back and forth for the next 300 miles or so.

That was by far the best ride ever and Don is a mad man with some major driving skills. Our black Bronco may not look like its got much left but once again its proved she's tough to beat in Baja.

[vred]

Tom as Tony stated, your Truck is very nice....I like the build. It was a pleasure to meet all of you and thanks for the beers. We must do that again.

BTW, we need to teflon that puppy before year end. Then we can call her Princess II...hahaha.

[Polarcub]

All I can say is what an exciting battle in the class 3 world between the broncos..congrats to everyone!!!