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COPYRIGHT 2005 Ehlert Publishing Group
The Baja Peninsula of Mexico tempts mankind with warm, sun-filled days at the edge of the blue-green Pacific. It's a popular destination for relaxation-starved vacationers. The ocean breezes inspire peace and serenity. And, if you're in Baja at the right time of year, it won't be so quiet. Picture yourself lounging at a cafe in a small village, taking in the tranquil scenery, and then, suddenly, quads zip past at breakneck speeds, revving high and traveling fast to keep from being overtaken by the large trophy trucks nipping at their bumpers. Now that's a vacation.
The biggest, baddest, dirtiest, craziest of all desert races, the 37th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, took place mid-November in Baja. More than 280 entries from 31 states and 10 countries were in Mexico for the most grueling desert race in existence. ATVs, along with trucks, cars, motorcycles, etc., sped over 1,016.3 miles, from Ensenada in Baja California to La Paz, in Baja California Sur.
The race started November 18 two miles east of downtown Ensenada, with ATVs and motorcycles getting the green flag at 6:30 a.m., followed by car and truck classes at 9:30 a.m. The fastest finishers reached La Paz in roughly 16 hours, but each vehicle had a 40-hour time limit to be official finishers in the historic event.
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* Racer's Perspective
What is it that drives otherwise-normal racers to compete in this treacherous, crazy event? Is it something in the water?
According to John Gregory of the Golden West Cycle team, it's all about the experience. "It's chaos," Gregory said. "There's no race in the U.S. where you're racing down the highway. It's a once in a lifetime experience." The team starts preparations for the race at the beginning of the year, and focuses 100 percent of its attention to the race two months prior to the start. "Once you're down there and going it's not bad,...
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