TheSamba.com :: View topic - Baja 1000 spectator / Going to the races!

Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:43 pm

I have been having so much fun with the Farmin’ Ghia that I have decided to drive it down to Baja to watch the races.
This is all new to me and I don’t know what I’m doing. But my tentative plan is to drive down to Ensenada a day before the race and check out contingency. Then the night before the start I will drive out to some promising section of the course and set up camp. Spend the next day drinking beer and watching cars fly by. Camp the night in the same spot so I don’t miss any class 11’s and the beer doesn’t get me in trouble. Then head back home, maybe a night on the beach on the way back.
I have never done this, does that sound like a good plan? I am open to suggestions. I don’t think the course map has been released yet, but does anyone have any tentative suggestions on a good spot to watch? Somewhere cars are getting stuck would be my preference, I would love to help push cars out of the silt or some other up close opportunity.

(Farmin’ Ghia is doing great. Still need to roll the rear fenders so the rubbing doesn’t drive me to madness. Thinking hard about putting a bigger fuel cell where the rear seat was, and cutting the stock tank out above the seam so maybe I can get a full size spare under the hood. Those things would really improve my experience.)

Sat Jul 27, 2019 3:43 am

A Bus gas tank would fit nicely back there.

Have you thought of putting your spare/s in the same area?

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:00 am

The rear cage/rollbar gets in the way of laying a tire flat in the rear area.
If I put a fuel tank in the cabin with me I thought it needed to be one of those tanks with the bladder and the foam in a metal box? And 20 gallons instead of 10 would be nice.

Mon Jul 29, 2019 4:07 pm

Going to Ensenada to watch the 1000 is fun. Camping will get a little cold at night. Buy a mex blanket for in Ensenada, they are the best. I will go down with my kids and was think about going to Ojos to spectate. After Roger releases the course map, post again to confirm your plans.

Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:27 pm

My son will be co-driving in a 5-1600 in the 1000 again. 3rd year in a row. They've taken 2nd in class the last 2 years.

Do you have your passport?

Would you maybe be interested in going with a team? Helping out? Being involved?

Sat Aug 03, 2019 6:13 am

I got invited to help with a class 12 car this year. I have chased for the Norra race 4 times, this will be my second time for the Score.
It is an amazing time, and it is really impressive to meet and see people you have read about your entire life.
Tim

Tue Aug 06, 2019 2:44 pm

dustymojave wrote: My son will be co-driving in a 5-1600 in the 1000 again. 3rd year in a row. They've taken 2nd in class the last 2 years.

Do you have your passport?

Would you maybe be interested in going with a team? Helping out? Being involved?

Yes I would be very interested in that. I will only be there for 3 or 4 days so I think I would be best as a volunteer extra hand than an actual team member. I have been playing with air cooled VW’s for almost 20 years now and have a pretty good record of keeping them running. I will have my own car (farmin’ ghia) down there which I would be happy to use for running parts, getting to a pit, fetching tacos, whatever I can do that is useful.
My number is (916)410-3867, my name is Joel.

(And yes I have a valid passport, I visit Mexico at least every other year.)

Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:54 pm

Gas tank in but not plumbed.
27mm rear torsion bars installed but need to be re-indexed to new weight.
Hoping to get wipers installed because it may rain in Baja.

So I am leaving for Baja in about 60 hours. Any advice on where to watch the race now course map is out? I have heard racemile 100 to 150 is a good area but I don’t know? Will be setting up camp Thursday night, moving to a different location Friday to watch a second pass.

Go class 11!

Mon Nov 18, 2019 3:22 pm

Course map should be out...

http://score-international.com/raceinfo/course-map-2019-baja-1000/

Keep your passport with you. Always fill up with gas. Don't stand on the outside of the turns. After the 11 cars go, there's usually a couple other classes like sportsman and sometimes UTV's.

Don't miss contingency. And don't get lost in Tijuana (like me). Travel with a friend and don't drive at night!

Read this:

http://score-international.com/raceinfo/what-about-you-by-bob-bower/

Have fun!

Mon Nov 25, 2019 11:00 pm

Farmin’ Ghia on the pacific:

Farmin’ Ghia on the sea of Cortez:

Farmin’ Ghia at mile marker 370:

The class 11 car that won:

Around 2000 miles in 5 days in a 1968 karmann ghia. I am exhausted.

Mon Nov 25, 2019 11:10 pm

Dennis Hollenbeck my favorite!

Mon Nov 25, 2019 11:15 pm

Double-Double wrote: Dennis Hollenbeck my favorite!

I made a mistake, I think it was actually 1113 that won. I don’t know, I am a vegetable right now. Every class 11 is awesome

Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:23 am

What an experience that must have been!!
Did all of your planning work out? Did you find a nice spot to camp the night of the races? Hope you didn't run out of beer... :lol: :lol:

Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:43 am

Among the other class winner in four-wheel vehicle classes were: Casey Currie (Hammer Truck Unlimited, Jeep Wrangler); Darren Skilton (SCG Boot-Chevy); Chase Warren (Class 10, Alumi Craft-Chevy); Greg Sullivan (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug); J. David Ruvalcaba (Class 1/2-1600, VBR-VW); Jim Butler (SCORE Lites, Jimco-VW); Kristen Matlock (Pro UTV NA, Polaris RZR XP4 1000); Herman Johnson (Pro UTV Unlimited, Can-Am X3); Lance Clifford (Baja Challenge, BTC-Subaru); Mike Cafro (Pro UTV Stock); Gerardo Novelo (Class 7SX, Nissan Frontier); Ruben Garcia (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug); and Dennis Hollenbeck (Class 11, VW Sedan).

https://www.google.com/amp/s/racer.com/2019/11/25/...-1000/amp/

Tue Nov 26, 2019 7:51 am

Looks like fun, need more pics. :lol:

Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:57 pm

Double-Double wrote: Among the other class winner in four-wheel vehicle classes were: Casey Currie (Hammer Truck Unlimited, Jeep Wrangler); Darren Skilton (SCG Boot-Chevy); Chase Warren (Class 10, Alumi Craft-Chevy); Greg Sullivan (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug); J. David Ruvalcaba (Class 1/2-1600, VBR-VW); Jim Butler (SCORE Lites, Jimco-VW); Kristen Matlock (Pro UTV NA, Polaris RZR XP4 1000); Herman Johnson (Pro UTV Unlimited, Can-Am X3); Lance Clifford (Baja Challenge, BTC-Subaru); Mike Cafro (Pro UTV Stock); Gerardo Novelo (Class 7SX, Nissan Frontier); Ruben Garcia (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug); and Dennis Hollenbeck (Class 11, VW Sedan).

https://www.google.com/amp/s/racer.com/2019/11/25/...-1000/amp/

Note that hi-lited section above...
"Ruben Garcia (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug"

That's our team, including my son Warren, who was in the car from mile 454 to mile 715. The team I was inviting you (the OP) to be involved with. 1st place in class. Last competition dropped out around the time my son got into the race car. But they persevered and finished, even though they had the win a day before they finished.

Ruben Garcia Racing, ORAF, Lone Kid Racing, Rx Racing, AGS Racing, CWI Racing...All parts of the team. Drivers Mark Winston, Guy Savedra, Ruben Garcia, Steven Fuentes, Danny Sanchez, and back to car owner Ruben for the finish.

I'm mighty proud of them all and all the co-drivers and all the support crew. They have raced many other races and won other championships. Each of those drivers owns a race car, Guy Savedra owns 2-5/1600s that he inherited in 2017 when his dad, then SCORE Tech Chief, Art Savedra passed away. The past 2 years, the crew have finished the Baja 1000 in 2nd place 5/1600. This year, in what many well known veteran Baja racers said publicly was the nastiest Baja 1000 they have experienced, our crew finally took the win! =D> \:D/

Wed Nov 27, 2019 6:59 am

Woooo! Baja Shout out to #1266 Lites Jim Butler! He and his wife are very nice people, very welcoming. A few of the "old school cool" parts on my car are from him, and he let me and my fiance borrow his fiberglass buggy when we were visiting to take his dog into town for breakfast!

He tried 2 years ago with the same car and DNF'd so this is super sweet to see. I didn't sleep much that night watching the live race tracker on the SCORE site.

Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:55 am

dustymojave wrote: Double-Double wrote: Among the other class winner in four-wheel vehicle classes were: Casey Currie (Hammer Truck Unlimited, Jeep Wrangler); Darren Skilton (SCG Boot-Chevy); Chase Warren (Class 10, Alumi Craft-Chevy); Greg Sullivan (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug); J. David Ruvalcaba (Class 1/2-1600, VBR-VW); Jim Butler (SCORE Lites, Jimco-VW); Kristen Matlock (Pro UTV NA, Polaris RZR XP4 1000); Herman Johnson (Pro UTV Unlimited, Can-Am X3); Lance Clifford (Baja Challenge, BTC-Subaru); Mike Cafro (Pro UTV Stock); Gerardo Novelo (Class 7SX, Nissan Frontier); Ruben Garcia (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug); and Dennis Hollenbeck (Class 11, VW Sedan).

https://www.google.com/amp/s/racer.com/2019/11/25/...-1000/amp/

Note that hi-lited section above...
"Ruben Garcia (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug"

That's our team, including my son Warren, who was in the car from mile 454 to mile 715. The team I was inviting you (the OP) to be involved with. 1st place in class. Last competition dropped out around the time my son got into the race car. But they persevered and finished, even though they had the win a day before they finished.

Ruben Garcia Racing, ORAF, Lone Kid Racing, Rx Racing, AGS Racing, CWI Racing...All parts of the team. Drivers Mark Winston, Guy Savedra, Ruben Garcia, Steven Fuentes, Danny Sanchez, and back to car owner Ruben for the finish.

I'm mighty proud of them all and all the co-drivers and all the support crew. They have raced many other races and won other championships. Each of those drivers owns a race car, Guy Savedra owns 2-5/1600s that he inherited in 2017 when his dad, then SCORE Tech Chief, Art Savedra passed away. The past 2 years, the crew have finished the Baja 1000 in 2nd place 5/1600. This year, in what many well known veteran Baja racers said publicly was the nastiest Baja 1000 they have experienced, our crew finally took the win! =D> \:D/

Congrats Richard! That’s awesome! I’ll have to look them up today.