Race Action - Day 3 (Wednesday, November 14)

Leaving Coco's Corner, the chase team will again spilt up and regroup down course late morning. Chase 5 will work the Pacific Ocean side of the course to meet the Team Mitsubishi/DXR Racing Raider at Viscaino (race mile 639), just under the halfway point for the 40th BAJA 1000. We've got more than 200 miles to cover and no time to miss the Raider since Dan will be at the outer edge of his fuel map.

As daybreak starts, our plan is to have our chase group meet the truck at race mile 639 but the pace of the race continues to go well ahead of last year's race and we're having to switch it up a bit. Chase 5 will now go ahead to race mile 650 and intercept the truck for a quick precautionary fuel before meeting up at with the Chase 2 and Chase 3 at race mile 654.

Chase 5 manages to haul through Viscaino without getting arrested, take a quick turn at the radio tower and manage to find a route out to the course in the middle of 40 spectators. As I contact Dan with our position for the fuel stop, we're mobbed by 25 kids yelling "stickers, stickers" and have to establish a quick negotiation that no stickers will be passed out till we get fuel in the truck. Calm is temporarily restored and we scramble to get a 5 gallon dump can in the truck ASAP.

The stop goes well and the Rider is back out on course with the small crowd cheering the Raider on. No sooner than the dump can is back in the chase truck, the sticker frenzy begins and only some high engine revs and constant horn beeps gets Chase 5 back on route. If you like normal, then I think the BAJA 1000 isn't your cup of tea. But it is a fantastic exercise for racers and chase crew alike in battling adversity and the guarantee that the best laid race plans will change. It's how quickly you adapt that makes the difference.

As we haul out towards race mile 983 in Colonia Purisma, the Raider is still holding a solid 3rd in class but our competition is a little over an hour ahead. In these long distance off-road events, under two hours is a very manageable gap to close in this type of racing.

Arriving in Ciudad Insurgentes, we have just enough time to break more than 24 hours living on apples, granola bars, energy drinks, snack mix and sandwiches. The roadside taco stand is a vision and we have just enough time to enjoy some carne asada tacos before getting up to Purisma for the next service stop with Chase 1. It a welcome break form the race and driving into the night.

As we're heading in to our pit in Purisma, we spot the lead Hummer H3 being escorted back to the road by it's chase team with mechanical problems. And over the radio, Dan radios in that the he just passed the Millen Toyota FJ after it got stuck in the silt beds 20 miles back. Suddenly, the Raider is in first place and the stop we're about to do will either maintain that gap or give back some time.

Chase 1 was ahead of us by 10 minutes and has found a great pit location to service the vehicle at. Dan decides that he only wants a visual which means we get the Raider up on the jack and inspect suspension, air cleaner and fluids. If everything is good, we send him back on course. Definitely time to make a move major move and see if we can build our lead into a comfortable gap.

Dan brings the truck into Purisma and we get to work. At this stage, focus is paramount and there's no time for the excitement of being in first place. The stop goes well and the ball joint replaced earlier is holding up fine. Dan can't believe that pace of this year's race. Nobody is holding back anything and we're more than two hours ahead of projected race times established off of last year's check times. The Raider is proving it's toughness all over again.

Chase 5 and Chase 1 will move into Thursday AM with nearly 34 hours done as the team heads to Todos Santos with the hope that the next 200+ race miles can firm up our Raider's lead. As we're heading south, no sign of the Hummer H3 getting back on course yet. We'll know more at race mile 1,226 north of Todos Santos.

Race Action - Day 4 (Thursday, November 15)

Finishing day of the BAJA 1000 started well but 95 miles after taking the lead, the Millen Toyota FJ was able to close and re-take the lead heading into race mile 1,226 north of Todos Santo. The more technical sections suited the FJ better and our driver, Dan Fresh, is showing some early signs of fatigue since he's the only solo driver near the front in the class. Millen's FJ and Hall's Hummer are running with three driver's each.

At Todos Santos, the Team Mitsubishi/DXR chase team sets up for a full service stop. Air cleaners need to be changed, suspension checked, driver food/beverages and fuel are the minimum requirements of the final full stop.

Bringing it in to Todos Santos...

"Was it a 5/8ths or 3/5ths or a 1/2 inch wrench
that I need for the limit straps?"
Just kidding...Don always gets the right tool for the job

Getting it done...


Even M-Blogger got into the fray changing out the
air cleaner, making sure the air filter seal was spot on after
replacing and making sure we got a full load of fuel
into the fuel cell...check

At Todos Santos, the FJ had opened up a twenty five minute lead. To make matters worse, the Hummer H3 was repaired shortly after we left Purisma and was able to overtake the Raider in a difficult technical section into Todos Santos putting five minutes on us and is bearing down on Millen's Toyota FJ.

Heading along the Pacific at daybreak, the Team Mitsubishi/DXR Racing crew is tired but still excited about finishing out in Cabo San Lucas. Alot can happen in 70 miles of racing.

In the end, the Hummer H3 successfully ran down the Toyota FJ to take first in the Stock Mini class. The Hummer's finishing time was an impressive 40:04:30 and verified the incredible pace of this year's Sock Mini class battle. Millen's Toyota FJ came in second again, 10 minutes 12 seconds back after more than 40 hours of competition. Dan Fresh brought the Team Mitsubishi/DXR Racing Raider in a solid third place and second consecutive podium. The Honda Ridgeline finished more than four hours back fo the Raider and first-truck-in-class was small consolation.

Here's a look at our finish:

Dan only knows one way to finish...still charging
after more than 40 hours of driving


"It got a little hairy as the wheels started to go over the edge
towards the cliff but I gassed it and it hooked back up...."


Always time for aspiring Baja 1000 drivers....


Family shot (DJ, Dan and Shelly)


Team Shot

In the end, it was another fantastic effort for Team Mitsubishi/DXR Racing and the tough Mitsubishi Raider. With over 2,300 race miles in the Baja 1000 without a major mechanical failure, a class win in 2006 and another podium finish in 2007, we're pretty confident that the Mitsubishi Raider is more than capable of handling what you'd likely throw at it on any given weekend. Now all you have to do is go drive one for yourself.

See you next year...

M-Blogger