Tazz
11-30-2009, 07:03 PM
When your race is short, you write a Book. Skip what you want, I broke it up in sections.
-----------------------------
The Thanks
To all of our sponsors! Ultimate Transmission, Matt we haven't stopped because of one, since you started building them for us. Wild Horses 4x4 to Jim and his guys for all of the parts they furnish. BC Broncos Chuck you and your family for making the trip to help us out and the products you supply. BF Goodrich for the tires and pit support. Interstate Batteries our new battery sponsor. LWB inc and the guys in Idaho, Daniel, Russ, Dion, Brian, Marty and Robert for the prep work and all of the effort. Also, to all of the family members of the guys for understanding, when we are out there all of the late nights getting things ready. Finally a Special thanks to the unnamed sponsor that came to our aid at the last moment, to make this year’s Baja 1000 happen.
-----------------------------
It begins
Where to Start? I probably should have written this the day we got back, instead of waiting until after we tore the bronco down to see what all remained useable.
The thoughts that go through your head..... The planning, the execution, success and defeat, it s all about the extremes. How even in defeat you can smile at the effort.
It amazing what Baja can do for your psyche. The hours a person can put in without the hint of tiredness, and then the crash that comes when it all over.
Our Baja this year was all of those. The planning only really started about the third week in October. Baja was not a sure thing when I sent in the registration. A few thing came together (unamed sponsorship money), and with help from a great bunch of guys it was going to happen again. When I sent out the first e-mail, to see who was up to going this year. I got a steady stream of replies back that either work or life would keep them away. The first to respond back though was Chuck Atkinson, he would be there to help. This would be the first time Chuck was down to help me, rather than it being the other way around or us both having racers in the event. Thanks again Chuck and crew for coming.
When the final tally was taken it would be Chuck, his brother Wayne, son Jason coming and my crew of 5 from Idaho. Unfortunately the leash on Daniel had not been released, as expected coming off of the Primm race, so he was not going to be able to go with us. I can't say enough about, or thank Daniel Field enough, he has been with me since the first day we started the build on this racer. Even when he found out he would not be able to make the trip, he put just as much effort into making sure the prep was done on the racer as he always does. I definitely wouldn't be able to make any races, if he didn't handle the prep like he does. We were going with a very short crew this year compared to years past, but it would be enough.
To start, getting everyone to Baja was a challenge. Three would drive down from Idaho with a chase truck in tow, meet me in Rio Vista. The other two would be flying into SD on Wednesday. I had a ride down for them at the time these plans were made. Or course with everything Baja that ride fell through. We made it to our place in Ensenada a day later than planned on Tuesday. Still needing to find a ride down for the guys flying into SD, I had called Don to see if he had any seats available, they were all full. A couple of other calls netted me nothing. It was there setting in our house in Ensenada, running my computer off a open wireless connection. Thanks Lantern Hill, great hi-speed wireless data line, it didn't fail me all week long. I turned to the internet, posted up on race-dezert about looking for a ride for two guy flying into SD needing a ride down. I was trying not to have to send anyone north to get them if at all possible. Of those available to make the trip all but one had come south without passports. We would deal with that issue after the race.
Finally at about 11:00 pm Tuesday night I got a e-mail from a guy that was a possibility for a ride. I sent a response back at midnight saying I would catch him in the morning. He sent back he was up and to give him a call. Nothing like making ride accommodations at midnight with someone you never meet. We hatch a plan and it was set, he would pick them up at the airport at 2:00 pm the let them play tourist for a couple hours then pick them back up and bring them south. They should arrive about 7 pm Wednesday evening. The next morning I phoned Brian to give him the plan. The sound in his voice, when I told him "Jose Vasquez" was going to pick them up at the airport was enjoyable. After he finally understood I wasn't joking I passed phone numbers off and the plan was set.
We took the racer out Wednesday mid morning to get everyone a bit of time in it. Everything went well and it was running fine. I had spoke with Brian and he confirmed that Jose had picked them up and they would see us tonight. It looked like everything was coming together. The military showed up to see what we were up to, so it was time to call it and head for the BFG meeting. While there, I got a call from Brian saying him and Scott were in Ensenada. This was a surprise, as they were not scheduled to be in Ensenada until late. It seems Jose had a change of plans and arranged for them to get a ride with one of the King Shock guys that was coming down earlier. He even drove them out to Estero Beach and dropped them off where we were. Another person I don't know that, I owe a big thanks to. With everyone finally in Ensenada things were looking up.
Thursday morning brought contingency, registration and everything that goes along with it. I hadn't prepaid, so it was a good 2 hr wait in line for me and the others. With our fees paid, we headed back to tech with our paper work. The racer had actually made it through tech and contingency 30 minutes quicker than we did through registration. So it was waiting for us, of course the guy that had done the tech couldn't be found, so we had to have it done again. Somewhere between Registration and tech, walking through the crowds, someone decided they needed my I-phone more than I did. That had its own complications, with a couple of phone messages left in the states to my wife about getting the phone turned off, we headed out to pre run the first 33 miles of the course.
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Our Race
Friday morning was rather uneventful. Dion's crew would leave first thing and head to race mile 160. Chuck and Wayne would wait to get some pictures at the start and then head to race mile 33. Brian, Russ, Jason and I would head to the starting line to drop off the racer for staging, Brian and I would then head straight for race mile 33 to make sure someone was there when the racer came through. The racer was a bit late coming through race mile 33, when we heard them on the radio. They had taken a hard hit on the front right side from a booby trap, and could we look it over. Brian met them at the course, and looked it over and sent the racer back to me at out pit. The hit had caused the lower side of the C to break the weld and move outward a bit. About the same time Chuck and Wayne were arriving at the pit. With part of the crew disassembling the right side, I set up the equipment to weld it back. Here is once again, where I thank Daniel for all of the prep he does. Bitching all the time and making sure everything is in the pit trucks. Wish you had been there. Our welding hood and grinder for that rig, somehow got left back at the house. Chuck had one so we were good, but it was going to be interesting if we needed it later on when the chase trucks split up. With some grinding prep and a come-along, the C was back in place, and I welded it up. We had lost about an hour, but everything was going good.
We would see them again at race mile 80 where the race course came back to the road. Chuck and Wayne would hang back at race mile 33 while Brian and I went on ahead. We got sporadic updates from the racer via the radio, tracking its movement as we went along. Everything was going great. Chuck and Wayne met Brian and I at race mile 80. We decided that the racer would probably beat us into pit 1 at RM 87 if we waited. So Chuck would wait there, and give them a look see as they came on the road, while we headed into pit 1. WE were just leaving the high way to head into the pit location when, Chuck said everything looked good on the racer. They would follow them down the road and then head to us. Brian and I made it to the pit, and herd from the racer that they were coming in for fuel. The plan was to give the racer a good once over, prior to it heading over the summit. I told Jason to let the guys know to come out of the pit, turn right to come to us. I would find a good flat spot. It was then Brian yelled to me that the racer had just radioed and told him they rolled it. I stood there and just looked at him. I said what? Yes, he said, they just rolled it. Back to the truck I ran, to speak with Russ. He said they had rolled it and were lying on their side.
Ok I thought, Chuck can you guys head back to the where the course leaves the road and take the chase bronco in to them. They had just made the turn off to come into us at the pit. They headed back, to unload the chase bronco and head in to right the racer. Brian and I headed down another chase road to see if we could get close to them. All this time in my mind they had rolled the racer and it was laying on it side needing to be righted. What and understatement that was. It was getting dark at the time. We got as close as we could with my Silver F350, Brian said he would walk to the top of the rise and see if he could see lights. I waited, and waited, the next thing I heard was Wayne on the radio, saying I think you better come here Dan. I asked if they had got to them with the chase truck and he said yes. I said, well have you got them righted, he said yes, but I think you better come here. Brian and had made it there waking, by that time. I ask how far they thought it was back up the course to the racer from my position, they said about a half mile. I headed to them. I found a spot about 300 yards from them to park the truck, as to not clog the course, and walk to them from there.
When I arrived, at their location I could see that things were not good. I ask Russ why in the "we're laying on our side" statement, did he leave out, the part about rolling down the mountain. It was not good, is actually an understatement. The racer had rolled once, and come to rest on its side in some huge rocks. Fortunately, those rocks kept it from going any father. If it had gone over once more, the retrieval would have been with wrenches, salvaging what we wanted off it. There it set, hooked to Wayne's winch upright on the side of the hill. Amazingly it looked like if we could get it back to the road we could go on. The racer had survived the roll, and both occupants had made it though it without a scratch. I been told I over built it by more than one person. I'm glad I built it as strong as I did, and I'm sure Jason and Russ would agree. They had come on a sharp outside turn and hooked the right front tire over the edge. Momentum and gravity did the rest.
In surveying the options, we were going to have to move a rock the size of the hood of my truck, out of the way to have a chance to get the racer back up the hill. Brian stationed himself on the blind corner, to slow on coming race vehicles. We didn't need someone coming down on us while we were trying to extract the rig. I had brought Brian a coat and gloves when I showed up, good thinking as he would spend the next 6 hrs standing there.
With a come-along, a shovel and limbs as pry bars we started moving the rock around the racer. The locals that came to help abandoned us early on, in the moving of the rock. We were down to the 6 of us, Brian on the corner flagging traffic watching our backs. Wayne the best guy on a shovel, Russ on the limb pry bar, Chuck watching the racer and pushing where needed, I took my turn on the come-along and shovel as did Jason. We slowly moved the largest rock I've ever moved by hand. 2 hours or so later we had the rock in it new home down the ravine below the racer. I had been trying the radio numerous times to get to our other chase crew over at RM 160, but no one could raise them. We found out later that no one where they were could get contact out to anyone. Unfortunately, we hadn't received our Sat phones, so we were without communication with them. This would ultimately be our down fall. We tried with everything we had there, to get the racer back up over the rock it was wedged on, but without another line to safety it off we couldn't get it. As it was we were not going to be able to get it up by ourselves, I couldn't bring the silver F350 up, there was not room for it without shutting down the course, and there were still people behind us racing. Besides, I had no winch on it. It will have one next time it goes out. If we had the other chase bronco with it winch, we could get it out and be back in the race, but it was about 3 hrs away, if we could get a hold of them.
A good plan, but time was passing, I kept running the time options in my head of what it would take to finish. With losing about an hour to race mile 33 and being another 3 down after that to the point we had the rocked moved. We still had a chance if we could get it up in the next hour or so, if we didn't have a bunch of down time with repairs. It was not to be, we kept trying, but I was not willing to do something stupid. We had survived this far with no one hurt. I wasn't going to hurt anyone trying to extract it. I made the call to BFG relay to see if they had an extra rig to help us with retrieval. They would have to come in and block the course to do it. Looking at the times it was not going to happen quick enough, our race was over. They sent a crew in to help us and they were there within about 30 minutes. The course was clear behind us by then and they shut the road down to get all of the vehicles we were going to need in on the corner.
With thing progressing, I decided I might as well get my good camera out and get some pictures of the scene. I spent about 15 minutes taking some shots, for everyone to enjoy later on and then it was back to the issue at hand. The Tri Star Fire guys were a great bunch and between their rig used as safety attached to the racer. We were able to move the racer without jeopardizing anyone. Even with the added help we were another two hours getting it over the rock it was resting on and on 4 round tires again. With it back on it feet, and a safety line attached to keep it from going over. I had Russ get suit & helmet up and get in. I told him if it went over I wanted to make sure he was in his gear and belted in just in case. He fired it up and it backed up over the first ledge under its own power. After that he gave it another try to make it up the hill, but it was sliding sideways where we were anchored. We repositioned and got a pull from a different angle and up it came under it own power. Back on the race course, the BFG guys ask if we’re going to come into the pit for fuel, I told them yes, we might as well get the 20 gallons we had there in the racer, for the $1200 I spent on fuel. Not bad, go to Baja and spend $ 60.00 a gallon for race fuel. I love it!! Without incident we loaded everything up there and headed for BFG pit 1, they had everything loaded up and were ready to leave as soon as they gave us our fuel. We fueled and before we could give all our thanks, the BFG tractor trailer was headed down the road.
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Other's Race
Another Baja 1000 was over for us, but there was a race still going on. I had spoke with Scott Barnes and his guys a coupe different times during the evening and had heard of their issues. Our last contact was them leaving race mile 105 and they could use a spare rear driveline. It happens that what I run is usable to them, so we handed off our spare to them. Might as well help someone else if our race is over. I know he will get it back to us some time in the future. With everything out to the road, we settled down to wait on our other chase team to catch up. All night I kept trying to reach them, but it wasn't happening. Around 3 am I finally gave in and slept for about 2 hrs, it was then I heard our other chase team calling weatherman to relay to us. They were at race mile 87 and heading in to help with the retrieval. They had finally gotten the message. I broke in and told them to just come up the road to where we were. With everyone back together we all headed to our house in Ensenada. In speaking with Dion, Daniel had been tracking us all night and relaying info to them. They had finally just loaded up and headed our way, receiving the message about the time they hit pit 2 that I had been sending out all night.
As we came into Ensenada, my other phone just kept beeping. All the messages sent out during the night by Daniel and other to me kept rolling in. We made the house and first thing I did was set up my computer and start tracking the Class 3 guys still in the race. We could see that Scott was done by that time, 304 was still moving though way behind, but 300 and 349 were within about 20 miles of each other. There was still a race out there and we watched. Then something happened at 514 to Don's rig and the gap opened up. With about a 50 mile distance between 300 and 349 by the time 300 was moving again, we headed back to town. Might as well turn our tracker in and meet Don's team at he finish line. Congratulate them on another finish and championship. I even had a beer standing there with the guys. If you know me, you know that doesn't happen very often. The team and I had been up for almost 30 hrs by then and it seemed like a fitting time. We headed back towards the house, on the way had a team dinner. Slowly as the evening progressed one by one the team drifted off to bed.
I found myself setting alone about 9 pm that night, having been up for almost 39 hours. Reflecting on all of it, Baja had kicked my ass one more time, and I loved every minute of it. I uploaded a few pic's and sent them to Daniel. Giving him ample time, to have a great big I told you so moment, ready for me when we spoke next. He did, and I gave him his do. Then I told him to get the shop ready because, he had a heck of prep job ahead of him, if we were going to make Laughlin. Well it wasn't quite that quick, he is still bitching whenever I call.
As for the boarder and everyone's worry about the no passports, the guy simply told Dion he was the smartest one of the bunch for having one. Read me and the rest the riot act for about 5 minutes, sent us to secondary which took about another 15 and we off headed north.
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The Tally
Well the racer survived it, but not unscathed. As it sets, all of the sheet metal except the doors are gone. The hood has a small crack and will be fixed for a spare. We actually have another setting on the shelf thanks to Wild Horses one of our sponsors. On a side note, even though non of the sheet metal survived all of the Silverback Fender Flares that Wild Horses supplied did and can be reused. They are as tough as the say they are. The rear end is tweaked and will have to be replaced, as well as one of the axle shaft. Front end housing is toast and will have to be replaced along with the right radius arm. Amazingly all of the light survived. Though the cage survived, it did it job and I will change a couple of tubes that are in question. Door pins on the right door. One wheel and tire for sure, the other three wheels will the flat spots straighten and be relegated to spares. Right front coilover will have to be rebuilt, needs a new shaft. New sector shaft in the steering box. Front CV joint and a GPS antenna. All in all really not that bad, for as harry as the roll and the landing spot was. The greatest part, no one was injured!!
Our Pictures are posted here. http://www.oldhorseracing.org/BRFPhotos/showgallery.php?cat=525
pdf version is here http://oldhorseracing.org/BRF/attachment.php?attachmentid=487&d=1259636389
Dan
-----------------------------
The Thanks
To all of our sponsors! Ultimate Transmission, Matt we haven't stopped because of one, since you started building them for us. Wild Horses 4x4 to Jim and his guys for all of the parts they furnish. BC Broncos Chuck you and your family for making the trip to help us out and the products you supply. BF Goodrich for the tires and pit support. Interstate Batteries our new battery sponsor. LWB inc and the guys in Idaho, Daniel, Russ, Dion, Brian, Marty and Robert for the prep work and all of the effort. Also, to all of the family members of the guys for understanding, when we are out there all of the late nights getting things ready. Finally a Special thanks to the unnamed sponsor that came to our aid at the last moment, to make this year’s Baja 1000 happen.
-----------------------------
It begins
Where to Start? I probably should have written this the day we got back, instead of waiting until after we tore the bronco down to see what all remained useable.
The thoughts that go through your head..... The planning, the execution, success and defeat, it s all about the extremes. How even in defeat you can smile at the effort.
It amazing what Baja can do for your psyche. The hours a person can put in without the hint of tiredness, and then the crash that comes when it all over.
Our Baja this year was all of those. The planning only really started about the third week in October. Baja was not a sure thing when I sent in the registration. A few thing came together (unamed sponsorship money), and with help from a great bunch of guys it was going to happen again. When I sent out the first e-mail, to see who was up to going this year. I got a steady stream of replies back that either work or life would keep them away. The first to respond back though was Chuck Atkinson, he would be there to help. This would be the first time Chuck was down to help me, rather than it being the other way around or us both having racers in the event. Thanks again Chuck and crew for coming.
When the final tally was taken it would be Chuck, his brother Wayne, son Jason coming and my crew of 5 from Idaho. Unfortunately the leash on Daniel had not been released, as expected coming off of the Primm race, so he was not going to be able to go with us. I can't say enough about, or thank Daniel Field enough, he has been with me since the first day we started the build on this racer. Even when he found out he would not be able to make the trip, he put just as much effort into making sure the prep was done on the racer as he always does. I definitely wouldn't be able to make any races, if he didn't handle the prep like he does. We were going with a very short crew this year compared to years past, but it would be enough.
To start, getting everyone to Baja was a challenge. Three would drive down from Idaho with a chase truck in tow, meet me in Rio Vista. The other two would be flying into SD on Wednesday. I had a ride down for them at the time these plans were made. Or course with everything Baja that ride fell through. We made it to our place in Ensenada a day later than planned on Tuesday. Still needing to find a ride down for the guys flying into SD, I had called Don to see if he had any seats available, they were all full. A couple of other calls netted me nothing. It was there setting in our house in Ensenada, running my computer off a open wireless connection. Thanks Lantern Hill, great hi-speed wireless data line, it didn't fail me all week long. I turned to the internet, posted up on race-dezert about looking for a ride for two guy flying into SD needing a ride down. I was trying not to have to send anyone north to get them if at all possible. Of those available to make the trip all but one had come south without passports. We would deal with that issue after the race.
Finally at about 11:00 pm Tuesday night I got a e-mail from a guy that was a possibility for a ride. I sent a response back at midnight saying I would catch him in the morning. He sent back he was up and to give him a call. Nothing like making ride accommodations at midnight with someone you never meet. We hatch a plan and it was set, he would pick them up at the airport at 2:00 pm the let them play tourist for a couple hours then pick them back up and bring them south. They should arrive about 7 pm Wednesday evening. The next morning I phoned Brian to give him the plan. The sound in his voice, when I told him "Jose Vasquez" was going to pick them up at the airport was enjoyable. After he finally understood I wasn't joking I passed phone numbers off and the plan was set.
We took the racer out Wednesday mid morning to get everyone a bit of time in it. Everything went well and it was running fine. I had spoke with Brian and he confirmed that Jose had picked them up and they would see us tonight. It looked like everything was coming together. The military showed up to see what we were up to, so it was time to call it and head for the BFG meeting. While there, I got a call from Brian saying him and Scott were in Ensenada. This was a surprise, as they were not scheduled to be in Ensenada until late. It seems Jose had a change of plans and arranged for them to get a ride with one of the King Shock guys that was coming down earlier. He even drove them out to Estero Beach and dropped them off where we were. Another person I don't know that, I owe a big thanks to. With everyone finally in Ensenada things were looking up.
Thursday morning brought contingency, registration and everything that goes along with it. I hadn't prepaid, so it was a good 2 hr wait in line for me and the others. With our fees paid, we headed back to tech with our paper work. The racer had actually made it through tech and contingency 30 minutes quicker than we did through registration. So it was waiting for us, of course the guy that had done the tech couldn't be found, so we had to have it done again. Somewhere between Registration and tech, walking through the crowds, someone decided they needed my I-phone more than I did. That had its own complications, with a couple of phone messages left in the states to my wife about getting the phone turned off, we headed out to pre run the first 33 miles of the course.
--------------------------------------
Our Race
Friday morning was rather uneventful. Dion's crew would leave first thing and head to race mile 160. Chuck and Wayne would wait to get some pictures at the start and then head to race mile 33. Brian, Russ, Jason and I would head to the starting line to drop off the racer for staging, Brian and I would then head straight for race mile 33 to make sure someone was there when the racer came through. The racer was a bit late coming through race mile 33, when we heard them on the radio. They had taken a hard hit on the front right side from a booby trap, and could we look it over. Brian met them at the course, and looked it over and sent the racer back to me at out pit. The hit had caused the lower side of the C to break the weld and move outward a bit. About the same time Chuck and Wayne were arriving at the pit. With part of the crew disassembling the right side, I set up the equipment to weld it back. Here is once again, where I thank Daniel for all of the prep he does. Bitching all the time and making sure everything is in the pit trucks. Wish you had been there. Our welding hood and grinder for that rig, somehow got left back at the house. Chuck had one so we were good, but it was going to be interesting if we needed it later on when the chase trucks split up. With some grinding prep and a come-along, the C was back in place, and I welded it up. We had lost about an hour, but everything was going good.
We would see them again at race mile 80 where the race course came back to the road. Chuck and Wayne would hang back at race mile 33 while Brian and I went on ahead. We got sporadic updates from the racer via the radio, tracking its movement as we went along. Everything was going great. Chuck and Wayne met Brian and I at race mile 80. We decided that the racer would probably beat us into pit 1 at RM 87 if we waited. So Chuck would wait there, and give them a look see as they came on the road, while we headed into pit 1. WE were just leaving the high way to head into the pit location when, Chuck said everything looked good on the racer. They would follow them down the road and then head to us. Brian and I made it to the pit, and herd from the racer that they were coming in for fuel. The plan was to give the racer a good once over, prior to it heading over the summit. I told Jason to let the guys know to come out of the pit, turn right to come to us. I would find a good flat spot. It was then Brian yelled to me that the racer had just radioed and told him they rolled it. I stood there and just looked at him. I said what? Yes, he said, they just rolled it. Back to the truck I ran, to speak with Russ. He said they had rolled it and were lying on their side.
Ok I thought, Chuck can you guys head back to the where the course leaves the road and take the chase bronco in to them. They had just made the turn off to come into us at the pit. They headed back, to unload the chase bronco and head in to right the racer. Brian and I headed down another chase road to see if we could get close to them. All this time in my mind they had rolled the racer and it was laying on it side needing to be righted. What and understatement that was. It was getting dark at the time. We got as close as we could with my Silver F350, Brian said he would walk to the top of the rise and see if he could see lights. I waited, and waited, the next thing I heard was Wayne on the radio, saying I think you better come here Dan. I asked if they had got to them with the chase truck and he said yes. I said, well have you got them righted, he said yes, but I think you better come here. Brian and had made it there waking, by that time. I ask how far they thought it was back up the course to the racer from my position, they said about a half mile. I headed to them. I found a spot about 300 yards from them to park the truck, as to not clog the course, and walk to them from there.
When I arrived, at their location I could see that things were not good. I ask Russ why in the "we're laying on our side" statement, did he leave out, the part about rolling down the mountain. It was not good, is actually an understatement. The racer had rolled once, and come to rest on its side in some huge rocks. Fortunately, those rocks kept it from going any father. If it had gone over once more, the retrieval would have been with wrenches, salvaging what we wanted off it. There it set, hooked to Wayne's winch upright on the side of the hill. Amazingly it looked like if we could get it back to the road we could go on. The racer had survived the roll, and both occupants had made it though it without a scratch. I been told I over built it by more than one person. I'm glad I built it as strong as I did, and I'm sure Jason and Russ would agree. They had come on a sharp outside turn and hooked the right front tire over the edge. Momentum and gravity did the rest.
In surveying the options, we were going to have to move a rock the size of the hood of my truck, out of the way to have a chance to get the racer back up the hill. Brian stationed himself on the blind corner, to slow on coming race vehicles. We didn't need someone coming down on us while we were trying to extract the rig. I had brought Brian a coat and gloves when I showed up, good thinking as he would spend the next 6 hrs standing there.
With a come-along, a shovel and limbs as pry bars we started moving the rock around the racer. The locals that came to help abandoned us early on, in the moving of the rock. We were down to the 6 of us, Brian on the corner flagging traffic watching our backs. Wayne the best guy on a shovel, Russ on the limb pry bar, Chuck watching the racer and pushing where needed, I took my turn on the come-along and shovel as did Jason. We slowly moved the largest rock I've ever moved by hand. 2 hours or so later we had the rock in it new home down the ravine below the racer. I had been trying the radio numerous times to get to our other chase crew over at RM 160, but no one could raise them. We found out later that no one where they were could get contact out to anyone. Unfortunately, we hadn't received our Sat phones, so we were without communication with them. This would ultimately be our down fall. We tried with everything we had there, to get the racer back up over the rock it was wedged on, but without another line to safety it off we couldn't get it. As it was we were not going to be able to get it up by ourselves, I couldn't bring the silver F350 up, there was not room for it without shutting down the course, and there were still people behind us racing. Besides, I had no winch on it. It will have one next time it goes out. If we had the other chase bronco with it winch, we could get it out and be back in the race, but it was about 3 hrs away, if we could get a hold of them.
A good plan, but time was passing, I kept running the time options in my head of what it would take to finish. With losing about an hour to race mile 33 and being another 3 down after that to the point we had the rocked moved. We still had a chance if we could get it up in the next hour or so, if we didn't have a bunch of down time with repairs. It was not to be, we kept trying, but I was not willing to do something stupid. We had survived this far with no one hurt. I wasn't going to hurt anyone trying to extract it. I made the call to BFG relay to see if they had an extra rig to help us with retrieval. They would have to come in and block the course to do it. Looking at the times it was not going to happen quick enough, our race was over. They sent a crew in to help us and they were there within about 30 minutes. The course was clear behind us by then and they shut the road down to get all of the vehicles we were going to need in on the corner.
With thing progressing, I decided I might as well get my good camera out and get some pictures of the scene. I spent about 15 minutes taking some shots, for everyone to enjoy later on and then it was back to the issue at hand. The Tri Star Fire guys were a great bunch and between their rig used as safety attached to the racer. We were able to move the racer without jeopardizing anyone. Even with the added help we were another two hours getting it over the rock it was resting on and on 4 round tires again. With it back on it feet, and a safety line attached to keep it from going over. I had Russ get suit & helmet up and get in. I told him if it went over I wanted to make sure he was in his gear and belted in just in case. He fired it up and it backed up over the first ledge under its own power. After that he gave it another try to make it up the hill, but it was sliding sideways where we were anchored. We repositioned and got a pull from a different angle and up it came under it own power. Back on the race course, the BFG guys ask if we’re going to come into the pit for fuel, I told them yes, we might as well get the 20 gallons we had there in the racer, for the $1200 I spent on fuel. Not bad, go to Baja and spend $ 60.00 a gallon for race fuel. I love it!! Without incident we loaded everything up there and headed for BFG pit 1, they had everything loaded up and were ready to leave as soon as they gave us our fuel. We fueled and before we could give all our thanks, the BFG tractor trailer was headed down the road.
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Other's Race
Another Baja 1000 was over for us, but there was a race still going on. I had spoke with Scott Barnes and his guys a coupe different times during the evening and had heard of their issues. Our last contact was them leaving race mile 105 and they could use a spare rear driveline. It happens that what I run is usable to them, so we handed off our spare to them. Might as well help someone else if our race is over. I know he will get it back to us some time in the future. With everything out to the road, we settled down to wait on our other chase team to catch up. All night I kept trying to reach them, but it wasn't happening. Around 3 am I finally gave in and slept for about 2 hrs, it was then I heard our other chase team calling weatherman to relay to us. They were at race mile 87 and heading in to help with the retrieval. They had finally gotten the message. I broke in and told them to just come up the road to where we were. With everyone back together we all headed to our house in Ensenada. In speaking with Dion, Daniel had been tracking us all night and relaying info to them. They had finally just loaded up and headed our way, receiving the message about the time they hit pit 2 that I had been sending out all night.
As we came into Ensenada, my other phone just kept beeping. All the messages sent out during the night by Daniel and other to me kept rolling in. We made the house and first thing I did was set up my computer and start tracking the Class 3 guys still in the race. We could see that Scott was done by that time, 304 was still moving though way behind, but 300 and 349 were within about 20 miles of each other. There was still a race out there and we watched. Then something happened at 514 to Don's rig and the gap opened up. With about a 50 mile distance between 300 and 349 by the time 300 was moving again, we headed back to town. Might as well turn our tracker in and meet Don's team at he finish line. Congratulate them on another finish and championship. I even had a beer standing there with the guys. If you know me, you know that doesn't happen very often. The team and I had been up for almost 30 hrs by then and it seemed like a fitting time. We headed back towards the house, on the way had a team dinner. Slowly as the evening progressed one by one the team drifted off to bed.
I found myself setting alone about 9 pm that night, having been up for almost 39 hours. Reflecting on all of it, Baja had kicked my ass one more time, and I loved every minute of it. I uploaded a few pic's and sent them to Daniel. Giving him ample time, to have a great big I told you so moment, ready for me when we spoke next. He did, and I gave him his do. Then I told him to get the shop ready because, he had a heck of prep job ahead of him, if we were going to make Laughlin. Well it wasn't quite that quick, he is still bitching whenever I call.
As for the boarder and everyone's worry about the no passports, the guy simply told Dion he was the smartest one of the bunch for having one. Read me and the rest the riot act for about 5 minutes, sent us to secondary which took about another 15 and we off headed north.
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The Tally
Well the racer survived it, but not unscathed. As it sets, all of the sheet metal except the doors are gone. The hood has a small crack and will be fixed for a spare. We actually have another setting on the shelf thanks to Wild Horses one of our sponsors. On a side note, even though non of the sheet metal survived all of the Silverback Fender Flares that Wild Horses supplied did and can be reused. They are as tough as the say they are. The rear end is tweaked and will have to be replaced, as well as one of the axle shaft. Front end housing is toast and will have to be replaced along with the right radius arm. Amazingly all of the light survived. Though the cage survived, it did it job and I will change a couple of tubes that are in question. Door pins on the right door. One wheel and tire for sure, the other three wheels will the flat spots straighten and be relegated to spares. Right front coilover will have to be rebuilt, needs a new shaft. New sector shaft in the steering box. Front CV joint and a GPS antenna. All in all really not that bad, for as harry as the roll and the landing spot was. The greatest part, no one was injured!!
Our Pictures are posted here. http://www.oldhorseracing.org/BRFPhotos/showgallery.php?cat=525
pdf version is here http://oldhorseracing.org/BRF/attachment.php?attachmentid=487&d=1259636389
Dan