BAJA Stage Race

[STV-X]

When will we see a Baja stage race (4-7 stages). I can't see why this wouldn't be of interest to promoters and racers other than cost. With all the cross over racers coming from Dakar to Baja and the American racers going to Dakar, I think this would be quite interesting. Would you enter a race like this if it had multiple classes (ie. your class)?

[CaptinCrash]

hopefully never do it nonstop sets apart from dakar and other types of racing which makes it better than any other raceing

But that my opion

[Bulldozer]

hopefully never do it nonstop sets apart from dakar and other types of racing which makes it better than any other raceing

But that my opion

Agreed.

+rep ;)

[STV-X]

I'm not saying get rid of our "non-stop" point-to-point races. I my self prefer these. But, just think about it one stage race every year or every other year set at its own date where it doens't conflict with major races.

[TreyP]

Only way I could see it as a stage race is if they go to Cabo and back. The 1K is a short race compared to Dakar. Differant animal, differant cars.

The whole point of the 1K is to see who and what can make it in the roughest conditions the fastest to finish.

Viva la Baja.

[nimrod]

Only way I would enjoy it would be to have huge stages. You would probably need to incorporate the Main land side of Sea of Cortez.....

[Bulldozer]

Yea and everyone has to build amphibious cars and cross the see from cabo to the mainland!

[STV-X]

The stages couln't be too long maybe 200 to 300 miles max the reason is the terrain in baja is so much tougher and slower than Dakar. The vehicles would need to end each stage at a reasonable time in order to get an early start next day.
Stage 1 Mexicali to San Felipe
Stage 2 San Felipe to Bay of LA
Stage 3 Bay of LA to Loreto
Stage 4 Loreto to La Paz
Stage 5 La Paz to Cabo
And then turn back and try to find a different route back to Mexicali.
With this it seems like a 10 stage race. Not bad!!

[nimrod]

Nah, Ensenada to La Paz with a time limit. Inpound cars and ferry to mainland. Once everyone hits the mainland, 12 hours to work on the cars. Then race back up the other side. Finish at Rocky Point. 2 stages and a bunch of racing. No "specials" All racing. Unreal

[Vtr_Racing]

Sal talked about that on Score Radio....

[Chase 2]

In stage racing, mega buck teams have the advantage to pour money into the car every night after pushing stupid hard every day. The only way around is to impound the cars at end of every stage, allowing no "free time" to work on them. But the other thing is real men can race at night as well as during the day. Being able to deal with all of the little things that comes with racing through the night is what makes the 1000 as great as it is. Bottom line is stage racing sucks.

[Sheaco]

When will we see a Baja stage race (4-7 stages). I can't see why this wouldn't be of interest to promoters and racers other than cost. With all the cross over racers coming from Dakar to Baja and the American racers going to Dakar, I think this would be quite interesting. Would you enter a race like this if it had multiple classes (ie. your class)?

I chased the Nevada 2000 for a big team and had alot of fun. Then my buddies and I raced out of our own pockets at the Nevada 1000 on a XR 650 and had even more fun and the satisfaction. A stage race is no easier than a point to point race, because your tired and sore the next morning and you have to get up and do it all over again for multiple days. As far as working on your vehicles afterwards you would only get an hour and then impound it. How many of you posting on this thread have personally raced a stage race like BITD does? An hour is'nt alot of time to do much.

[nimrod]

How about this one???
Stage 1: Start in Ensenada, go over the Summit and around north end of Sea of Cortez to Rocky Point. Impound vehicles at finish for 10 hours. After 10 hours allow 4 hours for repairs, then start race...Ready or not. You can work longer on your vehicle but the clock is ticking...Everyone starts 14 hours after they arrived, ready or not.

Stage 2: Race down Mainland Mexico from Rocky Point to Topolobampo. Finish and Impound cars for ferry ride to La Paz. 24 hours in La Paz with 12 hours of time to repair cars and 12 hours of vehicle impound to rest. Again, you leave in the order of your arrival in Topolobampo

Now you see it coming don't you.. Stage 3: Baja Mil Backwards. Race from La Paz to Ensenada for the big finish and Party.....

I gotta say I really like this one, especially since I'm not the one in charge of logistics for our team....

[BajaboundMoto]

Every now and then someone brings up Stage or Rally style racing in Baja but i dont think they fully consider what would be needed.
Like Rally style would require fueling organized by the promotor and both Rally or Stage would require towns large enough to handle to amount of people, pretty much meaning only Ens., Mexicali, SF, La Paz, and Cabo.
Remember the NV1K, there was an agency that handled all the room bookings in every town. There weren't big teams reserving entire hotels. What a cluster F that would be in Baja.
Also the fact that the fast bikes/cars would be done and waiting around for far too long waiting for the slower classes. The schedule/downtime would be very difficult unless the days were really short.
Doing something like Nimrod said would be really cool, except that it couldn't be restarting 14 hours (example) after the previous finish or the top bikes/cars would reach Ensenada a few days before the slower ones.
Like in the '83 B1k if you finished before sunset you had plenty of time to be rested and ready for the 6AM re-start. But if you finished at 5AM it was time to get to staging, no rest, no 12 hours downtime. I remember having a Class 8 re-start 30 seconds behind me (on a bike) that year.

[nimrod]

Every now and then someone brings up Stage or Rally style racing in Baja but i dont think they fully consider what would be needed.
Like Rally style would require fueling organized by the promotor and both Rally or Stage would require towns large enough to handle to amount of people, pretty much meaning only Ens., Mexicali, SF, La Paz, and Cabo.
Remember the NV1K, there was an agency that handled all the room bookings in every town. There weren't big teams reserving entire hotels. What a cluster F that would be in Baja.
Also the fact that the fast bikes/cars would be done and waiting around for far too long waiting for the slower classes. The schedule/downtime would be very difficult unless the days were really short.
Doing something like Nimrod said would be really cool, except that it couldn't be restarting 14 hours (example) after the previous finish or the top bikes/cars would reach Ensenada a few days before the slower ones.
Like in the '83 B1k if you finished before sunset you had plenty of time to be rested and ready for the 6AM re-start. But if you finished at 5AM it was time to get to staging, no rest, no 12 hours downtime. I remember having a Class 8 re-start 30 seconds behind me (on a bike) that year.

Good Idea. Regroup in La Paz for stage 3.

[STV-X]

Las Vegas to La Paz in 5 stages.