Craig Christy wins Class 24 PRO ATV at the 2008 Baja 1000

[Vtr_Racing]

I am extremly happy to report that the Honda 4trax team of Craig Christy powered by Duncan Racing has just won the Baja 1000. Just got off the phone with the team from the finish line 2 minutes ago. After a killer start which had Jeremy Sanchez in the mix with Mike Cafro and Wayne Matlock up to mile 190. At that point the engine sputtered and and a lengthy pit stop put them way back. It took 45 minutes to diagnose the problem to a faulty CDI unit. Once back on the road they were about 15 minutes behind the 103A team of Tom Wright. After chasing them down from mile marker 190, they finally were able to overtake them on the San Felipe loop at mile marker 360 in the whoops. I believe whoops ace Dave Scott was on the bike at the time. Team Duncan steadily pulled away through Mike`s Sky Ranch and Valley De Trinidad. Jason Wade continued to pull away from Valley de Trinidad during the night run up across the peninsula and north up the beach run to Santo Tomas. Encountering a booby trap at mile marker 524, which left Jason a little shaken up. The locals built a huge bump out of rocks/pebbles in that area and it launched him into the air. He slowed down because he did not notice that there a couple days before the race while pre running. This team deserved this win. They have worked so hard this year. I was lucky enough to have Craig ask me to race with them at last years 1000 and they put alot of effort into this program. It paid off this year. We took 2nd last year at double the mileage! It couldnt have happened to a better bunch of guys. I loved hearing the whooping and hollering on the phone a few minutes ago from them in Ensenada! As of this writing no other quad has come across the line. Congratulations Team Duncan and Craig Christy.

Craig Christy Sponsors are

Christys Editorial-Duncan Racing-Instinct Charter-Rockstar Energy Drink-Cycle Gear-PWR Performance Products

Riders are

Craig Christy, Dave Scott, Steve Abrego, Jeremy Sanchez, Jason Wade

Pit Crew

Beau Nillson, Schellinger, Justin Aaron Ard, Leonard Duncan, DSJ, Tom and Matt, Capt. Dan, Morgan, Adam Mayfield

Internet Crew

Yours truly, Marc Choquette

[Vtr_Racing]

Im doing the math here and just realized that Craig may have won the Class 24 Pro points championship. Here is who entered the race per Scores website.
CLASS 24: 7
101A Craig Christy
102A Shawn Robins
103A Tom Wright II
104A Benjamin Lopez, Jr.
105A Abraham Romero L.
106A Rob Ransford
107A Sergio Alvarado
This is who was in the points chase and I did not see the two, Servin or Beltran entered.
CLASS 24—1. Francisco Servin/Isaac Castro/Rocky Merino, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda TRX450R (2), 167; 2. Javier Beltran, San Ysidro, Calif/Santos Perez, Tijuana, Mexico/Cristian Rojas, San Ysidro, Calif., Kawasaki KX450, 155; 3. Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif./Robin Fawcett, Santee, Calif./Steve Abrego, Covina, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 147.
By adding the points for starting (40) and finishing (70) plus the class points for 1st.(17)
That looks like plenty to take it!!! Will find out very soon for sure!!:eek::D

[co pilot mclovin]

how long have they allowed the bigger four strokes to race in the 250 class. i know just because ama was doing it alot of other series were not. especially desert racing. now that puts the actual guys who would race a 250cc at a disadvantage. maybe run sportsman class?

[CraigChr]

Just got back- Can't really think- I'm sitting at the office and can't get anything done... Thanks Marc-

Mclovin.. I think they started the under 450 rule at the Baja 250 least year...

Craig-

[blakjak619]

Congrats Craig!

[D Bergstrom]

Craig, congrat's on the win! Was following you on the tracker all day long. Did you end up getting the points championship also?



how long have they allowed the bigger four strokes to race in the 250 class. i know just because ama was doing it alot of other series were not. especially desert racing. now that puts the actual guys who would race a 250cc at a disadvantage. maybe run sportsman class?

Sounds like the 250cc is two stroke, and they compare the way the AMA does. (450 = 250) if they did not, class 24 would probably be dead. Who would race a under 250 four stroke in SCORE? (Ie, trx250ex, raptor 250, etc.) That would be a long day! That or you could race a old 250 two stroke I guess. (TRX250R, etc.) Not a bunch of those racing anymore either. Probably had to make the change to keep the class alive.

Doug

[mike.t]

congrats you guys, well deserved win. been a long time coming.

mike@desertworks

[CraigChr]

mike! how's my truck? you get those shocks done yet?

[CraigChr]

Doug- Thanks-

Looks like we did- I'm not announcing anything till I hear for sure... do not want to jump the gun.... See you at Henderson... Craig-

[mike.t]

mike! how's my truck? you get those shocks done yet?

don't work on that thing anymore, but i'm pretty sure the shocks are done. think he's just waiting for coils.

when's the next trip?

[Elk Hunter]

Congrats Craig, Very fast and a class act. Good Job!

[Elk Hunter]

from now on known as #100A

[BANNEDFROMBAJA]

here are a few pictures
enjoy

[CraigChr]

Thanks all... We have been looking forward to this all year... The team had a lot of help along the way... Thanks to all of our crew and sponsors.

Mike: next trip is after the new year... Heading to San Felipe for some fun riding-

Craig-

[CraigChr]

Reid... PM me- need your help on snowmobiles....

Craig-

[Vtr_Racing]

Christy Racing Press release. 2008 Baja 1000.
http://atv.off-road.com/atv/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=569736

[TreyP]

Way to go again Craig!! I see you didn't have to bum a wheel out in the middle of nowhere this time.:D You are apart of the family even though you ride a quad.;):D

[CraigChr]

Thanks Trey- That was a hell of of thing that year... Hope to see you in Baja real soon... and since it sounds like you are in a buggy now, I won't hold that comment against you-

[Vtr_Racing]

Interesting article from the GNCC website from GNCC racers point of view about Baja. Im not sure as to whom specifically they are referring as "west coast guys". Good article though. I didnt see it quite the same way as Tom did from my end. It was a pretty awesome race all the way to the end. Thats what desert racing is about, strategy and prep.

http://www.gnccracing.com/articles/840_tuesday-toolbox-tom-wright


What about Baja?

Baja was good. Last year I went with Mike Penland, but although Baja was great, I saw that Mike and I don't do things the same way. I learned a lot from it, though, and his son got hurt, and at that point we were just more concerned with finding his kid in the dark. So I realized that being prepared was key, because safety is a major issue. This year I wanted to so my own deal. I'm good friends with Andy Lagzdins, we ride together a lot. He invited me to race La Tuque in Canada. It was a 12-hour, and I realized that's what I like to do. So we decided to run Baja. Our partner from La Tuque broke his collarbone, so then Jim Stack fell into place, because the team he was on fell apart. Jim, I don't know him well at all, but he's quite a character! He knows a lot about the bikes and set it up. He was a great teammate. We started off, I didn't realize how dusty it was, with Mike we started in the back of the pack. This year we were in the middle of the pack. I couldn't see a thing. I rode the first part and got into the lead, then I got lost and we lost the lead. But by then, those guys on the West Coast knew they had their hands full. Andy got the lead back, held it, Jim got on and maintained it, we were leading the whole time. We had a 20-minute lead, but somehow Jim got misdirected and went 10 miles the wrong direction. We lost 40 minutes. We came back from third, Andy got us within ten minutes, and I charged my way to the front with 140 miles left, but then out lights went out, and I had to ride the last 20 miles in the dark. I had to stay behind a dirt bike just to try to use his lights, but was trying to lose me. It wasn't easy! Still it was good, we had fun and we're ready for next year. I'm planning next year right now! But the guys who got first place decided to pick up Andy, because they didn't like the competition. They didn't like East Coast ATV on the side of the machine beating them, so they picked up Andy, and he's going to do it because he's got a free ride. So I'm trying to find riders for next year. But I think we've proven we can go down there and get it done.

So were the West Coast guys questioning your set up?

Yeah a little bit. I didn't want to buy the motocross front end and shocks for one race. So I didn't have the wide front end, and they were telling me this wasn't going to work. But I think us East Coast guys have the speed. You get so many terrain changes. It's not like the Dust to Glory movie where it's just whoops and sand, it's mountainous rocky and rough. Think about it, it's like riding from West Virginia to Florida off-road the whole way. So, I want to do all of these adventure type races.

[co pilot mclovin]

are you guys stepping up to class 25?

[CraigChr]

Great article for the East Coast guys... boy they like to talk a lot of trash out there... Anyone want to take bets on what RM we'll pass them in the whoops in San Felipe? They start right in front of us...

Mclovin. 24- Want to try out that 100a plate for a while. We were very close to going 25 but decided to see if we can make the championship stick twice..

[Vtr_Racing]

I think Tom got his facts a little wrong in the article but its a GNCC site and thats good for him to get support for his team. Im not sure who he is generalizing about? The "west coast" guys! Lol.... Seems that there is always someone that wants to turn this stuff into an East/West coast thing. Im not into that stuff. Were all out there doing the same thing and you set your bike up how you see fit. If it works for you, then run it how you like it. I saw the IRC data and followed Craigs team for the whole race. The tracking units worked fine. The Wright teams stopped working a little past San Vincente (public data). The Christy bike was ahead of them at that point. Had been for quite a while, since a little past San Felipe. Craigs bike got passed in the pits on the dry lake after the Rumerosa grade while they were fixing an electrical issue. Regained the lead in the whoops past SF.