Baja 500 Race - BE SAFE & NEVER FORGET

[MTPyle]

Entry numbers in multiple classes say otherwise. They get TONS of 516's, 11's and 1600's at CODE and RECORD racing on some of the same exact areas but for 1/4 the cost. If you think entry fee's don't effect numbers you are NOT paying attention to anything but high dollar classes. Two 516's at the 500. Over 20 on the list for the next Record race. Wake up.

The cost to race Baja is more than your local SNORE race.

For a SNORE race the overall cost for a smaller vehicle to race could me maybe $4-5k so entry fee is a larger part. For a team like ours to race Baja the race cost is $30k. So the entry fee is a much smaller percentage.

I am saying for most teams that run larger races the entry fee is not a big factor. I understand the smaller guys that race cheaper races the fee matters.

But you have races like BOR here in UT with really reasonable entry fees. But we don’t see guys driving from SoCal to race them. So the further the race is the less entry fee matters.

For us a Baja race will cost more in fuel than entry fee. If you came up to race BOR you would spend more on fuel than the entry race.

So lowering entry fees does. Does not always create more racers.

That being said I am sure if Mint400 was cheaper they would get more entry fees of the lower classes. But it won’t change the TT or TTspec numbers.

Mike

 

[offroadracer516]

The cost to race Baja is more than your local SNORE race.

For a SNORE race the overall cost for a smaller vehicle to race could me maybe $4-5k so entry fee is a larger part. For a team like ours to race Baja the race cost is $30k. So the entry fee is a much smaller percentage.

I am saying for most teams that run larger races the entry fee is not a big factor. I understand the smaller guys that race cheaper races the fee matters.

But you have races like BOR here in UT with really reasonable entry fees. But we don’t see guys driving from SoCal to race them. So the further the race is the less entry fee matters.

For us a Baja race will cost more in fuel than entry fee. If you came up to race BOR you would spend more on fuel than the entry race.

So lowering entry fees does. Does not always create more racers.

That being said I am sure if Mint400 was cheaper they would get more entry fees of the lower classes. But it won’t change the TT or TTspec numbers.

Mike

We are not talking about SNORE races. We are comparing races in mexico. There are over twenty 516's on the list for the next RECORD race. But only two at the Baja 500. One cost 500$ the other cost 3000$. Yes entry fee's have a massive effect on SCORE entry numbers. They would get way more if the cost was more affordable for limited teams.

 

[MTPyle]

We are not talking about SNORE races. We are comparing races in mexico. There are over twenty 516's on the list for the next RECORD race. But only two at the Baja 500. One cost 400$ the other cost 3000$. Yes entry fee's have a massive effect on SCORE entry numbers. They would get way more if the cost was more affordable for limited teams.

Actually we were talking about SCORE. Did you think you were in another thread? Look at the name of the thread and we we saying if SCORE needed to raise the entry fee to cover night air ops than that might work and I don’t think would effect racer counts.

We won’t race a longer SNORE race because there is not Racingtrax and spotty radio coverage. We will race Laughlin SNORE because it’s small loop and safety is high with Comms and safety crews close to all points of the track. So for us if SNORE required Racingtrax we would race them. So they may get more racers and loose some.

When we are in Baja we Have Stella that goes to race ops, our own Racingtrax, an onboard Iridium go, cell, and our radios. So we know we can get to race ops and we know we can track our truck no matter if it’s on it’s lid or out of radio range. We will get an alert if it’s crashed even if the crew does not call us. So that’s huge for us. Everyone has their own value system. I value my kids safety.

I would pay $500-1000 more for a SCORE night race to have air support in a heartbeat. That’s more than your entry fee is for one of your races. So again it’s all relative and not every racer is the same.

Mike

 

[BajaFand]

Actually we were talking about SCORE. Did you think you were in another thread? Look at the name of the thread and we we saying if SCORE needed to raise the entry fee to cover night air ops than that might work and I don’t think would effect racer counts.

We won’t race a longer SNORE race because there is not Racingtrax and spotty radio coverage. We will race Laughlin SNORE because it’s small loop and safety is high with Comms and safety crews close to all points of the track. So for us if SNORE required Racingtrax we would race them. So they may get more racers and loose some.

When we are in Baja we Have Stella that goes to race ops, our own Racingtrax, an onboard Iridium go, cell, and our radios. So we know we can get to race ops and we know we can track our truck no matter if it’s on it’s lid or out of radio range. We will get an alert if it’s crashed even if the crew does not call us. So that’s huge for us. Everyone has their own value system. I value my kids safety.

I would pay $500-1000 more for a SCORE night race to have air support in a heartbeat. That’s more than your entry fee is for one of your races. So again it’s all relative and not every racer is the same.

Mike

You should’ve known the second you said the words “entry fee” you summoned Robby H. You might as well have said something about class 1600

 

[Klaus]

Great ideas on the night flying, my understanding is the drug wars and not flying at night in an entire country is a tad bit more important then a race for a few hundred gringos in a small part of Baja. There are hundreds of events in the us that we never heard of or see with passionate chat boards and lots of justification for changing the rules in the United States.

In the big picture the Baja races are insignificant in the country of Mexico as a whole…. Important to many on here, heck even a way of life. Don’t see an exception coming.

I once heard that in Mexico a single engine aircraft may not fly after sunset and the reasoning is an aviation safety policy.
Most if not all civilian helicopters are single engine crafts.

If true then an exception on a mexican federal level must be granted. Why would they do that for an insignificant (in the eyes of the Mexican Federal Government) motorsports event? Once they allow it it would set precedence policy for more of such requests.
I simply don't see it happening; ever.

One of the attractions for many to race in Mexico is the uncertainty of outcome, the risks, the adventure aspect. It's not for everyone and thats why a win means so much more than a win in a Nevada race could ever mean. It simply takes a lot more to compete and the story of Mark told by Holly is a heartbreaking example. A warning and reminder towards those that want to go that route that there are hidden dangers involved.

I love what Holly is trying to do here. She is giving us a glimpse at the ultimate price some have paid to do the Baja. Perhaps its slowing those down that will be over their head otherwise. Makes for better racing overall.

Thank you @Holly Luhtala for starting this very hard to swallow thread.

 

[MTPyle]

If the rule is there for single engine that should not apply to twin engine helicopters.

I think it’s a helicopter no night ops regardless of how many engines.

I don’t think it’s a big ask to have permits during a race like this. It helps racers and spectators.

Seems pretty simple to allow twin engine pro helicopters to operate at night.

Mike

 

[calstyl2]

Mexican federal regulations, Not a state function, even Mexican Military helos are not flying at night unless some major military action is happening. Baja state folks would love to allow it, but its a federal function and the mainland folks dont look at 4 or 5 days a year of crazy gringos racing in Baja desert as problem they should address.
Ever seen a air ambulance in Mexico? they dont use them at all, once in a while a military ship might do a daytime rescue.

 

[offroadracer516]

You should’ve known the second you said the words “entry fee” you summoned Robby H. You might as well have said something about class 1600

What entry fee do you pay?? lol

 

[cosmo]

What entry fee do you pay?? lol

This should be in another post.

 

[Honda48X]

Any update on the people that were hit. Pics, videos.

 

[stewwalker]

Any update on the people that were hit. Pics, videos.

I don't think this is the right thread to ask that question...

 

[THE_SCOTTS]

Any update on the people that were hit. Pics, videos.

 

[Chainguide]

I am not sure I see too many racers complain about entry fees. The entry fee is the cheapest part. Haha

I think the non racers or guys that can’t afford to race complain.

Night ops are done in the states all the time safely.

Mike

That is all I ever hear from the motorcycle classes, is complaints on how high the entry fees are at SCORE.