The vast majority of us have heard of Baja, Mexico. The land south of the border brings up romantic visions of rugged landscapes, remote beaches, and vast expanses of wild, untouched beauty. Of course, there is also the undeniable attraction of refreshing cerveza, legit tacos, fresh shrimp, and buttery lobster. Baja is also world famous for the race that has run on the peninsula for the last 52 years, the Baja 1000. It has attracted racers from across the globe with the challenge of taking on 1,000 miles of brutal Baja terrain.
Anyone that has heard of the Baja 1000 has dreamt of racing it. Bouncing across the peninsula in some form of a racecar is not just a massive challenge, but a hell of a lot of fun too. Reality can be a harsh mistress though. A decent racecar costs a lot of money. That is just the beginning of expenditures as it costs money to prep it. The non-stop slog straight down the peninsula means that multiple chase trucks and pit stops are needed adding to the costs and difficulty. And, for some, being up for 36 hours straight and stuck in a silt bed doesn't seem like a lot of fun. For many, the Baja 1000 remains just an elusive dream.
There is another way to go racing on the Baja peninsula though. Racing on Baja originally started with the NORRA Mexican 1000 way back in 1967. Eventually, the race transitioned to the Baja 1000 and NORRA as a sanctioning body faded away. In 2010, both NORRA and the Mexican 1000 were revived but with some keys differences. Instead of a non-stop march to the finish line, the Mexican 1000 uses a multi-day, rally format. And, even though more modern racecars are allowed, its focus is more on vintage racers.
Many will confide that, with its unique multi-day rally format, the Mexican 1000 is actually more fun than the Baja 1000. And, with its focus on vintage and more accessible racecars instead of the latest technology, it is more affordable as well. Two guys who discovered this a long time ago are Boyd Jaynes and Brian Godfrey. They started racing the Mexican 1000 in 2010. Not only do they race but they do it in style with a 1968 Ford Bronco dubbed the Caballo Del Diablo (or The Devil's Horse for us gringos). They have been pretty damn successful at it too with six class wins to their name. We sat down with them to get the scoop on what is like to take on 1,000 miles of Baja in a 51-year old Bronco and why they keep going back.
The 2019 NORRA Mexican 1000 takes place from April 26-May 3. For updates on how Caballo Del Diablo is doing follow The Dirt and 4WP's social media.
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