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Bronco Team to take on the Baja 1000 this week!

toddz69

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 28, 2001
Messages
10,080
In just a few days (Thursday to be exact), Chris Greenwood (landshark99) and his merry band of racers are going to take on the legendary Baja 1000 in Chris' NORRA-winning Bronco. Other drivers include Boyd Jaynes and Brian Godfrey. Andrew Norton (bajabronco) will be one of the co-drivers. Some other CB folks, including Viperwolf1 and myself, will be helping to pit and chase for the race. This year's run is a peninsula run and totals over 1200 miles - a long race for the team!

Chris and crew have dressed up his truck in a Big Oly-themed livery in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Big Oly's overall win in the 1971 Baja 1000.

https://www.race-dezert.com/home/method-race-wheels-heritage-series-5-big-oly-222544.html

Todd Z.
 

1970 Palmer

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Messages
455
Race safe, and have fun to the Bronco Team.

My son and I have camped out watching the Baja 500/1000 many times. We always camp near one of the large "Pro Teams" like Terrible Herbst, or Robby Gordon, for the entertainment factor. Every pit is open to any vehicle that needs a little help. It's a very accommodating family style event.

It's a race event like no other I have ever witnessed. As a long time drag racer, I'm blown away by the logistics' required by each entry. Each car needs a "team of support people" to pit, haul, feed, and cheer on each race car. No "off road" race like the Baja would ever be allowed in the U.S., the legal system would kill it. It's a one of a kind event. It's like the Tour De France with off road race cars. I enjoy watching the ATV's and motorcycles. You cannot win a Baja today without a $$$ helicopter radio support.

If you ever get the chance to attend A Baja Race, DO IT. It's one of the bucket list events to do, right up there with Indy, Bonneville, Daytona, Bike Week, or The March Meet.

John
 

reynard101

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 19, 2006
Messages
1,098
Good luck and have fun! Get a few pictures if you can. Might be good to add them to a Bronco Racing Book or something.
 

LUBr LuvR

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,956
Be safe, have fun and may that Bronco follow in the hoofprints/tire tracks of its legendary predecessor. Best of luck to all!!
 

landshark99

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
1,401
Hey there, so realized I never posted anything up about our race - thanks for doing that Todd!

It was ambitious to attempt take on the Legandary Baja 1000 in a vintage Bronco but we always thought if we were going to, it would have to be a peninsula run.

An idea hatched appropriately over glasses of tequila at horsepower ranch post-Mexican 1000. A team was assembled anchored by my crew and 72 Bronco racer. Bronco gods Andrew Norton, Todd Zuercher and Don Moss also joined the effort.
The idea was to have fun and just finish. Get it to La Paz.

In the end it wasn't equipment capability or human perseverance that ended our run but the ticking clock of maximum time allowed between checkpoints. A broken electrical connection that needed to be repaired on course and a short fill during a pit stop requiring a 4 hour gas run out to the empty Bronco didn't help our average speed. Although brutally rough in spots, with endless silt, the Bronco was a tank that nearly couldn't be stopped by this year's race course. At our fourth pit in San Ignacio a broken leaf spring was discovered. The repair only took a couple hours but it was obvious there wouldn't be time to make the next timed checkpoint 300 miles away. The whole team had been awake racing and chasing for nearly 40 hours and In the end the decision was made to call it.

706 miles of Baja 1000 in a stock 1972 Ford Bronco is still a victory despite not finishing. Well played BajaÂ… we will be back.

I can't thank everyone enough to get us as far as we did and have us all return home safely. The saying that it takes an army (more like squad in our case) to make it successful is true. Everyone worked as a team and I have no doubt the Bronco is capable to conquer the modern day Baja 1000.

We have a ton of photos posted in our google photo album below!

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...&key=QkJfS1o0M0RCekpYX21sYlU3cXFzQ2M3TDlpUlJR


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Rustytruck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
Glad you got there and made it home safely. sorry about not finishing. what kind of expense in logistics did you have once you left for Baja? Once you get enough sleep you get to plan for next year. I hate electrical problems so hard to resolve.
 

ep67bro

Contributor
Bronco Junky
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
3,642
Loc.
Easton, MD
Congrats on you even attempting it and awesome to hear the story. Sounds like an epic trip! Maybe a finish next year?
 
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