Baja 1000

November 17, 2005 3:07 PM

Baja 1000 startsForget sports in 2011 . Today is the start of this years Baja 1000 . How can you not want to see a race with warnings like; "4) The roads used for this race course are open to the public. You must expect at all times to encounter oncoming traffic, as well as cattle roaming freely on and around the race course." See the movie about the 2003 event.
posted by stuartmm (12 comments total)

may want to save the editorizing of other FPPs for off the front page, even if it is in jest.
posted by edgeways at 3:10 PM on November 17, 2005

"Be advised that spectators may engage in malicious activity by building ramps, digging ditches and placing objects onto the course." is my favorite warning of all time.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:14 PM on November 17, 2005

Now that looks like fun. Nice to see a sport with spectator involvement, too.
posted by dg at 3:28 PM on November 17, 2005

Dust to Glory is an extremely entertaining documentary. Rent it some time.
posted by NoMich at 3:32 PM on November 17, 2005

The Baja 1000 is pretty cool, but for pure bad-ass motorsports spectacle, I'd have to vote for the Paris-Dakar Rally.

It travels through multiple countries, multiple continents and some of the most beautiful and rugged scenery anywhere. And it accomodates everything from motorcycles to 18-wheel big rigs. Watching those suckers go through the Sahara is a trip. I would love to go see it in person some day.
posted by afflatus at 3:57 PM on November 17, 2005

I was just going to mention Paris-Dakar ... how can you not love a race that has to worry about LAND MINES?
posted by Relay at 4:02 PM on November 17, 2005

World Rally Championship is pretty cool too . . .

I used to compete in regional and national events, one of the funnier crashes was a guy flying off the road into a tree and having to climb *down* out of his car to reach the ground from high up in the branches. . .
posted by mk1gti at 4:05 PM on November 17, 2005

I saw Dust to Glory, and it was cool..but I got bored. A little long.
But damn, those spectators have some serious cojones. They stand as close as possible to where the cars are. All throughout the beginning and checkpoints I expected to see someone get hit by a sliding car. Damn.
posted by graventy at 4:23 PM on November 17, 2005

Not much of a spectator sport, but this would be fun to participate in. Kind of like a Baja 1000 for couch potatoes.
posted by dg at 4:47 PM on November 17, 2005

No kangaroos though... (.mpg, 2.2meg)
posted by Pinback at 5:09 PM on November 17, 2005

Relay: I remember that they've had to re-route and/or transit in the past because of security threats, like folks shooting at cars. If I recall, the route used to go through Algeria, but the political situation was just too volitile. Drivers that maybe be nigh fearless of natural conditions still seem to have a self preservation instinct when people start shooting at them.

mk1gti: WRC is definitely cool. I've been involved with the Rally community in the NW for a number of years as an organizer. I'm on a bit of a hiatus, but I still pimp the events when I get a chance. Check out Rally America for Pro and Club level Rally events in the US. And if you happen by Oregon in April, check out the Oregon Trail Rally. Great mountain logging roads and plenty of great racing.
posted by afflatus at 5:47 PM on November 17, 2005

The Baja 1000 is pretty cool, but for pure bad-ass motorsports spectacle, I'd have to vote for the Paris-Dakar Rally.

Agreed. It's pretty cool that OLN shows the highlights now.
Why isn't the starting point in Paris anymore? I see that it starts in Spain now.
posted by NoMich at 7:51 PM on November 17, 2005