Here's Every Cool Thing I Saw At The Start Of The Baja 1000

Image: Bradley Brownell

For the first time in the history of the Baja 1000, the race is doing a full ‘peninsula run’ from La Paz, where the race traditionally finishes, to Ensenada, where the race traditionally starts. I’m embedded within the factory-backed Can Am Maverick R team, supporting Phil Blurton’s efforts to win the Pro UTV Forced Induction class. This is the 56th running of the Baja 1000, and the 50th anniversary of the race’s long-time sanctioning body SCORE, so it would certainly be an extra exciting one to win.

I flew to Baja California Sur on Monday and spent Tuesday and Wednesday enjoying the absolutely bonkers display that has been under way here on the peninsula. Every vehicle has to run through the long downtown La Paz main street line of contingency and tech, cross the start line and talk about their effort on the big screen for the gathered thousands and the livestream audience, before checking their cars against the safety rulebook.

The scene is full on from 7 a.m. until well into the evening. There are hundreds of kids walking around asking racers for stickers, which have practically become the currency of La Paz. In addition to the hundreds of racers lined up over two days, there are thousands of support volunteers, chase trucks, spare parts, and barrels of VP racing fuel to be coordinated. This event is one for the ages, and one that many want to win. Here’s what that cacophony of global interest looks like through the lens of my iPhone.