The Outter Bounds Offroad race team from Perth came in 5th in Class 1 in their first attempt at the Baja 1000 last weekend.

http://offroadracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id...

Who says we can't mix it with the Yanks !!

Kimbo

Since they came 5th in class, and not 1st, I am guessing the title of the post is not correct

Nice work anyway

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Wes Since they came 5th in class, and not 1st, I am guessing the title of the post is not correct Nice work anyway

That's unless there were only 5 in the class

Excellent job aussie's, well done

Reckon they beat heaps of cars.

Awsome stuff guys.

Wes, given that there were in excess of 300 starters and they came in 24th overall, I think they beat many of them at their own game !! And there were 29 starters in Class 1.

They lost to the guy that lost to the guy that lost to the guy that lost to the guy that won.

Or they beat 5 finishing teams, 4 americans and 1 mexican, and 19 non finishers,

I'm not taking anything away from them, that's a fantastic effort.

But if some US guys come to Australia, finished 5th and then started going on how "the yanks beat the aussies", well I don't think we'd necessarily agree with that statement.

Results;
CLASS 1 (Unlimited single or two-seaters)—
1. Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif./John Herder, Tucson, Ariz., Jefferies-Chevy, 14:59:57 (42.09 mph);
2. Harley Letner/Kory Halopoff, Orange, Calif., Alpha Performance-Chevy, 15:16:53;
3. Ron Brant, Oak Hills, Calif./Richard Boyle, Ridgecrest, Calif./Tom Kirkmeyer, Apple Valley, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 15:28:15;
4. Rob Bruce, Sublimity, Ore./Mark Witte, Silverton, Ore., Jefferies-Chevy, 16:02:12;
5. Brian Robinson/Beau Robinson/Travis Robinson, Australia, Jimco-Chevy, 18:04:49;
6.Luis Ramirez Jr. /Carlos Sanchez/Luis Ramirez, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Jefferies-Chevy, 19:08:44;
7.Josh Rigsby, Santa Fe, New Mexico/Tony Murray, Tustin, Calif./Randy Ross, Oak Hills, Calif., Penhall-Chevy, 19:25:31;
8.Brian Parkhouse, Bell Gardens, Calif./Tom Ridings, Los Alamitos, Calif. Jimco-Chevy, 20:05:09;
9.B.J. Richardson, Las Vegas/Mark Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore./TJ Flores, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy, 20:31:25;
10.Armin Schwarz, Austria/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW, 22:38:26

(29 Starters, 10 Finishers)

Yeah - fair comment

No Volkswagens there, I see. Does anyone still use VW engines in these off-road racers any more? If not, it's a bit like trying to get excited about Formula Vees with Chevrolet engines in them. And are Kombi gearboxes still used too, or have they also found something else there as well?

VW classes; (note the fastest car was a 12h 40min F150 trophy truck, and the fastest bike a 12h 29min CRF450x)

CLASS 1-2/1600 (VW-powered, single or two-seaters to 1600cc)—1.Arnoldo Ramirez/Misael Arambula/Daniel Lopez, Ensenada, Mexico, Curry, 16:53:11 (37.39 mph); 2.Arturo Velazco, Banning, Calif./Steve Cruz, San Diego/Abel Velazco, Banning, Calif., Porter, 16:59:00; 3. Dave Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif./Mike Malloy, Las Vegas/Travis Fletcher, Westminster, Calif., Lothringer, 18:07:49; 4.Hiram Duran/Eric Duran/Evan Duran, Tecate, Calif., Neth, 18:29:57; 5. Cody Robinson, El Centro, Calif./Roberto Romoa/Jose Robles, Mexicali, Mexico, Curry, 20:12:25; 6.Manuel Cruz/Carlos Bernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, Curry, 20:53:59; 7.Edgar Alvarez Jr. /Edgar Alvarez Sr., Mexicali, Mexico, Curry, 21:47:12; 8.Kevin Walsh, Manchester, Mo./John Spar, Westlake Village, Calif./Shawn Umphries, Newbury Park, Calif., Penhall, 22:39:44; 9.Chris Langmayer/Jeff Hoover, Rowlett, Texas/Mike Herrick, Curry, 22:43:54; 10.Martin Shuster/Victor Lugo/David Romeo, Daytona Beach, Fla./Rocky Robbins, Leehigh Acres, Fla., Jimco-VW, 23:01:26; 11.Cory Boyer/Rick Boyer/Chris Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif./Fernie Padilla, Las Vegas, Lothringer, 23:07:36; 12.Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif./Steven Eugenio, El Centro, Calif./Vic Bruckmann, Lemon Grove, Calif., Mirage, 23:32:19; 13.Roman Pereyra/Horacio Pereyra, San Ysidro, Calif., Garibay, 26:29:23

(17 Starters, 13 Finishers)


CLASS 9 (VW-powered, Short wheelbase, single or two-seaters)—1. Cisco Bio/Jorge Martinez/Pancho Bio/Francisco Guerrero, Spring Valley, Calif., Tubular Design-VW, 21:51:40 (28.88 mph); 2.Daniel Reyes Jr., Calexico, Calif./Julian Rivera, Indio, Calif./Hector Ortega, Tijuana, Mexico, Venegas, 24:48:37; 3.Ulises Morquecho/David Morquecho, Mexicali, Mexico, Borm, 28:09:07

(4 Starters, 3 Finishers)



SCORE LITE (VW-powered, Limited single-1776cc-or two-seaters-1835cc)—1.Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif./Dean Bayerle, Poway, Calif./Ramsey El Wardani, San Diego, Duvel, 17:13:15 (36.66 mph); 2.Blaise Jackson/Mike Sandoval, Fallbrook, Calif./Mike Williams, Prescott, Ariz., Meco, 18:59:10; 3.Gary Johnson, Camarillo, Calif./Todd Starks, Agoura Hills, Calif, Messick, 19:46:22; 4.Matt Drever, Dana Point, Calif./Jim Vick/Dave Wert, San Clemente, Calif., Penhall, 20:43:47; 5.Lee Banning, Laveen, Ariz./Lee Banning Jr., Litchfield Park, Ariz./Rick Graf, Scottsdale, Ariz., Foddrill, 21:58:08; 6.David Callaway, Menifee, Calif./Scott Mapes/Troy Johnson, Riverside, Calif., Callaway, 22:16:48; 7.Derek Hill, Culver City, Calif./Brad Fauvre,/James Barker, Whittier, Calif., Penhall, 29:45:58; 8.Brian Martin, Oceanside, Calif./Dennis Cota, Mission Viejo, Calif./Robert Soldat, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Penhall, 30:25:09

(13 Starters, 8 Finishers)




CLASS 11 (Stock VW Sedans)—1. Ramon Fernandez/Rogelio Robles/Favlan Aras, Ensenada, Mexico, 24:46:36 (25.48 mph); 2. Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico/Robert Johnson, Ahwahnee, Calif., 25:28:40; 3. Daniel Villa/Rafael Villa/Saul Trevino, Ensenada, Mexico/Elias Flores, San Diego, 30:23:00

(5 Starters, 3 Finishers)

Thanks Wes, wow there's a wakeup call. VW buggies are way off the pace nowadays. The trophy trucks and bikes are two hours faster than the Chevy buggies, and 4 hours faster than the fastest VW buggy. And doesn't anyone run hotted up Type 4-powered buggies any more?

The poor Class 11 Beetles are 5 hours off the pace, and they are down to only 5 entrants. Hmm, maybe it's time that Beetle sedans were restored and preserved rather than bashed about in off-road races - bu that's only my opinion.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_1000  a VW-based machine has not won the Baja 1000 outright since 1973! I guess things have come a long way since the days when VW Meyers Manx buggies were the fastest machines.

What are the classes run in Australian events of this type - eg the Goondiwindi off-road race? Are there any VW buggies running, or do they all run Toyota and Nissan engines nowadays?

There are a still few VW powered buggies floating around - however the cost of getting a VW unit comparable in power/torque to, for example, a SR20, RB30, etc. is regarded as being typically higher (putting my neck out here on this one, as no doubt someone will have a vastly different opinion) than buying those Toyota/Nissan units. The lower weight of the VW unit is definitely in it's favour, but the kind-of "plug n play" instant horsepower gain of an SR20 from a wreckers is a bigger drawcard

There used to be a buggy class dedicated to 1600 VW engines, but that was "upgraded" to any 1600 lump a couple of years ago

Kimbo