However the challenge we all approach a race with the same confidence that a racer has to have or the beast will eat your lunch before you get to race day. When the course map was announced I knew with out talking to the team I would get my fav section the Summit! yes every time I am the oldest dude on many different teams over the years but always that F*#%@ng rock mountain. Its all good and you just embrace it and get prepared for the dance. The Cantina team was in great shape with Jano, Pancho, and Nino all riding alot these days and wanting to give good opportunity to bounce back from the 250 where the win was giving back due to a penalty so we had confidence and determination to better this race.
As my professional chase team Jae, Andretti and I traveled north after winding down our season we heard rumors of weather for the race as in rain and maybe snow in the mountains Ha. This rumor fell to hell literally when we came to reality of a heat wave and yes it came. Each day the temps rose by 10 degrees and my last day of pre-running out to the dry lake Saldanda where Baja Pits had the usual pre-run support and hydration stop Mucho Gracias its a much needed stop especially at 110 degrees.
Well we all settled into Ensenada and the cool Pacific @ 65 but that beast on the other side of the mountains was just waking up as we did the contingency ritual awaiting the race the following morning. Pancho in usual fashion started out like a madman passing 12 guys making their way out of Ensenada up to the 100 mile mark passing the bike to me in 1st place in our class but the competitors where in hot pursuit close behind.
I took off for the rock pile on our new KTM 450XCF as I twisted the grip on this stead for the first time!. I don't recommend this even though I ride a lot of KTM 450's but to jump on a bike for the first miles shouldn't be during the BAJA 500.
As I settled in for my rip I headed straight into the rocks and begin to work up a sweat and then you grab as million times before for the sip of cold water and CRAP 1 suck not 2 suck not 3 suck F#@! nada, I pulled on the hose but no water. Did I mention yet waking the beast! as you crest the summit it is a awesome view down into the east side and the sea of cortez off in the distance but of course there was no time for pictures now as the down hill side of the summit has somehow gotten even worse yes just straight enduro cross sections of rock, big, small, rollers you name it that rock is up there. The good feeling of making it off the mountain was quickly waned by the excessive heat blasting you like a propane fired heater.
When I hit my first Baja Pits I yelled for AGUA and as you see quite often when you are the first or second racer for these great crews they look a little stunned and that's what I saw here as I grabbed a 1/2 small bottle of water and tried to hit my mouth the best I could and off I had to roar. I just got passed and that's not cool in my own mind even though its 115 and I am fricken thirsty but hey only 70 more miles for my leg to the famous Borego pits. As fast as the adrenaline will push a guy you head into the flats of Salada dry lake bed I finally am able to take a look up and see what I was afraid of! the beast was awake and staring me straight on from across the dry lake bed temps shot up 120 to 130 depending on whose burnt up thermometer you were reading! It was so stupid hot that I wasn't even sweating! I rolled into the Salada pits and my team mate Nino was waiting with a bottle of life! I drank as much as I could stomach and into the sandy whoops and yes more nasty rocks. My physical condition was in strain shortly after the pits and I found myself reverting back to when I started racing and Hydration Paks were non existent and just push through at my pace and make it end pass this bad motorscooter to my team mate. The last 7 miles of my section are indescribable lets just say Not Fun and I don't think anybody racing this would disagree but hey that last jump is always fun as you see your team waiting and a much needed couple gallons of water to get back to normal hopefully!
This year the course was mostly on the east side so that woken beast did not nor would not go away all day yes steady 117 degree's can you say survival mode! Jano took the bike from me and crushed the San Felipe whoops and passed our competitors and we were back in 1st place Hot Dam! Wait hold the cheers and if still reading this never make the mistake of not attending the rider/driver meeting the night before as we did this and did not get word that there had been a course change and thus Jano missed our pit and had to wait for gas as he watched the same guys he worked his ass off to pass ride on by with proper pit planning. Back to 3rd or 4th Jano mad as a hornet back to it and making time lost to our stupidity. Pancho was back on for a second leg and making time we moved up to third as he rolled into mile 360 beat down from the heat with the rest of the competitors all looking severely whipped from this crazy race we all desire and must show respect for.
Nino had played it smart and kept himself in A/C for most of the day and showed his fresh stuff and put a awesome ride to catch pass and move us into 2nd close behind 1st and by the time he passed the bike to Jano for the last 25 miles we were in control of 1st place and Jano brought it to the finish line holding off our competitors by a few minutes.
Now we can all cheer and pop a cold cerveza as the whole Cantina Racing team did a great job and now we are tied for 1st in points and ready for the next race in Sept then ready ourselves for the 1000 and a hopeful championship run.
