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About
the Race
Written by Ellen Debboli
After 32 years of
hosting the
annual Baja 1,000 desert race, SCORE
International has
decided to do something different. This year's event, in honor
of the millennium, will be close to 2,000 miles of racing
(well, 1,754 miles, but close enough!) It will be the longest
point-to-point, desert race ever held. There are over 20 different
racing classes, including both professional and sportsman
motorcycles, trucks, ATV's, and cars. The trucks usually get
most of the publicity, but we think the race is a little more
challenging, and fun, on bikes. Team Still Willing, in the
motorcycle sportsman class, will be racing a Honda XR 600.
The eight riders all have agreed to ride a portion of the
race - somewhere around 200-250 miles each. The Baja peninsula
is 1,000 miles long, in 2 different time zones, so chances
are one rider will never see anyone on the team other than
the rider he picks up the bike from, and the rider he passes
the bike off to. The objective of each rider is to get the
bike to the next teammate - running, and in one piece (quickly
helps, too).
From
the start of the race in Baja California's Ensenada, to the
finish line in Baja California Sur's Cabo San Lucas, the course
includes some really hairy terrain. The racers will endure
boulder fields, sand, silt, night riding, homemade jumps courtesy
of the locals, and Baja trucks bearing down on them. This
year's event passes through some great scenery (as if the
riders will have time to be tourists) - such as forests, beaches,
dry river beds and lots of cactus. SCORE recently took over
2 weeks to mark the course; it took over 175,000 feet of ribbon,
465,000 staples, and 9,000 wooden stakes. (Apparently, SCORE
is anticipating some serious vampire activity along the way;
yet another hazard for the brave riders.)
The
race also goes through lots of farmland, and part of SCORE's
task is to negotiate with the farmers and local officials
to get the best possible route. The race is run over existing
farm roads, cattle & caballero trails, beach access, and mountain
roads. No new trails are created, making the impact on the
environment as low as possible. Racers come from all over
the world to run the Baja (even our team represents 2 continents).
For this race, the negotiations, preparation and route design
took over 3 years. Get the picture? This is quite the event!
Festivities
kick off at the San Nicolas resort in Ensenada on November
10th, and the race begins on the 12th. The motorcycles and
trucks that are usually the fastest should finish in about
40 hours. SCORE gives everyone else 80 hours to get credit
for finishing the race. Yes, the race is run during the night
as well as the day - with temperatures at night dropping into
the 30's, especially in the northern section of Baja. The
motorcycles are equipped with some awesome desert lights so
they can see what's out there at 4AM.  (Check
out the picture of a previous Baja race bike complete with
lights.) So the stragglers will finish by the 15th, and the
party is planned for the following day, in Cabo San Lucas.
All survivors and friends are welcome to join at the Villa
del Palmar beach resort, right next to the finish line.
Check
out the bios on our riders - notice these are not 20-somethings
but well-worn, dedicated motorcycle aficionados. If you're
so inclined, show your support by finding out how you can
help to sponsor the team. If not, enjoy the site, check out
our T-Shirts, and come watch the race this November. We'll
be posting
pictures from various sections of the race soon
afterward; watch for them here!
Written
with info from numerous SCORE press releases.
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About
the Team
Organized by Darrell Gates the team has eight riders
and lots of incredible volunteer support people.
Team
Members: listed in the order they will
ride the race
Click Image |
Name
Peter Naegeli
Age
46
Family
10 year old son
Occupation
Manager marketing communications at Scott USA, European
headquarters
Residence
Born in Zurich now living in Nods Switzerland
Racing/Riding Experience
Enduro on KTM since 1990 Enduro and trials
First Race
Some backyard prairie moto with a kawasaki 250 F
11
Motorcycle Memories:
Mostly good ones
Best Race Ever:
Still to come
Heroes
Steve McQueen, MS
Favorite Quote
Change is good
Ambitions
Go to cabo san lucas soon |
Click Image |
Name
Troy Rockwell
Age
36
Family
Daughter Chelsi 14 and Son William 11
Occupation
General Contractor:
Owner Quality Builders
Residence
Simla, Colorado
Racing/Riding Experience
I have been riding since 1972 and have raced cross countries,
Enduro, Motocross, Ice racing
First Race
Tarantula 100 In Alamagordo NM in 1974
Motorcycle Memories
I have had so much fun riding. I have ridden most of
my life. I remember learning to trail ride with my Mom
and Dad my uncle Jim and Aunt Linda. Those where some
really good times
Best Race Ever
I won third in the state; Ice racing
Heroes
John Wayne, Rodger De Coster, And my Dad
Favorite Quote
Our minds are always Racing!!
Ambitions
To get a finisher pin from the BAJA 2000
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Name
David W. Rockwell
Age
60
Family
Lots of them. The wife (Marilyn) of 37 years has been
buying parts and pouring gas for me for all these years
plus 2. She must like racing.
Occupation
Whatever is currently holding my interest. In the past
I have been a hair dresser, motorcycle mechanic, gold
miner, hydraulics mechanic, quality assurance director
for a machine shop producing medical trauma devices (the
stuff you use when you break a bone), carpenter, general
contractor, explosives expert.
Residence
Race course.
Racing/Riding Experience
Scrambles in the 60's. Some flat track. Some TT racing.
Some motocross. Some Hare n Hound desert in Colorado,
Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California,
Arizona, and Baja California. Totaled a couple of street
bikes. Ran off the road a few times by cars. Ran over
once by 1956 Oldsmobile. Quit riding street bikes for
a while.
First Race
Scrambles at Erie, Colorado, 1962. I won. Bad news.
Motorcycle Memories:
Totaling my 1st new motorcycle. Winning my 1st race.
Owning a BSA B33. Winning an AMA National Championship
in the desert. Having great times with my motocross friends.
Best Race Ever:
Winning the Baja 500, + 50 Pro Class with Al Guzman &
Bob Ashcraft
Heroes
Larry Roesler. My brother James.
Favorite Quote
Patience and fortitude conquers all
Ambitions
To always have the opportunity to buy a new dirt bike.-
Plans: To buy that new bike and race it until I
die. |
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Name
Calvin Wyncoop
Age
42
Family
Leslie Smith, Harvest Sierra Smith age 8
Occupation
Mechanic
Residence
Denver CO., born and raised (a rare breed)
Riding/Racing Experience
Riding since I was 4 years old. 28 crossings of the Continental
Divide by trail. 3 Rocky Point Hare n' Hound, 2nd, 5th
(in class) and a DNF
First Race
'95 Rocky Point Hare n' Hound
Motorcycle Memories:
Trail riding in the Rocky Mountains with my dad. Having
my motorcycle stolen in Mexico after a DNF left it on
the course
Best Race Ever:
Riding the rear pegs (custom modification to my XR 600)
through the sand whoops to finish second in Rocky Point.
Heroes
Favorite Quote
Ambitions |
Click
Image |
Name
Steve Ramsey
Age
39
Family
Vicki Kerr
Occupation
Commercial Photographer
Residence
Denver, CO.
Racing/Riding Experience
Desert riding in west Texas and southern New Mexico since
1966.
Motorcycle Memories:
Riding cross-country along the Mexico/New Mexico border
- just you and the coyotes and the jack rabbits. (Still
one of the most beautiful, vast and spectacularly desolate
areas to ride in the good old USA.)
Best Race Ever:
Sonoyta - Puerto Peñasco, October 1999.
Heroes
Larry Berquist, Edward Weston, Galileo.
Favorite Quote
"¡La vida es dura.. pero es buena!"
Ambitions
Spend extended time in Baja. Sail the Caribbean. Learn
Italian. Cook dinner for the President of Mexico. |
Click Image |
Name
John Burton
Age
40
(at race date)
Family
Wife: Jackie, Kids: Christopher (11), Gregory (9) and
Joe (7)
Occupation
Free-lance design & sales engineer - Automotive industry
Residence
Present: Ludington, MI Past: Evanston, Il
Riding/Racing Expierience
26 years of off road; Motocross, Hare scrambles, enduro,
desert racing and trail riding.
First Race
1977 motocross race - Byron, IL.
Motorcycle Memories:
2000 Michigan's Manistee National Forest- Getting my entire
family of 5 all trail riding together for the first time.
* 1992 Baja 1000- Racing in rush hour, keeping the race
bike in the Hotel rooms, picking up Celebrity hitch hiker
Ron Lawson (Dirt Bike Magazine).
Best Race Ever:
15th annual Benklman Grand Prix, Nebraska
Heroes
Favorite Quote(s)
Metric and English threads will work together with enough
persuasion.- Bondo, Vise Grips and Duct tape will just
about solve any problem
Ambitions |
Click Image |
Name
Darrell T. Gates
Age
58 (at race date) (Libra)
Family
Wife Bridget; Kids: Cassidy 15; Lara 11
Occupation
Graphic Designer
Residence
Denver, CO
Racing/Riding Experience
37 years -Triumph, Bultaco, KTM, Husky, Kaw., Honda in
that order (how the mighty have fallen) Motocross ·
Hare Scrambles · Hare Hound · TT Scrambles:
Short Track · Roadrace · Hillclimb (of the
last 4 about one each)
First Race
Labor day 1970, motocross, I broke my nose
Motorcycle Memories:
20 races in Mexico · 2 Pikes Peak Hillclimbs ··
BITD races · 15 consecutive Grand Prix of Benkleman
Nebraska · MX in Ontario Canada 1971 · Taking
the Finish in LaPaz 1992
Best Race Ever:
The next one
Heroes
Roessler · Dan Smith · everybody else (be
your own hero)
Favorite Quote
"It's not where ya been Halls', it's what ya done." Little
Fauss Ambitions
One more time |
Click Image |
Name
Jim Connolly
Age
39
Family
Ellen, my partner in life for the past 22 years
Occupation
Computer Consulting, Graphic Design, Photoshop training
(for designers and Pre-press), currently on sabbatical
to develop this web-site (and do a little racing)
Residence
Bailey, CO
Racing/Riding Experience
28 years in the trails,east coast, west coast and desert.
Desert Hare scrambles · (1) Enduro · Love
to ride in the Rocky Mountains
First Race
1991 Sonoyta Mex. to Puerto Penasco Mex. (Rocky Point
Hare n' Hound) 3rd in class, or that's the one I like
to think was my 1st. Actually it was in Nebraska and DNF
with some fractured ribs and ego.
Motorcycle Memories:
My first race in Mexico, what a rush! · Riding
dual sports for thousands of miles with Ellen. Being
on a team for the 1998 Baja 1000, something I dreamed
about since I was a teenager.
Best Race Ever:
The one I finish...healthy
Heroes
People who figure out how to do what they really want
in life!
Favorite Quote
"This doesn't suck!"
A saying used to describe the feeling when seeing or experiencing
something which conjure emotions so incredible they can
not be put into words.
Ambitions
Riding the Paris to Dakar Rally...(in my dreams) |
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