This year marks the biggest Mexican 1000 since the race was revived in 2010. Over 260 two-wheel and four-wheel entries signed up for the rally this year; over 100 more than last year. That increase in entries has brought some growing pains (with one minute start intervals it takes over four hours just to start) but we didn’t hear any complaints at the finish line in San Felipe. (more…)
Located only a few miles from downtown Ensenada, Horsepower Ranch, one of the most iconic adventure destinations in Baja, Mexico, will once again swing open its gates next month for two nights of celebration in honor of NORRA’s historic 50th Anniversary running of the Mexican 1000. The first NORRA event occurred in October of 1967, and is considered the grandfather of all professional off-road races. (more…)
There are only a handful of names in off-road racing that merit the title of Living Legend. Though the criteria may vary depending on which campfire debate you eavesdrop on, everyone seems to agree that those whom have been playing in the dirt for 50 years qualify; even raised to near deity status. Back in 1967, Rod Hall, a young gas station owner and four-wheel drive enthusiast, heard about a new event while Jeeping with friend Larry Minor at Pismo Dunes, California. It wasn’t the normal gymkhana that he’d done before, but a 1,000-mile desert adventure in a land with no maps, few petrol sources, and even fewer towns. The two pooled their funds, bought a stock Jeep CJ-5, and mailed in a registration form for the National Off-Road Racing Association’s (NORRA) Mexican 1000. (more…)
LA PAZ, Mexico May 6, 2015 – After capturing the inaugural Pro Unlimited Class of the NORRA Mexican 1000 on Thursday, Robby Gordon and his HST Gordini race car, specifically built for the Dakar Rally, stayed in the La Paz, Mexico area for the weekend and entered the Dos Mares 500 off-road race, where the Gordini captured another overall title.
After blowing down the Baja California peninsula from Ensenada to La Paz over four days in the Mexican 1000, Gordon and his team’s biggest task in preparing the Gordini was sending it to a local car wash in the capital city of the State of Baja California Sur for a bath before sending it through another rugged off-road race.
Gordon drove the shorter-wheel-base and lower-horsepower Gordini in both the Mexican 1000 and Dos Mares 500 rather than his standard larger and higher-powered trophy truck in order to give the Dakar Rally vehicle additional miles under extreme conditions. Although he started at the rear of a small field of trophy trucks in the Dos Mares 500, Gordon passed all but Gary Magness on course and won the event on overall time by more than six minutes. Gordon’s running time was 4 hours, 48 minutes and 28 seconds, and Magnes’ time was 4:54:37.
“It was another great test for the Gordini and I appreciate everyone at the Dos Mares 500 allowing us to enter at the last minute,” Gordon said. “It’s a great race and I hope it continues to grow. The course was a lot of fun and it put some additional punishment on the Gordini and it continued to perform flawlessly.”
The course started in La Paz and turned east toward San Evaristo and then north along the Sea of Cortez before turning inland for Ciudad Constitucion. From there the course turned south back toward La Paz and made a long run along the Pacific Ocean.
The HST Gordini that Gordon raced in the Mexican 1000 and the Dos Mares 500 is an exact replica and was raced as a test for the 2016 Dakar. The original Gordini won the final stage of the 2015 Dakar Rally and the second Gordini has won all five stages it has competed in.
Gordon has competed in the Dakar Rally since 2005 and became the first American driver to win a stage in the famed race in his first attempt. Since then he has won more than 10 stages with his own team and a top overall finish of third in 2009. No American has ever won the overall Dakar Rally, something Gordon is desperate to change. He plans to enter a minimum of two HST Gordini’s in 2016 and could enter as many as four.
Keep up with everything Robby Gordon and the 2016 Dakar Rally by connecting on http://www.planetrobby.com and follow along with the team on Facebook and Twitter at: www.facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink, and http://twitter.com/SPEED_ENERGY.
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