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Difference between revisions of "Baja 1000"
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m (New page: '''Baja 1000''' is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in the fall. The event includes various types of vehicle classes such as small and large bore [[m...) |
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==Prelude to the event== | ==Prelude to the event== | ||
===1962: The first timed run=== | ===1962: The first timed run=== | ||
When Jack McCormack and Walt Fulton of [[honda|American Honda]] decided to hold a long-distance run to prove the reliability of Honda's new [[Honda CL72|CL72 Scrambler]], they approached well known [[off-road]] dirt biker and local Honda dealer Bud Ekins for suggestions. Bud suggested the Tijuana to La Paz route ( | When Jack McCormack and Walt Fulton of [[honda|American Honda]] decided to hold a long-distance run to prove the reliability of Honda's new [[Honda CL72|CL72 Scrambler]], they approached well known [[off-road]] dirt biker and local Honda dealer Bud Ekins for suggestions. Bud suggested the Tijuana to La Paz route (Federal Highway 1) which was 950 miles of rocks, sand washes, dry lake beds, cattle crossing, mountain passes, and paved road. Bud Ekins declined to perform the run because of [[Triumph Motorcycles]] ties, but Dave Ekins (Bud's brother) and Billy Robertson Jr. agreed to perform the trip for American Honda. After pre-running the peninsula in Fulton's Cessna 180, they began the journey to La Paz just after midnight on March 22, 1962. While being followed by two journalists in an airplane and using telegraph offices at the Mexican border and in La Paz, Dave Ekins recorded the first official timed run in 39 hours 56 minutes (39:56) with a total distance of 952.7 miles. The event received coverage in the ''Globe, Argosy'', and ''[[Cycle World]]'' magazines, earning awe and respect for Honda and the Baja run. The ''Globe ''and ''Argosy ''accounts also included close encounters with death and other dangers which Ekins claims were "colorful additions". | ||
===Four wheels vs two=== | ===Four wheels vs two=== | ||
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In the following months, more attempts at breaking the record would continue. One of the attempts included a multiple vehicle run organized by Ed Pearlman (Mexican 1000 founder) that ended in an official four-wheel drive record being recorded but with the overall time falling short of the record set by Meyers. On July 4, 1967, an American Motors Rambler American sedan would leave Tijuana at 9:00am to successfully break the record set by Meyers with an overall time of 31 hours. | In the following months, more attempts at breaking the record would continue. One of the attempts included a multiple vehicle run organized by Ed Pearlman (Mexican 1000 founder) that ended in an official four-wheel drive record being recorded but with the overall time falling short of the record set by Meyers. On July 4, 1967, an American Motors Rambler American sedan would leave Tijuana at 9:00am to successfully break the record set by Meyers with an overall time of 31 hours. | ||
[[Category:Motorcycle races]] | |||