(San Juan Capistrano, Calif. ) – With the successful showing of their extended Baja Social Club trailer at the recent Off-Road Expo and a new association with Hot Rod magazine now completed, The Rennsport Group today announced a new project partnership with AMSOIL, a leading manufacturer of synthetic lubricants and filter products based in Superior, Wisconsin.
Documenting the maverick pioneers that exposed Mexico’s ruggedly exotic Baja peninsula in the late 1960s via off-road motorsports, the film also follows their return to this spiritual home via today’s General Tire NORRA Mexican 1000 vintage rally. In addition to AMSOIL, Baja Social Club is presented by General Tire, with additional support by Oakley, Azunia Tequila and the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA).
“This opportunity was presented to us by our friends at Oakley. We were immediately intrigued with the effort to complete this very human and historically important film,” explained AMSOIL Race Program Manager Motorsports Jeremy T. Meyer. “The story behind the making of Baja Social Club is as compelling as the film itself, but this also created an organic way for AMSOIL to engage in desert racing’s birthplace. We are proud to add AMSOIL’S support for this project — both now and in the future.”
As part of the recent Off-Road Expo in Pomona, California, AMSOIL racer and former Baja winner Scott Douglas was on hand at a special Baja Social Club off-road industry “sneak peek” and autograph signing with the film’s stars including television personality Dave Despain, inaugural 1967 Mexican 1000 winner Vic Wilson, fiberglass dune buggy inventor Bruce Meyers, 21-time Baja winner Walker Evans, current NORRA President Mike Pearlman along with General Tire NORRA racers Jim Riley and Rick Johnson. The film will also star Parnelli Jones, Malcolm Smith, his son Alexander Smith as well as renowned automotive photographer Boyd Jaynes.
“On behalf of everyone involved with Baja Social Club, we welcome AMSOIL with great appreciation,” explained Executive Producer and Rennsport Group founder Marty Fiolka. “It’s the best Christmas present we could have ever received. This film has been blessed with extremely good fortune at many crucial points along its journey toward becoming something very special. It’s all about heart and hard work. They embraced our group’s vision and determination from the start of our discussions. Gracias to everyone at AMSOIL.”
In another link to Baja, AMSOIL-supported racer and 2012 TORC Pro-Light category champion Brad Lovell recently defended his Wide Open Baja Challenge (BC) class victory at the internationally renowned SCORE Baja 1000. The race is the evolution of the former Mexican 1000 rally, which the NORRA (National Off Road Racing Association) organization created in 1967 and sanctioned until 1973.
Beginning in 2010, NORRA was reborn to promote a new Mexican 1000 featuring a unique four-day rally format and vintage off-road cars, trucks, motorcycles and dune-buggies. Affectionately known as “The Happiest Race on Earth,” this year’s General Tire Mexican 1000 attracted nearly 150 teams from around the globe to compete from Mexicali near the U.S. border to the world-class resort destination of San Jose Del Cabo in Baja Sur, Mexico.
While the Baja Social Club’s final format and distribution are still being determined, Fiolka and film Director James Masters hope to share the film’s special story in spring of 2014.
Baja Social Club presented by General Tire Production Details:
Release Date: 2014
Genre: Entertainment, historic sports and travel
Length: Film-style documentary
Hosts: Limited documentary-style voiceover
The Production Crew:
— Executive Producer: Marty Fiolka
— Director: James Masters
— Creator/Writer: Marty Fiolka
— Editor: Mark Shonka
— Sound/Score: Bob Stewart Sound
— Story Consultation: Michael Noval, Paul Pfanner
— Producer(s): Erin-Lee Adamson, Mike Pearlman
— Associate Producer(s): Darren Skilton, Chris Petrillo, Susan Kennedy
— Voice-Over: Don Capone
— Graphics: Bill Brindle III, Sharon Diaz
— Legal: Brian Raymond
For more information, visit www.BajaSocialClub.com.