Fastest Dirt Bike at the 2017 Baja 1000 Stripped of Win Thanks to Unsafe Riding Penalty

Stephen Elmer / November 20, 2017

The fastest dirt bike to run the 2017 SCORE Baja 1000 presented by BFGoodrich Tires did not take the overall win in the race thanks to an accident that happened just after the bike crossed the finish line.

After a battle between the 45X bike of Guatemala’s Francisco Arrendondo and the 1X bike of Mark Samuels, the 1X managed to cross the finish line first, becoming the very first vehicle to complete the 2017 Baja 1000. But that doesn’t mean the 1X is the winner.

Ian Young, who rode the bike into the finish at La Paz, pulled a wheelie through the finish line, though that isn’t what landed the team in trouble. The front wheel of the bike hit the ground before the media podium, but as he came up the ramp, the bike slid out from under him. This sent the bike and rider sliding for what looks like at least 100 feet, knocking people from the stage and sending two to the hospital, one of which had a broken leg. This resulted in the 1X team getting a 30-minute time penalty for unsafe riding and endangering staff, pushing them into second place.

So the overall winner of the Pro Moto Unlimited class at the 2017 Baja 1000 is the five-rider team of the 45X Arredondo-Haines Racing Honda CRF450X, finishing the race in 21 hours, seven minutes and 17 seconds while averaging 54 mph.

After being hit with the penalty, the 1X Ox Motorsports Honda CRF450X’s time moved up to 21 hours, 26 minutes and 47 seconds.

Two videos are embedded below. The top video shows the 1X bike doing a wheelie through the finish line, while the bottom video shows the aftermath after he hit the ramp.

What do you think about this penalty? Was SCORE too harsh? Let us know in the comments below.