The following story is a documentary of my experiences as a participant in the 30^th Annual SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico on June 5, 1999.

I have only pursued the great sport of off-road desert racing for 6 months, but already find it to be very exciting, demanding, and challenging. My unique situation stems from the fact that I live in Southeastern Indiana. The Midwest offers several different types of off-road racing, however, none compare to the thrills of flat out desert racing. Having been interested in the sport for several years, I somehow never managed to travel Westward to attend an event. However, my curiosity finally got the best of me last year when I attended the Baja 1000. After many attempts at trying to find a team to help chase and pit for during the race, I finally hooked up with the team of Wes, Scott, and Brady Wisdom, who raced a Class 1/2 1600 buggy.

Surprisingly, my first conversation with the Wisdom Team was initiated via the Internet. Because of my enthusiasm and interest they welcomed me onto their team to provide support during the grueling 1000-mile race down the Baja Peninsula from Ensenada to LaPaz. And "Wow!" that race turned out to be one of the most memorable events in my life. It took 33 hours to complete and was very intense, filled with excitement, worry, determination, and satisfaction. At that point, I officially caught the "Bug" for desert racing. Since that race, I have shown my devotion to the sport by attending each of the SCORE races, despite living half way across the country.

It was also at the Baja 1000 last year that I met George Seeley, Jr., who has been a long time participate in Class 5 (Unlimited Baja Bug). Technically, I met George and the other members of his race team, Bruce Anderson and Paul Buster, when I hitched a ride with them from the awards ceremony in LaPaz down to Cabo San Lucas. I needed to get to Cabo San Lucus for a departing flight back to the Midwest. After several hours of race stories, laughs, and insight into the sport, we made it to the airport. I thanked George and the other team members for the ride and promised to talk with them during the upcoming races the following year.

The New Season (1999)

The Laughlin Desert Challenge and The San Felipe 250 were the first two races of the new year. I was fortunate enough to attend these races and hook-up with George Seeley Jr. once again. I helped him out during both of these races as he finished first and second, respectively. And let me tell you, George impressed me as being a consistent, skilled, and fiercely competitive driver. After these races George and I talked about the possibility of me riding along with him as a co-pilot in the upcoming Baja 500! These discussions finally lead to a definitive "yes" as George offered me the passenger seat for the first half of the race. The second half of the race would be manned by driver Bruce Anderson and co-pilot Paul Buster. I knew that actually riding along in a car was the next step to a better understanding of off-road desert racing, but I had no idea that I would have the opportunity this soon. I was very excited, anxious, and thankful from the day I was given the opportunity. In fact, these feelings lasted throughout the next 6-week period leading up to the race. I went crazy during that time frame, but kept busy trying to obtain adequate race gear and by making travel arrangements to the Wild West once again.

The Logistics

On the morning of Tuesday, June 1^st, George Seeley Jr. picked me up at the San Diego Airport accompanied by his bright yellow Class 5 rocket ship. At that point the whole "Baja Experience" began to take form. I finally realized that in a few days I would be strapped into the pristine racecar to endure a high-speed race across the untamed desert. As we began our quest for "Baja", we stopped just short of the Mexican border for groceries for the long week ahead. The objective was to "pre-run" the course on Wednesday and Thursday, go through Contingency and Tech Inspection on Friday, and of course, race on Saturday. Pre-running, which is actually driving the course prior to the race, is an event that many of the competitors do in order to understand the terrain, seek out the best possible race lines, and familiarize themselves with the difficult sections. Contingency, which is the most exciting part of the weekend for many spectators and locals, is where vendors and sponsors set-up to display and sell their products.

The Joker Hotel

Tuesday afternoon we arrived in Ensenada at the Joker Hotel. The Joker Hotel has been the hotel of choice for the Seeley Race Team for the past nine years. It was clearly evident from the time we arrived that this was a "baja ritual" for George. He was no stranger to the management and employees as they gathered around the racecar with smiles and nods of appreciation. Once checked in, we unloaded the car and began to converse with several other race teams that had already arrived.

Later that evening, the rest of our team showed up at the hotel. Bruce Anderson and Paul Buster arrived in a white crewcab chase truck trailering a tricked-out Ford Bronco pre-runner. The situation was getting better by the minute! I was definitely looking forward to pre-running the course over the next few days.

Pre-Running

Wednesday morning came early as we got up at 6:30 AM to prepare for the long day ahead. Powered by enthusiasm, we made sure the proper food, tools, and maps were packed. Bruce, George, and myself set out in the pre-runner for the start of the racecourse in El Sauzal, 4.5 miles north of Ensenada on Highway 1. Paul took the chase truck to Ojos Negros, a small town 25 miles due east of the starting line on Highway 3, to await our arrival. As we pulled off the highway at the El Sausalito Motel we saw the official start line outlined by SCORE banners. There were several other racers there that extended "good lucks" as we started our voyage up through the mountains. I began to realize just a few short miles into the course why this race was so trying for the drivers and their vehicles. We were jarred back and forth in the Bronco, which was very well equipped, as we navigated the roughest terrain imaginable. Miles crept by slowly as we crawled up and down tight trails through rocks, woods, and washouts.

Certain portions of the course were so rough that we had to stop and negotiate which route would be best for the racecar. I was surprised that my past experiences as a spectator didn’t do a scrap of justice for the different types of obstacles and driving conditions that the participants were faced with throughout the course of the race. In the past I would go to heavily populated points on the racecourse, such as road crossings, and watch as the trucks and cars zoomed by. However, those "mainstream" spots were usually high-speed sections that didn’t truly show how technical the racecourse could get at times. The intense part of pre-running was when we would get to a high-speed section or a highly technical section and I would ask, "How fast will we be coming through here in the actual race?" The answer would usually range from 2 to 4 times faster than we were going at that point in the pre-runner! Wow! That was when my adrenaline would start to accelerate in anticipation of race day.

Mike’s Sky Ranch

Late in the evening we found ourselves just north of Valle De Trinidad where the racecourse met Highway 3. By this point we were all pretty tired, having trekked nearly 200 course miles. The decision was made to push on to Mike’s Sky Ranch, a motel/restaurant/bar in one of the most desolate areas in all Baja. Bruce, who is a frequent visitor of the famed local, knew that dinner was served at 7:30 PM each evening. Looking at our watches, we realized that we would need to hightail it if we expected to get a hearty meal. After racing down a twisty fire road for about 15 miles in the pre-runner and chase truck, I finally saw signs of life and civilization. I had heard many stories about Mike’s Sky Ranch from people who had been there and others who had only hoped to someday get the opportunity. I was excited to be visiting for the first time and looked forward to my short stay. Upon arrival, Bruce and George immediately began showing me around. The place was a haven for off-road desert racing. Everywhere I looked there were pictures, autographs, or race paraphernalia from an assortment of racers from several different eras. I was studying the décor when I heard Bruce bark, "time for dinner, boys!" As I entered the dining room I was pleasantly surprised to find a wholesome, steak dinner and several Mexican side dishes awaiting me. After the awesome meal, I decided to turn in for the evening. My room was scarcely furnished, but had all of the essentials, just the way I liked it. I took a warm shower before the generator supplying the heat and electric shut down at ten o’clock. Mike’s Sky Ranch was the perfect blend of everything I love about off-road. I will definitely go back.

Final Preparation

The next morning we pulled out of Mike’s Sky Ranch at 5:30 AM. The objective was to leave early so that the chase truck wouldn’t encounter any head-on pre-runner traffic on the way out. The only road leading in and out of Mike’s was also part of the racecourse. I found this to be extremely cool. I stayed in the Bronco and continued to run the course for the next 50-60 miles as George took the chase truck out to the main highway. Once again, some of the terrain was unbelievable, including the switchbacks on the steep mountainsides. I was not going to get to see this part of the course in the racecar so I was glad I could ride along and encounter the landscape. Later, we met George in the chase truck where the racecourse intersected Highway 1, just south of Santo Tomas. From that point we were done pre-running because Bruce and Paul had already run the remaining portions of the course the prior week on motorcycles. As we headed back towards Ensenada we stopped in the small, quaint village of Santo Tomas for a well-deserved breakfast. During this rowdy, but fun meal, I once again realized that I was with good company.

We arrived back at the Joker Hotel around noon on Thursday and immediately began to make final preparations to the racecar. The finishing touches included putting in the window nets, securing the spare tires, attaching the light racks, and applying the Off-Road.com decals. At this time I began to prepare for my co-pilot duties as well. I adjusted the passenger seat belts to fit snug, yet comfortably. I practiced getting in and out of the car in a timely fashion. And, I became acquainted with the location of the car jack, tools, and first aid kit in case of an emergency. George coached me through the radio controls and the air filtration system inside the cockpit. Once we attached the course map and notes to the dashboard, the checklist of ‘things to do’ was complete.

It was time to place the cover over the car for the evening. George ordered all of us to lend a hand and help polish the raw chromoly chassis to its natural luster and buff the authentic beetle shell to a brilliant shine. It is truly impressive how detail oriented the off-road racers are about their vehicles appearance and finish before the races. They feel that the racecar’s presentation is a reflection of how well prepped the car is and how strong it will perform during the harsh race conditions.

BFG Tire Meeting

Late Thursday evening we ventured to the Estero Beach Hotel & Resort for the BFGoodrich Tire Meeting. This was an event that allowed all BFG sponsored race teams to drop-off spare tires and fuel to the well-coordinated BFG pit crews. Since George has been sponsored by BFG for several years they provide him with pit support during all SCORE races. Throughout this race we would be stopping at all four BFG pits situated at various locations around the course to receive fuel and any maintenance required. It was a pleasure to be part of the BFG effort since they sponsor some of the most successful and popular race teams in the sport. Glancing around the room, I noticed many serious racers that were always at the top of their class standings. This definitely made me feel confident in our team’s support throughout the long race. During the presentation, a detailed course map was provided and race officials explained important race information, course changes, and caution areas.

Contingency & Tech

I arose Friday morning to a sun-filled day with excitement in the air. It was time to take the racecar through Contingency Row and Technical Inspection. I had been to Contingency and Tech at past races as a spectator and knew the kind of chaos that was in store. I grabbed my camera as George, Bruce, Paul, and myself headed out the door. We decided to participate in the "parade of cars" that would take place through the streets of Ensenada prior to the opening of Contingency Row. This was an event that Sal Fish, President of SCORE, had organized in appreciation of the local community and visiting fanatics. I chose to ride along in the racecar so I could get my first "real driving experience" as a passenger. I climbed into the comfortable cabin and buckled up as the massive 3000cc Fat Performance Type 4 VW engine grumbled through its warm-up phases. Upon arriving at the San Nicholas Hotel we saw that many other racers had already started to line up for the parade. Among the crowd was Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart, who is a virtual living legend to the sport of off-road desert racing. His prize winning Trophy Truck, sponsored by Toyota, was perched in the pole position for the parade lap.

Behind Ivan was an assortment of racecars from practically all of the 17 four-wheel vehicle classes. It seemed that all of the participants wanted to arrive early in order to get a good spot for Contingency and Tech. There was an advantage in getting registered and approved early so you could relax and rest for the remainder of the day. We pulled into formation behind a Class 1/2 1600 buggy and in front of a Class 12 (Score-Lite) buggy. Once 10:00 AM approached the buzzing of VW engines and the thundering of small blocks echoed through the streets as 50 or more buggies and trucks rolled in a single file line. People lined the streets in amazement as the entourage slowly snaked its way through downtown Ensenada.

After returning to the San Nicholas Hotel, Ivan lead the line-up through Contingency. All engines were shut off as the race teams began to push their machines delicately through the crowded, narrow alleyway made up of vendor and sponsor booths, known as Contingency Row. Thousands of people were hustling around trying to get glimpses and touches of the finely crafted vehicles. The setting was carnival-like with loud music blaring, people dancing, and street vendors selling food and gifts. As we pushed our beautiful Class 5 car along, people continuously stopped us in order to take pictures and get autographs. At times, I even found myself signing autographs for the local children enthralled by this exhilarating event that was invading their town. We finally wheeled the car out of the limelight and into the Tech Inspection area. It was here that race officials examined the racecar and each participant’s race suit to make sure they met an exhaustive list of the rules and regulations set forth by SCORE. After receiving inspection approval stickers on the hood of the car and on our helmets, we were officially ready to race.

The Night Before

The night before the race was filled with nervous anticipation. I went to dinner at the popular CasaMar Restaurant with George and several friends that came to watch the spectacle and cheer us on. During the race they would help chase and provide pit support at our driver change in Valle De Trinidad. After many race stories from the past and a wonderful meal I decided to turn in for a good night of rest. However, upon lying down I realized that I was so keyed up for the next morning to arrive that it was going to be awhile before I fell asleep. I kept visualizing in my mind the events that may take place during the race. I was fueled by the thoughts of our racecar powering through the course that I had already encountered during pre-running. I was thankful to be so close to fulfilling the dream of participating in the famed Baja 500. Finally, my nerves settled and tiredness set in as I dozed off.

Race Day

I woke up at 5:30 AM on Saturday full of energy and enthusiasm. The butterflies immediately began to flutter in my stomach. I wasn’t nervous about the task at hand, but anxious to get started and have the car run flawlessly for the duration of the race. I knew it was a long race that usually took its toll on most of the vehicles. It is not uncommon for only 30-40% of the vehicles to finish these types of races. However, I did know that we stood a good chance to finish on top due to Seeley Racing’s past track record, careful preparation, driver skill, and passion for the sport. Intensity grew in George’s eyes as our starting slot got closer and closer. The race began at 6:00 AM for motorcycles and 7:30 AM for four-wheel vehicles. Each of the different classes started the race in a precise order from fastest to slowest. Within every class there was a 30-second stagger between each vehicle off the line. A drawing that took place several weeks prior to the race predetermined starting positions within the classes. We started third in Class 5, making us car #503. There were 6 cars in our class so we knew we had two Class 5’s to catch and three to hold off for the class win. The race was calculated by time, but it was fairly evident how you were doing throughout the race since the race was so long and all of the cars started so close together. We would also be informed of our position at each pit stop and through communication with our chase trucks.

By the time 7:30 AM struck, the Trophy Trucks began to scream off the line. At this point, I was running on pure adrenaline. It was the moment that I had been waiting for, the moment of truth! How tough is this race? How would we finish? Would it be everything I anticipated? It was time to answer these questions. As we crept closer to the start line, the excitement was building as several thousand people began to focus their attention our way. I could see the first Class 5 car (#501) approach the line. As the flag dropped he shot off like a bullet. At that point the race was initiated. Next car #502 inched to the line and just a moment later was signaled to start. At last, it was our time to shine. George calmly positioned the car to the line. As the official raised his arm to motion our start, George revved the motor as a throaty roar bellowed out. It seemed as if the beautiful, mild-mannered car turned into a monster as we took off. Around the first turn we sprayed gravel and dust as we hit the dirt. At this point, I was already looking forward to the miles ahead. We ripped up the mountainside with extreme power, force, and agility.

We feathered through the turns and dug-in down the straight-aways. Approximately one mile into the race we faced our first challenge, a hefty ramp made by the surrounding locals. From the cockpit it looked like a shear wall. Having not been in this situation before, I didn’t know what George would do. But obviously he did as he punched the gas and lofted the racecar over the huge mound of rocks. It was the first of many intense feelings that I would encounter as the front end lifted and the rear end kicked off the lip of the ramp. It felt like the car was going to nose dive and flip so I gritted my teeth and scrunched up my face. However, to my surprise, the car landed very smoothly on the King shock absorbers and bit-in for more traction. Instantly George was back on the gas and we were off to the next obstacle. The next 10-15 miles were just as intense as we found ourselves running very fast in clean, crisp air. I was just starting to calm down a bit when we came to the first road section of the course. We would travel on the main highway with local traffic for about 6 miles before returning to the dirt.

We were going at a good pace up the highway when George signaled to the back and told me he was letting a faster car pass. As it turned out, it was car #519, who started three slots, or 1½ minutes, behind us. Just as I was thinking we had been running pretty hard and should be catching slower traffic ahead, we were overtaken. I was a bit startled until George told me not to worry that it was a very long race and that we would see car #519 again in the near future. As we hit the dirt, we were running in dusty air, which made it difficult to see and react to the twisting fire road. Several times I didn’t know how George could see because I sure couldn’t. However, we carried on at a high rate of speed for many more miles chasing the elusive dust cloud. Further down the course we passed car #501, which looked to have taken a wrong turn. Over the next 15 miles we passed several Class 12 cars and various other broken down vehicles. We were now in pursuit of car #519 and car #502, who were somewhere just ahead. Continuing to cruise at optimal speeds, I reminded George that there was a deep water hole approaching. Sure enough, we launched over a small hill and nearly landed in the massive puddle. Locking up the four-wheel disc brake system brought the car to an even idle before crossing the water. As we exited the water hole, car #502 was sitting just off-center of the course. However, as we began to build speed, car #502 took off. The drag race was on, or so we thought. At first he looked to be challenging us for the hole-shot into the next turn, but soon he shut his rig down realizing we had momentum in our favor.

Once out ahead of car #502 by a comfortable margin, the course turned into a hard packed fire road that welcomed fast driving. The shoulders were so built up with gravel and dust that the sweeper turns had natural berms. Traveling at a high rate of speed, George feathered the wheel around every turn, as if we were in a sprint car. However, one of the turns was a little tighter and a little flatter than the rest, sending us flying parallel with the ground into a barbed wire fence at approximately 75 mph. All I could see was a fence post coming straight for the door panel, in what seemed to be slow motion. As we made contact we the post, the whole fence crashed to the ground taking out several other posts that were attached to the wire. George carefully backed up to release the car from a broken post and the entangled barbed wire before shuttling back on track. It was a neat experience, but I told George that once would be enough. We soon approached the first check point and by this time the car was starting to run stronger and stronger by the mile. This was obvious by the way George was gliding through the gears of the Fortin 5-speed transaxle en route to powering across the unforgiving terrain. When we passed our chase crew at Ojos Negros, I singled them out in the large group of spectators as we rounded a tight 90-degree turn like a fine-tuned rally car. Bruce immediately called to us over the airwaves. When I responded back, he told me that we had lost the antenna on top of the car and that the reception was poor. I stated that we were running strong and looked forward to seeing them at the next road crossing. From that point, we entered the notorious pine forest.

After catching slower traffic we found ourselves once again in a cloud of dust. Anxious to catch car #519, we pounded forward. After several miles, the dust had settled and a Class 10 buggy emerged. The buggy had stopped for a slowed Trophy Truck that was lending a helping hand to a Pro-Truck stuck in a silt bed. Once we cleared the obstruction and began to build speed I realized that the buggy in front of us had a flat front tire that was creating massive amounts of thick dust as he pushed into the corners. As we chased him through the forest trying to get close enough to nerf, or tap, his rear bumper signifying that we wanted around, we missed a turn as dust engulfed our car. We ran over several fallen trees and stopped as the bumper hit a stump. I was shocked, knowing that this was not supposed to happen. George threw the transaxle into reverse as both rear tires just sank into the loose ground. He inched forward a bit then tried reverse once more. The same result occurred as we sank deeper. At that point I became nervous and instantly sprang from the car to examine the situation. There was a fallen tree that was approximately 18 inches in diameter directly behind our rear tires and another tree approximately 6 inches in diameter and 6 inches off the ground directly behind our front tires. Going forward was out of the question due to a large stump anchored directly in front of the bumper. After figuring out a game plan, I went to work placing logs and sticks in the trench that the rear tires had dug from George’s failed efforts to back out. I also built ramps that the front tires could scale in order to clear the nagging hurdle. Once I ordered George that it was safe to back out, I helped push the car from the front. With a few ghastly attempts the car was finally freed from the hindrance.

When I finally settled back into the car, attached my seat belts, and regained my breath I realized that I was terribly hot and worn out. The whole event took less than 15 minutes but seemed to be an eternity in my panic-stricken state. The good thing was we were once again on course and running fast. The bad thing was that many cars had passed, including car #518. This meant that once again there were two Class 5 cars out ahead of us. Our car appeared to have no damage and George was relaxed since he didn’t have to get out to help. It was definitely a good stretch of the race to start making up some of the time we had lost from our earlier misfortune. Luckily enough, as we rounded a rough turn we saw car #504 broken down on the side of the course. From the stance of the car, it looked like he had rear suspension trouble. As we hurried along we saw many more cars pulled off to the side of the racecourse with major mechanical problems. But finally, several miles from our first scheduled pit stop, we passed the ailing car #519, which was sitting completely off the racecourse with several people gathered around the rear cage of the chassis. This was a great relief. We were finally out in front of Class 5. I calmed myself just before the first BFG pit stop, at mile marker 105, where we would refuel.

Upon seeing the well-marked BFG signs, George caulked the wheels and eased into the pit area. The setting was relaxed, much unlike I had expected. The support personnel asked us if we needed anything, told us our class position, and refueled the car in a near timeless sequence. Before I realized it, we were back onto the course and remarkably only one Pro-Truck had passed while we were in the pit. George immediately regained focus. He knew we had many miles of clear air in front of us. George and the racecar were fully dialed-in by this point. We flew through the remainder of the pine forest with grace. The course then began to smooth out again as perfectly grooved tracks held the car in place around each and every turn. As we approached the next road crossing at mile marker 135, George suggested I snap a photo of the on-lookers with my trusty, disposable camera. As soon as I took the camera from my race suit pocket, I saw a wall of people as the course opened up to Highway 3. I firmly held the camera out the front windshield snapping the shot just before we skipped over the highway back onto the sandy surface.

I managed to take a few more pictures from the cockpit but really couldn’t steady the camera as I was tossed around with each bump and turn.

We hit a wicked pace as George found his groove in the rough sections called Cerro Colorado and El Alamo. This was a 25-mile loop that pieced together the two major road crossings off Highway 3. After Checkpoint 2 we were back on well-groomed fire roads where speeds reached 110 mph as the tachometer needled at 5,500 rpm’s in top gear.

The rest of our portion of the race was very quick until we reached the "goat trail" that connected the course to Highway 3 once again. From that point we cruised the highway for 8-miles at blazing speeds to complete the first 200 race miles.

I could sense the ride coming to an end and was already feeling dejected. I had the time of my life and realized that it would be hard to surpass the experiences that I had just encountered. Soon, we saw several members of our chase crew just off the side of the highway waving us into the Checkers pit. The Checkers are an historic pit organization in which George is a long time member. This was where we performed the driver and co-pilot change. With many helping hands, I managed to slide out of the racecar so Paul could make a smooth transition into the passenger seat. Bruce entered the drivers seat immediately upon George’s departure. Once the final buckle was fastened and the car was cleared for take-off, Bruce floored the gas and launched back onto the course. I felt some relief, but knew we still had to voyage nearly 250 miles before victory was complete. George and I jumped into the chase truck and were off to the next vantage point.

The Chase

Upon arriving at the Power Station at mile marker 235, several Trophy Trucks and Class 1 buggies appeared. This was a good sign since these were faster cars that started much earlier than we did. We figured we had at least an hour before Bruce and Paul was expected to pass. As I repeatedly shared my experiences from the first half of the race with friends, I constantly prayed that the racecar would operate perfectly throughout the duration of the race. At 2:45 PM Bruce and Paul topped the horizon and entered into our vision. We hurried to the side of the road and cheered them on as they rounded the sharp turn directly in front of us. We noticed that they had a good pace established and that the engine sounded very fresh. Next, we waited for the second place Class 5 car to come by the power station so we would know our precise lead time. The last report showed that we had a 30-minute lead at the driver change. At 3:25 PM car #518 finally passed, but did not appear to be pushing the car to the extremes. We now had a 40-minute lead in Class 5. I instantly sighed in relief, realizing that we could secure a class win if we didn’t encounter any major mechanical errors or downtime. George and I ventured back to Ojos Negros, where the racecourse would loop around and retraced its earlier footprints back to the start/finish line. Upon waiting at the BFG pit at mile marker 396, the crew served George and I food and refreshments.

At 6:15 PM, car #503 pulled into the pit as Bruce and Paul grinned from ear to ear. Bruce commented that the car was performing remarkably well and that they were having a good time holding onto first place. After the fuel tank was topped off and clearance was given, the racecar was back in business. Wasting no time, we hurried back to the chase truck to complete the trip to the finish line. As soon as we arrived, I looked up just in time to see Bruce wheel around the last turn and through the checkered flag.

The crowd was so thick that George and I had to muscle to the front of the police barricade before joining Bruce and Paul in a victory celebration. We had completed the race in just over 11 ½ hours, which was an averaged of nearly 40 miles per hour. Bruce and Paul remained in their seats as George and I pushed the racecar down a ¼ mile runway exiting the finish line. We passed thousands of people who extended congratulations and admired the totally thrashed buggy for its courage and bravery during the race. We were all glad to finish before dark and without any major mishaps. After several group photos in front of the racecar with our hands proudly raised in the air signifying the "we’re number 1" sign, we all went into Ensenada for a little post race celebration.

The Awards Ceremony

Sunday morning we loaded the buggy and pre-runner onto their trailers and gathered our belongings.

It had been a long week, but the end result was very positive. The whole team wore big smiles on their faces as race stories were exchanged. Later that morning final good-byes were extended to Bruce and Paul who were heading back to the States. George and I were going to stay in town awhile longer and attend the awards ceremony, which was being held poolside at the San Nicholas Hotel. As we arrived, many vendors were set up outside selling race pictures and t-shirts. I walked to each vendor table to view the pictures of racecar #503. It was very flattering to see pictures of myself tucked inside the cockpit of the high performance bug at various locations on the course. I bought several of the pictures before making my way into the pool area.

At 11:00 AM Sal Fish took the stage and thanked all of the participants for an event-filled race and the local community for hosting the event. Awards were handed out to the first three finishers in each class. As Class 5 was presented, George and I made our way to the stage. We were both handed etched glass trophies that displayed 1^st place and a sketch of George’s #503 Class 5 Unlimited Bug. George took the podium and immediately thanked his sponsors for all of their support. He also expressed his thoughts about the race and his appreciation for off-road desert racing. As George finished his speech, he turned and introduced me to the crowd. I was fairly shocked, but gained my composure and approached the microphone. I first thanked George for the opportunity he afforded me and congratulated him on his preparation and driving ability. I briefly reflected on the race and outlined my introduction into desert racing. I eventually returned to my seat, but not until a picture was taken of George and I as we embraced our trophies surrounded by the lovely Tecate Beer girls.

The Beginning of the End

As we were leaving Ensenada, George and I stopped at a small taco stand for a satisfying meal. No trip would be complete to Baja, Mexico if you didn’t consume some of the local flavor. We savored our final meal and waning moments in Ensenada as we watched a line of race vehicles and fans scurry out of town. On the long ride back to Los Angeles, where I was to fly out late Sunday night, I reflected on the race and realized how lucky I was to get the opportunity and to actually win as a participant in my first race. I talked with George and made sure that he knew I was available whenever he had another open seat in his racecar. We also talked about the preparation and cost of getting started in desert racing. My experiences were so bold that I was already planning to purchase and drive my own racecar in the SCORE/Laughlin Desert Series someday in the near future. If those plans are realized, I just hope I’m as successful as I was during this race with George Seeley, Jr., Bruce Anderson, and Paul Buster.

I would like to thank everyone that helped me before, during, and after the race for making a dream come true. And, for more information about Seeley Racing, visit

on the World Wide Web. The next SCORE race is in Barstow, CA on July 16, 1999.