So you want to run the legendary Baja 1000 desert race. You have money and vacation days in the bank, talked some friends into helping out, and have a vehicle that complies with one of the myriad racing classes, from Baja bug to exotic prototype. But just how much effort will it take to pull off"
While a near-stock Ford F-150 Raptor can technically complete the race, simply finishing the 1000 is a triumph for anyone. There?s a reason Mexico?s Baja California peninsula has been a pillar of off-road racing for nearly half a century. Any race there is a test of human and mechanical endurance against a desert steeped in mystique, with the occasional booby trap from overzealous fans thrown in for good measure. And the big show is the Baja 1000, the final and most grueling event in the SCORE International off-road championship. A lot has changed since a Meyers Manx buggy won the first 1000 in 1967, recording its official time?27 hours and 38 minutes from Tijuana to La Paz?via telegraph. An alternating format has this year’s 49th running set as a loop race that starts and finishes in the seaside port of Ensenada, about 80 miles south of San Diego. Next year’s 50th running will be from Ensenada to La Paz, essentially the length of the peninsula. BFGoodrich (BFG) has championed desert racers for decades, including supplying tires for 28 overall winners at the 1000 and outfitting nearly 60 percent of this year?s 270-strong field with its rubber. To celebrate its 40t...