(^142) themotorhood.com
While we were happy to have done our bit for
Hammond’s team, we were gutted for Rhys and
his. We packed up and started the drive towards
the finish at La Paz, stopping to look over the wash
where we had shared fun and laughter with the
locals the night before. It was all but deserted,
much like La Purisima itself.
Where there was fog the night before, now we
had clear skies and a straight road for as far as the
eye could see — more than 160km, and then it
kept on going. Mike pulled over, spotting a lunch
stop. A taco joint with race trucks outside equals
good food. We heard the tough-luck stories of
the race teams in there. The fog had proved to
be crippling for some, especially in the silt pans,
eliminating vision and clogging up radiators.
While we were there, Baja Trophy Trucks stalwart
Pistol Pete and his team turned up — another
victim of the course. Seeing that we were from
New Zealand, they told us that a Kiwi team
renting one of their trucks was somehow still in
the race, despite some major issues, and pushing
to finish it, Iron Man style — that is, the whole
race by themselves.
Back on the road, we passed more than a few
second-hand trucks and cars on trailers heading
to La Paz — and, no doubt, thinking what might
have been and planning for next year. Then we
recognized a familiar sight up ahead: the ever-
reliable Futura trailer being towed by one of the
team’s Raptors. It had passed its own Baja ordeal
with flying colours. Further ahead was Rhys, towing
his RZR and one of the pre-runners.
Hammond was still on course, eventually finishing
sixth in class in 33 hours — a massive achievement
on his first attempt at the race.
The next day, after a well-earned sleep, the team
reflected on what might have been. Ever the
professional, Rhys was already thinking about next
year’s event and taking back the title — but not
before attending to his commercial commitments
back in Los Angeles.
For our last taste of the SCORE Baja 1000, the four
of us headed back to the La Paz finish line to watch
and cheer the back markers as they came over
the line and to get our own team photo with the
New Zealand flag under the sign.
Then, one last thing happened: the yellow Class
3000 truck driven by the two crazy Kiwis, Phil Casey
and Quinn Wilson, crossed the line, 44 hours
and 54 minutes after leaving Ensenada — bloody
legends. Seeing the New Zealand flag being proudly
waved over the finish line at the 50th anniversary of
the SCORE Baja 1000 was a poignant way for me
to complete that bucket list hatched all those years
ago at the Odeon picture theatre in Lower Hutt.
Kiwis
Phillip Casey
and
Quinn Wilson
on the last
corner to the
La Paz finish
line, 44 hours
and 54 minutes
after leaving
Ensenada
frankie
(Frankie)
#1