2016 Baja 1000

Jalopnik posted an article trying to pimp the Factory backed 2017 Ford Raptor that also raced in our class (they took 3rd, 3hrs behind us) and making a big deal about it driving 400 miles back to Arizona after the race. Our team gets a minimal mention as "a group of privateers in a Land Cruiser" in the article. I compliment Ford on their efforts with the Raptor because I think it has driven competition for more purpose built trucks from other manufacturers like Toyota. However, Toyota got nowhere near the press that this Raptor is after Toyota won the Stock Full class with the TRD Pro Tundra, and we took 2nd right behind them for a Toyota 1-2 finish. That was a full peninsula run and Toyota drove that Tundra all the way back to Toyota HQ in California from La Paz, which was 1,100 miles. So.....sorry Ford, you lost to a Toyota again in the race as well as in the drive home. To be fair, I have to compliment Ford on finishing the race. That's a massive accomplishment on its own.

I also gotta say how fortunate I feel to be part of the Canguro Racing team, which is just a bunch of Land Cruiser buddies that wanted to race Baja with no big sponsors or factory backing, and we barely lost to (and we've beaten in the past) the Baja legend Rod Hall, and took 2nd to the Factory Toyota team, but Ford was a distant 3rd. #onlytoyota I know I'm preaching to the choir here since we all know that the Toyotas are the best. Let the pissing match begin.
For the record, this post is totally meant in fun. I have incredible respect for Rod Hall racing as well as the for the Ford Raptor and their team.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/the-2017-ford-raptor-barely-finished-the-baja-1000-the-1789221388

 

So did the TRD team not race this year or what?

 

Toyota ftw, if I could race my truck in stock class I would.

 

Toyota did not have a Factory team in the race this year. When they won in 2014 with the TRD Pro Tundra it was part of the announcement of the TRD Pro models. However, there were several Toyotas that raced. Ryan Millen drove a Toyota Tacoma Spec Trophy Truck, Class 7 was one by the ProComp Tacoma, and Brandon Walsh in his 2016 TRD Pro Tacoma also finished in Class 7. Of course, BJ Baldwin in his "Toyota" trophy truck. Interesting note regarding the Raptor, they finished with less than a minute to spare before the 36 hr cutoff. Just before the finish, Brandon Walsh in his Tacoma pulled the Raptor out of a silt bed they were stuck in. Had the Raptor not been pulled out by the Toyota they would not have finished the race in time.

Toyota FTW

 

My trip in 1 minute.

https://youtu.be/ZFysW65ILi0

 

We're you staying at the hotel Cortez? Saw the cruiser parked out by the garage during tech.

 

Yes we were.

 

Short clip from Canguro Racing Chase2 at ~RM725. We were monitoring comms as they came into our final pit at RM730. Since the race course parralled the highway for a few miles, we hung out and waited for them to come through and we followed them into the pit. I'm the one hanging out of the window so there are pics too. I'll share when I have time to get through all my images.
https://youtu.be/3CdMIZAxLhA

 

Nice! Wish I knew. I was driving our street tacos chase truck, but we were chasing for renegade racing.

Whole weekend was a shit show, but a good time none the less.

 

So I was also there for TCT Magazine (press pass makes it awesome to get to places they don't let normal people). And we did a photoshoot that was supposed to be for all the Toyotas in the race, but Ryan Millen and Javier couldn't make it in their spec TT, and BJ Baldwin was busy doing BJ stuff. So we had the remaining 3. Brandon Walsh in his 701 Tacoma, Aaron Celiceo in his 704 Tacoma (Aaron won Class 7), and we were there with our 8155 Land Cruiser. Ironically, BJ Baldwin as well as Ryan Millen and Javier were the two Toyotas that didn't finish. The 3 that were there for the photoshoot all finished the race and 2 of the 3 had podium finishes. Not bad Toyota! I'm sure next year BJ and Ryan will insist on being there.
It was tough to round everyone up and by the time we did, we were running out of light, so we had to hurry but the sunset was awesome on the beach and we got some cool shots. Here's a few.

 

There was a rumor we heard that they were doing some filming for the new Dust 2 Glory film during the race, so when this copter came by filming we thought it might be true Maybe we'll be in it! haha!!

 

Rumor is true. I had press credentials again this year so I was able to get into some places others can't. I was shoulder to shoulder with Rob MacCachran as he congratulated Jason Voss when their Rockstar Energy Trophy Truck took the overall win. While I was standing there the D2G2 crew was filming their finish line interview with MacCachran. I have full video of the interview as well but I've not posted it anywhere so as not to spoil what they want to do with the film.
The first film was great, and I'm anxious to see the sequel.

 

For anyone that cares, a race report was posted to CanguroRacing.com today recounting our race with some good details of our experience. It's a fun read and is a good glimpse into what it's like to race the 1000. You can read it here:
http://www.canguroracing.com/