This news comes a bit belatedly, but I just learned 1107 is included in Forza Motorsport 7, which launched in October 2017 and sold 1.32 million copies worldwide. This is in addition to being in Forza Horizon 2 (1.46 million copies worldwide) and Forza Horizon 4, which launched earlier this month and surpassed 2 million online players in one week. Still images by GTDNick72.
And here’s what it looks like in the game…
Brian Wallentine of Wallentine Motorsports has prepped 1107 Chase for the upcoming Gambler 500 in mid-July. Not heard of it? Here’s an overview…
Copiloting (and probably doing plenty of driving) will be Reuters photographer and all around unsuspecting guy Jim Urquhart.
Lot’s of prep still to be done, but the most important part, the vehicle photo shoot, was completed last weekend by longtime friend and incredible photographer Tom Gallahue of Fourfive Photography in Roseville.
Desert Dingo Racing first appeared in Forza Horizon 2 back in 2015. We’re making a comeback in 2018 as part of Forza Horizon 4, to be released for xBox in October.
We even make an appearance in the E3 launch video:
As if campaigning a Class 11 isn’t enough, we’re now going to start using the Baja Bug to do some slightly tamer races, most likely starting with the Gambler 500 in July 2018.
It all started with a conversation with rally codriver Steve Harrell, who I’d never met, and ended with him driving the Baja Bug 1,000 miles with Jalopnik writer Stef Schrader for the LeMons Rally.
They had great fun, even though they drove the Baja offroad just like I told Steve not to. Anyway, then Dingo Emeritus Fiamma Giger went and did the Gambler 500 in a new VW, and then fearless Reuters photographer Jim Urquhart, who went with us to Baja a couple years ago, saw this and said we had to do it. So we will.
Force Dingo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Desert Dingo Racing. Totally lifted the name from the Force India Formula 1 team which has never amounted to much, but the name is cool. We’ve already got the rally decals. And you’ll be able to follow Force Dingo on the Twitter.
1107 in repose.
UPDATE: Well, that didn’t happen. 1107 was in such bad shape after years of racing, we made the call to retire her and begin work on a new Class 11 that will debut at the 2019 Mint 400 and, hopefully, race the 2019 NORRA 1000. 2020 race for sure.
We’re skipping the 50th Anniversary Baja 1000 this year. 1107 is long overdue for a complete teardown and rebuild, which is underway at Wallentine Motorsports in Roseville, CA.
We’re having a new beam built (already in process with RaceCo) and a complete new low compression engine with support from Lucas Hand and his crew in Las Vegas.
Brian Wallentine and Tim Sletten of 11 Brothers Motorsports inspect something. Maybe shocks.
The plan is to have 1107 completely rebuilt and ready to race the NORRA 1000 in April 2018.
Lots of work to do in the mean time.
