Desert Dingo Racing

Author: Jim

Beetle Dune presser

Volkswagen invited me (and 1107B) to take part in a week-long press event in Las Vegas and Palm Springs, where reporters came in to test drive the new Beetle Dune. After driving the Dune, I didn’t thing anyone would be interested driving an 11 car (particularly in the freezing rain in Pahrump), but, as usual, I was wrong.

At least 1107B has a windshield (1107A does not), so a number of folks layered-up and took the car out for a spin, and the reviews were pretty positive.

Everything kicked off with a briefing at the Vdara on Tuesday, then it was off to drive the cars.

I actually got to drive the convertible model from Vegas to Pahrump and back while Chris Stahl of VW did a phoner in the passenger seat.

No, I did not take it off any sweet jumps.

From there it was off to Palm Springs, me by plane, the cars at the hands of international automotive writers. I got there first. Winning! Also, that’s James Halfacre right there making both cars look awesome.

VW put on a fantastic event and the PR team were wonderful hosts. This greeted me in my room. I wasn’t sure whether to eat it or just admire it (I eventually ate it).

1107B is already on its way back East, our work with is done. 1107A is being prepped by Brian Wallentine for the upcoming Mint 400 in mid-March.

More photos from the Beetle Dune presser are here.

January 9, 2016
VW Dune Beetle (and 1107)

VW rolled out the new Dune Beetle today at the LA Auto Show and I woke up to a text from a friend at Jalopnik “Hey Jim, is that your car back there?”

Yep! 1107B has a walk on role in the rollout, appearing in one of the press photos for the Dune Beetle

Here’s some of the coverage:

Jalopnik: “The 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune Is Real And It’s Coming To America”

I know most people compare these to Baja Bugs (like what our own Raph likes to roll) but visually they seem closer to the near-stock Class 11 Beetles that race at Baja. Which is why it’s appropriate to see a Class 11 in the top image up there, and more exciting to see that I think that’s Jim Graham’s ‘69 Class 11 Beetle from Desert Dingo Racing.

In fact, I know it’s the Desert Dingo Beetle, not just think, because I’m talking to Jim as I’m typing this. Just for the record, I’m pretty sure that old ‘69 could kick the crap out of the brand-new Dune off-road. Just much less comfortably.

November 17, 2015
Mag-7 Pit Service Sponsors Desert Dingo Racing for Baja 1000

November 15, 2015, Ensenada, Mexico – Desert Dingo Racing announced today that Mag-7 Pit Service will be sponsoring the Class 11 team for this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 taking place Nov. 19-21.

Mag-7 will be providing Desert Dingo’s 1969 VW Beetle with pit service support during the 840-mile, 34-hour race which begins Nov. 20 in Ensenada on the Baja Peninsula.

“Pit crews – almost all of whom are volunteers – are the unsung heroes of off road racing and particularly the Baja 1000, said Desert Dingo Racing co-founder Jim Graham. “We’ve been woking with the Mag-7 team for a couple of years and their folks have gotten us out of countless jams that we probably couldn’t have solved ourselves. I’m looking forward to working with them to showcase their talent and dedication and get more teams interested in making use of their pit services.”

The Baja 1000 draws more than 100,000 spectators to Ensenada for Race Week, which culminates with the 300+ teams pushing their race rigs through downtown streets for a daylong tech and contingency parade. This year’s course is an 840-mile loop that starts and finishes in Ensenada.

“Mag-7 volunteers have been supporting Baja racers since 1969” said Mag-7 Race Director Paul Schaffer. “VW racing is old school and we love seeing the Dingoes put as much effort into racing as the trophy truck teams. Almost all of our members are racers and this is their way of giving back to the sport they love so much.”

Desert Dingo Racing campaigns a 1969 VW Beetle in off road arcing in the U.S. and Mexico. The team is the official off road race team of the International Diabetes Federation and works to raise awareness of the risks of Type 2 diabetes. The team makes the car available for public events and distributes thousands of hero cards annually with the warning signs of diabetes printed on them in English and Spanish.

About Mag-7
Mag-7 started in 1969 when a pit crew, the original “Magnificent 7”, had their car drop out of the race and decided to stay in place and provide support to whomever needed it. This sparked a tradition of volunteerism and adventure that remains today and has included hundreds of racers, volunteers and dozens of veteran pit “captains”. Racers in Baja are used to seeing the familiar and welcoming Mag7 orange in all sort of locations and conditions on the race course. Where racers need us the most, they’ll see orange! For more information, visit http://www.mag7pits.com .

About Desert Dingo Racing
Desert Dingo Racing is a Northern California-based race team campaigning a 1969 VW Beetle in off road races in the U.S. and Mexico. They are the official World Diabetes Day off road race team and raise awareness of the risks of Type 2 diabetes with their race program. For more information, visit www.desertdingo.com .

November 15, 2015
Whiskey! Tango! Foxtrot!

The Baja 1000 is better with coffee.

Cyrus and his guys made a run up to San Diego, got parts for the Jeep and we resumed pre-running Thursday.

We resumed pre-running in the little town of San Tomas, and the course cuts off Highway 1 adjacent to the tire store.

While Cyrus, Carl, Crusty and Adam pre-ran the course, I chillaxed on a deserted beach south of Colonet waiting for them with extra fuel.

With a full load of fuel, they continued on south beyond San Quintin and we spent a lot of time driving around in the dark trying to find each other, then trying to find a place to camp by the beach, then towing the Westy out of the wet sand because we were, apparently too close to the beach.

Chase 2: “Is this a good spot?”

Chase 1: “Jim says no. He can’t hear the surf crashing from here.”

I fell asleep before shutting the side door and sometime during the night managed to kick the back door open, so the Westy made an efficient wind tunnel for the freezing cold air, nearly killing Carl who had the top bunk.

Heading out the next morning, we immediately hit morning rush hour traffic, which consisted of a couple hundred head of sheep, two dogs and a guy with a bicycle and a stick.

We made it as far as El Rosario when the Jeep started making expensive noises and opted to head back to Ensenada to Cyrus could go pick up more members of his posse. But first, a taco stop. Not sure what is planned for tomorrow.

I love these places.

November 13, 2015
Pre-pre-running

This post brought to you by our sponsor – Outlaw Soaps.

Today was supposed to be the first of two days of pre-running that would take us to the southern end of the course. Baja laughed.

Cyrus, Carl and Adam joined Dennis Hollenbeck in the Jeeps. I packed up the Westie with three days worth of stuff. We hit the Pemex for gas (I somehow ended up with 15 gallons of fuel in jugs in the car, which made me a rolling gas bomb).

They headed north to pick up the course somewhere around RM35. I headed south toward a town whose name I forgot about five seconds after Dennis told me for the seventh time. We started with radios and then switched to texting with the Iridium Go’s to stay in touch.

Why green signs indicate “Wrong Way” is beyond me.

By the time I hit San Tomas I knew I’d gone too far, so I doubled back, then took a wrong turn and ended up in a vineyard. Finally spotted a bunch of “Wrong Way” signs and knew I was in the right place.

This is where they were supposed to come out.

I had five hours to kill, so once I got parked, I added Chase decals to Chase 1, which had been dubbed El Tortuga. Because of that, Cyrus said I could give his Jeep a nickname. I’m leaning toward “The Gimp” (see below).

Once I got everything set up perfectly, I got a text via the Go that they’d broken a shock 10 miles into pre-running, and they were headed back. So I did too.

Cyrus and Adam headed to San Diego for a new set of shocks, which they picked up at 7:40 p.m., installed and then debated driving back that night. I told them “Don’t.” They stayed. I think they’e making another trip to the parts store and should be back around noon, at which time pre-running resumes.

Carl and I entertained each other learning how to tie a bowline knot. Adam taught us how.

“The rabbit comes out of the hole, goes behind the tree and then goes down the hole.”

“First I have to do this, and then I do that.”

“No, use your terminology.”

“I had to make the tree and the hole.”

November 11, 2015