“Whatever you do, don’t roll the car”

VORRA organizers felt so sorry for 1107 they awarded it a finishing pin.

Before we did our first Baja 1000, I asked Eric Solorzano, nine-time Baja 1000 winner, why he had his auxiliary oil cooler mounted to the roof, and wouldn’t it get crushed if he rolled the car. His advice to me was “Don’t roll the car.”

Naturally, we rolled the car this weekend.

It started with pre-running on Friday. We (Richard driving, me co-dogging it) rolled out of the pits around 1 p.m. figuring two hours on the course, back to the pits, then driving into town for tech and contingency.

Right.

Just past RM45 we hit the climb people had been talking about. A mix of rocks, silt, berms, a hairpin turn and more of the same. We made six runs at it and couldn’t get over the top. I turned to Richard and said “I’m man enough to cry right now.”

Then, backing down the hill, we high centered 1107 on the side of the road. Making a long story short, using a folding Boy Scout shovel, a few rocks and a dessicated lizard, we built an offramp that would make Caltrans proud. We backtracked on the course and found a road that got us back to the pits.

Race morning. It’s down us and The Green Booger, as Bob Messer (1177) threw a rod during pre-running. (Note to self, never drink a bottle of rum and pass out in a camp chair around people with access to colored Sharpies and video cameras).

Following the first eight miles of rocks, sand, silt and whoops, we settled into a pace with us in the lead, followed by David Oram’s 9 car and The Green Booger right behind. About RM15 things went to hell in a handbasket. The Booger apparently missed a turn in the dust and went into a ditch. In a show of solidarity, we promptly rolled 1107 on a sweeping left turn and I ended suspended above Richard in my five point harness. I was halfway out of the car when David Oram got to us.

Making a long story short, Oram and his co-driver got us back on our wheels, we pulled out the bent fenders as best we could and were on our way. The VORRA team cut down a berm on the RM45 climb and we were good to go.

Pitting after the first lap we removed what was left of the two front fenders, took fuel and  little bit of oil and were on our way. We figured we didn’t have any chance to catch The Booger, so spent the next two laps kvetching about the trucks and Class 1s chewing up a perfectly good course.

Congrats to Boogers Gary and Megan on the win and taking over first place in season points for Class 11. Thanks to everyone who helped us in the pits and on the course (“Can you help a brother out with a quart of 10W-40?”) and of course thanks to the entire VORRA team for all their dedication and hard work to pull off another great event.

This morning Roxanne said “How did you get bruises on your back?”

A gallery of photos from the Hawthorne 225 weekend here. (The good ones were taken by Megan’s mom, Marsha. Thanks for letting me post them.)