The 2024 version of NORRA’s Mexican 1000 was marred by the deaths of rivals Brent Yeadon and Johnny Kaiser, casting a shadow over Steve Menzies and Matt Sutherland‘s general victories.
Yeadon, the co-driver for Larry Trim‘s 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Classic Brief Wheelbase 4×4, pushed by Curt Leduc to a Inventory Mini class win on the 1993 Baja 1000), suffered a deadly coronary heart assault through the opening stage; though he pulled over to obtain medical consideration, he died shortly after. The artistic director for Visible Metals outdoors of racing, Yeadon was 61 years previous. Trim instantly withdrew from the race.
Kaiser misplaced his life through the penultimate day when the #507 Jake’s 5U Classic Class 5 buggy (with Rick Paquette) rolled over. Because of the mud kicked up, the #86 Raceco Classic Open Buggy led by Jay Culbertson was unable to keep away from impression. The accident, together with a close-by trainer’s strike, brought about a prolonged delay for automobiles within the space such that NORRA eliminated the timed part from the ultimate outcomes.
One of many prime fabricators in off-road racing, Kaiser constructed vehicles and buggies and even these in between—referred to as truggies—for a litany of consumers together with Robbie Pierce and Robby Gordon. He was chargeable for lots of Gordon’s autos together with his Trophy Truck, Dakar Rally Hummer, and Stadium Tremendous Truck. After ending the race twenty-fourth within the Evolution Professional Turbo UTV class, Gordon mentioned he had “very, very blended emotions” within the wake of Kaiser’s passing.
“That took quite a bit out of the success we’ve had with SPEED UTV,” he continued. “It’s a serious setback. That’s one in all my greatest buddies. I don’t know what number of all-nighters he did within the store to make the automobiles sooner. Excellent man, very artistic, and undoubtedly going to be missed by us.”
The tragedies solid a damper over an in any other case dramatic race. Menzies and his son, reigning Baja 1000 and SCORE Worldwide champion Bryce Menzies, battled with the latter’s SCORE rival Larry Roeseler for the general win within the Professional Automobiles class. Each groups, racing Trophy Vehicles, had been separated by lower than ten minutes coming into the sixth and last day earlier than Menzies pulled away for the victory. The Menzies household has received the 1000 general yearly since 2022.
“To do that 3 times in a row is unreal,” mentioned Bryce. “That is all about simply having enjoyable with my dad, coming down right here, having fun with it. It was cool to convey Oren (Anderson, co-driver) down this time. What a day. My dad began out, did superior, and he hates the tight, twisty stuff. Coming into Cabo, I used to be like, ‘Come on, dude, you bought to complete,’ however he wished me to complete. Had an superior run. The fellows did an superior job on prepping the truck. We stayed over 1,300 miles to get down right here to Cabo so what a day, what a run.
“It’s fairly particular. With the ability to swap roles and watch him have a smile on his face and simply actually get pleasure from it, it’s what it’s all about. We’ve been doing this for seventeen years as a occupation of racing full time. This race has acquired to be one in all my favorite races all yr. Come down, simply get pleasure from it, have enjoyable, get to see each a part of Baja that’s so stunning. We adore it and may’t anticipate subsequent yr.”
On the bike aspect, Sutherland additionally loved his third win in a row on a KTM 450 Rally; the bike is without doubt one of the premier fashions in rally raid, which NORRA occasions are loosely styled after. The bike course was designed by Dakar Rally veteran and bike race director Jimmy Lewis, and the fourth day even featured a marathon stage that forbade riders from outdoors help like what’s seen in rallies. Whereas Sutherland has by no means raced the Dakar, he’s an Africa Eco Race alumnus and received each the Sonora Rally’s Malle Moto class and the 1000 in consecutive weeks in 2023.
Sutherland beat Alexander Smith by forty-eight minutes. Smith was driving on Ducati’s new DesertX Rally bike, which is partly impressed by their Dakar-tribute DesertX albeit with extra enduro and motocross flavours. His Ducati team-mate Steve Kamrad was disqualified for going within the unsuitable course through the second day and crashing with Matthew Glade.
Rob MacCachren, one other SCORE legend, completed runner-up in Evolution Heavy Metallic in his NORRA début. He raced a Jimco pre-runner truck from his SCORE staff Fastball Racing, led by boss Bobby Patton. Ford’s Brad Lovell received the category to mark the second straight week a Bronco claimed a North American desert victory of some variety after Vaughn Gittin Jr. in Finest In The Desert.
“This was my first NORRA race and I’d must say I’m impressed,” wrote MacCachren. “The course was difficult at occasions and the times had been lengthy. I noticed elements of Baja I hadn’t seen in my 30+ years of racing down right here. We broke on day 3 and to know we might catch up and proceed racing was such an fascinating issue. Not to mention having the ability to race in a truck with a windshield and A/C. Thanks to Bobby for the invite and alternative. This has been one thing I’ve wished to test off my record for a really very long time.”
Desert nice Larry Ragland topped the Historic Truck aspect in “Arnold”, a four-time Baja 1000 winner constructed by the late Jon Nelson. His essential rival within the class, Mark Put up‘s iconic Riviera Racing “Black Diamond” truck, was destroyed after crashing into the trailer of a chase truck that went on track and triggered a hearth.
Gordon’s SPEED UTV was properly represented as a NORRA associate, with fifteen Bandits and El Diablos entered together with his son and 2023 NORRA 500 UTV winner Max Gordon. Max, who beat his father for the SST season-opening win at Lengthy Seashore a fortnight prior, topped UTV qualifying then positioned twenty-seventh in school, reaching the end and not using a left-front wheel. Brad Halco led the SPEED UTVs with a seventh.
Wayne Matlock was the highest UTV general, ending seventh outright in his Polaris.
Raceco buggies loved a 1–2 Classic Automobile end led by Randy Wilson with Jim Greenway three hours again. Greenway beforehand drove his buggy to the 1984 SCORE 2/1600 general championship. Different distinctive faces amongst these autos included Bruno and Sergio Pinillos‘ 1977 Datsun 280Z, which they plan to revive for the Dakar Basic, Sean Barber‘s Scout Race Terra that rolled down a ravine within the last day however managed to achieve the end, Warfighter Made‘s Chenowth Gentle Strike Automobile utilized by the USA army, and Alex Earle‘s 1967 Jeepster Commando that has since turn out to be a Scorching Wheels diecast. Sonora Rally director Darren Skilton was a staff member on Boyd Jaynes‘ Pioneer 4×4-winning Bronco.
Two courses, JeepSpeed 3700 and Leisure Autos, did not see any finishers after the lone entrants in each had been compelled to retire. Tom Allen led the previous in a 2020 Jeep Wrangler that bowed out after two days, whereas Segismundo Lucas Valdes‘ 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon exited with a mechanical the leg prior.
The Mexican 1000 marked the primary race beneath NORRA’s new period categorisation, with Challenger autos now being these constructed between 1983 and 1992 (beforehand 1983 to 1988) whereas Classic eligibility begins in 1993. The second and last race of 2024, the NORRA 500, is scheduled for twenty-four–27.
