APRIL 26, 2025
STAGE 1:
ENSENADA TO SAN FELIPE
MILES: 198.1
At 10:34 a.m., the green flag dropped, and we were off. It’s real now, and there is no turning back. A year's worth of resilience and rebuilding, all leading to this moment. “Good luck, amigos.”
The “rally-style” format of the NORRA Mexican 1000 involves point-to-point racing. Over the next six days and 1,400 miles, Sean Barber and his son Owen — along with their 1976 Scout Terra — will traverse the entire Baja Peninsula.
The race begins in Ensenada with a “transit stage,” miles spent on pavement that do not impact their cumulative race time. The first 16 miles take you through town, amongst civilian traffic. It’s a spectacle: race machines contrasted against the local landscape, passing loncherias and farms.
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Soon we hit our first “special stage” — off-road race sections that add to their cumulative time. This is where the real fun begins, where the pedal meets the floor and the modest 196ci screams to life.
The Race Terra paints a terracotta line through the desert, glowing from the late-day sun. In a matter of moments, it’s gone, and all that’s visible is a trail of dust disappearing into the desert.
Today’s course varies from high-elevation mountain passes to rugged trails and tight switchbacks. The Race Terra neared 5,000 feet at its highest point today. From there: hard-packed dirt, loose dirt, rocks, and the infamous whoops. Baja’s landscape is quick to test those who dare to face it. The racecourse is scattered with broken-down cars and missing parts. Everything is an obstacle; maximum focus required.
It’s hard not to feel nostalgic. The 1976 Scout Terra breathes its legacy into the trail it leaves behind. A few times throughout the day, the Scout reappears on pavement for more “transit stages” through the small towns scattered along the peninsula. Each is a makeshift checkpoint in the middle of nowhere. Spectators gather at the intersection of pavement and dirt to see the sight.
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The sound of the breeze is soon interrupted by the roar of the Race Terra. It appears suddenly from behind the desert brush and cactus. Officials mark the time card, and Sean and Owen meet up with the chase crew.
“It looks like you’re losing oil,” shouts Dan over the motor. Sean cuts it off.
“Four-wheel drive is making a noise,” he responds.
The chase crew surrounds the truck from every angle, visually inspecting every inch. Leaks are searched for, bolts are checked for tightness. Sean and Owen hop out for snacks, a leg stretch, and a report about the day so far.
“Other than that, she’s doing good. Engine is running good, we’re feeling good.” Sean drives; Owen navigates. They have it down to a science. Owen starts shouting out numbers.
“Okay, we got here seven minutes ago, we’ve got 12 miles ahead of us, and 20 minutes left for this transit.”
All that means is we have a few more minutes to snack and drink before continuing on. When in a transit stage, you can be penalized for being too early or too late to the next checkpoint.
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The crew continues looking over the truck. Larry checks the oil. Dan is underneath, rotating the driveshaft to see if anything obvious is wrong with the four-wheel drive.
“We’ll only use it when we need it,” Sean calmly states.
Dan can’t find any obvious issues, and right now the terrain doesn’t demand all four wheels. Owen grabs some spare gas from the chase truck and tops off the Race Terra.
It’s a brand-new engine this year; fuel economy and range are still unknown, but after today, we’ll have a better idea. Sean recreates the noise he hears one last time for Dan.
“Brrr, brrr, brrr. When the shocks cycle up, I’m hearing it.”
Dan says he’ll check the u-joints — maybe the spider gears in the differential — tonight at camp, along with a list of other things.
The sun lowers in the sky, now at our backs as we head from San Matias toward San Felipe to finish our day. The second half of the day builds in excitement. We hit a rhythm in the flow of the waves of sand, getting lost in the mirages on the horizon. The Race Terra is at home in Baja. The humble four-cylinder motor and archaic suspension were made for trucking through the unforgiving.
With the drop of a checkered flag, the boys pull into San Felipe. The sunset reflects off their smiles, ear to ear. A great first day in the desert.
But now, off to camp for nightly maintenance.
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