The 57th Annual SCORE International Baja 500 saw over 280 racers take on Baja California’s rugged terrain. Starting and finishing in Ensenada, this iconic 460-mile loop has a grueling 18-hour time limit. There were an estimated 50,000 spectators (whoa) all battling dust, rocks, and intense weather.
Baja 500 Race Prep
Off-road racer and friend of Superwinch, Blake Wilkey, was ready for the challenge with his Superwinch equipped UTV. Check out his prep highlights above, including a few unexpected twists and turns that kept things interesting!
“Testing yesterday for the SCORE International Baja 500 started out rough – a mechanical issue off the bat. However, we were able to overcome with parts and tools from SD to Plaster city – got it back up and going. Harrison Weiss and I with @_david.vb co-driving, made some clicker adjustments to hone it in to be more plush on the smaller stuff yet rigid enough for the bigger holes and crowns in the deep two track. We’re confident in this @m81designs chassis after some once overs and excited for Mexico! Regardless how it shakes out memories will be made and tacos will be devoured! Let’s see how this shakes out!”
Winches Made For Tough Terrain
For off-road enthusiasts, the Baja 500 is THE race to highlight the need for tough and reliable recovery gear, making a Superwinch winch an ideal companion.
Experienced racer, Harrison Weiss, understands the importance of team support and a rig with gear you can count on:
“Baja never disappoints at throwing everything at you but we have never been more dialed and prepared than we were this race with the crew we had! – [Superwinch], we couldn’t have done it without you guys!“
Check out Harrison’s recap of the race day below – it’s a saga of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The race culminated in an 11th place Pro UTV Open division finish for Wilkey/Weiss, and a great feeling of satisfaction for all. Finishing is half the battle!
“Blake started off the line 16th/20 and ran smoothly, getting to 5th on time and 7th physically until mile 120, when he entered the first highway speed zone with a flat. He swapped it quickly with some locals and got to Pit 1 for fuel, visuals, and rerack. Blake started heading up Mike’s when he got nerfed, breaking the rear spare strap, and the spare/impact bag came off the car.”
“He ran smoothly as the 8th physical car until mile 190 (give or take) when the rear axle pulled out of the diff. Since the tool bag was gone, he couldn’t remove the axle. He strapped the axle up and kept moving until he found someone with a cutoff blade to cut the axle off!”
“In 3-wheel drive, he made it to Driver Swap Pit 240, where we swapped in a new axle, and I got in the car! We ran smoothly and well up the coast with no drama, got to Pit 3 at mile 350, and then 10 miles later earned a flat. We changed it, got to the highway at mile 380 for a rerack, and then at mile 400 or so tipped the car over on an off-camber hill climb.”
“I couldn’t see and slowed up, and then, literally at 0 MPH, gravity did its thing, rolling us one full rotation. Even if I stayed on the gas, there was a huge rock 4 feet ahead we would have surely hit. I was so bummed. I’ve also never rolled anyone’s car or even my own in a race, but I knew we were all good, and it was only cosmetic, which is all that matters.”
“Locals helped us flip it over with a truck after we tried with the AGM jack. Then we made our way 40 more miles to the finish! Baja is a wild adventure. We came here to finish, and we did, and we are all safe. The crew killed it, onto the Baja 400!”
Trail Gear From Superwinch
If you have an overlander, Jeep, truck, or SUV you want to make off-road ready, Superwinch has you covered. We have decades of experience on-and-off road, and we’re enthusiasts just like you who know the importance of gear you can count on.
Check out our winch and hoist lines as well as our great selection of recovery gear – and contact us if you have any questions – we’re glad to help.
