Official UTVUnderground Baja 500 Updates Thread
- Thread starter JoeyD23
- Start date
I want to shout out to the 1937 of Marc Behnke. Stopped to help us and I can't thank him enough. Unfortunately he wrecked his RZR around mm 165. There we tons of people around helping and it didn't look good. I hope you guys are both ok as the car looked pretty bent up.
1 Flat or 1 belt change can change everything. The Mav does not have the top speed of the Polaris and the down time changing a belt on a Mav is much longer then a Polaris. Burnett has been dealing with dust as he & the #511 have been trading positions for miles & miles. Brandon has had much cleaner air so I'm not surprised he has been able to make up time on Barnett.
The last 100 miles is where most of these races are won & lost. My team worked hard to make the last 100 miles our specialty. Mark has raced Baja for a long time and I know he understands what the last 100 miles take. I dont know what Brandon's experience in Baja or these long distance types of races.
When I say we worked hard and trained for the last 100 miles, our race strategy was to stay in the top 5 all day, never let the lead pack pull away from you like what happened to Matt Parks. Double up your pit crews & visual locations the last 100 miles. Have planned locations to do time splits so the drivers know how hard to push and when not too. We also practiced doing tire changes and minor repairs in the dark with no light. Seriously we would go to the desert at night to do night testing and during this testing we would drive the car a couple hundred yards from camp and get out and change tires with no light. Change fan belts with only moon light. Even buckling back in the car and hooking up you helmet in the dark can take an extra minute or 4 if you dont train. Your tired and everything becomes a huge effort with 100 miles too go.
The last 100 miles is where most of these races are won & lost. My team worked hard to make the last 100 miles our specialty. Mark has raced Baja for a long time and I know he understands what the last 100 miles take. I dont know what Brandon's experience in Baja or these long distance types of races.
When I say we worked hard and trained for the last 100 miles, our race strategy was to stay in the top 5 all day, never let the lead pack pull away from you like what happened to Matt Parks. Double up your pit crews & visual locations the last 100 miles. Have planned locations to do time splits so the drivers know how hard to push and when not too. We also practiced doing tire changes and minor repairs in the dark with no light. Seriously we would go to the desert at night to do night testing and during this testing we would drive the car a couple hundred yards from camp and get out and change tires with no light. Change fan belts with only moon light. Even buckling back in the car and hooking up you helmet in the dark can take an extra minute or 4 if you dont train. Your tired and everything becomes a huge effort with 100 miles too go.
At this point Barnett just needs to keep it going forward and Sims needs Barnett to have an issue for him to catch him. Very impressive for both of these teams. Personally Im rooting for Barnett as I know how hard Reid has been working this last week alone. I have seen what a cluster F*#K that engine is to pull, and to think he had to pull one out of the stock 4 seater car means he pulled two engines to get one. This will be a huge win for Marc and the team, but more for what Reid has done. I have been to the shop, and while its a nice big building. Reid gets a small corner and literally fabs & preps this by himself. Last time I was there his brother was there, but I know Reid is the main guy doing everything.
Listening to some of the finishing 1600 cars interviews. They are saying that there were 5 log jams in the first 225 miles. Most blockages were from the bigger class 1, 10 and TT spec classes. That is very frustrating as sitting at one can take you out of the win if the first few in your class can clear those.
One more example of what 1905 did by not sitting in line and going around cars sitting and waiting. This could have been the difference in winning and finishing 4th. It will be interesting to hear what Matt Parks has to say. What issues they had and how much to the jams hold them up. This is another reason why I never understood taking a rear start.
Marcs in!!!!!!!!!
One more example of what 1905 did by not sitting in line and going around cars sitting and waiting. This could have been the difference in winning and finishing 4th. It will be interesting to hear what Matt Parks has to say. What issues they had and how much to the jams hold them up. This is another reason why I never understood taking a rear start.
Marcs in!!!!!!!!!
http://bajasafari.blogspot.com/2014/05/live-baja-500-online-stream-studio-link.html?m=1
LIVE FEED
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In Marc's interview he talks about having to hit a class 1, class 10, class "5" and a few others. He said you will see them soon and I expect they are not going to be happy with me. But this is racing and if a little UTV is hitting you, you might what to check your driving ability.
I guess something in the trans was an issues and has been clicking from the start. They then lost a belt early in the day, then had front suspension/steering issues which Marc said slowed him down that last part of the race. This makes since on why Brandon was able to gain a bunch on Marc up through San Felipe and the last 100 miles.
Marc gave huge props to Reid and said he puts his heart & soul into this effort.
I guess something in the trans was an issues and has been clicking from the start. They then lost a belt early in the day, then had front suspension/steering issues which Marc said slowed him down that last part of the race. This makes since on why Brandon was able to gain a bunch on Marc up through San Felipe and the last 100 miles.
Marc gave huge props to Reid and said he puts his heart & soul into this effort.
Brandon should be coming in the next few min. 1920 John Angal is at RM 390, so 53 miles out from the finish. Then Matt Parks 1932 is another 6 miles back from John 1920. These guys have a good 1.5 hours to go. That just shows you how far out Marc & Brandon were on the rest of the class.
Brandon said his biggest issues were stuck traffic and he had to help pull a TT spec truck out of the way to get by. Then had to stop at one point to knock out the air filter as it was plugged up with silt. Next pit they installed a new filter and was good to go.
Both Marc & Brandon commented on having ZERO flats! That is huge. Both noted they were using ITP tires. (No comment on what sealant they had in the tires!)
Also both solo'ed the race and this was Brandon's first Baja race.
Congrats to both!!!!!
Both Marc & Brandon commented on having ZERO flats! That is huge. Both noted they were using ITP tires. (No comment on what sealant they had in the tires!)
Also both solo'ed the race and this was Brandon's first Baja race.
Congrats to both!!!!!
