JTR Racing

VIVA!! BAJA

2007-11-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

Gabe here, just like to say thanks to all. the crew is some of the best. Mexico is always an adventure and it's twice as sweet when you work along side people with as much heart as
the JTR crew. The race for Jake and i started at mile 679 it was dark and we were fired up to get the car to John with a good lead. not having much time in the seat it took a few miles to sort the car out and it was running strong. feeling good we began to pick up the pace all the way to scorpion bay only to find there was no fuel oops!!! the pit was not there. no problem just hammer down to the loreto check where the JTR boys would come to the rescue. well boom the jeep shut down just before la presma, we think the coil got hot and shut it down! changing to the second coil she fired up and we were back on the road. arriving at the loreto check the JTR boys gave us a quick splash and look over. At this point the average for our section was around 65mph yaaaaahoooo! back on the pipe we started the last 40 miles, this section was were many would not survive. at race mile 880 big silt! this would continue for 15 miles the little jeep kept chugging along until an encounter with a rock sent the front of the jeep into orbit. breaking the pan hard bar. but it was not long before the JTR boys came to the rescue. Dave that boy jumped into action! changing it out in about 15min he rocks! away we went but much easier. with no other moments we handed the car to john early morning. you boys at JTR put together a great car and it was a prevliage to be able to race with all of you. Gabe out VIVA BAJA!!!!!!!!

A Daughters Gift

2007-11-25T11:14:00.000-08:00

Home at 3:30am Monday. I woke up at 7am so I could see Chris and the kids before they were off to school. It seemed like it had been months since I had been able to spend any time with them, well 4 months anyways. Feels good to be home after our long journey. My daughter tells me she has a present for me, grabs my hand and leads me to her room. She tells me; I wrote you a song, would you like to here it? well, of course I would love to hear it. She picked up her little guitar and started playing music. I am pretty sure there were no actual notes or chords played, but it sounded beautiful to me. She played her guitar and said her song was called the Baja song. Her song told about her daddy going to baja to race the baja truck, she missed me while I was gone and how much she loved me.
It is hard for me to put words to this. I am very touched by her words, especially coming from a 6 year old. She gave me a gift well beyond my expectations.
I am glad to be home, but I don't know if my mind has actually made it home yet.
I am very proud to have been a part of such a huge event with a group of people that performed well together to get the job done for 1166 miles. that is well past a baja 1000, just not this one. We will have to finish it next year. Thanks.
Tony

It's Not Only a Race

2007-11-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

These words come from a t-shirt that I bought for Rodney at Mama Espinoza's. I think they sum it up pretty well.
It's not only a race.
It's planning vision courage intelligence
money dedication effort
pre-run to know the land
anxiety to begin the race
emotion adrenalin dust speed strategy experience patience frustration pits
friendship competition
rocks mountains desert beach streams fog bumps cactus and more dust
To arrive in los cabos finish line (which we didn't, but oh well)
after many stories filled with emptiness.
There's only one thing to do...wait for the next race. This is Baja.
Vayan con dios!!!
Kathy says we're up to $1650 and growing for the kids who will be going to Gales Creek this year, because of those who have been going the extra mile with us. That's almost 5 kids and their families who will potentially have their own life changing experience because of the Baja. Thanks.
Nikki

Re-Entry

2007-11-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

The team rolled back into Corvallis around 3:30 am this morning, after driving from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA through, sun, rain, and snow flurries. When Rod and I walked in the door of our house we were greeted by flowers, a freshly cleaned house and sheets on our bed, food for breakfast on the counter, and love notes from some dear family friends and my daughter. Ah, sweet. And what a delicious feeling, sliding into bed, sliding into sleep. I was jarred awake at 8:15 am by a phone call from one of the teams on the Champ Car Atlantic Series looking for info about how to pick up their tire order- heavy sigh- back to work. Toto, we're not in Baja anymore. Back to the real world.
I'm hoping some of the rest of the team will share some of their stories here over the next few days. Right now, I'm pretty raw and emotional. The words are not flowing well yet, as I'm still processing what this has all been about- it was a simple sporting event, but it was oh, so much more. Our team was incredible, in the true sense of the word. The energy these guys expended on driving the narrow, twisty roads of Baja in the dark with little sleep and little food; on on-the-spot problem solving and major high-desert car repairs; on re-configuring tactical plans- wow, it was amazing. I have the highest respect and admiration for all of them. And as I just finished reading the blogs and comments from friends, I am touched. Thanks for all of the love and support. More later.- Gratefully, Nikki

A Place for the Weary:

2007-11-15T22:12:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 10:35-36 35 So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward.36 You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised.

Is there anything more frail than a bruised reed? Look at the bruised reed at the waters edge. A once slender and tall stalk of sturdy river grass, it is now bowed and bent.

Are you a bruised reed? Was it so long ago that you stood so tall, so proud?...

Then something happened. You were bruised...
By harsh words
By a friends anger
By a spouses betrail
A lost race...

The bruised reed... society knows what to do with you... the world will break you off; the world will snuff you out.

But the artists of scripture proclaim that God won't. Painted on canvas after canvas is the tender touch of the Creator who has a special place for the bruised and weary of the world. A God who is the friend of the wounded heart.

~From Carla and Mitchell... God Loves You All, We Love You All!

A Request

2007-11-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

If you have been following this blog, please take a moment, if you haven't, and add a comment for our team using the comment feature at the bottom of this post. We would love to know who has been following our efforts. Also, if you feel motivated to donate some money to Gales Creek in support of our effort, every little bit helps, directions are on our website. www.jtrracing.com. Thanks for all your comments, prayers and encouraging words, as cliche as it might sound, they really did keep us going as this all unfolded. This blog will stay active for another few weeks so driver teams, and chase crew can add stories from Baja.

Thanks.

Rod

From Alita Stauber

2007-11-15T15:45:00.000-08:00

Fwd: I just heard...you guys put in an awesome effort! You made it so far, and i'm really proud of all of you! Lots and lots of love, alita

~Master Geek Mitchell~

2007-11-15T15:37:00.001-08:00

I am astounded by the incredible effort made on all fronts to make this thing happen, to see where it went, and how it finished. From where I sit and how I feel about this experience I am in awe at how well you all did in the face of this totally brutal event. I sent out a text before this started that I feel strongly about, a text that I want live by: "I will Praise God when I win and I will Praise God win I lose"

Great Job All!!!

I will sit at a computer for the rest of the day and night to post any
and all blogs you guys want posted.

~mitchell

302 Update - 3:17 p.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

We blew the motor at RM1166. We are out of the race

Status 2:30pm

2007-11-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

Two chase crews decending on 302 with new radiator. 15 minutes out, than must swap radiator and get 302 to check point 10, 83 miles away, in 1.5 hours.

302 Update - 2:26 p.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

302 radiator blown RM 1160. Crew trying to sawp prior to check point 10 closure at 4 pm RM 1243

302 Update - 2:21 p.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T14:23:00.001-08:00

306 reported out by BFG. 3rd place is ours if 302 makes finish by 6 pm PST.

302 Update - 12:02 p.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T12:05:00.000-08:00

Chase2 not stuck, on move

Gales Creek Donations

2007-11-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

$1120 raised so far!!! ~Kathy

302 Update - 11:48 - Day Three

2007-11-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Dave, Gabe, Jake headed to pit 12 in trackside ford. John & Tony in 302 headed to 12. Chase 2 stuck in silt pit 11, chase 2 trying to extract

302 Update - 11:39 a.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

Gabe Jake and Dave are at km112 holding incase the pan hard bar is needed in. If not needed we will head to Vic's pit

302 Update - 11:15 a.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T11:35:00.001-08:00

302 passed 1,106 @ 11:15 am - vic @ 1,227 with Gas

302 Update - 10:51 a.m. - Day three

2007-11-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

Class 3 1st and 2nd place already finished. 302 3rd by approximately 2 hours.

Update from Rod - 10:33 am -Day Three

2007-11-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

Broke pan hard bar being fixed by Gabe & Jake at local welder, then to pit 11 to hand off as spare to chase 2.

From Rod Via Nikki - 10:19 a.m. - Day Three

2007-11-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

Chase 1 & 2 at pit 11, vic at pit 12. Tony getting in at pit 11, he is exhausted, but pushing through. Team estimates can make Cabo before close!!

Update from Vic via Nancy - 9:13 am - Day Three

2007-11-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

vic has 33 gal of gas and is heading north. vic, cameron & cody can be reached by sat phone or

radio.

Check Point Closures Today

2007-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Check point 9, rm 1120 closes at 1pm
Check point 10, rm 1243 closes at 4pm
Check point 11 FINISH, rm 1296 closes at 6pm.

302 Update - 8:45 am - Day Three

2007-11-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

302 BY RM 1015.BY CHECK POINT 8.

302 Update - 8:21 - Day Three

2007-11-15T08:24:00.001-08:00

Just talked with chase 2, they are headed to rm 1040 to rendevous with 302, approx rm 1040

Race Report RM 0-321

2007-11-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

My last post was a bit of a bummer to read, I am still very disappointed to not be in southern Baja, but alas I am not.

Dave and I drove out of the San Nicolas hotel in 302 Tuesday around noon. We worked our way through congested surface streets to race start. After 20 minutes or so of staging, we began to roll toward start. They checked our wrists for race bands and helmets for tech stickers. We did final prep and rolled onto the starting platform. Sal Fish, race organizer, told us to have fun, and be safe. We rolled down to SCORE start and within 20 seconds had a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and go countdown. We took off! We were officially racing the Baja 1000. After a few city blocks we dropped into the wash where they had built a big dirt jump and the streets and wash were lined with people. I did NOT do a 50 yard jump off the dirt ramp as the trophy trucks did, in fact I don't think we were air born at all. Driving up out of Ensenada was a trip. I had never seen this part of the course and it was 35 miles of winding dirt roads, surface streets, people, dogs, kids, chaos. Locals would try and point you down alternate routes that had more "fun" potential for them, more likely a crash for us. I was suckered into a few, but was driving slow in the unknowns, so we did fine. We passed several cars in this 35 miles from other classes, and generally just tried to settle in. I became very unnerved when car 300, the class 3 winner at Baja the last 6 years, and is currently in the lead again, came right up on my tail, I looked in the mirror and all I saw was his grill, oh man, I have never raced in a car before, and that shook me up. We moved over as the road allowed and he went around. One other time I didn't hear a car that was wanting around, so he bumped us to get our attention, that was an odd feeling! Once out of this 35 miles, we moved into roads I was more familiar with. Also the GPS track didn't start until RM35, so Dave and I were using dust, locals and score route markers only, it was a bit zanny. Our section was an unrelenting, rock strewn, boulder climb/decent, whooped out, torture chamber. 321 miles of punishment to man and machine. We knew we had to get the car through in one piece, and I am proud to say, we delivered it to RM 321 without even a flat! Dave and I, I humbly say, are a great driving team. I wouldn't have wanted to share that time with anyone else, and I am not sure anyone else could have driving it better. We were reserved, cautious, he would speak a thought moments before I was going to say the same thing, we just stayed on the same page for speed, control and navigation the whole time, well until RM 280 anyway. We came across a rolled over vehicle on fire at one point, I anchored the breaks and Dave was away with our halon co-driver fire extinguisher as our car stopped, he was away to put out the fire, confirmed occupants OK, and we took off again. We came across a buggy on a verge of rolling down a steep side bank, so we quickly attached a tow strap onto it and pulled it back to safety, then we were off again. We got a radio call that Chase 1 with Tony, Nikki, Tom and Matt (I think) were stopped just before check point 1, that was really cool to drive past them, blow the horn as they waved us on. The night wore into early morning, and we had the 280 incident. Another entry further down. And I have to take my hat off and give, what few of you really could understand, credit where credit is due. Dave drove from rm 280 to 321 solo. Through the most brutal section of the Baja 1000. He had never seen it before, as a solo driver, he had to watch the route on the GPS and in front at the same time. He had no second voice to confirm route, or line choice, he on-sighted the last 41 miles with no prior knowledge of where to go or how to get there. That is an amazing feat. I pre-ran that section last week, and I can only imagine the level of focus Dave must have had, and that was after being in the race vehicle for 12 hours already, and it would have taken place between 2:30am and 4:30am in the morning. The only explanation I can offer is that God was right there with him, answering our prayers from earlier. I don't know of any other stories from the race or chase, yet, but I am anxious to hear the details from the rest of the driver teams. I will sign off, staying tuned....just like you....

Rod