All language subtitles for Dust.2.Glory.2017.720p.BluRay.x264.DTS-FGT-HI

Dana: How many times
did you race the 1000?

- Eric: Like 27?
- Dana: 27.

Eric: Yeah.

We have to take it easy, we
have a lot of miles, you know?

Dana". Oh yeah.

- Eric: You comfortable, Dana?
- Dana: Absolutely.

Dana: Behind the wheel

is championship
driver Eric Solorzano.

His rookie navigator is
the human bobblehead,

Dana Brown, which is me.

We're among 1,458 others
who have entered this race.

270 vehicles competing
in 35 different classes.

From Eric's 1974 VW Bug to
futuristic class one buggies.

ATVs to UTVs to Humvees.

40-horsepower dirt bikes to
900-horsepower trophy trucks,

and everything in between.

All racing against the clock,

all racing the same
854 punishing miles.

Racing down ranch roads
and up goat trails,

along the beaches,
into the mountains,

and across the desert.

It's a wild, beautiful,
crazy adventure,

a race unlike any other.

It is the Baja 1000.

How did I get here?

Well, let's go back a bit.

Announcer On PA:
The biggest party in Baja

is still the--

Dana: Our journey began
at the previous 1000.

A decade ago, I made a film
about it, Dust to Glory.

Now, thanks to Roger
Norman, the head of SCORE,

the organization
that runs this race,

I was planning another.

This time we'll follow

the entire World Desert
Championship season,

all four SCORE events,
which culminates here,

at the big daddy,
the Baja 1000.

Announcer On PA:
And there has been some

battles had out there,
right now that is--

Dana: So many stories,

from the overall
winner Rob MacCachren,

to the fastest on two
wheels, Colton Udall,

leader of the unbeatable
Ox Motorsports team,

Announcer On PA: Colton Udall

and Henson takin'
that overall win.

Dana". To Warrior Built,
a team of wounded combat vets

racing on a motorcycle,

to Baja icon,
78-year-old Rod Hall,

the only person to race
in all 48 Baja 1000s.

However, the most amazing
competitor in that race

was a first-timer,
Lyndon Jones.

Lyndon bought a motorcycle
in his home state of Utah,

headed south of the border for
the first time in his life.

Without support or spare parts,
he attempted the race solo.

At safety inspection,
Lyndon's shoes earned him

a nickname from the
SCORE officials.

His nickname is Wingtip.

Yeah, he doesn't even
know any of us know him,

or anything, we just kind of
affectionately called him that

'cause he showed up to
tech wearing wingtip shoes

and a business suit,
casual, so.

Lookin' sharp, though, he
was definitely lookin' sharp.

He is the most
text-queried person

in our system right now.

More people are checkin' on him

- than anyone else to see
- Are they really?

- What's goin' on, yeah.
- Wow, that's awesome.

- Yeah.
- This has gone viral.

Dana: How trippy is
that gonna be for him?

Like, just greeted
by, "Hey Wingtip!"

He's gonna go, like, "I think
you got the wrong guy."

Even though Lyndon's time to
finish officially had passed,

the SCORE staff
and Roger Norman

made sure he had
a hero's welcome.

A non-vote of
confidence, I go,

"Listen, I'm gonna
tell you right now,

"if you make it
more than 400 miles,

consider it a success."

And he's like, "Thanks, man."

And now I feel like such a jerk,

because I'm like, dude,
he's gonna do like 900.

- Yeah.
- Oh, good.

Unbelievable.

Announcer On PA: Check it out,

he just came from
Utah, came down here,

no chase crew, all by himself,

on a brand-new motorcycle
that speeds him,

let's hear it once again,

put your hands together, folks,
this is Wingtip.

Dana". Lyndon
Jones started alone,

and finished the race with
a new group of friends.

Announcer On PA: All
the SCORE officials,

we knew he timed out, but
this is his first attempt,

and amazing to see this man
come across the finish line.

- You're awesome!
- Announcer on PA: For the first time

down here at the Baja 1000.

Interviewer: Did you
pre-run the course at all?

No, not at all.

Interviewer: All right,
did you bring spare tires?

No, I did not.

Man: Look at the tires.

Did you ever
watch Dust to Glory?

Yeah, there's a lot more dust
than there is glory in this.

Woke up Friday morning,

and had to fulfill
the dream of my life.

Dana: We talked to Wingtip

about featuring
him in this film.

Sadly, Lyndon Jones would
pass away that spring.

Baja is a place that
defies imagination.

Baja is an adventure.

It's got a green
flag, a start line,

checkered flag, and a finish.

Everything in between
is a crapshoot.

The only thing you
can describe Baja as

is it's just like life,
you got your ups and downs,

you got your highs and
lows, but in the end,

if you work hard enough
you'll always get through it.

Every time you cross the
border, it's a new adventure.

Dana: A 1200-kilometer peninsula

right below California,

with a white shark breeding
ground off the Pacific coast,

gray whales coming to
calf in the Sea of Cortez,

Baja is the least-populated
region of Mexico.

The geography ranges from
snow-capped, 10,000-foot peaks

to scorching deserts.

He can realize how
wonderful land is,

nature is, ocean is.

- Hm, mountains.
- And he can realize

when he race in Baja.

It's like the Wild West, it
just kinda opens your eyes.

It's the ultimate
test of man and machine.

It's magic.

It's a great place.

I don't know how
you could beat it.

I love coming down here.

I look forward to
it so much, it's...

I don't know what to say.

Dana: For 50 years they've
come to race the Baja,

all joined under
the same big tent.

And they come from
all walks of life.

I'm Ryan Penhall, I'm a
heavy equipment operator.

I'm an aerospace manufacturer.

I'm professional skier
and airborne sportsman.

I'm a businessman.

I work for the railroad,
I'm a diesel electrician now,

now that I've retired
from the Marine Corps.

I'm an environmental
contractor for the military.

I'm a flight paramedic.

P.J. Jones, race driver.

I don't golf, I don't hunt,
I don't fish,

but I race.

Dana: Baja is a special place,

and to know Baja
and off-road racing,

you have to know its people.

We began at the traditional
starting line for the 1000,

Ensenada, where, if
you follow the fun,

you'll end up at Papas & Beer,

the city's biggest
nightclub and restaurant,

founded, owned, and
operated by the Ampudias,

who embody a true
Mexican success story

and off-road racing.

Two weeks before the
first race of the season,

the Ampudias are testing
their new class eight truck.

The Ampudias represent two
generations of off-road racing.

Rodrigo Ampudias Sr.
was only eight years old

when he saw the start
of the 1000 in Ensenada.

In the half-century since,

after starting a
small taco stand

that has grown into
the biggest restaurant

and nightclub in Ensenada,

that passion for
off-road racing remains.

We cannot get sleep,

and I almost forget
about my business.

Thinking about racing.

First time we race in Baja,
we saw Baja 500, 1984.

And then in 1990, we got
the first win in that car.

First Mexican to win the
Baja 1000 and the Baja 500.

Dana". Rodrigo's racing legacy

has been taken up by his sons.

The eldest, Rodrigo Jr.,
was the first in line.

This was my first
trophy, right here.

In third place in 1600
class, right, San Felipe.

Dana: Rodrigo
Jr. now races trucks

professionally in the US.

For the younger
brothers, Aaron and Alan,

they're working their
way up the ladder.

Last year, they were
class 1600 champions,

this year, with
their father's help,

they're in a class eight truck,

but their dream

is to race in the top class,
the trophy truck.

But that would mean
a pretty big

financial commitment
from dear old Dad.

In your mind,
trophy truck's next?

Hopefully. I think.

I don't think so.

Dana: The Ampudias have just one

of many race
garages in Ensenada.

There are others, like the
one of Alejandro Bio's family.

His dad Cisco, uncle Ramon,
and grandfather Pancho.

Pancho Bio:
I started from ground up.

I grew up here in Ensenada,

and that was my
dream, being a kid.

Get into the Baja racing.

I work hard for it.

So, I think it keeps us
out of trouble for sure,

- Papa!
- 'Cause that's,

we gotta do good in school,
that was always my dad's rule.

We do good in school,
and we get to race.

Yeah, at the 500, I
raced, and then Monday

I was at school.

Dana: Ramon has raced
in a few SCORE events,

but for the first

time, the 17-year-old
high school senior

is going to compete

in the entire Desert
Championship season.

With the help of his father
and brother and Veri Felix.

Veri Felix helps run
her family's winery

and is an incredible racer.

In 2011, she became the
first Mexican woman ever

to win the Baja 1000 in
jaw-dropping fashion.

I drove for more than 25
hours, I drove the whole race.

- Interviewer: Wow.
- Got first place.

Rob MacCachren: The Bio family,
these guys are incredible.

They're here to win a
championship for themselves,

and they're asking me, "What
can we do for you, Rob?"

And I'm like, "Nothing,
nothing, I'm tryin' to help you,

I wanna see you win
the championship."

There's a lotta family racers.

I think once it
gets in your blood,

and you come down here and
you just keep comin' back.

And then everybody's a family

within the whole
racing community.

Dana: This is a family
that loves to do crazy things.

Steven: We're all racing
the same thing.

We're all racing Baja.

Dana: San Felipe is the
first of four events

that make up the SCORE

World Desert Championship
racing season.

At dawn, the season begins

with the first
motorcycle off the line.

It's a race against the clock.

250 punishing miles,

each one more surreal
than the last.

It's a race that
runs on pure passion.

The fans don't pay admission.

The pit crews, all volunteers.

For some, the day would end
in victory in their classes,

like the team of Javier Robles
and Josh Rowe on a pro quad.

The Ampudias would
win in their debut

in the class eight truck.

For 17-year-old Ramon Bio,

it was a hard-fought seventh
place in the class 1600.

There are over two dozen
different classes of vehicles,

but one stands above the
rest, the trophy truck.

Dana: The most expensive,

the fastest, and
a virtual magnet

for the best drivers
from all over the world.

You see trophy trucks
goin' from having

five to six in the
late 90s, early 2000s,

to now we're racing against 35,

40 trophy trucks
at the Baja 1000.

Dana: No Mexican
racer is more popular

than Tavo \/ildosola.

He and his father Gus
are folk heroes in Baja.

Tavo Vildosola:
For us, it's our hobby.

It's a very serious
hobby, obviously,

we spend a lot of money, a lot of time,
a lot of effort into it.

But I don't do this,
this is not my job.

This is what I do for fun.

You've got guys
like Rob MacCachren

and BJ Baldwin and Lalo and
Apdaly, this is what they do.

Dana: Apdaly Lopez is
the first Mexican ever

to win the trophy truck
season championship.

Dana: At San
Felipe, Apdaly Lopez

would finish third
in the trophy trucks.

Tavo Vildosola
would not finish.

His truck would break,

as would half of all
the trophy trucks in the field.

You got your days
when you'll win races

without even tryin', and
then you'll have days

where it was just
war for eight hours

and then a $3 bolt breaks.

Dana: For the
first 2/3 of the race,

Cameron Steele, from San
Clemente, California,

was having a mistake-free day.

And then... the $3 bolt.

Things were goin'
pretty smooth,

I think we won the race
through race mile 174,

but I don't know, somethin'
happened to the steering,

and we stopped to
fix the steering

and found a housing was broken,

so we're gonna pack it
up, Baja wins again.

This isn't the first time
we've been leadin' the race

at race mile 175, at
the same stupid turn.

It's heartbreaking.

Makes you just wanna sell
all this shit and give it up.

Just"

I don't know,
chasing your tail is no fun.

Dana: Cameron
Steele makes his living

off-road racing, but
not as a competitor.

He owns his own video
production company

and is a TV commentator.

On race weekends, you'll
find him working both jobs.

Some of us have two jobs.

Have to race and commentate.

It's how we pay the
bills around here.

Some of us aren't
independently wealthy.

Most people think
that I'm addicted

to the racing, but
that's not really true.

There was a point last year
where I was just thinkin' about quitting.

Because I was just over it,

and the truth is that the
racing isn't my crack.

Baja is what I'm a junkie for.

Dana: Cameron was more
or less raised in Baja,

following his
father's footsteps,

Mark Steele, a famous racer.

It's a passion that has
spread to his own family.

His wife Heidi races as well,
and their daughter,

Cameron Kay,
may be the next in line.

- Steer it, come on sweetie.
- Mash the pedal.

Hey, what's up,
this is number 16.

Cameron Steele:
Baja is our life.

There's somethin' about
making the start of the race.

Getting the sponsors in line,

getting your
volunteers together,

robbin' Peter to pay Paul,

people maxin' out the
credit cards to get there,

whatever it takes.

Dana: Whatever
it takes describes

Cameron Steele
and Billy Wilson.

Billy had traveled from
Corpus Christi, Texas,

his hometown, to race
for the first time

in the trophy truck division.

He'd taken over the
lead from Cameron,

and against all
odds and obstacles,

he crossed the finish
line in first place,

the winner of the
San Felipe 250.

Announcer On PA: We got
Will Bill in the house,

this is your first trophy
truck across the line.

It's crazy, you've got
all these huge teams,

you feel like you're
just like a little fish

and you might have
a chance, you know?

Every now and then I
guess it comes through.

Dana: Another racer
making his class debut,

and coming across the finish
line first, was Carlin Dunne.

Carlin knows
how to ride a bike.

He and his dad own a motorcycle
shop in Santa Barbara,

and Carlin has raced superbike,
flat track, speedway,

and has won the legendary
Pike's Peak Hill Climb

three times, including
setting the record

for fastest time on two wheels.

Carlin Dunne: It's total opposite ends

of the spectrum, you know?

In Mexico you're on
the desert valley floor

for thousands of miles.

At Pike's Peak,
you're at 14,000 feet

for only a matter of minutes.

But the level of focus
remains the same.

Pike's is quick,

but consequences are
extremely severe.

Baja's long, consequences
are extremely severe.

Dana". For Carlin,
competing in Baja

is a serious proposition.

He's racing in
the lronman class.

The lronman, one racer,

one motorcycle the entire race.

It's a unique group
of individuals.

Jeff Benrud former Delta Force.

Michael Skurkis, his
first time racing in Baja.

23-year-old Derek Ausserbauer,

and the defending
lronman champion,

21-year-old Tony Gera,

a diesel engine mechanic
from Santa Cruz, California.

I don't have any
workout routine, nothin'.

I'm always workin' and
by the time I get home,

it's time to go to bed, 'cause I gotta
get up at four o'clock in the morning.

Dana: When Carlin
arrived in San Felipe

he knew the man to
beat was Tony Gera.

He just didn't know
what he looked like.

I heard people sayin',
Tony this, Tony that,

he's the champion
guy, this and that,

and then there was
another guy there

who was on this
really sweet-lookin',

brand-new 2016
bike, all the gear,

I'm like, that must be Tony.

I realized Tony was on the bike
that was older than he was.

Announcer On PA:
Tony Gera on that

two-stroke 500 Kawasaki smoker.

Dana: At San Felipe,

Carlin would cross
the finish line first.

He'd get the medal, and the
champagne for being a winner,

but after they checked
his transponder,

he'd be penalized for missing
five virtual checkpoints,

and Tony Gera would be
awarded the victory.

I called my mom, said,

"Hey Mom, how's it goin'?"

She goes, "lt's goin'
good, I'm sorry you lost."

And I'm like, "No,
Mom, no, no, no.

I won, didn't you
see it, I won."

And she goes, "No you didn't."

I went, "What do you mean?"

She goes, "Nah, you
missed the checkpoint.

They said you cheated."

I'm like, "Mom, I didn't cheat.

I got lost."

I better do my
homework next time.

Dana". For any
person on a motorcycle

doing their homework,
you'd study one man.

Colton Udall on the 1X bike.

Colton has been a
dominant rider in Baja

for the last five years,

over which time
he has racked up 11 SCORE wins.

Colton does not ride alone.

He has a team, Ox Motorsports,

which includes his
partner Mark Samuels

and his younger
brother Ian Young.

They are the dominant team.

They even breeze
through Matomi Wash,

and nobody breezes
through Matomi Wash.

It's a place you'll
find top rock crawlers

volunteering as
tow truck drivers,

and they get a lot of action.

Dana: Ironically, the most-suited
four-wheeled vehicle

to go through the wash
in class 11 Volkswagen.

A pre-1977 stock Bug
which has been part

which has been part
of the Baja experience

for the last 50 years.

Driving this one is
Dennis Hollenbeck.

Dennis: This is our beloved
class that we like it this way,

we like old drum/disc,

and we like rattly
steering boxes

and that's why I chose class 11.

Because you're takin'
an impossible vehicle

and drivin' in an
impossible race.

Dana". Dennis is all
about what's possible.

He's a missionary, and his
VW's nickname is Bochito,

and Bochito lives
at Casa Esperanza,

where he gives the kids
that live there a ride.

Dennis: We like to say that...

it's not all about racing.

There's real lives
that are surrounding

the race community
in what's happening.

We're tryin' to find a
way to take our passion

and our love for racing

and turn it into a way
where we can benefit others.

Mi Casa Esperanza,
My House of Hope,

is a shelter for
battered, abused women.

Some very sad stories come here.

It's a place where moms can
come with their children,

and Casa helps them
in rehabilitation

so they can eventually walk
out with their children,

ready to take care of
them and provide for them.

My mom got pregnant,

so she didn't wanna...

She couldn't work and be
pregnant at the same time, so,

this was a place that
I can go to school,

and they were gonna
help me with that,

and my mom can
just have the baby

and they were just
gonna help us,

because we were alone, it
was just me and my mom.

Dana: For the kids
at Casa Esperanza,

Bochito is a living,
breathing friend.

When the Bug comes,
sometimes they kiss it,

and they just love Bochito,

it's like somebody
else for them.

They like it a lot more
than they like me.

When I'm here working, and
the kids are in the classroom,

they literally pop their
heads out the window

and open the door
and start waving, and it's not

Dennis,

they're all going, "Bochito,
where's Bochito?"

Children: Bochito,
Bochito, Bochito,

Bochito, Bochito!

Dana: Before every race,
the kids at Casa Esperanza

put their imprint on Bochito.

The handprints, for us,
it symbolizes them pushing,

it's them pushing us along,

'cause they're our motivation.

The first time we did
the San Felipe 250,

our first trophy, and
we took that trophy

back to the kids
at Casa Esperanza.

And it was just
it was magical.

Just magical what it does
and what it says to them.

And you hand it to
them and they hold it.

And, I don't know...
it's just awesome.

You know the story
of David and Goliath.

That's our stone.

And out there is our giant.

Dana: For the 500, Baja
was never more a giant.

The peninsula was in the
middle of a heat wave.

At nine o'clock in the morning,

it was 100 degrees
in San Felipe.

By noon, it was 130
on the desert floor.

It was brutal for everyone,

but for those in
trucks and buggies,

at least they had some shade.

Imagine what it was like to
be fully exposed to the sun.

Just past noon, Carlin Dunne,

leading in the
Iron Man division,

would pull into his pits.

How's the bike?
The bike's good?

Carlin: Yeah, the bike's good.

- Man 1: You're awesome.
- Man 2: You've got a huge lead.

Carlin: I don't think so,
I think the KCM guy's right behind me.

- Man: No.
- Carlin: I need to cool down,

- seriously, guys.
- Coat it in water.

Man: We're gonna spray your
head down and cool you down.

- Cool my core temperature.
- Man: Yeah.

Man 1: Yeah, that's
why we're doin' this.

Man 2: Yeah, before he leaves,
get his whole jersey super wet.

It'll be like an
air conditioner.

Man: Yeah, you'll be
glad you took this break.

Dana". While Carlin
was in his pit,

Ian Young would
come across a rider

who'd fallen in the heat.

Ian: Hey, amigo!

Go!

Man: Go!

Man: All right, so time
to gear up if you can.

Man: I think he's askin'
himself, what am I doing?

It's like, why am I doing this?

Dana". At 1:30 p.m.
Derek Ausserbauer

would pull into the Baja pits.

Derek". Baja pits guys,
he was tellin' me

that one of the 6X
riders had passed.

And that scared me pretty bad.

One of my good buddies
was on that team.

- Yeah, hit the gas.
- You got it.

Derek: It's kinda hard
to talk about that,

you're pretty much just
riding with this thought

that there's devils comin'
for you in every hole,

so you kinda just survive
at that point, almost.

Announcer On PA: Comin'
around the finish line,

here he is, the overall winner here
at the Baja 500, Colton Udall.

It has been a hot day,

the hottest race we
have had in decades.

The top four-wheel vehicles

are makin' their
way into town here.

This is the closest
three-way race we've ever had

in the history of
trophy trucks.

Who's it gonna be
comin' around that last turn?

Here he is, this
is Rob MacCachren.

Rounding that last
corner, Apdaly Lopez.

Tavo \/ildosola
taking one home for

that Mexican team
of locals here,

congratulations to the whole...

Dana: While Tavo was
standing on the victory stand,

Carlin was coming up the wash,

two hours and 45 minutes
ahead of the next Ironman.

For the winners, it
was not a joyous day.

Off-road racing is a family.

Announcer On PA:
These guys are hardcore.

I'll tell you what, Baja,
you're already in history,

a testament to how hardcore
these guys are, mere mortals.

Dana: Two competitors
died that day.

The 6X motorcycle of
Travis Livingston,

and 232)(, also on a
motorcycle, Noah Everman.

Announcer On PA: Got up
over 130 degrees here,

but these guys could
come around, and lronman,

and that's what it's all
about down here in Baja.

That's your overall
winner by two hours,

it looks on the job on time.

Carlin Dunne, gets it done,
and congratulations.

Dana: Often, it's not
a race, it's not a test,

it's not an adventure,

it's life and it's death.

And like anything else,

there's a choice
in how you're gonna live.

There are only so
many tomorrows,

and it's just a matter of
how you wanna spend them.

Announcer over PA: Here we are
in beautiful Rosarito.

Dana: And when it
comes to racing Baja,

most choose to return.

No better example than that,

than the Price family
from Fremont, California.

People ask me a
lot, why do I do this?

Why, you know, why, why, why?

Getting everyone
together as a team,

and for us working on the car.

My kids, my daughters are a
very, very big part of the team.

We...

just wish my mother was here.

We... my kids, just they're
a big, big part of it.

My wife helping with everything,
my friends, my family,

it's a big deal for
us to come here.

We travel a long ways,
we do it as a team,

we've gone through the best what

Baja has to give, and the worst.

And we're still here.

Roger". It's such a unique
experience that families

can actually enjoy
this kind of racing,

and be able to come down
and participate and win.

That's just somethin'
that sucks you in,

and it captivates you,
and then once you're in,

it's really hard to get out.

Out here, it's like really a,

seriously I can really
hear the voice of God.

Dana: Mark Winkelman

is a highly successful
businessman from Louisiana.

He decided to start
racing on a motorcycle

in the Baja after
his 47th birthday.

He sponsors two
teams, including one

comprised of some Baja legends.

From stuntman Louis
Franco to Jeff Kaplan,

to 16-time winner Jim O'Neal.

I've done my best stunts in
the world out here for free.

I mean, I've been medevacked
out of here twice,

broke my back, my arms,
legs multiple concussions,

but that's what I love to do,
I love racing motorcycles,

and the good thing about this is

you never know when
it's gonna happen.

There's five collarbones on
this side, one on that side.

I've been lucky, never
broke a femur.

You have to be dumb
enough to do this,

but smart enough
to figure it out.

So, it takes a certain person
to be good at it down here.

Mark: One day, it was
like, I was thinkin'

I was a whole bunch
better than I really was.

It was like, okay, like

I'm goin' good, and
I said, oh man, Lord,

what do you want me
to show you today?

And this is what the Lord put in my head,
and the Lord said, "Hey,

Mark, I want you to learn
how to ride better so I don't have to keep

savin' you all the time."

Dana". Mark
Winkelman represents

one end of the
Baja demographic.

On the other end is Chad
Broughton and Paige Sohren.

I know, I did this before.

Dana". Chad and Paige
come from racing families.

Growing up, they competed
against each other,

then raced together,
where romance bloomed.

Paige: Yeah, it's
tough comin' to Baja.

Dana". Still, Paige likes
to remind her boyfriend

of the good old days.

We raced class 3000
against each other in 2014,

- and smoked him every time.
- Uh-uh.

Yeah-huh.

- Well...
- True.

Semi-true, we
broke every race,

every single race we broke, didn't finish
a single race the first year--

I was always
ahead when he broke.

That's debatable, but.

Dana: They won in San Felipe,

were second in the 500,
and came to Rosarito

leading their class in points.

You know, Baja
has a way of kinda

leveling the playing field.

You can come down here with
all the best intentions

in the world, with the
most expensive equipment,

the best driver, the
whole nine yards,

but that doesn't
guarantee a win down here.

When the flag drops,
the BS stops, you know?

That's what Baja's about.

Dana: Well, there is some BS.

To race in SCORE means
racing on ranch roads,

and occasionally the owner
will forget to open the gate.

- X Have taken the crown X
- a' Dead and gone a'

- X Melted it down X
- a' Dead and gone a'

- S Dead and gone S
- a' Thieves have A'

- X Taken the crown X
- a' Dead and gone a'

It was rough.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Man, I was eatin' that quad.

For a 64-mile race, this
was a tough one for us.

Dana". Jonathan
Brenthel had a rough day.

He was about 300 yards
from the starting line

when the first bit
of trouble hit.

With the help of the fans,

their truck was put
back on the tires,

and they got back
into the race.

Yeah.

Dana: A few miles later,
their hood came halfway off,

and once you've rolled,
you can't see the road,

you're susceptible to a
little bit of tummy trouble.

Man: Yeah, I got a
little sick about--

20 miles--

We had a hell of a day.

Feel a lot better
after you puke,

I can tell you that much.

Woman: Where does it go?

- It's all over the car.
- It's in here, it's on my chest,

- on him a little bit.
- Where else would it be?

It's all part of the
off-road racing experience.

Dana: Baja is a magnet

for the world's top
extreme athletes.

Like Tyler McQuarrie,
professional sports car driver.

With my experience,
Baja is beyond unique.

Drifting is the
exact opposite of Baja.

In drifting, it's
100% for 30 seconds...

...and in Baja, it all
about just knowing

when to push it and keep it easy

for a very long period of time.

In Australia,
everyone knows Baja

who rides off-road over there.

I broke my collarbone
in the San Felipe 250.

I had to ride 50 miles.

I don't know
how I rode that far with it.

Fresh meat.

I can't wait for him
to be the backseat driver

on the radio for 500 miles.

You're going too fast!

You're going too slow!
Be careful on the rocks!

Dana: Possibly the
most extreme athlete

in the world is J.T. Holmes.

He's a skier, a base
jumper, a wingsuiter,

and a Baja racer.

Racing in Baja wins,
it takes the cake.

If you look at, okay, jump
a wingsuit off a mountain,

bombing down a hillside
for a minute and a half,

and that is special stuff.

Ski run, two, three minutes
of fresh tracks, awesome.

Catch a wave, 20
seconds, I'm stoked.

lf you get into the
fire suit, helmet,

co-pilot, GPS, roll
cage, green flag,

500 horsepower, 23
inches of travel?

I mean, you're at wingsuit
speeds for 10 hours.

Dana: J.T. was introduced
to Baja by his father,

Jeff Holmes, a surgeon
from Los Gatos, California.

It was in the early 90s,
I would drive Baja Bug,

and I would put J.T. in
the co-driver's seat.

It would be so low,
he could see the dash,

but he couldn't
see out the window,

he couldn't see
out the windshield.

And we put a pillow under him,

and we'd say, "Was that okay?"

"Oh, it's fine, it's fine."

But he couldn't see anything.

And was part of whatever
chase vehicle there was,

and helped out in the pits,

and watched, and
idolized my dad.

Dana: They are
both successful men,

and they're bonded
by one place.

What keeps me
comin' back to Baja

is that it's the
ultimate adventure.

And it's time with family.

Dana: On this weekend,
for Jeff and J. T. Holmes,

time with family would come

with their first
victory in a SCORE race.

For J.T., it was first place.

For the Price family, they
didn't officially finish,

but it was well
worth the effort.

- Hey.
- Good job!

Dana: For Mark Winkelman,

and his crew of
motorcycle Baja legends,

it was first place in
the 50-and-over division.

And for off-roads, Romeo
and Juliet, Chad and Paige,

would come in third
in their class.

For Aaron and Alan Ampudia,

it was their third
consecutive win,

wrapping up the season
class 8 championship.

Meanwhile, Ramon Bios'
second would put him

in first place in
the 1600 class.

All in all, it was
a wonderful race.

Well, maybe not for everyone.

- Oh, yi yi.
- Man: I know.

So, we're gonna
get a little tow,

get outta here,

and go home,

get ready for the Baja 1000.

Dana". In Baja, the 1000
is the event of the year.

The Superbowl,
the World Series,

and Woodstock,
all in one event.

Announcer On PA: We're
expecting over 100,000 fans

here at the Baja 1000
this year.

Havin' fun, Baja, this
is where it's all at.

Announcer On PA:
It is gonna be a party,

so stick with us, this is
Contingency for the Baja 1000.

Dana: The day before the race,

they have Contingency,
which is kind of a cross

between a safety
inspection and Burning Man.

Been comin' here since '69.

Just gets bigger and bigger
and better and better.

Dana: They come from the
world over, and in Ensenada,

the schools have a two-day
holiday for the race.

Dana: Hi, sweetie.

So, this is just a stroller?

- Yep.
- Wow.

How much does this
baby stroller cost?

Dana: People that race the
Baja are a family,

and no one exemplifies
this more

than Ruben Flores,
aka Calzon Man.

Ruben passes his coloring
books out at Contingency,

and also, when the race isn't
happening, at local schools.

So, work with the kids, and
have 'em teach the adults,

their parents and their
adults how to behave.

Dana: Ruben's alternative
identity, Calzon Man,

in English means Underwear Man,

which begs the question, why?

Ruben: I always wonder if
they weren't embarrassed

by wearing their underwear
of top of their pants.

I always wonder why Superman
wears his underwear on top,

or Batman, so I said, oh
they're always fighting crime,

and they're always in a hurry,

that they go out of
the house so quick

that they forget that their
underwear goes underneath,

not on top of your
pants, so.

Dana: This is a family
bonded through the generations

by passion, and
some, by actual DNA,

Like the McMillans.

His grandfather raced,
and their fathers race,

and now, all three cousins,
Dan, Luke, and Andy,

compete against each
other in trophy trucks.

The Johnsons, Ricky and Luke.

The brothers Herbst,
racing legends.

The Wilsons, dad Ronny
and his son Brad.

And the ultimate
example, Rod Hall,

who's never missed
a 1000, and is now

racing with his
granddaughter, Shelby.

I rememberjust drivin' along,

and the sun was coming up,

and it was like my
first experience

of seeing all the cactus
just coming to life

and I thought, "Wow,
this is so amazing.

"Oh God, I gotta pay attention, back
to the road, back to the road."

Rod Hal: Well, I'm proud to have
my granddaughter involved.

- Just a great little gal.
- Well, thank you.

And a great driver.

Dana". Another driving legend
of the big racing family,

though not genetically
related, is Eric Solorzano.

In a Tijuana auto garage,

we visited Eric's
family before the race.

Dana: What keeps you
guys all coming back?

Pardon me?

Dana: What keeps
you guys comin' back?

The passion for Volkswagens.

- Man: Racing?
- Yeah.

- That's what that keeps us...
- Eric, Andy.

- ...together.
- Eric.

- Eric makes us come back.
- And racing.

The racing with Eric is
the best time you could have.

It's the best week of your life.

You know, when
everybody helps,

we're a family,
that's what it is.

That's how we race, because
money, we don't have money.

We have the feeling to race.

It's all that you go through,

and all that people
put together,

before and during the
race, to get there,

to get to the finish
line, to finish,

and carry this thing

across the finish line.

Dana". Somehow, between
that visit and Contingency,

Eric had talked me into being
part of his extended family.

Dana: I'm all hired, I
don't know what to say, gee.

We'll have to see
you there, Dana.

All the way.

Dana: I would be a first-timer,

just riding shotgun for a bit.

On the complete opposite
end of the spectrum

are the trophy truck racers,

like Billy Wilson
and Apdaly Lopez,

who are battling for
the season championship.

Or Rob MacCachren,

aiming for his third
consecutive win in the 1000.

Baja 1000 is always that race
that you're trying to get won,

it's the biggest
one of the year,

it's the Superbowl, and
if you don't get it done

you gotta wait a full 365
days to get it done again.

So, for me, the planning,
logistics, everything

has been happening
since last year,

when we were here in
the same parking lot.

Dana: Rob is a professional
racer with a crew of 70.

Even with his experience,
pre-running is a must,

because every year
they change the course

and figuring out where to go
is like solving a Rubik's Cube.

The one thing I'll tell
ya, is that I didn't realize

the terrain changes,
like, every two miles.

- Yeah.
- It's like rocky,

and then it's sandy, it's silty,
and then you're on a beach,

and then you're
climbin' a mountain,

- it's like, what on Earth?
- Yeah.

Dana: Even when you
figure out where to go,

pre-running can be a
little bit dangerous.

And all a sudden, deer,

I mean there was no warning,
no nothin', deer in my lap.

You can see the deer
hair stuck on the...

- Dan: Yeah.
- It's still there.

Dana: That's unbelievable.

I was thinkin', if it was a little lower
and took out my front wheel,

I would've slapped
down this way.

- Dana: Yeah.
- I mean, honestly,

it was the easy way out,
I just exited the bike

with the deer.

The bike went that way,
the deer went that way.

Dana". Pre-running never ends.

For Bob Gordon's son Robby,

and Parnelli Jones' son P.J.,

they have done this
together for 40 years.

Friends since four years
old, P.J. and Robby

have raced Indy,
Daytona, and Le Mans,

but their heart remains here.

Robby Gordon: It's the unknown.

It's different than,
go to Indy, turn left,

it's the same corner
pretty much every time

unless somebody drops oil.

Here, every corner, you
never know what to expect.

Robby and I
always have said

that if we could've made money,

gotten a paycheck to race these,

we would've never gone
to Indy car and NASCAR,

I mean, this is just the
total, ultimate adventure.

Dana: Pre-running
next to P.J. and Robby

were the Ampudias.

He had already won the
season's class 8 championship,

and for the 1000, Aaron
and Alan had convinced

their poor dad to step
up to the ultimate class.

This?

Interviewer: How'd
you end up with that?

Can tell you about these boys.

So, it was kind of spontaneous,
but hey, we're not complaining.

We were stoked.

This is an
addiction, never ends.

Dana: To race the Baja
is to tilt at windmills.

Perhaps the best example
of that is Pat O'Keefe.

In February, Pat had
come to San Felipe with his buddy,

Tyler McQuarrie,
in a trophy truck spec.

By the time he got to the 1000,

Pat bought two trophy trucks,

hired two of the best
Baja racers ever,

Larry Roeseler
and Andy McMillan,

and he and Tyler were
pre-running the 1000

for the very first time.

Tyler: I think we've done about
500 miles so far, pre-running.

Baja has won so far.

Baja one, Tyler zero, for sure.

Dana: Tyler and Pat had rolled

their pre-runner
miles from anywhere

when Dennis Hollenbeck
rattled up to give 'em a ride.

Dennis: We start sharin' with
them, I'm a missionary here,

and we do house building
for the poor and needy,

and we have this
benefit run we do

for Casa Esperanza, bing.

What, what'd you say?

First-class guy, man.

He didn't wait 'til he got
home to go onto GoFundMe.

He took care of it right away,

either whether he was
out pre-running,

or I don't know when.

But I saw him that
afternoon, and by that night,

a donation had already been made

for Casa Esperanza's
school project.

Baja's blessings, you
never know, you never know.

Dana: At the time Dennis and Pat

met on Baja's west coast,
just off its east coast,

a group of
war veterans gathered

to honor a
fallen team member.

232X is Warrior Built.

A member of this
team, Noah Everman,

was one of
the two motorcyclists

who died during the Baja 500.

It was not an easy
decision to race the 1000.

Nick: It was tough, and there
was moments where I was like,

I don't know if I...

if I should put other
people at risk anymore.

After speaking with his wife,

and some of his good
friends, and these guys here,

we gotta keep movin'
forward, you know?

Chad Cedotal: As combat vets,
we've come to terms with death.

It's part of what we
were and what we are,

and it's with us whether
we're in or out, right now.

It's a brotherhood
of camaraderie

that you feel in
combat to get through

to the next mission, and
it's quite something.

Nick: And we're doin' it
for him,

'cause I know he'd
wanna ride here today.

We know he would encourage
us to keep going.

He wouldn't tell us to quit.

Dana: They made a
hand-engraved cross

and anchored it in 12
pounds of concrete.

After gathering for a prayer,
they would get in their trucks

and drive into the
mountains three hours

to place Noah's cross at
the exact spot he'd fallen.

There's less than 24
hours before the race,

and high atop Mount Diablo,

Scott Steinberger sets up
the communications relay center.

Weatherman relay,
go ahead SCORE ops.

Dana: He's the link
between the drivers,

race operations, and
emergency services.

Loud and clear.

Dana: Scott is a former
Baja racer

but not the
original Weatherman,

which was his late
father, Bob Steinberger.

The fact that you
can watch the race

from anywhere you want to,

it's not like a
stateside race at all.

And then anybody'll
tell ya it's the tacos,

and the beer, and
Mexico, it's magic.

Dana: 15 hours before race time,

Carlin Dunne makes
his final adjustments.

Carlin:
The 500 was so heavy for us.

It kinda changed my whole
perspective on everything, and

it's a little bit excitement,

a little bit adrenaline,

a lot a bit of dread,

'cause you know that

on a certain date,
you're gonna take on

probably the hardest
thing you've ever done.

Announcer On PA:
Buenos (has, Ensenada.

I hope you 9W5"

Dana: Just before dawn,

the motorcycles and quads
gather at the starting line.

Dana: They leave one at
a time, 30 seconds apart.

It's a race against the clock.

Waiting in the
darkness and cold,

motorcyclists from
Warrior Built

to the lronmen.

Carlin had woken up that
morning with a fever of 101.

Season points leader
Michael Skurkis,

Jeff Benrud, last
year's second place.

- Good morning, Dana.
- Good morning, Rob.

Dana: Tony Gera, literally
the toughest man in the world,

and the top professionals,

prohibited favorite
Colton Udall,

two days ago, fell and
shattered his collarbone.

He was taken to the hospital,

where four screws were
put into his collarbone.

Here he is, back in Ensenada
just to start the race.

Announcer On PA: This is
what it's all about,

it all boils down
to the final race,

the SCORE Baja 1000,
we're just gettin' ready

to kick it off folks,
the two-wheel bikes.

We have Colton Udall, that 1)(,

last year's overall
champion bike

gonna be the first
off the line.

- Go get 'em tiger.
- Thank you.

Dana: For the
first time in years,

Colton would get off his bike,

and be the one who would
lend his team support.

Announcer On PA: People
come from all over the world

to race this, let's give
these riders and drivers each.

Dana: Vehicles on the pavement

have to obey the speed limit,

but once you hit the dirt,

it's as fast as you want to go.

There's a three-hour wait
between the last motorcycles

and the first trophy truck
off the starting line.

Announcer On PA:
B.J. Baldwin, gettin' his stretch on.

I'm not calm at all,
I'm actually, like,

I have a lot of anxiety built
up and self-confidence issues

before I get in the truck, and
then once I get in the truck,

I kinda realize
what I'm capable of.

It's only on the
morning of the race.

Every other time, I'm kind
of an asshole about it.

Me too, yeah.

To finish first,
you first must finish,

so that's my goal right
now, got sweaty palms,

I pooped, like, five times,
the adrenaline is hittin' hard.

Don't know if that's too
much information for you,

but I'm ready to go.

Announcer On PA:
And we have some

of the best of the best
here, that's right,

we have over 30 trophy trucks
here and only the best.

See how they do
behind the wheel.

Dana: Within the
first four miles,

over 100,000 spectators
will cheer them on.

After the trophy trucks, the
rest of the classes follow.

J.T. Holmes at 11:05.

12:10 p.m.,
17-year-old Ramon Bio.

Rod Hall, starting his
49th Baja 1000 effort.

And behind the Halls
was the Volkswagen

of Eric Solorzano and me.

Announcer: And the class 11s

are off the line, Eric
Solorzano right there.

Eric: Ready, Dana?

Dana: We'll find out.

Dana: We were off,

Eric was ready, I was ready,

but I was having a little
problem taking it all in.

- Dana: Huh?
- Eric: You want some water?

- Eric: Here's water.
- Dana: No, I'm lookin' for...

Dana: The air hose in the
helmet had fallen off,

and I couldn't figure out
how to flip the visor up.

It was like the freakin'
Amazon in there.

I couldn't see a thing.

Dana: After five miles, being
the genius that I am,

I finally figured out
how to flip the visor up.

Now that I can see, it's
really starting to set in.

Just how incredible
this race is,

and how beautiful the place.

Eric: This is the best
part of this pass, Dan.

Dana: Looking from
above, the race is glorious.

But the closer you
get to the dust,

it becomes a little
less poetic.

Ian: The dust is an unknown
obstacle in itself,

but that's just the blanket,
that's just the whitewater

going over the reef
that you can't even see.

It can be your best friend,
it can be your worst nightmare.

If you're out in front,

and you're the one
kickin' up the dust,

like the old Batman days,
put up the smokescreens.

Pat O'Keeie: Until you've driven
in somebody's dust

goin' maybe 80,
100 miles an hour,

it's like bein' in a snowstorm,
you can't see anything.

I mean literally, you
can't see the hood.

Pat". And you're still
goin' on the gas,

and your brain, it
was screaming at you,

slow down, slow down, you
can't see, and you can't.

Because if you do, you'll
never get past that person.

I guess some people see dust

as a distraction,
or as a deterrent.

Dust, to me, is kinda
like red to a bull.

We're racin' now.

Dana". The Texan,
Billy Wilson,

the trophy truck
season's point leader,

was roaring through the dust
when he found a four-foot rock.

Billy was stuck on that
rock for a half an hour.

Right behind him, Apdaly
Lopez would pass him

and take over the season's
point championship lead.

Other vehicles were
having their issues, too.

Blinded in the dust, Bochito
ended up right in a ditch.

Brian: Can't see a damn thing.

You break down in SCORE, everybody's
willing to lend a hand and help.

Dana: Bochito was
only in that ditch

for about 10 minutes before
the fans helped pull him out.

You can't explain
the environment,

the feeling that's going on,
how the locals support you.

Dana: In Baja, everyone helps.

It's full participation.

Even our helicopter camera
crew is there to lend a hand.

Jimmy Cook to the rescue.

Jimmy: Hola.

Guys, turn off your fuel pump?

Man: No.

- Yeah, man!
- Whoo!

Jimmy: Hey, be careful
with all that oil comin' out.

Man: Yeah.

I call this a band of brothers.

It's like going to
war in the Baja 1000.

We may be fierce competitors,
but we're like family.

Dana: Alan Ampudia,
racing in a trophy truck

for the first time, was trying
to hold off Cameron Steele

and going as fast as he could.

Cameron pulled over his truck,

while his co-driver got out
to see if Alan was okay.

Fans appeared from
seemingly nowhere.

Scott: Trophy truck 16, can you
give me the mile marker

one more time, and
is everybody okay?

Cameron: Race
mile 179 and a half,

my navigator is not
plugged back in yet.

Scott: Ampudia trophy truck
number 10

had a bad crash at mile 179.5.

Dana: After an
eternal five minutes,

Alan Ampudia emerged
from the wreck unscathed.

His race was over.

Scott: 10-four, both
driver and co-driver

got out of the
truck and were okay.

Cameron: Race 16, we stopped

and everything looks
good, it's all good.

10-four, thank you Race 16.

Race 16 clear, go get 'em.

Dana". About an hour
after the Ampudia wreck,

Chad Broughton
and Paige Sohren,

going over 100 miles an
hour outside of Camalu.

- Man: Weatherman.
- Scott: 202, 202 Race,

race mile 173, 33 miles
an hour, too many to go.

202 race, mile
173, not moving.

Dana: Incredibly, Paige
and Chad were not hurt.

Scott:
Driver and co-driver are okay.

Hm.

Man: Still goin'.

- Oh my God.
- Man: Oh.

Dana: More incredibly,
after a mere 90 minutes,

Chad and Paige
and the spectators

put the truck back together,

and they were back in the race.

At the same time B.J. Baldwin
was arriving in the pits.

Dana: I got out at pit one.

Yeah, baby.

Dana".
And Eric's crew fueled the car.

Get ready, we're go.

Dana: Tony Gera
pulled into the Baja pits

first place in the
lronman division.

Ten minutes behind Tony,
Carlin Dunne arrived.

His fever was still rising.

- Okay.
- Go, go.

Dana: For the Warrior Built,

232X was burning
more oil than gas.

It hadn't been touched since
Noah Everman raced the 500.

Still, they pressed on.

Now, they not only
race the clock,

they race the sun.

Most of the Baja 1000
happens in the dark.

It's a long, surreal
test of man and machine.

Just after sundown, Ramon Bio,

the high school
senior from Ensenada,

was having mechanical problems.

His father, brother,
and friends

worked feverishly on the car.

After a bit more than an hour,

they got Ramon back
in the race.

Racing at night in the Baja

is just like racing the day,

except it's absolutely not.

Casey Currie: Everything looks
different at night.

The cows on the road
that aren't there,

the trees that are laying over
in the road that aren't there,

there's things that are
moving that aren't moving.

Ricky Johnson". You're riding
and you go, oh, oh no,

there's somebody behind
me, I can feel it.

And you look black and it's
completely pitch black,

like there's nobody,
like everyone left

the face of the Earth and
you're lookin' back there,

and it's like, there's nobody.

Then you have this realization,

if I fall down,
who's gonna find me?

One of the things that
also at night in Baja,

you're in the middle of nowhere,
and there's always somebody.

There's always
somebody watching,

and when you think
that there's not,

there's just, a campfire.

Dana". Sometimes,
that campfire

is your family cheering you on,

and sometimes, it's a chase
crew waiting on their rider.

For Scott Dunlavey, head
mechanic for Carlin Dunne,

it was a mystery what
happened to their racer.

It still just
doesn't make sense,

- three miles out of a pit.
- Yeah.

That's what I don't,
that's what's not jivin'.

I don't know, we'll find out.

Dana: A few hours earlier,

Carlin Dunne saw a
spectator's truck.

His fever spiking,
sweating, chills,

and unable to see
out of one eye,

he ended his race.

10-four, 705X out
of the race at 3:55,

his chase crews are comin' in.

Dana: There's still over
200 vehicles left in this race,

some with 24 hours
to go to the finish.

Bochito pulled into his pit

with more problems
than solutions.

We'll see how the Bug's doin',

and keep runnin', we're
doin' this for the children.

They don't give up, the
women don't give up,

we're gonna give up, either.

Dana: For the Warrior Built,

their bike was still
burning a lot of oil,

and had 500 miles left to go.

While others, like the
professional motorcycle racers,

are entering their last pits.

Including 45)(, with
Shane Esposito,

who is having a
bit of a problem.

Dana: How's it
goin' out there for ya?

I got on, and within
15 miles lost the lights.

Dana: What was plan B?

Start drinkin' beer.

Dana". Through the
fatigue and darkness,

there's always that smile.

The 1X of Ox Motorsports
pulling in to their final pit.

- You're the best team!
- You're the best!

You're the best!

Ah, it's Stokie's 26th birthday

on the Baja 1000, November 18th.

Who wouldn't wanna be leading
the Baja 1000 on their birthday?

I would.

Dana: As the clock reached 11,

the fastest motorcycles were
just outside of Ensenada.

Announcer On PA: It has
been a long day here in Baja.

But tell you what, we
are just moments away

from our first bike
coming across the line.

Make some noise, Ensenada,

here he is, comin'
around the last corner,

that is Mark Samuels on
that 1X Ox Motorsports.

Dana: First to cross the line

was the 1)(, Ox Motorsports.

Colton Udall not on board,
but still a victory.

Announcer On PA: The second
bike across the line,

here he comes, another
Ox Motorsports,

back with his black Honda,
that is Ray Del Soglio

and his team on 3X.

Dana: Coming in third was
Shane Esposito on the 45X.

He had a story to
tell about his lights.

And they
taped it to my visor.

It was like this.

And that's what I,

they gave me a roll of
electrical tape, which I have,

and a big pack of D
batteries so if it went dead

I could change it. So good.

Dana". While the
fastest on two wheels

were at the finish
line, most of the racers

and vehicles were
still on the course.

Some taking a break.

- Hey Jim.
- Hey.

- Open the door.
- No.

Man: Fartee's auto scent.

But he won't, come on out.

- No.
- Your tank's full, buddy.

Dana: Others at a dead stop.

100 to zero real quick.

I hit a rock the size
of a car, all right?

All the lights that are smashed
in the chassis still work.

- Smashed in the chassis.
- They're smassed,

shmashed, smashed.

Smashed, inside the chassis.

- Smashed!
- I may have hit my head

a little bit hard.

This is so good.

I tell you what, you cannot

prepare yourself for this race.

Man: Today!

BJ Baldwin: This race takes
everything you got

and then some to
make it halfway.

The rest of the way,
you're just insane.

Announcer On PA: The trophy
trucks are comin' in.

Dana". At 3:15 a.m.
crossing the finish line

for the third consecutive time

as the fastest vehicle
in the Baja 1000,

was Rob MacCachren.

Announcer On PA:
Third year in a row,

let's hear it for
Rob MacCachren.

Rob has just been on fire

throughout this season.

Dana: In second
place was Apdaly Lopez.

The pride of Mexicali
had won the season's

points championship for
the second straight year.

Announcer On PA: We have to
build hope so much.

This was probably
the toughest Baja 1000

in the 17 years
I've been racing.

Larry". You never
really conquer Baja,

- I mean.
- Yeah.

I've won a few,
and you lose more

than you win, of course, but
when you finish the race,

it's an accomplishment
of its own.

Dana: Even for those
that didn't finish,

like Rodrigo Ampudia
Jr., they are there.

It's part of racing, sometimes
it's a learning experience,

other times it's about
celebrating at the finish line,

so we're here watching our
friends cross the line.

Dana". Billy Wilson
finished in ninth place

in the trophy trucks,
three points shy

of the season championship.

To finish this race is a feeling

that you don't get
until you do it,

so we're haPPY-

Dana: As night becomes clay,

they continue to
cross the line.

There we sat at 4:03,
waitin', and let everybody by.

Baja once again.

Turn around and
head backwards.

Dana". At dawn,
Cameron Steele,

finishing eighth place
in the trophy trucks.

It was really good
'til about 65 miles ago.

Just feels like...

Feels like continually
punching yourself in the face.

Dana: For most
racers, their dream

of a 1000 championship
would remain unrealized.

But for Ronny
Wilson, who had tried

24 times to win the 1000,

at 7:05 a.m.,

he finally realized his dream.

24 years.

Announcer On PA:
I don't know what his

unofficial result time
is, or what his place is,

his unofficial result
is first place.

That's one, you're comin'
over to our division.

That's 1/3 into it, Ronny Wilson,
the unofficial winner of them all,

and this would be his first win in Baja.

Announcer: The whole
Wilson Motorsports team.

Dana: Good things
happen to good people.

Sometimes it takes a while.

Yeah, I know.

Announcer On PA: Now,
some of the toughest guys--

Dana". Behind Ronny
were the top lronmen.

Jeff Benrud a
close second place.

Michael Skurkis, fifth,

but winning
the season championship.

And the Baja 1000 lronman
champion, Tony Gera.

Scott Rousseau: This is
the arena for the gladiators.

You see guys still
hangin' it out way farther

than they do anywhere
else in the world,

to get to that finish line.

That finish line
is all-important.

Dana: At the dawn of
day two, they race on.

At sunrise, J.T. Holmes was
in first place in his class.

An hour later, a rear CV joint

would pull him out of the race.

His navigator, Eric Clay,
would stay with the car.

Eric: It's been a
crazy day, a couple days.

We have been racing for
17 hours and 43 minutes.

J.T. left to go hitchhike
a ride into BFG pit.

Yeah, and you never
know with the Baja 1000,

such a long race,
some of the other guys

we're competing
against might also have

a huge problem, or they
may not even finish.

You could win just by finishing.

So, you never give up.

Dana: And they never give up.

24 hours into the race,

still pushing towards
the finish line.

20 miles from the
finish, Wayne Matlock's

front wheel came off.

But, being a Baja veteran,
Wayne saw an opportunity.

Wayne, a past Baja champ,

would ride like that
for an hour

until crossing the finish line

to the loudest standing
ovation he'd ever heard.

Dana: Wayne finished behind
his wife Kristen,

who lronmanned it.

Dana: Warren Jun Tangeron,

from Thailand, pushed
his bike a mile

to cross the finish line,
carrying a framed photograph

of the late King of Thailand.

Man: If you'd have told me
at mile 400 last night

that I was gonna finish,
I wouldn't have believed ya.

When you get to the finish line

it's a feeling
that you cannot...

translate, you cannot express.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah!
- Whoo!

Dana: How was that?

- That was,
- It's awesome.

Unbelievable.

When I was like
mile 700, I was like,

what the hell am I doing, I
could be in my bed right now.

I don't know if there's
a word that can say

love and hate at the same time.

It's just magical.

Dana: 17-year-old
Ramon Bio finished

in first place in
the 1600 class,

which wrapped up the
season championship.

Announcer On PA: Overall
points championship.

- Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo.
- Dana: Mark Winkelman,

Louis Franco, and
the rest of the boys

from the retirement home
brought home a victory

- in the 50-and-over class.
- That was the roughest one

I've ever done.

Announcer: Limpin' it in, they
got that thing back together.

They're not only
taking second place--

Dana: 18 hours after
their horrific crash,

Chad and Paige cross the line,

winning the trophy truck
spec season championship.

We're not hurt,
truck's not hurt,

we made it, so
we're the champions.

I've never been a champion.

I would rather have fourth
place with adventure

than first place
with no adventure.

I think I'd take first place.

What?

Dana: The race continues
as the clock ticks away.

- What are you do now?
- This'll go in the back.

- Bobby: In here?
- Keep away from that wiring.

- Where'd you go?
- Hook it on itself.

Dana: With the sun
setting on the second day,

J.T. Holmes decided
to hang it up.

A few hours later, Dennis
Hollenbeck also made a decision.

So, the decision's been made.

We're at the end of our race.

Dana: Still, at the finish line,
they cross.

They all think we're nuts,
until they experience it,

and then they go, "Oh
my God, now I know why

you guys spend hundreds
of thousands of dollars

and 40 years tryin'
to get one of these

stupid little pins that
says Winner."

Announcer On PA: Just
over 40 hours into the race,

and look who's
coming in, an icon,

Rod Hall, he's got his
granddaughter with him, Shelby.

Dana". Rod Hall was
diagnosed with Parkinson's

two years ago, a
true racing legend.

Over four hours past
their allotted time,

Warrior Built cross
the finish line.

Announcer On PA:
Talk about making it.

Dana: They had done it for Noah.

I got to ride by the
section where he fell today.

Immediately I pulled over
and took my helmet off

and just talked to him, and
made sure that I was gonna

take this bike over the
finish line for him,

and finish the race for him.

Dana: The official time
is over for all vehicles.

The fans have left, only a
few SCORE officials remain,

but off in the distance,
I can hear the sound

of Eric's Volkswagen.

- Yeah!
- Woo!

It made it, Eric.

Thank you, Bobby,
and it was great.

Thank you for
letting me drive.

Woman: How is she?

Dana: After we got
our picture taken,

Eric drove the race
car back to his house.

Six hours later, out in front

of the convention
hall in Ensenada,

they were taking
down the finish line.

And then, the last finisher,

after 47 hours, crossed
the finish line.

Thank you.

I came down
here, Roger told me

there's somebody
comin' in, and I wanted

to get down here
and see you come in.

Oh, we've been fightin'
and the checkpoints closed,

I said, I don't
care, that's our--

- That's great, that's-
- This is our fourth one

down here and I
haven't finished yet.

All I can say is that's the
Baja spirit all the way.

- I'm not gonna give anyone my keys,
- Dude.

I'm gonna keep goin'.

- Oh, we've had some problems.
- Here you go, for your--

We fought hard.

Oh yeah, well
hey, you know what?

It looks like it.

Levi". As I said, this
is our fourth race.

We haven't finished
one before this,

and if we did not
finish this one,

eventhough
technically we didn't,

we'd still be back next year.

Dana: Some go
home with trophies,

others contemplate
the following season.

Andy: And you know, it's
been said before,

when you start seein'
that checkered flag,

you don't want it to end,
you wanna keep on goin',

and you just can't
wait for the next race.

It's like a bad breakup with
a crazy girlfriend, right?

Like, little ways down the road,

you remember all the good stuff,

you're like, why did
we break up, anyways?

And you give her a call
and next thing you know,

your car's gettin'
keyed and tires slashed,

and you're like, that's why.

Forgot about that.

Dana: The racers
return their transponders.

For 36 hours, they
were Superman.

Now, they return
to being everyman.

Dennis: She's a jealous woman,

and she wanted
everything we had.

She wanted everything,
and she said,

"Not this time, boys,
it ain't gonna happen."

You wanna keep
going and this is,

part of that struggle
is you wanna keep going,

you wanna finish, at least.

You get to the point where,
forget about the trophy,

that's gone, that's
gone, if I could just get

to the finish line,
that'll be enough.

It's an amazing thing with
the little kids at Casa.

They never ask,
did Bochito win?

They always ask, how is Bochito?

Okay, this time the Baja won.

But it's still out there,

we're still here, and we
still have a group of kids

waitin' for Bochito
to make its return.

Okay.

we had 17 guys out there

- and my two kids.
- It's like oh, no,

not his wife!

There's nothing like it.

- Ever.
- That's awesome.

Hi Daddy!

Hey, come here.

Hey.

- Watch the antenna.
- I love you.

Atta boy.

Man: Miles from his home, miles.

Yay.

Keep yourself up.

I'm tryin' the best I can.

Dana: End credits, right here.

Except we'll cut you
out, you can stay,

you're in, you,
okay, you're back in.

Big guy gotta be in
'cause he'll beat me up.

- Yeah.
- Man: Basically, and now

the same core group, you know,
is gonna analyze this movie.

Yeah, I...

It's a piece of cake.

No, no, just do the
same thing you did

with the first one and
you'll be fine, all of you.

- But Kevin got so old,
- All of you.

I don't know.

I mean, I'm still
sharp as a tack.

Dana: And, action.

Behind the scenes.

Farther behind the scenes.

- And we will not return.
- And there he is.

- You could do this talking pup.
- Man: Yeah, just put him

down here in the corner.

Yeah, just go to the corner.

Now I'm the throttle hand,

this guy, nothin'.

They do all the work.

Oh, it looks like one of
those weird kung fu movies.

Tavo Vildosola, good to see you,
thanks for swingin' by.

You're kind of a
national hero down here.

Yep, I'm runnin' for
President next year.

I'm pretty sure I'll win it.

I'm gonna take down the wall.

I'm gonna have the
United States pay for it.

This right now is
being shot by my son Wes,

he's right behind the camera.

I just wanna say,

I'm basically
savin' this whole film.

This crew.

And just Mongo
wanted to let you know

that Mongo is very hungry.

And Mongo is not happy
about not eating.

Dana: And you look, actually,
this light's so magnificent.

- Um.
- ls this weird?

Is this uncomfortable
for anybody else?

This is a plea to the Academy.

I don't see any reason to
even have any other nominees,

so please get that trophy ready.

We'll be at the ceremony,

we're comin' out in 2007,
so 2018 we'll be there.

We want a big table,
all of you gold,

and that goes to
Golden Globers, too.

Man: There he goes, the
man, the myth, the legend.

Help.

Help, little help here.

Hello.