The Mexican 1000
THE MEXICAN 1000
AFTER THREE COURSE CHANGES THE CARS CAN STILL DO IT TO THE BIKES
JOE PARKHURST
WHEN MEXICO NEEDS an enema, Mexicali will undoubtedly be the place to insert the tube. Nonetheless, the National OffRoad Racing Association, or NORRA as the old girl is known, selected this dreary place to begin the 1972 Mexican 1000. Several reasons were given for changing the start from Ensenada, but few seemed to make sense. The new course was to run down the Sea Of Cortez coast to a spot called San Luis Ganzaga Bay, and then head inland and join up with the old course near Laguna Chapala.
Several hurricanes later it was decided to turn them into the mountains before San Felipe, through a place called Valle de Trinidad, bringing them right back to where they should have been in the first place had they started at Ensenada. Bike experts reckoned the coastal route would have favored twowheelers, due to the increased off-road roughness. A long, straight stretch of pavement out of Mexicali ended up as part of the course no matter which way they went. It was probably no longer than the Ensenada to below Camalu pavement that is stretching farther south by the day.
Speculation as to what NORRA will do when the pavement goes all the way to La Paz is wild. Car owners and drivers control NORRA, and they certainly don’t want it any rougher than it is. The word is that it will soon no longer be an off-road race. Certainly the increasing pavement lends credence to the rumor.
The course change away from the coast was necessary due to severe hurricane damage to the road. Pre-race runs down the course cost the mighty Stroppe organization, builders and runners of the Ford Bronco teams, one huge flatbed truck. It became unextricably stuck in mud, right on the road. The story goes that they sold it on the spot to some Mexicans, after unloading the valuable tools and gear.
In the face of 140 mph, $100,000 race cars with over 500 bhp, and (almost unbelievably) a 600-bhp pickup truck(!), bikes don’t seem to have much of a chance of regaining their original positions of glory. Little 40 or 50-bhp Singles certainly blow a lot of car people’s minds...but an overall win is far out of sight. Parnelli Jones, sporting a new mop of hair and an image that certainly needed improving in some eyes, literally blasted his way down the over 900-mile peninsula route in only 16 hours, 47.35 minutes. It was not a new record in terms of the old, shorter course, but it was a shattering performance. Riders spoke in trembling tones of having Jones coming up from behind and being able to read his numbers most of the time—yet they are painted on the sides of his Ford “Pony.” Never in a straight line!
The motorcyclist’s motorcyclist, Baja hero Malcolm Smith, suffering from a not yet healed broken leg, drove a buggy. He was second in his class, but spent a good deal of his driving time tossing his cookies over the sides. Malcolm complained of being almost constantly carsick from the motion. Larry Burquist, a previous Baja winner, rode a lOOOcc Harley-Davidson Sportster. He didn’t finish, but certainly impressed people with a tire shredding, over 100 mph performance on the pavement. Rumor had it that the frame broke in half!
Meanwhile, Sweden’s immortal Rolf Tibblin, sharing his Husky with countryman Gunnar Nilsson, set a new Baja record of 19 hours, 19.30 minutes. They arrived in La Paz with a completely ruined rear tire and a countershaft sprocket barren of teeth. A protest against them was considered by a riding team that finished not too far behind, but was not filed. Several people said they saw the winning Husky being loaded into the back of a van only 40 miles out from the finish, but the offended were unable to corroborate the story.
Steve Hurd and Eric Jensen again startled everyone by bringing their 125cc DKW down in record time, this year only 22 hours, 58.42 min. This made them about 12 overall and ahead of a lot of very fast machinery. As food for thought—Johnny Johnson’s buggy class winning time was 20 hours, 17.35, with a well over 150-bhp, very light racing car!
Ron Bishop and Don Bohannon rode the second bike. Their many days of pre-running were worth the time. They rode a 400 Suzuki in 20 hours, 56.29 minutes. Another Husky, ridden by Mickey Quade and Bruce Dunford, pulled in third in 21 hours, 19.41 minutes. Honda fielded a team of three 125s and three 250s, though the 250s were well over that displacement.
Bruce Baron and Rob Norgaard finished third in the 125cc class and Mike Honey and Bob Hosford finished 4th in the 250cc class—not too impressive when the might of the effort is weighed. Gene Cannady, certainly one of the most capable Baja-style riders around, on a special 350 Honda Single, long awaited by Max Switzer at the halfway point, hadn’t shown up yet two days after the race was over.
Lynn Wilson, yes, a girl, rode a 125cc Swedish Monark to the halfway point. The famous Phil Bowers, Mike (Scooter) Patrick team didn’t finish in the money for the first time in a long time. Patrick’s performance before dropping out was spectacular, to say the least. Sidecar heros Karl Krohn and Tom Darby never made it, either, but they made some of the more interesting photographic subjects trying. It has to be the hardest job in the world-riding a sidecar that distance.
Baja California Sur blossomed into its seasonal glory for the final days of the festive drinking and bench-racing at the La Perla Hotel. Rolf Tibblin, who led Parnelli Jones for a while during the night coming out of El Arco, spent almost the entire nex-t day there, as did Parnelli Jones, smiling and styled.
Some went fishing, others skin diving. Several planned trips farther down the tip of Baja for rest and relaxation. The sunsets were absolutely magnificent. No cleaner or clearer air can be found anywhere. Barring the problems of a few who found occasional trips to the bathroom near ritual, the food is passable. As with a lot of racing, the real pleasure comes afterward. Baja is a classic example. We must leave the decision regarding the routes future racing will take to the moguls in NORRA. But, never let it be said that we aren’t ready to give advice. As a founder of NORRA, and one of Baja’s most passionate advocates, I say please guys, get off the pavement.
