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SCORE, 2011, Baja 1000 - Buggy 402 Post Race Recap
by Seve
402: Class 4 Predator X-18S with Ecotec 2.2L Engine Buggy
Sugar Racing completed its rookie year by winning the 44th running of the legendary Baja 1000 in Class 4. It was a tough race for the record books. Heavy winter rains changed the
course from pre-run to race in ways no one expected. Racers were challenged with an intensely difficult course filled with bone-crushing rocks, spongy sand, and epic silt. Unlimited Trophy Trucks and
Class 1 buggies that normally finish the Baja 1000 at races speeds of 55 miles per hour won their Class at only 47 and 43 mph, respectively. There were 278 entrants and 155 finishers in this Baja 1000
for a surprisingly strong finish rate of 56% for this uniquely rugged off road race.
 The rugged 693-mile course traveled
from Ensenada east through Ojos Negros, over the infamous Summit and on Laguna Salada, through the Borrego double pit area, down Laguna Diablo to San Felipe through the three
legendary Baja canyon washes of Matomi, Huatamote, and Chanate, back to Borrego then joining familiar routes up to Mike’s Sky Rancho past Valle de Trinidad, heading over to the
Pacific Coast, crossing Highway 1 near San Vicente and to Erendira, then through Santo Tomas, Uruapan and back to Ojos Negros, and on to the finish in Ensenada. The course
covered much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula. Except for the San Felipe loop, the course traveled in a clockwise direction. The San Felipe
loop ran counter clockwise. The race course featured six physical checkpoints along with 64 virtual checkpoints. On race day, 6 miles were added to the start-finish run due to
rain-damage and other local reasons for an actual total of 705 race miles.
Sugar Racing campaigned a Predator X-18S with a 2.2L Ecotec motor against two faster and
more rugged Class 10 cars de-powered with 2.4L Ecotec’s and a 30 HP advantage. Other Class 4 entrants bailed from Class 4 to the Sportsman class when faced with the formidable challenge.
The drivers were Tony Miglini for the first 210 miles to Borrego double pit area, Mike Shatynski for the 250 mile San Felipe loop, Jason Hart for 200 miles from Borrego to Ojos Negros, then
Tony again for the final 45 miles to the finish line. The strategy was simple for this long, dark, and rough race – save the car early then set a winning pace with the freshest car: Tony
keeps a competitive but conservative pace on the first leg, Mike saves car and position during the San Felipe loop, Jason sets a winning pace for the third leg, and Tony does what it
takes to get it to the finish line first. The indispensable co-drivers were Joe “Hauler” Desrosiers for the start/finish and Curtis Wegener for the San Felipe loop.
The starting order by Class at 30 second intervals was TT, 1, 10, 12, 1600, 8, and 4 followed by the slower classes. The first 4 wheeled vehicle, Jesse James’ Trophy Truck, left the start
line at 11:30 am on Friday. Five miles later, 13 Trophy Trucks came to a complete stop blocked by a local trucker who jackknifed trying to reach a construction site on the race
course. It took SCORE over an hour to resolve the crisis and restart the race. Tony and Joe left the line in Race 402 at 1:41 pm on Friday afternoon racing the early darkness.
Chase 3, 5, and Red piloted by John, Brian and Ben tracked Race 402 paralleling Highway 3 through Nuevo Junction. A quick gas dump at RM 70 showed the team that the 4 car was
getting not 5 but 8 mpg which was crucial for efficient support and better race times. Tony and Joe headed up over the Summit as the chasers headed for the big trailer in Borrego.
Other invaluable supporters in the chase trucks and pit included Ron, Ashley, Jamie, Oly, Scott, Chris, Chet, Buzz, Jessie and Eddy.
Tony and Joe entered the Borrego pit only 45 minutes behind the Class leader, Race 401. They had one mechanical problem when a loose power steering hose was cut by a skid plate
fastener and vibration. A quick fix was made at the Checkers Pit just past Cabuzo using a 10mm deep socket and a few hose clamps to patch the hole. The repair didn’t hold so a
second stop was required ad a Ma7 pit was utilized for a meeting place for Buzz and Jessie to swing into action. A better suited tube was made from a donated Toyota pickup jack handle,
THANKS CHECKERS and MAG7 for assisting with the class winning repairs. After being nerfed and passed early by Clyde Stacy’s Race 439, Tony and Joe picked him off in the silt just
south of Laguna Salada. In Borrego, Mike and Curtis got in the car and the race to catch Race 401 was on.
Chase 5 paralleled Race 402 along Highway 5 and provided fuel at the eastern outlet of
Matomi wash. Mike and Curtis left the southern-most pit with a 15 minute lead having passed 401 in the silt. Mike and Curtis pulled back into the Borrego pit for a driver change in the early
morning hours in first place. Erroneously, Sugar Racing believed a Weatherman report that 401 was out due to an alternator and sent Jason and Joe heading to the Pacific Coast with
direction to get the car to Ojos at a conservative and safe pace to ensure a finish. Race 401 blew through Borrego 45 minutes later with a new alternator and hell-bent to catch 402.
The plan changed as word was relayed to Jason and Joe via the Weatherman. 401 was in hot pursuit so conserve your lead and drive safe. The race was now in the capable hands of
Jason and Joe supported by Chris and Chris in Chase 1 on Highway 1 on the Pacific Coast.
All Highway 3 and 5 chasers packed up and headed to set up the final pit at Ojos Negros.
Once at Ojos, tentative pit plans were made while Valorie kept feeding time splits by satellite from the Sugar Racing operations center back home. After fixing a flat tire after the silt beds
of San Vicente and a mechanical problem with loose front end bolts, Jason and Joe maintained a 10 minute lead over 401 from the Pacific coast to Ojos. Tony made the decision
– splash gas and go – no time for a driver change. Race 401 was pushing hard but Jason and Joe had the right pace to keep the car on track.
All chasers packed up and headed into the finish line while paralleling Race 402 along Highway 3 for the last 45 miles into Ensenada. Valorie continued to relay time splits. 401 was
desperate for the win and was driving with abandon to gain on Jason and Joe. Weatherman warned of a massive hole on the course dug by local spectators with heavy equipment only
10 miles from the finish line. The splits started to close then Valorie reported that 401 stopped only a few miles behind Jason and Joe. There was no relief as everyone waited
anxiously at the finish line. The race wasn’t over until Race 402 crossed the finish line.
After 24 hours and 30 minutes of intense racing, Jason and Joe crossed the finish line early on
Saturday afternoon to the checkered flag and a first place finish. Race 401 crossed 9 1/2 minutes later. Race and chase drivers and other supporters celebrated their hard fought
victory in the winner’s circle in front of Ensenada’s grand Riviera Convention Center.
When the dust settled at the finish line, Sugar Racing won the Class with an average speed
of 29 mph and an elapsed time of 24:30:51. After over 24 hours of breakneck racing, the team won by a split of only 10 minutes. Of note, this finish would have given the team a 3rd
place finish out of 14 entrants in the intensely competitive Class 10. Capable driving, reliable chase support, a solid race strategy, and great tactical calls carried the race for the team.
SCORE INTEVIEW, TONY MIGLINI, No. 402 (First in class. Miglini drove approximately 200 miles, then Mike Shatynski drove the San Felipe loop and Jason Hart drove to the finish.) – It
was brutal out there. Our whole goal was to finish and we kept having to change our strategy throughout the whole race as different things happened. The other two guys were way faster
than us and we just stayed our course and as they started having problems we just started pushing it and going faster. We set a solid pace and maintained our lead for the last 100
miles. We couldn't be happier. It's just insane out there. We got the lead close to Borrego. It got a little dicey at the end but it was good. We had a power steering problem early when we
wore a hole in a hose and had to make a field repair that took us a little bit. The car ran great and we finally got it dialed in. Tough race, tons of fun and it was our first 1000 and our
first win of the year.
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