Huge Baja 500 controversy

[Mike Kay]

Last weekend was the Baja 500.

Unofficial results had the usual suspects winning, as they do over and over.

But there seems to be a change this year. All vehicles have little GPS trackers on them, that are supposed to be reveiwed for cheating, but oddly that doesnt happen.

Up till now.

There is a HUGE behind the scenes Baja 500 results re-write going on. Very large penalties being doled out for top teams and radical changes in the finishing orders. (Robbie Gordon went from 1st to 7th for illegal pits, speeding, course cutting, etc.) Something like 70% of teams are being penalized, with the cars/trucks now published, and bikes/quads being evaluated.

Ive heard rumors that the bikes wont be penalized at all, and ive heard rumors that they will, and its gonna be shocking.

We should know very soon. Could be a real game changer. Something to take a look at.

 

[BlipBlip!]

Dude, you should post this over in the Baja forum on Thumpertalk.

BlipBlip!

 

[Norman Foley]

Dude, you should post this over in the Baja forum on Thumpertalk.

BlipBlip!

A little dark today, eh!

 

[robertaccio]

It all ready is being aired over there (At Thumpertalk)

 

[HuskyDude]

"Big Brother" is watching.

 

[Coffee]

"Big Brother" is watching.

Exactly.

While I do not mind at all these types of things being discussed (actually find these types of things strangely interesting) it would be good to keep it at a level where people do not feel the need to join Cafe Husky to 'participate' in these types of discussions.

People that have no interest in Husqvarna bikes should not feel the need to sign up. Maybe the readers digest version of events happening to the teams, drivers, and what is happening on other boards would be better than yet unreleased details for instance.

Dunno... that's my take on it. I certainly don't want a mass of people signing up just to talk about these types of things. That's my gut feeling, nothing more.

 

[BlipBlip!]

Exactly.

While I do not mind at all these types of things being discussed (actually find these types of things strangely interesting) it would be good to keep it at a level where people do not feel the need to join Cafe Husky to 'participate' in these types of discussions.

People that have no interest in Husqvarna bikes should not feel the need to sign up. Maybe the readers digest version of events happening to the teams, drivers, and what is happening on other boards would be better than yet unreleased details for instance.

Dunno... that's my take on it. I certainly don't want a mass of people signing up just to talk about these types of things. That's my gut feeling, nothing more.

I agree, and I'm sorry for posting that comment and no it wasn't a gab at mike, because I always supported him over there.

It's kind of funny how sensitive people are about Baja and how a lot of what was posted back when is now all coming to light.

I kind of wish I had ridden Baja when I was younger.

 

[Hwy]

Finally.
Cheating has been going on since the 1970's. We've racing Baja at least 12 times and always felt that the privateer had little chance of winning

It's not that we did not try but rather with limited pits support and "playing by the book" we looked at just finishing to be a winner.

Sal Fish, a great guy to be sure - always has always turned a blind eye to cheating -

 

[Coffee]

I agree, and I'm sorry for posting that comment and no it wasn't a gab at mike, because I always supported him over there.

It's kind of funny how sensitive people are about Baja and how a lot of what was posted back when is now all coming to light.

You mean this? I thought it was funny

Dude, you should post this over in the Baja forum on Thumpertalk.

BlipBlip!

I like hearing about all this stuff, have no objections at all to talking about it, but in an ideal world it would be nice if non CH people did not feel a need to join CH just to respond to comments.

The world is not always ideal though.

 

[Mike Kay]

The official results are now being published on the SCORE website.

Its perhaps the greatest re-write in the history of all motorsports on earth.

http://www.score-international.com/253/newss/Official_Results_From_Tecate_SCORE_Baja_500.aspx

Class 22 is the 'open pro' motorcycle class. Take a look at who got the most penalties for cutting the course (by many, many many miles)

Its a new day in Baja. A new day. And i will leave it at that.

_____________

Carpe Diem, Husky. Carpe Diem.

 

[robertaccio]

the class 21 Corfman team of 8X rode a Beta!!!.... looks like KTM finally got their victory in Baja!!!

 

[Coffee]

the class 21 Corfman team of 8X rode a Beta!!!.... looks like KTM finally got their victory in Baja!!!

Saw that!

Keeping in mind I know nothing about the Baja races... there was 1 Beta & 1 KTM & 1 XR650 entered in class 22 (250cc or more) and the rest were crf450xs?


To further demonstrate how confused I am on what happens in Baja races I really cannot figure out why they are also putting crf450xs in the "CLASS 21 (126cc to 250cc)-- ".


The baja section of TT seems to be discussing things.

 

[Mike Kay]

You confussion is understandable.

SCORE has both engine size, and age groups in pro motorcycle classes (pro meaning you get payed back if you do well) as well as novice 'sportsman' classes.

Class 22 is open pro. Any bike size.
Class 21 is 450 4 stroke, and 250 2 stroke.
Class 20 is 250 4 stroke and 125 2 stroke.

Class 30,40,50,60 are age groups, and ya race any sized bike.

That Beta now has a chance at taking the coveted 1X plate!

-------------

Now is the time for Husky to go back to Baja.
Thats why i posted this thread. Now is the time to go back.
------------

Saw that!

Keeping in mind I know nothing about the Baja races... there was 1 Beta & 1 KTM & 1 XR650 entered in class 22 (250cc or more) and the rest were crf450xs?


To further demonstrate how confused I am on what happens in Baja races I really cannot figure out why they are also putting crf450xs in the "CLASS 21 (126cc to 250cc)-- ".


The baja section of TT seems to be discussing things.

 

[Coffee]

Now is the time for Husky to go back to Baja.
Thats why i posted this thread. Now is the time to go back.

So make the suggestion in the Corporate feedback forum? Maybe with a link to this thread so they can find it?

There are hundreds of threads per day and no one person can read them all, not even me, and I check in multiple times a day.

 

[robertaccio]

I am happy for the Corfman boys! they are local D-38 dez racers, they had their crew of Betas out at the Superstition H&H and they did well out there as well. I guess that RFS motor still has life in it!! (I prefer it to the new tech Kato motors). That is a great advert for Beta,,,,,Beta wins Baja, even in Europe that would be a cool advert. I am biased but I love the artisan/cottage industry machines that Italy produces. R
PS Mike is right now that the whip is cracked on course violations the field will be more level, now Husky and even KTM might think about returning to Baja. For KTM there is still the issue of a factory supported race with extreme danger involved, they have lost a bunch of supported riders in rally raid races,,,,and knowing their stand on safety we may not see them as a factory back any rally raid type stuff anymore.

 

[rajobigguy]

The official results are now being published on the SCORE website.

Its perhaps the greatest re-write in the history of all motorsports on earth.

http://www.score-international.com/253/newss/Official_Results_From_Tecate_SCORE_Baja_500.aspx

Class 22 is the 'open pro' motorcycle class. Take a look at who got the most penalties for cutting the course (by many, many many miles)

Its a new day in Baja. A new day. And i will leave it at that.

_____________

Carpe Diem, Husky. Carpe Diem.

Good lord between Armin and Troy they did half the course, off the course.

 

[Mike Kay]

Its really something to see it all layed bare.

Guys cheating left and right and center.

I guess its not a 'false rumor' anymore, that so many folks cheat down there. Its funny too to read how some cheaters are trying to 'spin it'
Baja is big money. Or it was. It will be again.


For the record, i only cheated once. It was a decade ago, we where WAY back on the course, out of any running. I pulled into a Honda pit, and saw one set of tire tracks going off towards a huge flat dry lake bed. I asked the pit guy "is that Johnny's track' - he sheepishly grinned and said yes. Out of sheer curiosity i followed it, for about 15 miles. I probably saved 20+ minutes. It was just amazing. I wasnt anywhere near the baja 1000 course.

Anyway--
Its a new game down there now. Big time. Up for grabs.

My take on it all is Sal Fish, the promoter, who is about 70 years old now, is getting ready to hand off to his younger nephew, who will take over. Sal wants to give him a clean slate. I expect 1-2 years of 'Sal' bringing down the hammer, then a new chapter under new leadership. That will include all kinds of new technology and promotion, new race or two and even more scrutiny to keep it cleaner racing.

Just my take. Worth .02 pesos.

Now is the time for Hardinoffroad and CH baja guys to put together Husky Pits. Im gonna start another thread and see if guys would be into doing that.

 

[Dirty Bikes]

I have always wanted to go to the Baja races since I watched coverage years ago and then watched D2D. I thought that entering would be a blast but getting together a team and $$ is tough (esp coming from Toronto). But to experience the event as part of a support crew may be the way to go for my immediate Baja thrills. So if you were to put together a Husky Pit I would be interested in helping out anyway I could.

 

[BlipBlip!]

Its really something to see it all layed bare.

Guys cheating left and right and center.

I guess its not a 'false rumor' anymore, that so many folks cheat down there. Its funny too to read how some cheaters are trying to 'spin it'
Baja is big money. Or it was. It will be again.


For the record, i only cheated once. It was a decade ago, we where WAY back on the course, out of any running. I pulled into a Honda pit, and saw one set of tire tracks going off towards a huge flat dry lake bed. I asked the pit guy "is that Johnny's track' - he sheepishly grinned and said yes. Out of sheer curiosity i followed it, for about 15 miles. I probably saved 20+ minutes. It was just amazing. I wasnt anywhere near the baja 1000 course.

Anyway--
Its a new game down there now. Big time. Up for grabs.

My take on it all is Sal Fish, the promoter, who is about 70 years old now, is getting ready to hand off to his younger nephew, who will take over. Sal wants to give him a clean slate. I expect 1-2 years of 'Sal' bringing down the hammer, then a new chapter under new leadership. That will include all kinds of new technology and promotion, new race or two and even more scrutiny to keep it cleaner racing.

Just my take. Worth .02 pesos.

Now is the time for Hardinoffroad and CH baja guys to put together Husky Pits. Im gonna start another thread and see if guys would be into doing that.

Damn Mike, are you telling me they cheat in Baja?

I thought that only happened in old style Time-Keeping American Motorcycle Enduros.

Or like a now famous Suzuki National Enduro Champion use to say... "You ain't racing.... unless U-Rrrrrr Cheating!"

JustSayen

 

[Coffee]

I'm really glad we have a little piece of the internet where people can talk. I've been noticing all kinds of threads and posts about this topic occurring on other forums that quickly disappear.