Dirt First Racing   Since 1992

The DirtFirst Racing sponsored Christy Racing/Duncan Class 25 Team finished in 4th place at the 44th Annual Score International Baja 1000. This year’s event was run on a 692 mile course starting and finishing in the oceanside city of Ensenada, Mexico. Unusually damp weather in the area created mudholes and water crossings that are rarely seen on a Baja race course. The traditional start area in the wash heading out of town needed to be excavated with heavy equipment before race day, but even so the motorcycle and quad racers rode the high sides of the wash to avoid deep water on the straightaway. With a Score truck-only race taking place in the San Felipe area a few months prior to the Baja 1000, much of the race course in that area was rougher than expected and put an extra toll on machines and bodies.

Starting the race for the #6A team was DirtFirst Racing’s very own Andy Lagzdins, on the Lenny Duncan-tuned Honda TRX450R. Unfortunately, a broken rear axle just outside of Ojos Negros set the team back nearly two hours due to the remote location of the mishap. “At first I thought the wheel had come off, but then I looked down and the axle was broken clean off!” recalled Lagzdins after the race. “I had to ride sitting on the front hood for a few miles to get within radio range so I could tell my team what was going on. Once they knew what the situation was they came out with parts and next thing I knew I was back in the race.”

With the inspired riding of Dave Scott over the Summit, and Cody Mitchell through the Laguna Salada lake bed down to Borrego, 6A kept motoring at race pace. During a rider change just past San Felipe, the pit crew noticed the swingarm skidplate was missing. Closer inspection revealed the mount bolts had been sheared off, and the call was made to replace the swingarm, remarkably only a 15 minute swap with the dedicated Duncan crew.

Dave Scott pounded through miles of whoops heading north from San Felipe. “It was hard to choose lines at night through there,” commented Scott after the race. “Even with prerunning it felt like I was off the course sometimes, there were so many choices.” The course overlapped itself for roughly 10 miles through Borrego, which made the twice-traveled section of whoops extremely rough.

Jose Ramirez and Robin Fawcett piloted the 6A machine across to the coast where Craig Christy took over and brought the quad into Ensenada for the finish after 23 hours and 35 minutes of racing. “We’ve raced 18 Score races, and this marks 16 finishes,” said Craig Christy at the finish. “I never could have achieved this without my riders and my support crew.”

The Christy’s Team is looking forward to the 2012 Score season starting with the San Felipe 250 in March, and hoping to regain the form that netted them the 2009 Score Overall ATV Championship.

Andy Lagzdins leaves the start line in Ensenada at the 2011 Baja 1000.

For more great pictures from the Baja 1000, check out MyBajaPhotos.com.

For more info on the race and results check out www.Score-International.com.

For more race coverage of the Baja 1000, check out the full report at www.ATVRiders.com.