Racing Films

I did not know anything about the Baja 1000 before watching this film, after watching it I wondered why I had not given it more attention before.  Baja is an insane 1000 mile loop from the Mexican city of Ensenada, out to the coast then back to Ensendada for dirt bikes, dune buggies, trophy trucks and Class 11 unmodified VW beetles.  The class 11 drivers seem the most insane of the lot to me, a stock VW Beetle isn’t exactly flush with comforts let alone when you try to drive one for 1000 miles through a rough meandering desert.  Some of the purpose built vehicles struggle with the roads so how the class 11 group get through is probably a whole story on it’s own.

The film is set during the 2003 Baja 1000 and features several well-known racing legends who have been captured by the allure of this magnificent event.  The Grand Marshal for the 2003 race was none other than Mario Andretti.  Other racing names that feature are Bobby Gordon, Jimmy Vasser and the Baja legend Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart.  I knew of Ivan Stewart not from his feats at Baja but the excellent 1989 ‘Ivan Ironman Stewart’s Super Off Road’ video game, that was a great game…but that is for another review website that someone else can write.  In his career Stewart won an astonishing 17 Baja 500’s and three 1000’s.

The Baja course is cruel, changed every year by Sal Fish who is the orchestrator of this madness. Up until the beginning of the race the actual checkpoint locations are a closely guarded secret so that participants can’t practice and work out all the potential shortcuts.  Competitors must get to all 12 course check points and complete the 1000-mile course within 32 hours.  300 vehicles compete in total with drivers and riders aged 16 to 62.  Drivers and riders take a total pummelling while trying to A) win the race or B) just finish within the 32-hour time limit. 

The documentary does a fine job of capturing the mysticism of Baja, families who have competed for generations, stunning scenery, crazy local fans, cruel luck, perseverance, pain and death. Every person who finishes Baja has truly achieved something great by conquering and surviving this free for all scramble through the Mexican dessert.  I can’t believe I had never truly understood what Baja was all about.  In Dust to Glory we get a full immersive introduction to the race and the history behind it while following the 2003 event.  I’ve read other reviews of this film that criticise it mainly for editing and not being focused enough on the main stories.  I’m not sure that is what this film really tried to do, I felt this film tried to capture the chaotic nature of Baja and made the point that everyone who competes will have an incredible story to tell, it would be impossible to tell them all.  The film is clearly made on a pretty small budget, but this captures the clandestine ‘do it yourself’ spirit of the Baja competitors and the event itself.

One of the stories the documentary features is an attempt by Mike 'Mouse' McCoy to complete the race solo.  He has been a champion before and is looking for a new challenge.  We seem him regress from a skilled champion to a delusional madman determined to finish on the podium regardless of the cost to his personal wellbeing.  Seeing an athlete like McCoy descend into a disorientated state of madness for me highlighted the challenge that is Baja.

I don’t know why as a motor racing fan I had never given this event much attention.  I guess it shows all my inner biases toward ‘European racing’ and sentiment that American racing is only about ovals and speedways.  Dust to Glory has now got me fascinated with Baja and the characters that organise and compete in the event.  The Baja 1000 embodies a more adventurer spirit that I would typically associate more with sailing events such as Sydney to Hobart.  I now can’t watch the trailer for this film without getting goose bumps. 

There is a great quote in the film that sums it all up perfectly “The Baja Peninsula: a place between the old west and the twilight zone”.