The Bronco DR Heads to the Baja 1000

The Baja 1000, one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world, is set to take place this year on November 15. This year's event marks a shift from the previous year's route, which required racers to complete over 1,300 miles of racecourse, from the cities of La Paz to Ensenada, in less than 50 hours to an over 800-mile loop route, in less than 36 hours.

Overview of the Baja 1000

This year marks the 57th running of the Baja 1000, which takes place in the Baja peninsula in Mexico. The races are not always 1,000 miles long but vary between lows of around 600 miles to highs around 1,300. The courses also, are not in the same area. This year is a single loop race from Ensenada to Ensenada and will cover 860 miles. 

There are multiple classes represented, from motorcycles and side by sides, all the way through unlimited trophy trucks, who can average speeds of 55mph over the entire course and who last year, finished the 1300 mile race in around 22 hours. For racers to finish this year’s Baja 1000, they will have to average these minimum speeds: 

The Bronco DR Competes in Heavy Metal Limited Class

Ford Performance has entered two vehicles in this year’s race. The first is the Bronco DR (#8050), making its first entrance to the Baja 1000. It’s being driven by the experienced duo of Brad Lovell and Roger Lovell in the Heavy Metal Limited class. The expanded racing team includes some amazing drivers: Jason Hutter, Paul Blangsted, Jason Scherer, Jason Berger, and Curt Le Duc.

I had the opportunity to chat with Brad Lovell at the SEMA show, where the Bronco DR is on display in the AMSOIL booth and get his thoughts on the upcoming race. “It’s pretty exciting for us to be racing the Bronco DR. in Baja, as we’ve been campaigning for it all season,” Brad noted, “The DR won both the NORRA 1000 and the Vegas to Reno race this year and is now running in the Heavy Metal Class. It looks like a pretty challenging course. You know when you’re running a loop race, it’s more technical and there’s going to be areas of silt but I think we’re in really good shape. We’ve spent lots of time prepping the truck and it’s proven out to be Baja tough, so we’re excited to get down there and do what we’ve intended to do with this truck and that’s race the Baja 1000.” 

When asked how many Baja 1000’s he’s participated in, he hesitated before answering, “somewhere between twelve and fourteen times”. Brad obviously wants to keep on the lucky side by avoiding any mention of that in-between number.

When asked about his race strategy, Brad stated, “we’ve done quite a bit of logistics to figure out the race and I’ll be starting with my brother Roger, and we’ll race through to BFG Pit #2 which is about race mile 277. At that point Jason Hutter and Paul Blangsted will get in. We have them doing the night shift, which is probably the hardest, most technical section, where you really have to persevere and those guys have a lot of passion to get the vehicle through. Scherer will be in for the finish line, starting from San Phillipe, which again is rough. He has a lot of expertise the rougher the terrain gets so I have a lot of confidence in him as well.”

On final thoughts, Lovell mentioned, “I’m really excited and proud of our team about where we’re at. We’ve done a lot of work to prepare. As of right now, knock on wood, I have a lot of confidence heading down to Baja”   

The Heavy Metal Limited class is known for its focus on production-based vehicles, pushing competitors to utilize a factory chassis and powertrain while modifying other aspects for performance. This year, the Lovells have made significant enhancements to the Bronco D.R., optimizing suspension and drivetrain components to handle the rigors of this technical loop course. 

The Ranger Raptor in Stock Mid-Sized Class

Competing in the Stock Mid-Sized class is the #773 Ranger Raptor, driven by Loren Healey and Eric Davis. Raptors in all forms have performed well in Baja and this year's Ranger should be no different, especially with drivers like Loren behind the wheel. Healey, a respected figure in the off-road community, has a reputation for pushing the limits of both vehicle and driver in some of the toughest races like King of the Hammers and Vegas to Reno. This team also has a great line-up of winning racers including Bailey Campbell, Bryan Crofts, John Williams, Nate Williams, and Ryan Miller.

The Stock Mid-Sized class requires teams to maintain a significant level of factory specifications, meaning that competitors must strike a balance between performance and stock compliance. The Ranger Raptor’s engineering and technology provide Healey with an edge in speed and handling. With its impressive suspension system and powerful turbocharged engine, the Raptor is poised to navigate the tricky terrains of the Baja 1000.

Following the Baja 1000 Online

Since most of us are unable to attend the Baja 1000 in person, there are several ways to stay updated on the race progress and results. The official Baja 1000 website will feature live tracking, allowing fans to follow their favorite teams in real-time. This is a great resource for race enthusiasts who want to keep tabs on the Ford Performance teams.

You can also follow on multiple platforms that offer Score TV including the Score International You Tube Channel, download the Score Off Road Racing App on Apple or Android, or go to Score-International.com.

The Baja 1000 is always an epic event, and it’s an incredible test of both vehicle and racer. This year, it will be fun to follow the #8050 Bronco DR along with the Lovell Racing. It’ll also be exciting to see how Loren, and team and the Ranger Raptor performs.