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Off-Road Racing
Tips from a veteran Baja racer
Steve Temple / autoMedia.com
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Going off-road in a four-wheel-drive vehicle can be a wonderful adventure, a relatively easy way to experience remote destinations and spectacular scenery. Nobody would ever confuse it, though, with the simplicity of heading to your local convenience store. Driving off the pavement demands some careful preparation and unique driving skills. If you get stranded out there, calling for a tow truck makes about as much sense as trying to order a pizza for delivery.
To get an idea of just how demanding the off-road environment can be, along with some tips on how to handle the challenges you may encounter, we spent some time with off-road racer Ari Kreiss. In '97 and '98, he won class A championships in some of the toughest terrain in the world: Baja Sur, Mexico. He's also placed third in class in the Baja 1000, a 26-hour run from Ensenada to La Paz. So you can imagine he's learned a few tricks about how to keep your vehicle running in harsh environments, something that just might help you get your own vehicle back home.
"I started out in off-road racing like a lot of people," Ari related. "I saw races in town (he now lives in Cabo San Lucas, where he owns a boatyard), and decided to buy a Ford pickup and fix it up for going off-road."
Today, he drives a race-prepped 1996 Ford Bronco 4x4 with reinforced frame rails and a chromoly roll cage by Enduro Racing. The suspension has 18 inches of travel in the front, and 22 inches in the rear, and features dual coil-over shocks at all four corners. Under the hood is a 351W block, punched out to 400 cubes and producing 650 horses—not exactly your typical hay-hauler.
Essentials
Ari's first recommendation for would-be off-road runners? "Never underestimate the roughness of the desert," he advises. "There's no short, safe trip in the desert. Be prepared for anything: breakage, collisions, whatever. Bring spares and tools, along with water for both you and your vehicle. You'll need at least a gallon for two people on a day trip, and two gallons for the truck."
Copyright autoMedia.com 2000-2010
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The race truck owned and driven by Ari Kreiss is a race-prepped 1996 Ford Bronco 4x4 with reinforced frame rails and a chromoly roll cage. Under the hood is a 650hp 351 Ford.
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Throttle control is particularly important to get over jumps and prevent from falling into dips.
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"When in doubt, gas it" is the off-road racer's rule of thumb. It's essential to keep a nose-high attitude when jumping.
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Off-road driving requires lots of suspension travel and a well-reinforced chassis.
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A typical mistake is going too fast when heading into a turn. You have to stab the brakes well in advance.
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Ari Kreiss at a checkpoint in the Baja 1000. Speaking from experience, he says there's no such thing as a short, safe trip in the desert.
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