1993 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000

MEXICALI, Mexico -- One of the largest event day crowds in sports
history may view the 25th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race
presented by Ford Nov. 11-14, local officials have indicated.

With a population between 800,000 and 1.1 million, this border
industrial center is also bracing for a tourist assault that had filled
all of the metropolitan area's 2,000 hotel and motel rooms with
reservations as early as mid-October.  That doesn't count thousands of
recreational vehicles normally deployed in the desert on race weekends.

SCORE International racing officials, civic and police planners estimate
that more than 500,000 persons will view the race beginning on Nov. 12.
Another 50,000 are expected to jam their way through the contingency
verification lines in the Mexicali civic center, said an official of
COTUCO, Mexicali's convention and tourist organization.  The race day
total could exceed the estimated 400,000 crowd for the Indianapolis 500.

It's the biggest event ever held in Mexico's second largest city,
claimed Raul Sanchez Diaz, advisor to COTUCO on the race.  He said it
will surpass the record crowds that viewed the last Baja 1000 to be held
here 19 years ago.

Meanwhile, spectator interest continued to grow with news that Indy car
star Robby Gordon of Orange, Calif., is returning to his off-road roots
as co-driver in a Valvoline Ford with Frank Vessels of San Luis Rey
Downs, Calif.

Gordon, the 1989 overall winner, predicted that this will be a fast race
but typically a rough one, with the narrow passageway through the Matomi
Wash potentially will make that section impassible for every vehicle
behind it.

Rod Hall and his son Chad of Reno, Nev., will each pilot AM General
Hummers, civilian versions of the army's HMMWVs that were so effective
in the Gulf War.  It will be the Hummers' debut in off-road racing.  Rod
Hall has driven in all previous 25 Baja 1000s.

Other entrants in the 250-plus starting field include defending 1992
overall winners Paul and Dave Simon, Fallbrook, Calif.; Ivan Stewart of
Alpine, Calif.; Roger Mears Jr. of Bakersfield, Calif., with his famed
champion father serving as co-driver; Troy, Ed and Tim Herbst of Las
Vegas, Nev.; Bob Gordon, Orange, Calif.; Darren and Doug York, Indio,
Calif., Larry Ragland of Phoenix, Ariz.; Larry G. Minor, son of auto
racing celebrity Larry Minor, San Jacinto, Calif., and Jim Smith, Garden
Grove, Calif.

Motorcycles will lead the way over the 762.4-mile course, starting at
30-second intervals from 6 a.m. on Nov. 12.  Heavily favored will be the
Kawasaki factory team led by Larry Roeseler of Bloomington, Calif., and
Danny Hamel of Boulder City, Nev.

From a press release - via DirtByte Montly