General Overview31 years ago, ABC's "Wide World of Sports" set out
to film the 1968 Baja 1000 in only the second year of it's running.
From the archives of Bruce Brown (award winning director of "On Any
Sunday" and "Endless Summer") and courtesy of Shoemaker Productions
comes the result of that endeavor. Imagine if you will the time, money, manpower and
technology that goes into winning a Baja race today. Now strip away
all the things we take for granted. Dozens of support people,
aircraft and helicopters, motorhomes, chase trucks, umpteen spare
parts, even radios. Take away the fiberglass / composite truck
bodies, 30+ inches of wheel travel, and 700 HP that's needed to
win. Now go put a set of numbers on a VW microbus, Olds
Toronado, or Honda 350 cc street bike. If your rich, shoot the
works and build a ford Bronco that is better equipped for today's
mild trails than yesterdays race course. Sound insane? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but
that's how things were done back in "the good old days". Now,
thanks to the wonders of the very technology those brave souls
lacked, "The 1968 Baja 1000" can be yours on home video. Highlights- Parnelli Jones' Ford Bronco - pre "Big Oly"
- A very youthful Malcolm Smith in a Racemaster buggy (and on a
bike!)
- Actor James Garner (Maverick) at the wheel of another Ford
Bronco
- Actor / performer Mile Nesmith of "The Monkeys" fame discussing
his familiarity with the brutal Baja terrain..."I'm pretty familiar
with Baja, I drove to LaPaz a year or so ago - "
- Bruce Meyers and the "Meyers Toad"
- Larry Minor in a third Bronco
- Motorcycle madness! See Off-road motorcycle legend John DeSoto
and the infamous "Flying W" in all it's painful glory.
- Pit stops 1968 style. Things were a LOT more relaxed back
then.
- Cow trail racing, complete with cows
- Historic views of Ensanada, and many stops along the way
- Jim MaKay explaining the awesome travel (about 8 inches) of
these "High Performance Desert vehicles"
- Cars, trucks, and bikes go after the 26+ hour record run!
The Verdict - 5If for no reason other than nostalgia, this is a
must have. To compare the ultra tech, ultra fast desert demons of
today with what was "state of the art" back in 68 will leave you
with a sense of wonder - wondering how very far we've come in such
a relatively short time. And standing in awe over the dogged
determination that drove these men to subject themselves to such
physical punishment. Other interesting comparisons are to the racers
themselves. While each era has it's share of giants, when you stop
and think about how little our predecessors had to work with, how
primitive their equipment was, and how much more dangerous their
circumstance, it truly gives you a sense of appreciation for where
the pioneer spirit in the sport today actually came from. "The 1968 Baja 1000" is many different things. Part
documentary, part race coverage, and part history lesson. But
regardless of how you want to look at it, the important thing is
THAT you look at it. Whether you're a fan, racer, or just a general
race buff, I doubt you'll be disappointed. Shoemaker Productions
15471 Red Hill Ave
Tustin CA
92780 Phone - 1-714-258-1070 Website
http://www.shoemakertv.com Tell'em Off-Road.com sent you! |
