Racing 800 Miles in the Desert—in a VW Bug | National Geographic

the Baja 1000 is just one of the

the Baja 1000 is just one of the toughest off-road races that exist it’s

toughest off-road races that exist it’s

toughest off-road races that exist it’s in Baja California in Mexico down the

in Baja California in Mexico down the

in Baja California in Mexico down the peninsula it’s pretty much the race that

peninsula it’s pretty much the race that

peninsula it’s pretty much the race that you aspire to do an off-road racing

you aspire to do an off-road racing

you aspire to do an off-road racing this year’s event is 828 miles and has a

this year’s event is 828 miles and has a

this year’s event is 828 miles and has a believe it’s at 33 hour time limit

when most people think of the Baja 1000

when most people think of the Baja 1000 they think about trophy trucks which are

they think about trophy trucks which are

they think about trophy trucks which are these thousand horsepower million-dollar

these thousand horsepower million-dollar

these thousand horsepower million-dollar forces of nature when you see them on

forces of nature when you see them on

forces of nature when you see them on the course we’re kind of at the opposite

the course we’re kind of at the opposite

the course we’re kind of at the opposite end of the spectrum with basically stock

end of the spectrum with basically stock

end of the spectrum with basically stock Volkswagens from the 1970s got about 50

Volkswagens from the 1970s got about 50

Volkswagens from the 1970s got about 50 60 horsepower in them and very little

60 horsepower in them and very little

60 horsepower in them and very little modification

sometimes we’re going down the road

sometimes we’re going down the road sideways almost about to tip over which

sideways almost about to tip over which

sideways almost about to tip over which is interesting kind of scary at times

well we we really didn’t feel good

well we we really didn’t feel good coming into the event the car was strong

coming into the event the car was strong

coming into the event the car was strong we had the biggest team we ever had we

we had the biggest team we ever had we

we had the biggest team we ever had we had great communications and

had great communications and

had great communications and unfortunately we had a problem come out

unfortunately we had a problem come out

unfortunately we had a problem come out of left field with our fuel system that

of left field with our fuel system that

of left field with our fuel system that caused multiple failures of different

caused multiple failures of different

caused multiple failures of different parts of it and it knocked us out of the

parts of it and it knocked us out of the

parts of it and it knocked us out of the race 30 miles in with everything that we

race 30 miles in with everything that we

race 30 miles in with everything that we had this year it really stings it just

had this year it really stings it just

had this year it really stings it just stinks stinks

this is the sixth time we failed so it’s

this is the sixth time we failed so it’s kind of a tough thing to face it is hard

kind of a tough thing to face it is hard

kind of a tough thing to face it is hard I mean there’s one of the hardest things

I mean there’s one of the hardest things

I mean there’s one of the hardest things you can do out there but failing is part

you can do out there but failing is part

you can do out there but failing is part of learning and getting better at this

of learning and getting better at this

of learning and getting better at this stuff people are exhausted I want them

stuff people are exhausted I want them

stuff people are exhausted I want them to sleep I wanted to get hydrated I want

to sleep I wanted to get hydrated I want

to sleep I wanted to get hydrated I want them to get fed by this afternoon we’re

them to get fed by this afternoon we’re

them to get fed by this afternoon we’re going to be sitting down talking alright

going to be sitting down talking alright

going to be sitting down talking alright let’s look at lessons learned what can

let’s look at lessons learned what can

let’s look at lessons learned what can we do better next year

we do better next year

we do better next year when the teen depends