At night, in Baja, sometimes the conversation turns to muskrats.

It’s tough to describe what it’s like to be strapped into an off road race prepped ‘69 VW Beetle at night for hours on end in the Baja 1000 when there’s nothing around you and all you can see is what the driving lights show you and what the GPS tells you is coming. In “Dust to Glory“, nine time Baja 1000 winner Eric Solorzano said he saw a UFO. In 2007, I saw animals running across the course. But nothing beats this conversation between the Ford F-150 Raptor driver and co-driver running a night section of the 2008 Baja 1000 from the documentary “Born in Baja.”

Driver: “That was a bobcat trail. Bobcats would run up and down there. Chasing the gazelle. And the muskrat. Can…can they chase a muskrat? Does that even work?”

Co-driver: “Yeah.”

Driver: “They can?”

Co-driver: “I dunno.”

Driver: “That’d be like breakfast, or just a snack or what?”

Co-driver: “For a bobcat?”

Driver: “Yeah.”

Co-driver: “It’d be…breakfast.”

Driver: “Bobcat eating a muskrat. That sounds like an old rock song. Something Bob Dylan would sing. That voice…”He was a bobbbbbbcat. Chasin’ a muskrat.”

Transmissions have been dropped off at Bradford’s. Between those and finishing the engine, we’re ready to race.

Here’s the best video of an amateur driver and co-driver racing Nurburgring ever laid to digital video:

The VW Touaregs take first, second and third in the 2010 Dakar Rally.

Ok, the photo doesn’t have anything to do with us beyond that we both race VWs, but with this being the off season for off road racing in the U.S., I switched to watching the Dakar Rally in South America. Versus had great daily coverage, courtesy of Toby Moody and his production team, but Eurovision set the standard for all off road coverage with its daily coverage. Dakar organizers also set the standard for social media integration during the race. And VW had its iPhone app. Boston.com reprised their 2009 photo essay with a spectacular series of shots from this year’s event.

Bob reports that the engine will likely be close to finished with the rebuild by the end of the week or first part of next week. We run the engine pretty much non-stop at 6,000 RPM. When we rebuild it, I’m confident it will go to 6,011. The rain has kept us from getting much done, but once we get the transmission issue sorted out and the rear skid plate dialed, we’ll be ready to race.

With Dakar done, I’m following Marathon Rally and looking forward to Rallye Aicha des Gazelles in March. Nine days, no GPS, sat phones or support trucks. And you navigate with compasses and maps printed in the 1950s. I’m thinking, “Ok, where’s the fun part?” All that aside, the one U.S. team is Emily Sturges Miller and Wendy Fisher. Social media by Miss Motor Mouth, aka Michelle Naranjo. This is what it will be like:

That’s us, the white one, behind red Bug, and the blue one.

We’re in fifth place off the line because we’re “drafting.”

Jim called from the start line while trophy trucks were breaking outa the gate. Not sure exactly what he said but it sounded exciting and LOUD.

The Twitter stream will be the best way to keep track of our Desert Dingo team. You can also listen to The Weatherman for general race updates at http://www.race-dezert.com/radio/radio1.html ….looks like he’s offline right now, but once he’s back up, we’ll be blaring that Channel to keep track of how everyone is doing and what’s ahead on the course.

For satellite tracking, check out http://www.trackinginternational.com/site/score/tracking/ . ATVs and Quads are on the course already. Trophy trucks head outa the gate soon. 1104 will appear on the list once they pick up their sat tracking system and activate it. Starting time for our team is roughly 11AM, with Busboy Bob and Pretty Boy ronjon as pilot and copilot.

Updates as they occur.

Sponsorship supports off-road racer at Baja 1000 in November 2009
Press release, October 12, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the second year, the Desert Dingo Racing team will run the Baja 1000 supported by Donaldson Company (NYSE:DCI), a leading, worldwide manufacturer of filtration systems and parts. Donaldson’s PSD PowerCore® air cleaner will be an integral part of the Class 11 VW Beetle’s air filtration system as it speeds through Mexico’s Baja Peninsula as part of the annual international off-road race.

Read more…

We run Bilstein shocks and they’ve been working great for us.

We’re going through the car from stem to stern. Looking at the front shocks, we noted the hoses between the shocks and reservoirs were a bit frayed from rubbing against the inside of the fenders. I got in touch with Joel, the Off Road MotorSports Technical Supervisor for Bilstein. I asked whether his team could fab a couple of shorter hoses. He came back with an offer to upgrade us to their newest reservoir design.

“Let me think about this yes.”

The team got new bushings in the front beam and got the whole front end buttoned up. Our first logistics meeting is tomorrow. Seth is bbqing tri-tip.

Shawn and Bob work on the co-driver side front drum brake.

In advance of our first logistics meeting for the Baja 1000 on June 21 at Seth’s place, the team put in time doing advance prep on the car. Crusty continued stripping out the car, eliminating rust and painting any bare metal. Shawn and Bob worked on the brakes, replacing some bits that kept the passenger side wheel from rolling relatively freely. Richard pulled the fuel cell, power washed it in preparation for pulling the bladder and sponge, which apparently needs replacing every couple of years.

We may have some interesting developments in the communications department. Photos from last weekend’s work are here.

Like a herd of turtles…Class 11 mass start, Primm 2007

Team is up and prepping for the first race of this weekend’s Battle at Primm. Got a call from Seth saying they couldn’t find the Sunoco fuel truck. Luckily I had a cell number in our Baja 1000 binder. One call later and arrangements were made to meet in 20 minutes in the parking lot behind Buffalo Bills.

So today’s race, which starts a little after 11, is a gold rush start, meaning all 18 Class 11s, plus an untold number of Class 9s (sand rail frame, VW engine, single seaters) all take off at the same time. See the video above.

Shawn called earlier and said said that Skid wanted his fan base to know that breakfast consisted of bacon, eggs, ham, sausage, potatoes, rice krispies, half a piece of cantaloupe, Pepsi, half a cup of whole milk and some ketchup.

Dave Dixon, who grooved our tires and has an alcohol-fueled dune buggy.

The goal was to do a shakedown cruise at Hollister Hills today in prep for the Battle at Primm outside Vegas next weekend.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Bob and Richard made one run and couldn’t keep the car in second gear. They trailered 1102 and made a beeline to Bradford Racing in Prunedale. A quick test drive indicated a possible tranny rebuild is in order. Rich, Shawn, Bob and Creech headed back to Creech’s to drop the engine and transmission and speed it back to Bradford.

On the way back through Felton, Dave Dixon, who grooved our front tires for the Baja 1000, saw everyone and joined the effort. He’s headed to his place to grab an ATV jack to help drop the engine. I suspect he’s also ordering food for folks, who’ve been wrenching or driving for the better part of the day.

Shawn is providing updated via phone and SMS.