ITP
BAJACROSS TIRES DOMINATE THE BAJA 1000!
There is no tougher test of man and
machine than the SCORE Baja 1000. ITP has just aced that test by winning the
2009 event in the Sportsman UTV class on BajaCross tires and T-9 Pro Mod
wheels. This class was dominated by the Team Green Kawasaki DragonFire Racing
team, with Reid Nordin, Hans Waage, Todd Romano and Larry Roeseler at the wheel
of their Kawasaki Teryx. This talented crew enjoyed a nearly flawless run,
completing the 672-mile/1000-kilometer course in northern Baja in a time of
24:32:37, for an average speed of 27.41 mph over what many considered to be one
of the most demanding Baja 1000 courses in some time. Of 328 starters, just 185
finished — only 56.4 percent! It was the second big win for the team this
season, having captured the Baja 500 in June on BajaCross tires as well.
If
not for some fuel-related technical issues, the second car fielded by this team
could have had a real shot of making it a one-two performance. Driving duties
in the DragonFire Racing-prepped ITP/Carlisle Teryx were handled by Dave
Roberts, Bob Viau, Chris Koch, John McCarthy, Cody Currie and Fred Sutter, with
backing from Black Rock off-road wheels and Ultimax performance belts. This
entry was the fourth Sportsman UTV entry to cross finish line in Ensenada, but
was just outside the official time limit. This was an outstanding performance
for a team with limited experience in Baja, in a new car that was put together
in a very short timeframe. Everyone agreed that it was a great adventure, and
vowed to return.
Both
teams benefited greatly from the durability and performance of their ITP
BajaCross tires and new ITP T-9 Pro Mod spun aluminum wheels (with ITP T7
Beadlock rings). In an event that’s notoriously tough on tires, neither team
suffered a single tire failure. The Roberts-led squad even ran the same set of
tires and T-9 Pro Mod wheels they used for over 200 miles of pre-running in the
weeks leading up to the event! It was an outstanding debut for the T-9 Pro Mod,
proving their lightweight yet durable capabilities in the world’s most rigorous
test lab.
Congratulations
to everyone involved in this inspiring effort. You showed once again how tough
it is to compete in the Baja 1000, and how ITP tires and wheels can stand up to
the test!
Reid Nordin (longtime Kawasaki
racing department manager) launches the Team Green Kawasaki DragonFire Racing
entry shortly after the start in Ensenada.
The DragonFire-prepped ITP/Carlisle
Teryx stops for service mid-race. This entry went from start to finish — and
then some — on one set of BajaCross tires and T-9 Pro Mod wheels.
The Sportsman UTV class winners,
left to right: Larry Roeseler, Reid Nordin, Todd Romano and Hans Waage.
| 
