The 2023 Baja Class 11 Showdown Presented by EMPI moved from the Hammertown infield short course to Melville Dry Lake for a thrilling land rush start that funneled the cars into the same 40-mile course used for the Prologue of the 2023 Toyo Tires Desert Challenge Presented by Monster Energy.
To make things even more interesting, King of the Hammers organizers decided to send the Terra Crew Rush trucks (1450 and 1400 steel-bodied trucks with doors) off on their Prologue just minutes before the Class 11 cars took off from their land-rush start on Melville Dry Lake. The result of this congruence was carnage for both Terra Crew and Class 11 cars. Class 11 cars tangled up with Terra Crew trucks, and the VWs battled each other door to door. Steep hills and deep sand created havoc for both.
A fun twist on the rules of the Terra Crew Rush included disqualification of any 1400/1450 truck that was overtaken by one of the Class 11 vehicles. At the end of the day, Alex Gonzales (#15) set the fastest time followed by Cisco Bio (#14) and racing legend Larry Roeseler (#16) in third.
As exhilarating as the high-speed qualifying events for the Toyo Tires Desert Challenge Presented by Monster Energy were, the thrilling mix of the 2023 Baja Jerky Class 11 for VW bugs Showdown Presented by EMPI racecars and Terra Crew Rush race trucks were, for many spectators and racers, quite possibly the most exciting action seen during Day One of racing.
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Story and photos by King of the Hammers.
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