Baja 1000 Race 1997

To answer one of your many questions:

"Yes, I do get paid to play in the boonies."

The famous Baja 1000 race was my November 1997 assignment.

My job was to take pictures for Trackside Photo, a photo agency specialized in

off-road race photography.

11/15/1997 L.A. to Tijuana was just another freeway drive - only more relaxing than usual. A true fun drive.The ML320 spoils you for the rest of your life. This is supposed to be a SUV? Get outa here!
Right outside of Tijuana the road was blocked for almost an hour due to an acident. I was late. Very late.
Speed limit or not - I had to meeet the rest of the crew in Ensenada 11 AM sharp.
The Ml320's exceptional ability to perform saved my neck. 65 miles in 40 minutes, including three stops at the toll booths. I loved it - the ML loved it.
I walked into the hotel lobby at 11AM sharp. I was as relaxed as after a 30 minute drive to the office. Very relaxed. No sign of stress after testing the limit of road and machine.
The day was spent pre-running the race course to find suitable locations that would give us exciting images of race cars in action. The wildest possible action that is. Within a few hours we found exactly what we were looking for.
To reach a camp spot close to the location assigned to me I had to drive up into the mountains on a nasty dirt road. The sun had set already an hour ago and the full moon could not assist my drive because thick rain clouds raced over the sky. It was raining and the wet clay dirt acted like oil slick under my tires. Thanks to 4ETS, despite all the slipping and sliding, I safely reached my spot after an exhausting two hour slide & drive.
There was not a single moment that the ML320 lost traction completely. Forward movement was never interrupted and even though the sliding got my stomach upset the ML pulled me through like on invisible tracks.

My ML got very very dirty during that visit in Baja California. How dirty? Check it out.
To get you the right feel for the incredible action during Baja's famous race I'll throw in a few old pics from years past. Enjoy!

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Could the winner be hiding in this cloud of silt?