Imagine, if you will, a crowd that would fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground all jammed into a space about as long as the Pitt Street Mall. Or a Bathurst 1000 audience rammed into Mt Panorama pit lane. And most of them are drinking beer...
Add a scattering of mariachi bands, food sellers by the score (note to self - stay away from the green salsa verde), a million street vendors selling everything from leather belts to trail mix by the scoop, a bunch of merchandise and sponsor stands and more than 300 of the wildest desert racers on the planet, and you're getting some idea of the scale of the Baja 1000.
First run in 1967 by a bunch of bored Californians who raced their dune buggies and motorcycles from Ensenada to La Paz, the event celebrates its 50th birthday this year, and it's grown in leaps and bounds. Along with Dakar - and even our own Finke Desert Race - it's considered to be one of the last great motorsport adventures left on the planet.
The '1000' technically refers to the length of the point-to-point race in miles, but in fact it's more like 1130 miles, or 1900km, in distance. Most teams have four drivers, some run the entire event solo.
This is a vid of Contingency Day, where Baja competitors have their vehicles tech-inspected, before queuing up for up to 12 hours to pass over the ceremonial start ramp. All entrants get their moment in front of the ridiculously huge crowd, too, lobbing boxes of merch out to adoring fans.
Ensenada is a pretty small city of 600,000, but it opens its arms to the annual invasion, and it's the most laid-back, hi-viz vest-free event we've ever covered. OHS officers would faint dead away into their clipboards, honestly.
The race proper kicks off tonight at midnight local time (7pm Australian time) with the motorcycle division, while the race's big stars, the 600kW-plus Trophy Trucks are set to launch at 10am tomorrow.
From there it's a non-stop blast to La Paz; the top guys are expected to finish in around 17 hours, while the back end of the field need to come in before 35 hours have elapsed to get a result.
There are plenty of teams who have spent a million dollars or more to be here; the prize money is $50,000. It's dangerous, untamed, undisciplined, amazingly inclusive, friendly and laid back... and a truly incredible spectacle to behold.
Robbo travelled to the Baja 1000 as a guest of event sponsor BF Goodrich Tires.
What do you think of the Baja 1000? Is it the most insane race this side of the Bathurst 1000? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
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