One O'clock update

Chad Hall in the #861 H3 Alpha continues to lead the Stock-Full Class at RM 35 as of 1:01 PM with his brother Josh right on his tail. The remainder of the class is currently about 8-10 miles back with #779, Clyde Stacy, from Bristol, VA running in 3rd place in his Dodge Ram.

Ryan Millen is leading in the #762 Toyota FJ and running about 4-6 miles in front of Rod Hall in the #760 H3 SUV who is in a tight race with the rest of the Stock-Mini Class. Rod is running well but merely running at his own pace knowing there is about 600 miles of bad road left to the finish line.

grt

They're off the line

Team HUMMER's Chad Hall left the start line at 12:00 noon in the #861 Stock Full H3 Alpha followed by Josh Hall one minute later in the #863 H2 SUT. They are currently at race-mile 18 with Chad and Josh holding a slight lead over the field and Chad slighty out front.

Rod Hall got under way in the #760 Stock-Mini H3 SUV at 12:02:30, clinching his third consecutive SCORE Stock-Mini Championship. Currently Ryan Millen is in the lead in the #762 Toyota FJ with Rod in a fight for second about two miles back. Millen is at RM 21 as of 12:42 PM.

Everyone seems to be running fine at the present time. This early in the race it's all about taking your time and threading your way through the more than 200 cars and trucks to find your comfort zone while the race traffic thins out.

More news as it develops.

grt

Team HUMMER Ready For Baja 1000

Good morning from Ensenada, Baja California and the 2008 Tecate/SCORE Baja 1000. Led by team owner, Rod Hall, Team HUMMER is at the starting line in downtown Ensenada waiting to take the green flag for the start of the 41st Annual Baja 1000. Chad Hall will be the first HUMMER to start in the #861 H3 Alpha. He is expected to get under way about noon today and only needs to finish the race to lay claim to the 2008 SCORE Stock-Full points championship. Starting third in the Stock-Full Class will be Josh Hall in the #863 Team HUMMER H2 SUT. Between them, the Brothers Hall have won the Stock-Full Class at every Baja 1000 since 2000 and 3 of the 4 SCORE races in their class this year with Chad taking wins at Laughlin and the Baja 500 and Josh winning the San Felipe 250.

Rod Hall is racing in his 41st Baja 1000 and will share driving duties in the #760 Team HUMMER H3 SUV with Mike Winkel. The veteran Hall is the only driver to have participated in a car/truck in every one of the legendary Baja 1000 events and will clinch his third consecutive Stock-Mini Class points championship as soon as he starts the race. He also holds the record for Baja 1000 Class wins with 19 victories. His goal this year is to make it an even twenty wins and win the 23rd Annual Toyota Milestone Award which is awarded yearly to each driver who finishes every mile of every race in the SCORE Desert Championship Series. Going into the final race of the season there are only 15 drivers still in the running for this prestigous award. Team HUMMER's Rod and Chad Hall are two of the fifteen eligible drivers.

As if this wasn't enough, team owner, Rod Hall, celebrates his 71st birthday on Saturday. Ride along with us and I'll bring you all the Team HUMMER action throughout the 41st Annual Tecate/SCORE Baja 1000.

George R. Thompson
Team HUMMER

Notes from Ensenada

I'm sitting in a coffee house in downtown Ensenada while the race trucks slowly snake through the streets for tech and contingency.  We wrapped up pre-running yesterday after five days out on the course.  Although the race is a short one this year at approximately 640 miles, it is long in some respects.  It is definitely a tough, tedious, technical loop - but well suited for our HUMMER race trucks.  A highlight of the first 148 miles to BFG Pit 1 is the descent off La Ruma Rosa.  The several thousand foot decrease in altitude is marked by sheer cliffs and stunning vistas.  It will be an impressive sight to see over 300 trucks race it - knowing that a missed turn could be fatal.  Multiple corners involve three-point turns.   

The loop from Borrego through San Felipe is completely whooped out and the last portion of the course on the Pacific side is marked by several treacherous silt beds.  We are very happy to have four-wheel drive vehicles and have marveled on several occasions at the Class 11 drivers who finish the race in stock VW Beetles.  

We're happy to have George Thompson, veteran desert racer and Rod Hall Racing team member posting regular blog entries throughout the event. So check back.  Thanks to all our fans and sponsors for your support.

Posted by E. Miller

Heading to Baja

Rod, Emily and Mike Winkel head to Ensenada tomorrow and begin pre-running the course. The trio will meet up with Josh and Chad Hall, Sam Cothrun, Thad Stump and the GM crew on Friday at BFG Pit 1 at RM 148.  

Sean Holman of Four Wheeler Magazine will co-ride with Josh in the H2 SUT.  And this year, Rick Pewe from 4-Wheel & Off Road Magazine will leave the line with Rod in the Stock Mini Class.  Pewe has joined the team two years in a row, but unpredictable race dynamics and circumstances have kept Rick from jumping in the navigator's seat with Rod.  He is incredibly capable and we are excited to have him experience the insanity a Baja 1000 start offers.

More tomorrow, before we cross the border.