Rod Hall to make History at this running of the BAJA 1000

[cgalpha08]

And guess what hes reppin the good ol' HUMMER!!!

http://www.icontact-archive.com/YUMGRli0ZXRJDaMD7wqEBeoNJDHhX33C?w=4#.UKVM6rvGMyI.facebook

not sure if you have to have facebook to view this or not, but here is the article if you cant.

Rod Hall Makes History at the 2012 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Hall celebrated as the only person to compete in all forty-five editions of the legendary off-road race


November 15, 2012 (Reno, NV) - On Thursday morning November 15th, SCORE International will celebrate a major milestone - the 45th running of the famed Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. Although many have forged impressive careers racing the Baja, none will ever match the accomplishments of off-road racer, Rod Hall. He is known today as the only person to compete in each and every race over the past four and a half decades.

Hall has carved a legacy based on perseverance, patience and consistency. He embodies that well worn quote “to finish first, you must first finish.” Considered the most winning man in Baja, Hall has captured a record 21 Baja 1000 wins, 18 Baja 500 wins and the only person to win the overall, beating the motorcycles, in a production 4-wheel drive.

While many have attempted, Hall has made his lifelong career as a driver. His professional career began with Ford in 1968. He then began a long relationship with Dodge spanning from 1975 to 1992 where he captured 35 consecutive wins – a record that still stands today as the longest unbroken string of race victories. In 1993, Hall began a successful 17-year relationship with HUMMER. Today, Hall is the longest sponsored driver in BFGoodrich history. His knowledge and skill has been the trusted blend for manufacturers looking to promote their vehicles and products as durable and winning.

Hall will be racing his trusted HUMMER H3 in the Stock Mini class bearing the race number 762. He will drive several portions of the 1,121 mile course and will be sharing driving duties with his granddaughter, Shelby Hall. Alex Baker and Richard Toole will be co-driving in the SamCo Fabrication prepped truck. The race will start in Ensenada, Baja California and finish in La Paz, Baja California Sur.

For the 2012 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Rod Hall Racing is proud to be partnered with long standing partner, BFGoodrich Tires, Fox Racing Shox and MAXTRAX Recovery Devices. Live tracking and Twitter updates are available to follow the team throughout the race. Log on to www.rodhallracing.com. To view archive images from Hall's racing career, click here.

 

[LagunaH1]

Awesome!!

 

[Hunner]

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?4146-2012-Tecate-SCORE-Baja-1000

 

[reaper]

What do you think Rod did with his steering rack?????

 

[bebe]

What do you think Rod did with his steering rack?????

It's completely stock.

 

[Hunner]

and failed.
Not in this current race but I recall that being said in a report about it in a previous race. It was in the updates during the race. Maybe someone saved that. I had hoped that might have inspired a mod if that was allowed.
Can't remember but I think they lost a place or two while they replaced it??

 

[bebe]

Yes - he's been through at least two (IIRC) but he can't modify it because he runs the "stock mini" class. Last time I talked to his builder, Sam Cothrun, it's not something they go through often enough. He races it like 2-3 times a year now and this is the first time he's been behind the wheel since 2011. Shelby is doing the driving and before that Emily Ironwomaned the Baja with Sam as co-dawg.

He's always listed as DOR - which means he has to start or finish the race.

 

[06 H3]

Yes - he's been through at least two (IIRC) but he can't modify it because he runs the "stock mini" class. Last time I talked to his builder, Sam Cothrun, it's not something they go through often enough. He races it like 2-3 times a year now and this is the first time he's been behind the wheel since 2011. Shelby is doing the driving and before that Emily Ironwomaned the Baja with Sam as co-dawg.

He's always listed as DOR - which means he has to start or finish the race.

I find it amazing how he puts that rack through hell with jumping it and racing and some piss through these things...

Maybe it's the rockcrawling and lack of skill when compared to the pros.

 

[JGBB04]

Ya I think you're getting the hint. From what I've seen it's the rock crawling type stuff where we need to use more finesse (as good friend of mine calls it & it applies to everything in life,trust me he's right) seems to me bouncing straight up & down is not the problem as I've run several wash board roads at high speed w/ no problem but I'm very (ok some what) cautious on the more technical stuff where I know more stress is being applied to our weak parts

 

[Hunner]

This keeps coming up in different places but for the immediate conversation this is applicable.
On my 06 when it was new I ran Superlift Park most weekends. Being new I was being very careful how I drove it. The rack lasted over a year. Had I known to remove the skid and check that rubber bushing I probably would not have broken it. The rubber was half out of the bracket when it did break.
I also admit that my locker was not working and I was a bit hard on the skinny pedal to climb an obstacle I normal traverse with ease. THAT did it when I was loosing traction and spun the front wheels and they grabbed, whack! Combination of that and the misplaced bushing finished it off.
I would think on the race truck that things like that are checked often and replaced as preventative maintenance. If you think about it they run a lot less miles than a daily driver and weekend wheeler, but are better prepared and maintained.
Heck yea it's the rock crawling. Some people go a long time without problems but others don't. It does not seem to be selective to skill or how careful you are when the right or wrong conditions occur either in a single event or repeated abuse at some point they will apparently fail.
I would recommend if you are running rough trails with the stock mounts to check that pass side bushing often and the pressed in ones often for wear and check to see if there is excessive movement, whatever that is?
The problem is sometimes you can see the movement jacked up and sometimes on the ground and sometimes not, but while wheeling it gets in different positions that allow movement. Dealers have reported no movement but further checking what they were doing was only grabbing the rack at some point and it would not move, not trying different positions.
Jacked up, engine running, turning the steering wheel will apply the hydraulic forces that move things around more than engine off. If you get a lot of movement jacked up pushing pulling on the wheels think how it will increase with hydraulics involved.
To me the movement in these videos is NOT acceptable movement! I cannot imagine this is supposed to be correct as opposed to just the internal rack shaft moving the tie rods.

 

[twinmill28]

I thought I'd had every front end issue with my 06 H3, but never dealt with the steering rack---and it had 50K hard miles on it when I traded. I'm going to guess a few more miles and it would have reared it's ugly head, just like all those stupid bushings.

 

[Hunner]

We are getting there though. Lots of input and some new solutions. I will try the Aussie drivers side bushings.

 

[bebe]

I find it amazing how he puts that rack through hell with jumping it and racing and some piss through these things...

Maybe it's the rockcrawling and lack of skill when compared to the pros.

If you have ever followed him through the desert (like I have) and tried to keep up with him - you would know exactly how he does it. Finesse....period.