Viva Las Baja 1000 - MotoAmerica

Zack Eaton (in cowboy hat) and Dan Argano roll their trusty steed across the Baja 1000 finish line. *Photo by Brian J. Nelson.*

Now heading into its 12th year of existence, MotoAmerica is otherwise known as the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. The series’ focus is, of course, on motorcycle road racing, but that’s not the only form of racing that the people of MotoAmerica are interested in, and more importantly, participate in.

Front row, left to right: Carl Price, Dan Argano, Michael Martin, and Zack Eaton. Back row, left to right: Linda Argano, Forrest Powell, Reina Dronen, Ryan Nelson, Heather Jackson, Scott Hayes, Manny Gonzales, Tony Zabala, Robert Eaton, Mark Yates, Scotty Hubbard, and Scott Padgitt. *Photo by Brian J. Nelson.*

Last week, a cadré of MotoAmerica officials and staff gathered in Ensenada, Mexico, to participate in the famous Baja 1000, which is an annual Mexican off-road motorsports race held on the Baja Peninsula. The course has remained relatively the same over the years, with every other event or so being either a point-to-point race from Ensenada to La Paz or a loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada. This year’s Baja 1000 was a loop race, so Team MotoAmerica established a home base at an Airbnb in Ensenada.

Five riders and 13 support crew members made up the team, which was led by rider of record Dan Argano, who is an FIM/AMA/MotoAmerica Official. Argano is a wily veteran of four Baja 1000 events as is his beloved 2005 Honda CRF450X upon which he’s ridden thousands of miles of Baja’s punishing terrain.

Dust and darkness were no match for Team MotoAmerica and their support crew. *Photo by Brian J. Nelson.*

Argano’s fellow riders included Zack Eaton (also an FIM/AMA/MotoAmerica Official), former motorcycle road racer and current MotoAmerica Rider Representative Michael Martin, current motorcycle road racer and MotoAmerica Chief Medical Officer Carl Price, and former motorcycle road racer Curtis Adams, who manages and maintains MotoAmerica’s mobile electrical generators.

The five riders were supported by a topnotch crew, which included chase vehicle drivers Robert Eaton (an FIM/AMA/MotoAmerica Official), Scott Hayes, Mark Yates, and SLO Auto Glass & Tint owner Tony Zabala. Also part of the support crew were MotoAmerica staff members Heather Jackson, Manny Gonzales, and Scotty Hubbard; FIM/AMA/MotoAmerica Officials Ryan Nelson and Scott Padgitt; MotoAmerica Official Photographer Brian J. Nelson; Dan Argano’s wife Linda Argano and her daughter Reina Dronen; and Forrest Powell.

The expression on Curtis Adams’ face says it all. The Baja 1000 is no joke. *Photo by Brian J. Nelson.*

Adversity struck early for the team when rider Curtis Adams suffered a hard tumble off the bike and sustained fractured ribs, which took him out of the remainder of the event.

Despite the setback, the team motored on, with Dan Argano piling up a total of 235 miles, while Zack Eaton logged the most miles at 375.

When all was said and done, Argano and his team crossed the finish line fifth in the Pro Moto Limited class.

Congratulations to Dan and his wolf pack of 17 men and women for their hard work, dedication, camaraderie, and perseverance.