News

03/29 Bitd: GT Mint 400 Rewind
03/26 Bitd: Gordon Wins Mint 400
03/21 TrophyLite: Offers Women Racers
03/16 Bitd: Full Field Set for Mint 400
03/14 Bitd: Mint 400 Spectator Map
02/19 ASCC: Posted a Couple Photos
02/19 DRC: You Can Now Tag Photos Here
02/16 ADRA: Schedule of Events
02/16 ADRA: This Weekend Gate Fees
02/16 BITD: New Photos Uploaded to G+
02/13 SCORE: MacCachren Trophy Truck Draws 1st for SF250
02/10/2012 BITD: New Parker 425 Photos Posted
02/09/2012 BITD: General Tire Atop Podium @ Parker
02/09/2012 BITD: Freitas Race Report
02/09/2012 BITD: Gordon Wins Parker 425
02/06/2012 SCORE: San Felipe 250 Draw
02/05/2012 BITD: Parker 425 Photos
02/04/2012 BITD: Robby Gordon Wins Parker 425
02/02/2012 ADRA: Promo Video
02/02/2012 BITD: 2012 $120,000 TT Cash
01/31/2012 BITD: Official Parker 425 Map
01/31/2012 BITD: Parker 425 Event Schedule
01/13/2012 SCORE: Bj Baldwin Fastest @ Qualifing
01/13/2012 SCORE: Official Laughlin Desert Challenge Entry List

03/23 LOORRS: Sparks Fly For Team LeDuc
03/23 LOORRS: Stronghold Makes History in Phx
03/23 LOORRS: Kargola Annihilates Competition
03/22 LOORRS: Greaves & Hart Stretch Legs
03/21 LOORRS: MacCachren Suffers Ups and Downs @ Phx
03/21 SLS: SuperLite Kicks Off High-Octane Series
03/21 LOORRS: Toyota & CBS Sports Expand Role with Series
03/18 LOORRS: Currie Debuting New Truck Design
03/18 LOORRS: RockStar MacCachren Revs Up For 2011
03/18 LOORRS: Curry Sign With General Tire
03/17 LOORRS: MacCachren Hopes To Defend Title
02/24 SCORE: Official San Felipe 250 Event Schedule
02/24 SCORE: SF 250 Prerunning Starts Saturday
02/24 LOORS: Aluma Craft Signs as Sponsor
02/24 LOORS: LeDuc Signs With TOYO
02/23 Bitd: Jesse Jones Wins Parker 425
02/18 LOORS: Camburg Signs on as Sponsor
02/14 SNORE: Event Schedule
02/08 LOORS: Daystar Signs as Presenting Sponsor
02/08 Bitd: Hengeveld Win TrophyLite
02/07 Bitd: Parker 425 Photos
02/03 ASCC: Az Short Course Racing Starts
02/03 Ford: Olliges & Swift Team Up for 2011
02/02 TORC: Hart & Greaves Team Up
02/01 LORRS: McGrath Signs with Team Toyo
02/01 LORRS: Cameron Steel Signs With Stonghold
02/01 Score: San Felipe 250 Draw
01/31 Bitd: Official Parker 425 Schedule of Events
01/31 Bitd: 34 TrickTrucks PreEnter 425
01/10 SCORE: Laughlin Event Schedule
01/10 SCORE: Laughlin Desert Challenge
11/21 SCORE: Joe Bacal & Lexus Win Class
11/20 SCORE: Official Baja 1000 Results
11/20 SCORE: Official Baja 1000 Finishers
10/27 SEMA: Miller BMW SEMA Project
02/04 BITD: Stephen Cox Enters Parker 425




News Archives
Pokey: Where the rumors are...
 

Events
Series Schedules
TV Schedules


 
Vendors
ColoradoRiverInfo.com
Parker Motor
Storm Karting
The Converter Shop
Terrible Herbst Apparel
Teixeira Tech


Teams

PMC Racing
Solar Racing
Terrible Herbst Motorsports

Gallery
Desktop Wallpaper
Photo - Photos!
SPY Photos
 
 DesertRacing.com > News Archives


[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Joe Bacal and Lexus Persevere For
Maiden Victory in Baja 1000

Never-Say-Die Effort
Caps First Championship Season
for Driver, Team, and Luxury Automaker

LA PAZ, Mexico, November 21, 2010 – After suffering the longest night of his young off-road racing career, Joe Bacal and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America-sponsored Lexus LX 570 stormed past the finish line at 7:54 a.m. Saturday morning in a triumphant conclusion to the 43rd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

After weeks of careful preparation and the 2010 SCORE Stock Full championship already behind them, cancer survivor Bacal and first-leg co-driver Chris Cocores departed Ensenada at 12:57 p.m. on Thursday with a comprehensive race plan and a quick LX 570, backed by a second driving team and a race-tested support crew. Their plan was to turn the rig over to Bob Ditner and Paul Williamsen early Friday morning at mile 546 but things did not quite go as planned.

“I felt great and we were making excellent time until a wheel came loose around mile 180,” said Bacal. “The loose wheel caused some damage that took quite a while to repair.”

The highly unusual breakdown sidelined the team for more than two hours, but the worst was yet to come. An engine restart issue that emerged after the Primm 300 in September and was thought to be under control, re-appeared after the wheel-related repairs were completed. At this point Bacal and Cocores were just a few miles from checkpoint #5 (race mile 382) at about 2:20 on Friday morning. But the apparent electrical anomaly proved resistant to diagnosis for hours, with hunger, fatigue and the dark, chilly desert frustrating their efforts.

“We knew we could finish on the podium if we could just get to the finish,” continued Bacal. “By now we were exhausted and hungry, and the finishing window was getting very tight. We tried everything we could think of and with just 40 minutes left to get through the next checkpoint, the LX started. At that point it seemed like a miracle.”

But the drama wasn’t over yet. Due to communication difficulties on the Baja peninsula, there was confusion among the support teams. With the long layover, a rumor started circulating that Bacal was out and they were starting to head home when an urgent call from Teresa Bacal finally broke through: “The LX is running again!”

Now the JTGrey team would have to run quick and trouble free for the rest of the race—about 680 miles—to reach the finish in the allotted time. And that they did. Bacal and Cocores handed the big LX to Ditner and Williamsen at mile 545 and the pair ran fast and clean to mile 840, averaging a remarkable 50 miles per hour. They also passed the previously class-leading—but now stationary—#861 Hummer along the way, further energizing the weary team.

At the driver change around midnight Friday, Ditner moved to the passenger seat and Bacal retook the wheel for the final run to the finish. With only a few hours of precious sleep over the last 40+, the adrenaline-fueled Bacal pushed surprisingly hard, averaging 52 mph over the final 222 miles.

“This one was a nail-biter—a real test for everyone,” said Bacal. “But my team stayed with it and we got ourselves back in the race. With the problems behind us we just flew to the finish line.”

Bacal and Lexus’ first foray into off-road racing yielded immediate victory in 2009 with a brand-new team and an equally new LX 570 at the brutal Baja 500. Since then, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America-sponsored squad has compiled a perfect finishing record that remains unbroken.

“It’s a testament to the durability of Lexus and the contributions of a great team, including the outstanding Long Beach Racers,” noted Bacal. “We also have an amazing group of sponsors such as BF Goodrich and King Shocks that provide bullet-proof go-fast parts. Plus, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America has my back.”

Bacal and Lexus dominated their class in 2010 with four wins and one second-place finish to run away with the SCORE Stock Full championship. Not content to slow down, the team is already planning their assault on the 2011 season.

# # #

Bacal and the JTGrey Racing team acknowledge the following companies for their outstanding products, services and support:

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (primary sponsor)
Lexus (LX 570, original parts)
F-Sport (wheels, performance parts)
BF Goodrich (tires)
King Shocks (suspension components)
KC HiLiTES (lighting)
Head First Design (graphics and marketing support)
ARB and Old Man Emu (off road accessories)
Sparco (seats, safety equipment)
Mechanix Wear (mechanic gloves)
Geiser Brothers Racing (vehicle build and prep)
Powertank (CO2)
Tomo Therapy (Joe’s radiation treatment) 

About JTGrey:
JTGrey Performance Driving, LLC was created in 2007 by Joe and Teresa Bacal to provide expert high-performance driving services (on and off-road) to the auto industry and related companies such as parts suppliers, print advertising and marketing agencies and the commercial and feature film industries, among others. The company is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

JTGrey Racing was created by Joe and Teresa Bacal in 2008 to support Joe’s off-road racing efforts and is also based in Phoenix.






Boyesen Racing

FMF Racing

Panolin Oil Products

McMullen Motorsports: Complete Custom Off-Road Race Car or Pre-Runners


The X Brand Goggles

Twin Air

Dekens Implement:  Blythe, California



Tailchaser Sport Fishing, Checkmate Fishing, Cabo San Lucas salt water fishing and guided tours

Cabo Fishing
ColoradoRiverInfo
Colorado River Reservations
Dave Turner Motorsports
Dekens Cycle & Marine
DPR Racing
Desert Racing Forum
Good Faith Home Loans
Gnarly Dogs
Motorsport Awnings
Insta-Clean
M & M Cut-O-Matic
Parker Motor
Parker Pumper
Premier Golf Cars
PureIsuzu.com
PureNissan.com
PureSuzuki.com
Storm Karting
The Converter Shop
Terrible Herbst
Terrible Herbst Apparel
Teixeira Tech
Twisted-Grip

  Contact DesertRacing.com:
Email Press: news@DesertRacing.com
Voice: 928-733-3087
A River Info™ Website - Copyright 2001-05 River Info
All rights reserved - Site terms of use