2021 CODE Hechicera Gran Prix, the highlights!

Last year CODE, led by Poncho Lacarra and Joaquín Rodriguez, was the first race organization in Baja to put together a race event post-lockdown due to Covid-19. The ’20 edition was a success with over 120 entries, however this year the entries got smaller with less than 100, and we wonder if the new rule (mandated by the state) of vaccinated-only for racers and spectators had something to do with it?

Either way, what this race didn’t lack is the action and passion that the racers and fans show for this sport in Baja, and also the weather “blessed us” with an overcast day that kept the heat in check during most of the day with the temperature waving in between 70 and 80 degrees. The race consisted of 4 groups of different race categories racing 3 laps in the opposite direction for the first time ever since CODE started using the Hechicera ranch.

Starting with the third group and fastest categories of the day,  #143 Javier Robles had an “easy” day taking the overall beating the second place of #284 Jose Contreras by 10 minutes averaging a speed of 44.21mi/h with a final time of 2:46:56. Javier and Jose were the only drivers to finish the whole race in the unlimited category.

In the UTV group we had the biggest count of racers as the UTV tendency continues growing in Baja. Here we had great fights among both veterans and rising stars that are using the UTV platform as their preferred vehicle of choice. In the turbo category, Class 29, only 9 seconds separated the first place of #2999 Adrian Escandon (2:46:56) and the #2906 of the Lopez family led by Juan Carlos “PIN” Lopez (3:08:35), and #2914 Rocky Garcia completed the podium getting third place 11 minutes behind Lopez.

Continuing with the highlights, in the VW-limited group #553 Omar Iñiguez, #599 Luivan Voelker and #555 Dike Gutierrez made the podium in the 5/1600 Class. An hour later, the fan-favorites of Class 11 made it to the end, starting with current champion #1100 Roberto Robles defending that number plate taking the first place with a time of 4:24:43 averaging 27.88mi/hr thru the day. #1155 Fernando Prado took second just a minute shy of Robles and #1174 Andres Esparza a litte bit behind taking third.

Finally, in the Buggy department, the last group of the day with the classes 10, 12, 1/2-1600, 5 and 14 the competition was fierce. We saw incredible fights specially within the Class 16 where none of the drivers wanted to give any opportunity to their rivals to pass and make less time. One by one the 16s flew in front of our lenses lap by lap trying to take that sweet first spot, but at the end it was the #1697 Roberto Romo Sr. and his son Roberto Romo Jr. gave a race clinic beating by 6 minutes to second place of #1612 Juan Sanchez and almost half an hour later to the third place #1611 Federico Lopez.

With this race now on the history books, CODE will prepare for their biggest event of the year, the Mex Log 500 that is scheduled for October 15th-16th.

Complete finish times HERE