The plucky, lovable, looks-like-an-old-Jeep-but-is-actually-a-UTV known as the Mahindra Roxor is a solid off-roader that’s inherently optimized for low-speed rock crawling. But Ned and Kat Bacon are taking one racing in Baja, because sure, why not.
The Bacons are going to be running a Roxor in the Pioneer 4×4 Class of the NORRA Mexican 1000, which kicks off the last weekend of April and runs into early May has a huge field of vintage and modern vehicles race from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas.
NORRA is not to be confused with SCORE, the other major sanctioning body that hosts the Baja 1000, 500, San Felipe 250 and more races on the peninsula. To explain the differences as simply as possible–SCORE races revolve solely around winning, while NORRA events are designed to be somewhat less intense and feature a very cool focus on vintage competitive cars.
NORRA racing’s definitely still racing. But while a SCORE Baja 1000 race might take top teams under 20 hours to finish, a NORRA Mexican 1000 takes a week and the organizers host a big party every night. (It’s awesome, by the way.)
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The #61 Roxor will be stock aside from requisite racing safety gear, Toyo Geolandar mud terrain tires, a Warn winch, Mac’s cargo straps, KC light bar, Spartan rear locker, PRP seats and a removal of the factory 45-mph speed limiter courtesy of Vivid Racing.
The Roxor has leaf springs front and rear, which should give “the feel, especially to our backsides, of those early NORRA racers,” said Mr. Bacon in a press release. Over 1,000 miles off-road in a baby Jeep with a 96-inch wheel base and archaic suspension? Yeah, I’d say the Bacon’s ride with be authentically old school, alright.
The Bacons have competed in the NORRA Mexican 1000 before in other vehicles, and more recently finished the Sonora Rally in this Roxor. So they must know what they’re getting themselves into. Should be fun to see how well the thing holds up down Baja.