Sisters man triumphs in Baja race

In the still of the night, racing his motorcycle across the stark Mexican desert at full throttle during the brutal Baja 1,000 off-road event, Greg Willitts' thoughts often turned to the surreal.

"The landscape is a blur," he said. "You see red taillights winking in the fog and dust. You worry about breaking down and going fast. All that brought you here and all the time and money. If you crash you have to sleep with the bike or find a rancher with a truck. You're excited to be participating in a great race, fearful of losing first place. Then the bike comes buzzing in to the next checkpoint and as fast you can plug in a radio, you shotgun out, zero to 60.

"It took me 3-1/2 hours from the center of the Baja Peninsula to the Pacific Ocean and back over to the Sea of Cortez," he said. "You owe it to your teammates to go fast. Number one priority is to first finish and number two is to finish first."

Willitts just returned from the SCORE Desert Racing Series points championship awards ceremony held in Irvine, California, after placing first in November's Baja 1,000 race in the Sportsman Motorcycle Class, completing the legendary course in just over 25 hours at an average speed of 41 mph. He was the overall SCORE points champion for the entire series in his class and was awarded an etched mirror plaque.

"I did this to live out a 40-year-old's fantasy," he said. "It was New Year's Eve 2006 at Hoodoo skiing with my family and friends.

"We all went around the table and my resolution was to race something. I immediately signed up for a race at China Hat east of Bend. I'd been riding motorcycles since I was 13, but just fun riding.

"This Baja race is such a huge deal. This year, for the first time, the Mexican National team won the overall event. They went nuts down there. It's like their Super Bowl."

The SCORE desert racing program has been around since 1967 and is a three-leg series. The motorcycle component consists of three races: a San Felipe 250, a Baja 500 loop based in Ensenada and finally the notorious Baja 1000, nicknamed the "Ripped to the Tip" peninsula run.

The premise is that the same motorcycle has to start the race and finish it. They tag the motorcycle frame and mark down the engine serial number so race officials can confirm that the exact cycle finishes the race that started; beyond that, you're allowed to repair anything else on the bike.

"We're constantly replacing tires and wheels, filters, handlebars, brakes," said Willitts. "We race as part of a team, so you end up with rider swaps and leapfrogging over the course of 1,062 miles. The Sportsman Class has a $1,000 less entry fee than the pro class, with the same amount of people and nearly as competitive. I know every other competitor, and we help each other as the bike comes in to checkpoints. We share tools and mechanics. Everybody just wants to help everyone finish the race."

Willitts' father Bill came down as part of the crew and changed tires in the middle of the night and helped drive the chase truck.

"That's the first time he's ever seen me race and the first time ever to Baja," Greg said. "Darryl Tewalt from Sisters is part of the chase team and came down for every single race. He's there to pick you up and drop you off, repair the bike at night. He's the nuts-and-bolts of the operation - we called him the Mothership."

The team was comprised of Justin Herrmann, Brody Kunz, Chris Parr and Jeff Johnson, all splitting eight legs with Willitts. Darryl Tewalt, Bill Willitts, and Marc Jenkins, who was supposed to race but broke his collarbone two weeks before, made up the all-important chase crew.

"My job was easy, I get off the bike, jump in the back of a truck, drink water, eat a power bar, relax and get ready for the next leg," Greg said. "Those chase guys are always driving, always awake and supporting the other riders."

According to Willitts, the sweet spot for maximum endurance and focus while racing is about 80-100 miles per leg.

"Your brain is usually more tired than your body," he said. "Everything is on high-speed gravel roads or rocky passes and soft sand terrain, so you're always interpreting the landscape for danger spots and places where you can go faster, and how to do it safe.

"My first section was St. Ignacio to Laredo and the second leg was Punta Conejo to the La Paz finish. More people die chasing the race than the ones competing in the race. These guys are driving like maniacs through the night at furious paces to get to the next rider swap, with other chase trucks cutting them off and passing them down 1,000 miles of horrible Baja roads. It's something right out of a Mad Max movie. The race is the equivalent of Portland to L.A. on treacherous trails and roads."

A great moment happened for Willits right before he got on the bike for the final segment.

"Dad couldn't handle himself," he said. "He grabbed me and told me 'I love you. Be safe, and go fast.'"

The race is a big spectator event.

"The last leg had tons of spectators," Willitts noted. "The Mexican population goes out the night before and builds bonfires and drinks Tecate beer and they set up booby traps and poorly engineered jumps, all kinds of crazy stuff. It's not malicious. You race through fish camps along the coast and past ancient missions. Villagers set out rocks and bet on what line you buzz through and cheer and wave.

"The best banner that existed was a yellow sign held up that said '40 Miles To Glory' and that exhilarates you. You've been awake for over 24 hours and you've put in endless money and prep time and 6,000 miles on your truck and can't help but get caught up in it all and you push a little harder than you should."

Willitts crossed the finish line with his hands in the air at 60 mph and knew he'd won. SCORE International president and chief organizer, Sal Fish, greeted him and shook his hand.

"It was an incredible rush of emotion. Sal's a magical person, he looks you in the face and wants to know your experience and he's loved by the Mexican people. Because a Mexican team won the overall title there were thousands of people in the streets of La Paz, firing off fireworks and music blasting and dancing through the night."

The motorcycle wouldn't have gone much farther.

"When the bike was done and after inspecting it, there was no oil registering on the dipstick, a stick was ready to puncture a hole in the radiator and no knobbys left on the tires," Willitts said.

Willitts' team was sponsored by Three Creeks Brewing Co. and they contributed their slick race jackets.

Willitts remains exhilarated by the event - and encourages others to fulfill their crazy dreams.

"Baja is a safe place filled with wonderful people. It was a very fulfilling experience. Most importantly, I'm a normal guy and if I can do it, anyone can."

Those interested in off-road desert racing may contact Willitts at [email protected]