With over 400 competitors entered in the race tech inspection, contingency, and last minute registration takes an entire day. Tech and Contingency are held at the soccer stadium in downtown Ensenada and is one big party for the locals and tourists alike. With tons of vendors lining the streets, two stages featuring live acts and the famous Tecate Girls, and race vehicles in line for miles families come from all around just to get a glimpse of the vehicles, the racers, and probably most important of all, stickers! Probably one of the coolest sights is seeing the faces of the little kids when a racer autographs their shirt, or give them a sticker, it truly is what this race is all about.
At the end of day one (or two depending on how you look at it) with tech closed and the vehicles ready for their big day we headed back to the rental house for a good dinner, team meeting with DXR to go over the plan for the next two days, and our last good rest before we are to arrive in Cabo San Lucas, the finish line of this years race. While this day was long it had nothing on the days and nights to come.
Be sure to tune in next time for Part 2: Race Day.
How many race cars do you know with a surfboard on the roof? | 
Street vendors are all over the place in Ensenada. This little boy was kind enough to model a Luchador mask for us. | 
Here we're back at contingency, pretty crazy huh. |
Race vehicles arn't the only things to appear at contingency, this gas powered shopping cart is work of genius! | 
Shake N Bake Baby! | 
I doesn't matter if you're Robby Gordon or Bobby Joe, if you're a racer, they want your autograph. |
Quite possibly the most unique Trophy Truck ever built is Zorro, a Camero, yup a Camero. | 
Steeeker! Everybody loves stickers, doesn't matter who you are! | 
The greatest joy of Baja is just seeing the looks on the children's faces when they get an autograph or a sticker from a racer. |
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Spotted the night before the race... Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or something in the water, but I don't know what was funnier the name of the dealer or the hats on the trucks... | |