NORRA Mexican 1000 Post Rally Wrap
The Lawn Gnome stayed in San Jose Del Cabo one extra night after the finality of the Finish line. After all the data was checked and re-checked, the official results have #48 solidly in 3rd Overall. A slim margin of 5 seconds ahead of the 4th place finisher after 1,400 miles and 6 days of racing. A few minutes at the pool in that little shack of a hotel the Lawn Gnome had to call home for a few nights. 😉 The Awards Party was festive and happy. (As it should be!) that’s the best time to see everyone and hear the stories and feel the “Happy” everyone shows. But all things must come to a close at some point. Up early, (04:15), to get to the airport put the Lawn Gnome at the airport before the America Airlines ticket agents and the TSA folks came to work. Being the first customer of the day for the TSA agents at the checkpoint found the Lawn Gnome’s backpack fascinating. After an almost total autopsy the agent found the little tripod the Lawn Gnome stands on the taller when necessary. The question they asked as they fiddled with the tripod was “what is this metal thing and what do you do with it?” So the Lawn Gnome demonstrated. All had a good giggle and they lost interest. Finally… the departure gate! The first of today’s two legged race takes the Lawn Gnome to Phoenix. After that it’s back to the Lawn Gnome Headquarters and back to the real world. Color the Lawn Gnome feeling kind sad and wishing it wasn’t over. But at the same time feeling really glad to see and hug the Little Lady. Thanks for coming along on the adventure. “Life Is A One Lap Race!”
2026 NORRA Mexican 1000 Day 7 Stage 6 (last stage)
#48 slipped to 4th place overall on yesterdays run. We are within minutes of the 3rd place slot. Thing is… today’s open stages, (timed stages), are pretty short on miles. That means gaining time on the guy ahead is gonna be super tough. Watching the incar cameras we are seeing speeds well over 100mph. Murph and Craig are on a mission and the clock backs up what the Lawn Gnome is seeing in the incar. #48 comes in for the final pit for service having nipped away at the time gap between 3rd 4th overall. Craig and Murphy grab a sandwich and the media steps if for an interview. We’re in the hunt and #48 knows it. During the sandwich/interview time Car Chief Luke Sawyer dives into the driver’s window do some Car Chief magic. The Lawn Gnome asks Luke “what’s up?” That Car Chief hopped back out of that window and offered nothing more, (and nothing less), than a diabolical grin. Time to mount up and take on the final stage. Craig climbs into the cockpit with a look of solid determination. It’s the last time the Lawn Gnome will see #48 until after the finish. So, with fingers crossed, the Lawn Gnome waves goodbye. Update… Craig and Murphy found more speed and less slow in the last stage. At the Checkered Flag they captured 3rd overall by 2 seconds!!! Color the Lawn doing the Happy Dance!!! Wow this is what happens when a whole team fights every minute to win! So proud the be part of #ytmotorsports and the VMC team.
NORRA Mexican 1000 Day 6 Stage 5
Today the race course gives the Lawn Gnome a better chance to see #48 because the race course is accessible in many locations. We had an issue with a clamp on the lower radiator hose. It cost us about 30 min. The YT Motorsports team got to the truck in quick fashion. #48 passes by on the highway after refueling. Ray Field, owner of Dugans Racing Engines does some serious diagnostics analysis for one of his many customers. The report is not good. The engine is damaged. The engine needs a replacement. They have a spare which means an all nighter for the crew guys swapping it out. Bummer. #48 is hauling the mail! The Lawn Gnome got to all the spots where we could do a visual of the car, but #48 had already passed. At the end of the day we dropped from 2nd to 4th position. A team dinner offered a very special sunset that seemed to be a perfect way to close out the day. Color the Lawn Gnome feeling mellow.
NORRA Mexican 1000 day 4 Stage 3 update… For the Lawn Gnome it was a great day… no matter that we saw very little of #48 because the race course and the highway south leave Loreto in two different directions. The pay off is #48 finished the day as first car to the checkers. Our overall position should be in the top 5. Results should be posted later today. The entire YT Motorsports team is safe and comfortable in Loreto. Meet Diane… Diane is our Hostess/Landlord here in Loreto. The Lawn Gnome and Diane have shared a fair amount of conversation time on things not racing related. We’re staying in her home and it’s the wonderful kind of spot that makes you feel right home. When #48 gets to the house it undergoes an assessment and prep for tomorrow’s stage. The Lawn Gnome is blown by the diagnostics one laptop can accomplish. Ray Field, owner of Dougan’s Racing Engines looks into the available data to see how the engine performed so the YT Motorsports can make any little tweaks to the systems. Here is #48’s office. Kevin Murphy in the left seat and Craig McCarthy it the right seat. A little bit of time and patience will let you see what Murphy and Craig see all day. #48 has a pretty spacious cockpit, but it’s packed, as you can see. We are now looking forward to the last two days of racing. Things will get a little crazy because those who are hellbent to improve their position will write the stories that generally end with a bad result. They are running out of time! This is the time for us to make zero changes in the driving style that brought us to first on the road. Color the Lawn Gnome feeling pretty optimistic for another good race day tomorrow. Keeping the pressure on…
NORRA Mexican 1000 Day 5 Stage 3
The rally format has two elements that are not found in a pure race format. One is “open stage” and the other is “transit stage”. #48 gets its fuel and tire service during “transit” stages. The transit stages give the crew time to service, check, adjust, fix, or anything else. It also gives the drivers a break. Murph is crawling out to chill for a while before they must start the next “open stage. A systems check is performed by Ray Field from Dougan’s Racing Engines. Luke Sawyer checks for anything that requires attention. When a chase truck gets to a road crossing for the race cars, a crowd immediately clumps around our chase truck asking for “Steekers”. Ray is happy to accommodate everyone. We finally get to see #48 cross the road and head toward his finish in San Ignacio. This day and stage 4 the Lawn Gnome will not see much of #48 because the highway and the race course take off in two different directions. Color the Lawn Gnome happy and relaxed.
NORRA Mexican 2000 Day 4
The #48 started 2nd off the line. For the chase crew, (aka the Lawn Gnome), it means leaving town a few hours before #48 takes the green flag. Our leader, Sean Hoglund #ytmotorsports who has just completed an interview with Carlos who runs the fleet of ambulances that provide medical help for the rally. With time on our hands the Lawn Gnome wandered around interviewing cactus. 1st up is Mr. Boojum. Looks like an inverted carrot. They grow only in this narrow band of geography on the Baja peninsula. Nowhere else on earth. Sometimes they grow straight, and sometimes not. The look like something from a Doctor Seuss character. Giant Cardone cacti grow to be very old. This example is about 250 years or so old. At last #48 comes into view with both Murphy and Craig tossing us a hang loose hand saying everything is fine. The crew found a loose uniball on the right front. (A suspension part), and it was Jimmy Hook who jumped in to get it done. So based on another successful race day you can color the Lawn Gnome totally stoked!
NORRA Mexican 1000 Day 3
The first day of competition Is in the rear view mirror and it a good day for the #48. The day ended for us holding firmly in 2nd place, about two minutes back. The Lawn Gnome always feels better with a first day result like that. Today we started fine but experienced an “Dammit” moment. #48 plowed into a big ol sandpit. The impact knocked the entire front body of the truck clean off. We saw it go on the Livestream. Actually, aside from looking a little ratty, #48 is fine. The Herbst machine found a small herd of Bovines and smacked it pretty good. Minimal damage, but a fairly sumptuous amount of Bovine poo all down the side of the truck. At the end of the day #48 gets prepped for the run to Bay of Los Angeles. Tires are set up with the lug nuts glued to the wheel for time saving in the pit. A new day in San Felipe starts like this. Color the Lawn Gnome pretty darn happy to be part of the team. Next stop… Bahia de Los Angeles
Day 2.1 NORRA Mexican 1000
Qualifying day was good to Team VMC Racing. The truck flies straight and level. One of the elements of offroad racing that does not show up in most other professional Motorsports is take offs and landings. This is how it looks and sounds when you are up close and personal. Nothing beats being right there to breath the dust and feel the throaty big motor pound your chest. Then there are the landings… They make look a little rough, but inside the cockpit it’s just a little bump.
We take the green flag in the morning. Destination San Felipe, Baja. If all goes as planned our finish should be around 3:30 PM. Onward! Photo Credit to Joe Clauser.
Day Two-NORRA Mexican 1000
The Lawn Gnome is ready to start the day. Today is qualifying for starting positions. A beautiful morning at the Coral Hotel here in Ensenada. Our driver of record is Craig McCarthy, a Kiwi with a passion. The green flag flies in the mañana. Transporters are loaded and on their way to the qualifying track. Yes, there is some tension in the air, and conversations end early because all the thoughts are having to do with , “where can we find some speed and a little luck” to qualify in the top 5. Color the Lawn Gnome getting a little excited!
Meet Jimmy Hook. Jimmy is driving us south to the Mexican Border. The is day one for the Lawn Gnome attending the NORRA Mexican 1000. It’s already fun! The next week or so will be busy and intense. For the Lawn Gnome it will be Zen. Color the Lawn Gnome chomping at the bit to get across that dang border!
For the @lawn Gnome and the Little Lady the free rides day with Metrolink has turned into quite a mellow and easy going afternoon. Traveling a commuter train mid day means light loads and easy foot traffic. The Union Station in Los Angeles is the last of “the great train stations”, opened in 1939. The art and architecture stand out in today’s world. Once out on the street the road signs offer directions to a variety of destinations. So, like they say in Western Movies, “Which way did they go? Well it gets simple from here… the Little Lady had a hankering for a Margarita with some chips and salsa… which sign shouted out “Me!” “Me!”“me!”?
The Lawn Gnome and the Little Lady decided to celebrate Earth Day by taking Metrolink up on their offer of free rides all day, anywhere Metrolink goes! The idea was to hop on the first train we see and jump aboard! LA Union Station here we come! No plan. No destination. Just curiosity. Color the Lawn Gnome and The Little Lady with eyes wide open, noses pressed firmly to the window…
