Brian Deegan Gets Taste Of Baja At Estero Beach

Ensenada, Baja California Mexico

In a first for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS), Brian Deegan and his fellow racers travelled to Baja Mexico for the Rockstar Energy Battle South Of The Border at the Baja International Short Course track in Estero Beach. The unique event was made possible by a lot of hard work put in by LOORRS, Rockstar Energy, and the Baja based Papas & Beer team of Rodrigo Ampudia & family. The enthusiasm of race fans in Baja is legendary. Brian Deegan was anxious to give them a good show in his #38 Rockstar Energy / Makita Power Tools / Ford Pro-4 and Pro-2 trucks; he did not disappoint them.

The Baja International Short Course track in Estero Beach is a brand new track and it showed. Getting a track into shape takes time. The first event will always expose areas that need to be addressed. In Estero Beach, it was the sandy soil. The track got loose; causing a lot of roost behind the trucks and some big holes. It looked more like the Baja 1000 than a short course race. It was spectacular for the fans but blinding for the drivers.

Deegan got a late start learning the track. An unavoidable scheduling conflict forced him to miss practice on Friday. That left him only a handful of laps before starting the main events on Saturday. Deegan might have gotten a slow start, but he was fast on the track. Pro-2 was first up; he started 6th but chipped away at the field as the laps went by. His rivals started on the front row and ran first and second all race. Deegan had to fight through the carnage in rough conditions. Despite the challenge, he made his way to the front to grab another podium; a solid 3rd place finish.

During qualifying for the Pro-4 race, Deegan made his presence known and made some new fans at the same time. In a display of his determination, he rolled his Rockstar Energy Makita Power Tools Ford, landed on the Wheels, and kept going. He went on to run the second fastest time. During the race he was right back at it. The fans gasped as he got up on two wheels in turn 2. He was able to bring it back down on all 4 and continue the race. Battling tough track conditions and contact from another truck, Deegan got to the finish in 5th.

On Sunday, Deegan was second fastest again. This time, it was in the Rockstar Energy Makita Power Tools Ford Pro-2.  After the inversion, he was sent back to the third row. The Lucas Oil Series draws a number to determine the inversion. If the draw results in a zero, the qualifying position does not change. If a higher number is drawn, they invert, or move back the top qualifiers the number of spots that correspond to the number drawn. If the number is 5, they invert the top 5. The first qualifier starts 5th; the 5th fastest starts first. It’s a way to introduce some randomness for starting position and generates excitement in the fans. It can punish a driver or reward him; it varies. Despite his fast qualifying run, Deegan was inverted to the middle of the pack. He fought valiantly but traffic and the lack of vision had him penned in during the race. He finished 6th.

The final race of the weekend would be the Pro-4’s. Deegan had proved his speed all weekend, but during qualifying in the Rockstar Energy Makita Power Tools Ford Pro-4, the truck was off its normal pace. He qualified 7th fastest. He got a great start when the green flag dropped, picking off a couple spots. As the laps clicked off, the issue in qualifying re-emerged; he was losing forward drive.

He used every bit of experience and skill to stay in the hunt over the next couple of laps. A late caution set up a green/white/checkers finish. The re-start was not good to Deegan’s transmission. He had another podium in his sights but dropped to 6th place at the finish.

“It was a fun race,” said Deegan, “The energy from the fans was incredible. It’s great that the Lucas Oil Series is expanding into new tracks; it was really unique racing right next to the Pacific Ocean. The track was big and very fast. It was one of the toughest races I have done but it’s good to be challenged. I can’t wait to take what we learned and have another crack at it.”

Brian Deegan will be racing next in rounds 13 and 14 on Aug 22 – 23 at Wild West Motorsports Park in Sparks, Nevada. The Sparks, Nevada track is known for its huge elevation changes that test the driver’s brakes and their nerves.
Photography By: Bink Designs

About Brian Deegan
Motocross legend, 2014 LOORRS Pro 2 Champion, 2014 Pro Lite Runner Up and 2013 DirtSport’s Driver of the Year, Brian “The General” Deegan is one of the most decorated action sport athletes to date. He is the only rider to compete in at least one event each year since the X Games’ inception, including his Gold Medal run in X Games 17 Rallycross. In 2015, Deegan continues to test the limits in numerous racing categories including Freestyle Motocross, Pro 2 and Pro 4 Short Course, Global Rallycross, and Monster Jam. The Deegan Racing Team is powered by Rockstar Energy Drink, Makita Industrial Power Tools, Ford Motor Company, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels, DVS Shoe Co., Deegan 38, ODYSSEY® Battery, Gibson Exhaust Systems, 4 Wheel Parts, Compex, Defender Skin, Flu War, KC HiLITES, PRP Seats, Smooth Industries, Alpinestars, Fathead, Feld, PPG, Brembo, Fortin, VP Racing Fuels, FOX Shocks, Impact by Mastercraft Safety, MSD Ignitions, FK Rod Ends, Eibach Springs, McKenzies,FiberwerX, JE Pistons, QTM, G2, Dailey Engineering, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, ARP, AZ Driveshafts, Aeromotive, Answer, Rockford Fosgate,  Weismann Racing Transmissions and Pro Taper.