Baja 4000 facts for kids
| Category | Rally raid |
|---|---|
| Region | United States Mexico  |
| Inaugural season | 2017 |
| Teams | 50 |
| Official website | www.Baja4000.org |
 Current season |
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The Baja 4000 was an exciting off-road rally and road trip. It was created by the same people who organized the Budapest-Bamako, which is the world's biggest amateur rally. The Baja 4000 was a more affordable, amateur version of famous races like the Baja 1000 and the Dakar Rally.
The first Baja 4000 event took place in January 2017. It started in Los Angeles, USA, and covered 4000 kilometers. The journey went along the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. In 2018, before its second event, the organizers changed the rally's name to Baja XL.
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How the Baja 4000 Works
The main idea behind the Baja 4000 was similar to the Budapest-Bamako rally. Its motto was Anyone, By Anything, In Any Way. This meant there were no strict rules about who could join or what kind of vehicle they could use. Also, there were no fixed routes to follow.
Participants had to complete daily sections of the journey. These sections stretched between Los Angeles and Cabo San Lucas and then back again. The event was not about who finished fastest. Instead, teams earned points for completing daily stages within certain time limits. There were also fun geocaching challenges along the way to earn extra points. Even if a team did not finish a daily stage, they could still continue in the race. Only the participants needed to reach the finish line, not necessarily their cars. Teams could choose to join either the racing or the touring categories.
Rally Categories
Teams could enter in two main ways:
- Competitive Category: In this category, teams had to reach specific navigation points. They also needed to complete the daily stages. It was a point-based competition, not a race against the clock.
- Touring Category: Teams in this category traveled at their own speed. There was no competition involved, just the adventure of the road trip.
The Rally Route
The Baja 4000 rally spent one full day traveling through California. After that, teams crossed into Mexico at Mexicali. The journey then took them south along the Gulf of California side of the peninsula. For the return trip, they drove north on the Pacific Ocean side.
The rally covered more than 4,000 kilometers in total. The entire adventure lasted for 10 days. The countries involved were:
Helping Others: Charity
The Baja 4000 was mainly a charity event. It helped raise money for children in Mexico who did not have families or homes. The donations went to an organization called Corazon de Vida.
Why the Name Changed
In the summer of 2018, the Baja 4000 changed its name to Baja XL. This change was made to help the event stand out. Many other rallies used a "Baja + number" format in their names. The new name helped people tell the Baja XL apart from these other events.
