2023 Baja Nevada Results

| May 16, 2023

Due to the unusual weather patterns the Southwest experienced earlier this year, long-distance desert racing was forced to take a back seat for a long time. But as temperatures increased, so did the itch to go racing again and several teams and riders flocked to southern Nevada for Legacy Racing Association’s flagship event, the 610-mile Baja Nevada, presented by Brenthel, May 13-14. Going back to a two-day format, the longest off-road race in the U.S. traverses the Nevada desert with a 290-mile point-to-point run from Pahrump to Tonopah on day one, followed by a 310-mile loop starting and finishing in Tonopah the following day.

Cory Skaggs at 2023 Baja Nevada — **The Cory Skaggs/Jarett Megla duo took the overall win at the Legacy Racing Association’s Baja Nevada off-road race.**

By Trevor Hunter | Photos by Harlen Foley

Much like the 2000’s era of Baja, the Open Pro class was a sea of red, as all of the top teams were aboard CRF450Xs. Defending series champion Danny Cooper and crew (1X) sought to fight off the 22X team of Cory Skaggs and Jarett Megla, and the 57X duo of Trevor Hunter and Hayden Hintz.

First off the line at 5:30 a.m. on day one was the 57X bike, followed by 1X and 22X one minute apart. Through the first two pits, the three Open Pro teams maintained their gaps in a tight race for the lead on adjusted time. However, the Dirt Bike Test/Honda 57X team was the first to run into an issue when their rear tire came apart and needed to be changed after just 64 miles. It was an issue that would plague them the rest of the day. During the unexpected wheel change, the Cooper Motorsports 1X team made the physical pass for the lead and opened a small gap, while the early race leaders scrambled to get their CRF450X back on track.

Over the next 70 miles, the running order remained the same, though the 57X bike had caught up to the 1X team’s dust heading into pit four near the halfway point. The 57X squad had another tire come apart and a forced wheel change (which would happen again at pit six shortly after), losing valuable time in the process and allowing the Skaggs Racing/TAS Insurance Services 22X team to close in as well.

Despite all the issues, the 57X team was able to close to the rear wheel of the leading 1X bike at the finish, ending the day just over one minute behind on adjusted time. Meanwhile, the 22X team held strong to finish just over two minutes behind 57X physically and one minute behind 1X on adjusted time heading into day two.

Danny Cooper at 2023 Baja Nevada — **Danny Cooper, Sage Vincent and Connor Eddy teamed up for second overall.**

The close racing seen on day one was quite remarkable but was equally matched on day two of racing, with the 1X team leading the way through the Nevada countryside early. Through the first 70 miles, the top three teams maintained their gaps with no riders able to make much time on each other. A fork in the road saw the lead 1X bike make a wrong turn with the 57X and 22X bikes following shortly after. After nearly six miles, the trio realized they were off course when they arrived on a construction site. The three raced back to the course; however, several riders made their way past the top Open Pro teams.

As the teams raced into pit nine, nearly one 100 miles into the 300-mile day, Ironman Pro Tanner Jacobson (69M) piloted his Sanitary Septic-backed Husqvarna in the lead with 1X just seconds behind. A quick pit by the Cooper Motorsports team saw them edge out the 69M machine, putting Jacobson between themselves and the 57X bike, which was in a heated battle with 22X. After making their way past the Ironman racer, the 57X bike began experiencing a mechanical issue halfway to pit 10 but was able to limp it into the next pit before ultimately retiring from the race.

Tanner Jacobson at 2023 Baja Nevada — **Tanner Jacobson was third overall and the Ironman Pro-class winner.**

In the meantime, the 22X Honda was on a mission with their sights set on the 1X looming ahead. Closing ground in the final 100 miles, the Skaggs/Megla duo capitalized on a late-race crash by the Cooper Motorsports rider to sail it into the finish in the 1X’s dust, knowing they had the win on adjusted time. At the checkers, 22X took the overall victory by a mere eight seconds after 10 hours of racing. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Jacobson, first Ironman Pro, and the top two expert teams of Vincent Ruiz/Piper Wells (399 Expert) and Brett Aguilera/Mike Aguilera (Open Expert).