On October 31, 1967, 68 teams convened in Tijuana for a roughly 1000-mile race from Ensenada to La Paz. Known as the “Mexican 1000 Rally” and put on by the fledgling National Off-Road Racing Association, it was the first edition of what would become the legendary Baja 1000.

The field was split into four categories, each numbered with Roman numerals in official race documentation (for readability, this article uses Arabic numerals). Class 1 consisted of production two-wheel-drive vehicles, Class 2 entailed four-wheel-drive stock vehicles and Volkswagen-based production dune buggies, Class 3 was filled with experimental cars and prototype buggies, and Class 4 was for motorcycles.

The results had been well established and known for years. Vic Wilson, who passed away in July, and Ted Mangels won the overall in Class 2.

On the other hand, the trail for the full entry list seemed to go cold. Users online spent years trying to find it, but the consensus was that the only chance of doing so was if someone had a physical copy and scanned it. Sure enough, Dan Richardson was that hero.

Richardson’s father Dale took part in the Mexican 1000 alongside his friend Jim “Jimmy” La Plante, who owned a Bultaco dealership. Unfortunately, as Dan noted, their #11 “never made it to the halfway point in El Arco.”

While searching through Dale’s old racing documents, Dan came across his stuff from that race like releases from NORRA and stickers. Also in the stack was the entry list, which he graciously scanned and posted on Facebook.

“Thankfully Dad saved EVERYTHING from his racing days, which included race trips from North Idaho to several Big Bear races, four ISDT’s, and the first Barstow to Vegas,” Dan wrote.

The Mexican 1000 operated until 1972 when the Mexican government revoked NORRA’s permits. The local Baja Sports Committee took over the race and renamed it the Baja 1000, which lasted a year under their watch. After the 1974 race was canceled due to a lack of time to organize, SCORE International became the new overseer in 1975 and remains that today. NORRA was revived in 2009 by Mike Pearlman, whose father Ed created the original sanctioning body, and runs a reborn Mexican 1000 that takes place in the spring.

Class 1 (production 2WD)

Number	Driver(s)	Team	Vehicle	Engine Size
1	Spencer Murray Ralph Poole		1968 Rambler American 220	232 c.i.d.
2	Mark Dees Edward Orr	Mark Dees	1965 Citroën ID-19S	120 c.i.d.
3	A.K. Miller Ray Brock	A.K. Miller / HOT ROD Magazine Special	1968 Ford Ranchero	302 c.i.d.
4	Tomas Villa Beltran Ken Piere		1967 Rambler American 220	199 c.i.d.
5	Mary McGee Doug Woodward	Long Beach Motors	1967 Datsun 1600	97 c.i.d.
6	Orrin Nordin Chuck Owen	Brian Chuchua’s 4WD Center	1966 Kaiser Jeep	225 c.i.d.
7	Pierre-Marc Plassart Henri Pujo-Perissere	Pierre-Marc Plassart	1968 Citroën DS-19	120 c.i.d.
8	Bruce A. Kawell Terry Kawell	Bruce A. Kawell	1968 Volkswagen	91 c.i.d.
9	Donald E. Ernst Gary W. Cowdrey	EMPI / Revell, Inc.	1967 Volkswagen	91 c.i.d.
10	Bob Hagin Floyd Fessler	Dick Brandt Motors	1959 Triumph TR3	120 c.i.d.
11	Andre Farish Tom H. Arnold	Quality VW Sales, Inc.	1968 Volkswagen	91 c.i.d.
12	Gordon Clark Walt Hoffman	Clark Foam Products / Hoffman Fabrics	1966 Ford Mustang	289 c.i.d.
20	Jim Arnold Jim Siegel	Jim Arnold	1967 Chevrolet Corvair	164 c.i.d.
21	Ingvar Lindqvist Ole Anderson	Lindqvist Foreign Car Service	1967 SAAB 96 V4	91 c.i.d.
22	Vincent Santangelo John Rickards	Vincent’s Motors	1967 SAAB 96 V4	91 c.i.d.
33	Cecil Draney Robert C. Carleton	Cecil Draney / Robert C. Carleton	1967 Datsun 1300	79 c.i.d.

Class 2 (production 4WD and Volkswagen buggies)

Number	Driver(s)	Team	Vehicle	Engine Size
1	Claude Dozier Chuck Atkinson	Con-Ferr, Inc.	1964 Toyota Land Cruiser	237 c.i.d.
2	Michael Chuchua Norman Catton	Brian Chuchua’s 4WD Center	1967 Kaiser Jeepster Commando	225 c.i.d.
3	John Thawley Francisco Lanz Duret	Brian Chuchua’s 4WD Center	1968 Kaiser Jeepster Commando	225 c.i.d.
4	Pete Dupuy Peter O. Smith	Pete Dupuy	1963 EMPI Sportster	91 c.i.d.
5	Neal A. Allen R. Joe Collins	Team Manx	1964 Meyers Manx	91 c.i.d.
6	Hilder “Tiny” Thompson Oliver L. Choat	Burro Co.	1967 Burro Buggy	97 c.i.d.
7	Mike McKenna Larry Vaughan	Sun Imports / Moon Imports	1967 Datsun Patrol	242 c.i.d.
8	Nicholas D.F. Hartop Thomas A. Hartop	Nicholas Hartop	1965 Ford F-250	352 c.i.d.
9	George Haddock J.P. “Jimmy” Smith	Team Manx / Haddock Conversion Co.	1967 Meyers Manx	97 c.i.d.
10	Vic Wilson Ted Mangels	Team Manx	1964 Meyers Manx	97 c.i.d.
12	Chuck Andrade Bob Hunden	Chuck Andrade	1964 Burro Buggy	97 c.i.d.
14	Bill Stroppe Ray Harvick	Holman & Moody – Stroppe	1968 Ford Bronco	289 c.i.d.
17	Dan Shields Cliff Brien	Holman & Moody – Stroppe	1968 Ford Bronco	170 c.i.d.
22	Sam Edney C.M. Kunz Jr.	Sam Edney	1966 Meyers Manx	79 c.i.d.
24	Rod Hall Larry Minor	Valley Motors Jeep	1967 Kaiser Jeep	225 c.i.d.
33	Ken Peterson Chuck Alvarez	Ken Peterson	1966 Toyota Land Cruiser	237 c.i.d.
36	Victor E. Abruzzese Irving R. Hanks	Victor Abruzzese	1968 Fod Bronco	289 c.i.d.
69	John Tagonui James Chamberlain	John Tagonui	1967 Ocelot Buggy	97 c.i.d.
96	Richard F. Petersen Jerry McGowan	Richard Petersen	1967 Kaiser Jeep	225 c.i.d.
98	John Gosline Jr. George E. Morgan	Racemaster 4WD Unltd.	1965 Ford M151	141.5 c.i.d.

Class 3 (non-production)

Number	Driver(s)	Team	Vehicle	Engine Size
1	Bruce Meyers Bill “Weelo” Anderson	Team Manx	Volkswagen-powered Meyers Manx	110 c.i.d.
2	John Bruno James W. Kelly	John Bruno	Volkswagen-powered buggy	97 c.i.d.
3	Judy Wright Jim Driskill	Judy Wright	Volkswagen-powered Road Runner	79 c.i.d.
4	Ray B. Dessert III Ben Wesley Blakely	Ray Dessert III	Triumph-powered experimental	57 c.i.d.
5	Laurent Carl Moore Ivan William Arnold	Laurent Carl Moore	Volkswagen-powered buggy	91 c.i.d.
6	N.C. “Speed” Boardman Charles Coye	Milne Bros. Jeep	1967 Kaiser Jeepster Commando	225 c.i.d.
7	Al Knapp Drino Miller	Hurst Performance Research Corp.	Chevy V8-powered experimental	350 c.i.d.
8	Edward Reed Frank Curry	Edward Reed	Volkswagen-powered experimental	79 c.i.d.
9	Scott Foss Dave Evans	Scott Foss	1956 Chevrolet sedan	301 c.i.d.
10	Walter G. Westwood Sr. Paul Frank Schwab III	Walter Westwood Sr.	Volkswagen-powered buggy	91 c.i.d.
11	John R. Jones Kenneth E. Fountain	A-Action Auto Parts	Chevrolet Corvair-powered buggy	164 c.i.d.
12	Tom Martindale D.S. McGregor	USA Exclusive	Porsche-powered experimental	122 c.i.d.
19	Andy L. De Vercelly Tom McClelland	Andy De Vercelly	Volkswagen-powered buggy	79 c.i.d.
20	Farris E. Hightower Edgar L. Venable	Farris Hightower	Chevrolet V8-powered 1946 Willys MB	283 c.i.d.
22	Bruce N. Barlow Tom Sarff	Bruce Barlow	Volkswagen-powered buggy	97 c.i.d.
23	Clarence B. Leuty Stanley Szarkowicz	Stan’s Werkstatt	Chevrolet Corvair-powered experimental	140 c.i.d.
25	Andy “Pop” De Vercelly Dick Archibald	Europa Imports	Volkswagen-powered buggy	79 c.i.d.
42	John Crean Donna Crean	John Crean	Porsche-powered experimental	104 c.i.d.
44	Ted Trevor Julius Kokeny	Crown Manufacturing Co.	Chevrolet Corvair-powered Meyers Manx	176 c.i.d.
86	Rod Fish Lee Long	Con-Ferr, Inc.	Chevrolet Corvair-powered Meyers Manx	140 c.i.d.
97	Monte Carlton Chuck Hoyland	J.E. Hoyland Co.	Cevrolet V8-powered 1965 Kaiser Jeep	327 c.i.d.

Class 4 (production motorcycles)

Number	Rider(s)	Team	Vehicle	Engine Size
1	Bud Ekins Dave Ekins	Bud Ekins Motorcycles	1964 Triumph	650cc
2	Allison J. Vanderpool Ronald Bishop	World Cycles, Inc.	1967 Husqvarna	360cc
3	Lester J. Platt Vern Hancock	Cycle World / ZDS Motors	1967 Norton P11	750cc
4	Bob Ewing James “Whitey” Martino	BSA Western / Mission Hills MC	1967 BSA Shooting Star	440cc
5	Gary Preston Larry Berquist	Long Beach Honda	1968 Honda Scrambler	305cc
6	Dick Hansen John Barnes	Dick Hansen	1965 Triumph	650cc
7	John Coots Gail A. Ferrell	John Coots / Gail Ferrell	1967 Triumph	650cc
8	Cliff Coleman John Steen	Steen’s, Inc.	Triumph-powered Richman Métisse
9	Malcolm Smith J.N. Roberts	Tracy’s Motorcycle Sales	1967 Husqvarna	360cc
10	Don A. Bohannan Al Rogers	Eddware B. Day	1967 Triumph	650cc
11	Jim A. La Plante Dale Richardson	Jimmy La Plante	1967 Bultaco Matador	250cc

Featured image credit: The Baja Bug Movie