The Baja 1000 is the most grueling race in the world today. As it should be, Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] is proud that a lightly modified and street-legal 2017 F-150 Raptor completed the 49th running of the race last November. The Blue Oval is so proud of the accomplishment that it has produced a virtual reality video about it.
Buckle in, take 6 minutes and 20 seconds out of your life, and listen to the dulcet tones of Ford spokesman Denis Leary as he shows you the Ford Rouge plant in Dearborn where the Raptor is built, defines the Baja course, and describes the crew and driver activities during the 36 hours of the event.
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This video, called "Born to Baja," has a lot more to offer than just Leary's gravitas. The video footage is excellent and it captures the essence of Baja quite well. What's even better is the fact that it offers a 360-degree view of the action and the scenery, so you can watch this one several times and see something different each time.
The Baja 1000 isn't actually 1000 miles. It's 850 miles of untamed forest and desert terrain that would completely annihiliate your average street vehicle. The Raptor that in the event was campaigned by Foutz Motorsports in the Stock Full class. And, in fact, the truck was almost fully stock. Foutz only added a chromalloy steel safety cage, a puncture-resistant fuel cell, racing seats, and an LED lighting package. The Fox racing shocks were also revised to account for the added weight of the new cage and fuel cell.
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With 36 hours to finish the race, the Foutz team accomplished its goal, coming in 142nd overall, but third in the class. Incredibly, the team had just 52 seconds to spare, finishing in 35 hours, 59 minutes, and 8 seconds. The Foutz truck was the last entrant to cross the finish line.
After the race, the Foutz team didn't baby its race vehicle. Instead, the guys drove their truck home to Phoenix. That's another feather in the cap for Ford.
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