I was in Ensenada preparing to spend 20-plus hours in a chase truck following a Can-Am through the desert when I heard someone gather a group to say a prayer for "those who we lost today." I was confused at first, thinking it was a general prayer for everyone as the race wouldn't start for another 16 hours. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
A freak accident during the tech and inspection phase of the Baja 1000 saw a trophy truck driver lose control, hitting another truck, which then hit another vehicle. Sadly, there were race competitors and bystanders between the last two vehicles—two of which were killed as a result. Two more people were injured as a result of the accident, and one is in critical condition.
Darren Webster was supposed to compete in the Baja 1000 this past weekend, but instead, he was fighting for his life in hospital. Webster's teammate, Ryan Davis, spoke about the injuries Webster sustained,
“We definitely thought he would lose his hand at that point... He’s got a shattered pelvis, a bunch of internal injuries. There was a lot of blood being lost.”
It's unclear exactly how the trophy truck driver lost control, but Juan Tintos Funke, SCORE International's General Manager, said, "The incident was due to the imprudence of a member of a competition team, which is why the vehicle was confiscated, and the person responsible was arrested... We’re working to ensure that the injured receive all the necessary medical attention."
Although Funke stated that Score is working to ensure all the injured victims received the appropriate medical attention, it's not free. And it's Webster's family and friends who'll pay the price for the treatment he received in Mexico and for the care he will need once he returns Stateside.
Webster's team is working to get him back to the U.S., but he will need to use an Air Med company and have more surgeries. And his insurance won't cover the emergency care he underwent at the hospital in Mexico—this has been a costly accident in more ways than one. But you can help.
To help the Webster family through this immensely difficult time, you can donate to their GoFundMe campaign and help contribute to their bills.
Spectators and team members checking out the vehicles as they roll through contingency has always been a huge draw for all of the SCORE races in Baja. Being able to touch million-dollar vehicles, pumping out more than 1000 hp, and feeling like you're a part of the action can't be beat. But even in this seemingly safe stage of the event, you can never discount the inherent dangers surrounding powersports.
As with rallies or the Isle of Man TT races, spectators will always be in harm's way, at least somewhat. But does this incident make you think that technical inspections should be run differently for SCORE events going forward? Let us know in the comments.
