Baja 400 Race Report: A True Test of Grit

September 17, 2025

Author: John Meek, SYLVANIA Off Road Race Team

Our Baja 400 race started with high hopes, rolling off the line at 10 a.m. in 6th place out of 15 cars. The first 50 miles are always a chaotic sprint, with drivers pushing their limits and often finding their downfall. As our first driver, Jeff White, navigated the early carnage, we slipped back to 13th place, letting the overly aggressive drivers ahead of us make their mistakes. And they did. One by one, we began to climb the ranks as car after car—with blown engines, snapped steering racks, and broken A-arms—was left stranded on the side of the course. Jeff drove a smart and clean 150 miles, bringing the car into the first pit stop in a solid 8th place.

At race mile 150, we quickly refueled and changed the air filter. Rolando Cabrera took the wheel, ready to tackle some of the most unforgiving terrain on the course. He attacked the challenging rocks and sandy washes, pushing hard through the famous Mike's Sky Ranch. Rolando’s aggressive but calculated driving paid off, as he passed two more cars, moving us up to 6th place. His next section was the treacherous crossover road, a rocky dirt path that zigs and zags up and down steep cliffs. A slip-up here is certain death, but as a seasoned Baja veteran and local, Rolando was confident in his ability.

Just before our final driver change, a radio call from Rolando came in: we had a major parts failure. When John Meek got into the driver’s seat, he immediately confirmed the issue—the constant punishment from the course had overworked critical components of our vehicle. Our race instantly transformed from a competition into a brutal mission of survival.

We knew the car couldn't handle this punishment for long, but our focus narrowed to one single goal: the finish line. Finishing this race was non-negotiable, as the points were critical to keeping our championship dreams alive. A DNF would have ended our season.

Despite the severe damage, we continued to advance, passing two more broken cars to reach 4th place. Our time in 4th was short-lived, however, as we saw the lights of our competitors closing in behind us. With the car in such a state, we had no choice but to pull over and let them pass. Trying to race them would have meant joining the other broken teams on the side of the course.

After 6 grueling hours of night driving, with our SYLVANIA Off-road lights leading the charge through the thickest silt beds we had ever seen, Team SYLVANIA Off-road crossed the finish line. At 1 a.m., battered and bruised, we finished in a time of 13 hours and 26 minutes, officially placing 6th. John and his navigator were rattled and sore from the relentless beating, and the car's frame was creaking and groaning, but we had done it.

Team SYLVANIA Off Road at the Baja 400 finish line



Our consistent finishes and smart driving have put us in a prime position for the championship. We are now 4th in points out of more than 30 teams, and our next challenge, the Baja 1000, is just 60 days away. We will now head back to the shop in Johnson Valley to assess the damage. While there's a chance our race car may be too broken to compete, one thing is for certain: Team SYLVANIA Off-road will be there. People are starting to realize we are a force to be reckoned with. We will not go quietly into the dark night!