Booby Traps in Baja

A buried engine block on the course of a desert racein Mexico is set as a booby trap.

The off-road motorcycle community recently lost a rising star at one of the most challenging motorcycle races in the world, the grueling Baja 1000. On November 16, Kurt Caselli, a champion motorcycle racer, was nearing the final stretch of the race, which he was the favorite to win, when tragedy struck. The racer was flipped from his motorcycle at a high rate of speed when he collided with an obstacle. On the day of his death, rumors quickly circulated the internet hours after his passing that there had been on a “booby traps” on the course. It is quite common for racing “fans” to dig up loose sand, build jump ramps or dig holes for racers to smash into during the event.

Every year there is talk about booby traps in the Baja desert. Crowds in Mexico are no longer content with watching dirt bikes and rally cars fly by at tremendous speeds; now they want to see carnage.

Baja Racers are aware that large crowds of spectators in remote parts of the course may indicate a booby trap. However, not all of the booby traps are created to intentionally injure the contestants; some spectators believe adding a new jump or dip in the course will add to the excitement of the race. Unfortunately, most of the jumps created by the spectators are very dangerous to the racers who may inadvertently hit the booby trap at high speeds, resulting in damage to their vehicles or worse.

When a rider finds a booby trap on the course, it is a common courtesy for them to radio other teams and inform them about the obstacle.

Tragedy at This Year’s Baja 1000

Kurt Caselli, 30, champion dirtbike racer died at Baja 2013.

There is no denying that racing in Baja is dangerous. Extreme weather conditions, unpredictable course elements and nearly 1,000 miles of full throttle racing are all a part of the event. When a racer signs up, no matter how skilled of a rider they are, there is a risk involved. This year at the Baja 1000, Kurt Caselli, a rider who should have won the race, lost his life on the course.

Caselli, a 30-year-old superstar dirtbike racer, was at the top of his career before this year’s Baja 1000. He had just won MA Sportsman of the Year in 2007, and had recently received his third consecutive AMA National Hare & Hound Championship title.

At this year’s race, Caselli was either in first or second place when his bike lost control at a high-rate of speed. He flew off his bike and succumbed to his injuries later that night. Originally, it was said that it was a booby trap which caused the crash, but a statement from his sponsors later said that the collision was likely due to hitting a small animal in the desert.