FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EMAIL:


NORRA's OFFICIAL POSITION on the upcoming 2021 Yokohama NORRA Mexican 1000 Presented By METHOD Race Wheels

Agua Dulce, CALIF. –

NORRA POSITIVELY COMMITTED To The 2021 Yokohama NORRA MEXICAN 1000 Presented By METHOD RACE WHEELS

NORRA is working double time to provide a full peninsula run despite the pandemic. NORRA’s Yokohama Mexican 1000, presented by Method Race Wheels, will take place on April 23rd to the 30th; it just might be a little different than usual. In the spirit of those brave racers who laid the foundation of Off Road Racing, NORRA is committed to conquering the challenges, and adapting to the situation. The easiest thing to do would be to postpone the event until 2022, but like our fierce competitors, we are refusing to quit in the face of adversity. Our path ahead will not be based on a disregard for danger. It will be guided by problem solving, and creative solutions, just like any off road racer would do.

When Ed Pearlman and Dick Cepek set out to beat the fastest time down the peninsula in 1966, they faced many unknowns; Baja was very wild. In order to take on that challenge, they had to adapt, and overcome every obstacle in their path. They didn’t set a new record, but their adventure set into motion what became the sport of Off Road Racing. The Baja racers who have followed in their footsteps have endured many situations that caused plans to be changed, and strategies reexamined. In addition to the break downs, navigation errors, and extreme terrain that racers routinely face, fires, hurricanes, and floods have all caused disruptions during races, and now we have a pandemic.

NORRA is working closely with State and Federal governments, local towns, providers of goods, and services, and our many supportive sponsors to provide the best experience for competitors without negatively impacting our friends in Baja. As the United States starts to see light at the end of the tunnel, Baja’s remoteness has meant that they were one of the last to feel the effects of the virus, and therefore on a different timeline to recovery. The situation is improving, but definitive numbers are not possible to predict. We will hope that the trend continues, but we have to remain amenable to the fact that Baja California Sur may not be open when the rally gets there. Our goal at NORRA, as it has been since the very beginning, is to make a full peninsula run, but circumstances may not permit that. A contingency plan would be to run a loop race in Baja California Norte. We understand that this is not everyone’s first choice; even the fans in Baja Sur. Off road racing is their number one sport; the people love it, and that’s why we need to be flexible. The government knows the rally will draw large crowds; something they are trying to avoid. NORRA cannot disregard the safety of our biggest fans.

IF we need to run a loop, the course will still be challenging, and rewarding, but the number one goal is to go the full length of the peninsula as usual. The conditions of the roads, and trails have never been better, and NORRA Race Director Eliseo Garcia has laid out both courses to include spectacular vistas, and challenging terrain along the way. The parties, and social gatherings may need to be scaled back, but the racing will not suffer. We all love the parties, but it’s the racing that truly bonds us together. There might be some logistical challenges if a loop is required, but NORRA will provide as much information, as soon as possible to mitigate as much uncertainty as we can. We ask for your patience, and support, and hope you see this as we do. We would rather be racing in Baja than doing anything else. The latest information can be found on our website www.norra.com, as well as our Facebook page www.facebook.com/NorraFanPage, and through regular press releases. Be sure to sign up for our press releases, and text messages by clicking on join list on our website’s home page. We look forward to you, and your team being a part of the 2021 Mexican 1000; honoring the past while forging the future.

Sincerely,

Mike Pearlman
NORRA President

Eliseo Garcia
NORRA Rally Director

###   "The Happiest Race On Earth!"   ###

ABOUT NORRA

Beginning in 2010, the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) began promoting a rebirth of the NORRA Mexican 1000 rally. The unique off-road rally was co-created by promoter Mike Pearlman to consist of special stages (unlimited speed timed stages in the dirt) linked together by controlled speed liaison / transit sections (highway). The one-of-a-kind, once-a-year, five-day rally includes vintage off-road vehicles and motorcycles, as well as modern pre-runners, trucks, buggies, UTVs, bikes and desert Rally Raid cars.

Pearlman’s late father Ed and others established the first running of the NORRA Mexican 1000 off-road rally in November of 1967, which eventually became internationally recognized and evolved into the Baja 1000 in the mid-1970's.

NORRA enjoys corporate partnerships with Yokohama Tire, Method Race Wheels, South Point Hotel & Casino, Bilstein Shock Absorbers, STEEL-IT, RIGID, Multitool USA, Satellite Phone Store.com, Biltwell, Cerveceria Transpeninsular, PCI Race Radios, The Fab School, Schampa, K&N, Baja Bush Pilots, Mag7 Pits, the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF), B3KREATIV, and many more.

NORRA - National Off Road Racing Association. Home of the Mexican 1000 and the NORRA 500