Lexus LX570 celebrates first off-road win
July 6, 2009 by Matt Brogan
Lexus is celebrating its first of-road win with the luxury LX 570 securing the manufacturer its ever first off-road race win at the 41st annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, held in Ensenada, Mexico.
Driven by Joe Bacal and navigator Paul Williamsen the JTGrey team took class honors in the Stock Full class with the newly built LX 570.
The four-wheel drive had been completed just days before the race and was tested briefly in the United States, before being shipped to Mexico for the race.
The grueling Baja 500 covered over 800 kilometers of competitive driving, traversing mountains and dry lake beds, and testing both man and machine.
Assisted by first-time navigator Williamsen, Baja 500 rookie Bacal drove all 16 hours of the race without leaving the vehicle, with only brief stops for fuel and nourishment along the way – taking the lead shortly after the eight hour mark.
In all, 195 of the 267 entries finished the 500 mile event.
“The LX 570 was bulletproof and we went the entire distance without a tyre change,” said driver Joe Bacal said.
Bacal and the JTGrey team will be taking their Lexus LX 570 to the Reno 1000 mile race in the American Best of the Desert series on August 19-23.
Source: Lexus
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I this, like…a Landcruiser?
Pat yourselves on the back, LEXUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!!!!
Its a LandCruiser with different lights and badge. Of course its good off road…
Great race to watch Golfy,those guys are crazy.
BM, I don’t know if you have read about the first guy to do the Baja solo on a motorbike. The guy is completely nuts as they usually do it in teams. He said he was hallucinating and all sorts of stuff by the end.
Nah havent Steve,but find it easy to understand why he would.
The D V Ds are really hard to find of the event and I guess unless you have Foxtel you wont get to see this race either :(
Pity cause its excellent viewing .
What was the Lexus/Cruiser racing against in its class I wonder ?
“Lexus is celebrating its first of-road (CLASS) win …”
The full stock class only had 3 entries and 2 DNF’s, therefore a win by default, but you do have to finish to be in the running.
73 rd overall and 7 hours behind the winner. Good effort for the rookie driver.
861 Tim Casey, Brea, Calif./Mark Handley, San Marcos, Calif., Ford F-250
878 Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn./William Aylor, Union, Ky., Dodge Ram1500
879 Joe Bacal, Anthem, Ariz./Paul Williamsen, Los Alamitos, Calif./Ted Moncure, Long Beach, Calif., Lexus LX570
Thanks DesignEng©™ ,only 3 in the class ………an F250 and a Ram 1500,bloody hell practically trucks then …..what are these guys thinking ????
Is there much on them thats still factory I wonder ?
They won in a class with no competitors?LOL
So what next? are they going to compete in the Paris To Dakar against TATRA 8×8 Trucks?
oh…noooooooo….bogans are here.
Wheelnut, Tatra trucks kick @@rse… but at Dakar, they only race 4×4 variants… And not even factory teams anymore..