Sonora Rally (formerly known as the Cortez Rally)

[McBride]

For those of you on the fence about entering the Sonora Safari Class - jump off and register! After we raced last year in our Subaru I had suggested the idea of an "Adventure class" just to help build the rally and the sport a bit by getting those that have capable vehicles, but that are not actual race cars. They were already thinking along those lines and viola, the Safari class was born! The organizers run a first rate event and you will not regret the experience. You get the feel of Dakar, the fun of hanging at the bivouac with generous locals, great racers and crew, eat some tasty food, learn some navigation skills and experience terrain that you would probably never have the opportunity (or permission) to ever see on your own - all with safety personnel and sweep crews there as support. We are very excited for the new Sonora after the fun we had in the Cortez and we hope to see a bunch of Expedition Portal people there this time. Darren and Scott are committed to providing competitors with a world-class experience and I expect that to translate to the Safari class entrants as well.

If you have any questions about vehicle prep including navigation options, what equipment to bring, or what to expect, please don't hesitate to ask us. Remember, because you are not running at race speeds, the likelihood of breaking things on your rigs is greatly reduced. Also, the terrain you will be traveling on is not your typical whooped-out, baby-head-rocks-for-miles Baja race, so you are not going to be beating the hell out of your vehicle as much as you might think. And, you will be simply amazed at the places you will be going and how much fun navigation can be.

For those that haven't seen it, here is a piece I wrote about the Cortez that might help illustrate the type of event you'd be signing up for: http://expeditionportal.com/the-2015-cortez-rally/

I am also in the midst of writing a piece about the Sonora Rally Safari Class which should be done very soon..once I finish the one about our adventure at the Baja Rally earlier this month - so be on the lookout for that.

We hope to see more of you there for some Air-down, pedal-to-the-floor, follow-the-CAP-heading fun over some amazing Mexican dunes at the Sonora Rally!!

- OC

I'd like to give a special thanks to OC and Expedition Portal. It was after reading your article on Expo that James and I realized that this was something we had to do. As James mentioned above, we got another G Wagen and are in the process of building it into a suitable vehicle. Look for us at the race - we'll be in an insanely built white G wagen.

We're driving under the banner of Kraut Racing. Check out the link James gave above to watch our build and meet the sponsors that are making this possible for us.

Again, many thanks.

William

 

[Desert Rat 1]

Any updates on this? I went to their site and there's still a lot of missing info.

The exact start, finish, and bivouac locations have not been determined at this time. However, the whole event is held in Sonora, Mexico, with stages near San Luis Rio Colorado, and Puerto Peñasco. More details will be posted here as final locations are determined.

 

[McBride]

From updates on other forums I think they have done months of scouting and have come up with a course. Start will be near San Luis Colorado and finish will be around Puerto Penasco. Rally Management Services will be participating and will have a navigation school at Glamis a few days before the start. They have a lot of entries in every class.

I'll keep watching and will post any updates I see.

 

[1leglance]

I will be there helping out Sunday to Wed...
Stop by and say hi, have fun and keep the shinny side up