Baja Brawl

The Brawl is basically the end of summer centerpiece for everyone in the Midwest and plenty of kids hauling up from the south. It sits right in Millington, Michigan, and if you have never been to Baja Acres, the place is legendary for a reason. This is going to be my first real shot at a major national like this. We are basically rolling straight off a massive road trip and pulling into the gate for Labor Day weekend. It is not just another local race. It is a full blown festival where the vibe in the pits is just as intense as the racing on the track.

The dirt here is that classic Michigan sand and woodchip mix that gets absolutely brutal as the weekend goes on. It starts out fast and tacky in the morning, but by the second moto of the day it is a different beast entirely. You have to be ready for deep rollers and some of the biggest jumps you will see on the amateur circuit. The layout is famous for the elevation changes and that massive uphill leap. You are looking at square edges everywhere and ruts that will swallow a 250 if you pick the wrong line. It is the kind of track that rewards riders who can stay light on the bike and keep their momentum through the soft stuff without blowing out their energy in the first few laps.

If Kyle Swanson was standing on the side of the track watching me burn laps here, he would be all over my corner entry and foot position. Baja is the kind of place where you cannot afford to be lazy with your technique because the sand will just stop you dead. He would probably have me focusing on staying off the rear brake and keeping the front end light through the sand whoops. We would be working on line selection because the main line is usually the roughest. You have to find those smooth edges or the creative inside lines to save your suspension. It is a test of who can handle the chaos without losing their form when the track is completely falling apart.

This is a bucket list race for any amateur who wants to see where they actually stack up against the fastest kids in the country. If you are scared of a little rough dirt or getting roosted by a pack of forty bikes, stay home. You need to make sure your bike is dialed and your cooling system is fresh because it gets hot and the sand puts a lot of stress on the motor. Bring plenty of spare air filters and maybe some extra tear offs for the moto starts. It is a long weekend of camping and racing, so pack the trailer with everything you might need. Pat and the crew at Baja know how to run a show, so expect a professional setup and a weekend you will probably be talking about until next year.