Baja 1000 Race Starts in Los Cabos, Mexico, on 13 November

MEXICO · LOS CABOS

The race SCORE calls the “Granddaddy of All Desert Races” starts and finishes in San José del Cabo for the first time.

The Baja 1000, an off-road race across Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, will start and finish in San José del Cabo this November. Racing begins on Friday, 13 November, and organiser SCORE International expects more than 250 teams.

SCORE says it is also the first time the race stays entirely inside Baja California Sur, home of the Los Cabos resorts. For American fans, the start line now sits a short drive from Los Cabos International Airport.

What the Baja 1000 Is and Why It Matters

The Baja 1000 is a non-stop desert race for cars, trucks, side-by-side vehicles, motorcycles and quads. SCORE International, which organises the World Desert Championship on the Baja peninsula, runs it as the final round of its 2026 season.

SCORE calls it the oldest and longest non-stop desert race in the world, and this year brings its 59th edition. The organiser expects racers from more than 25 US states and as many as 15 countries.

The reigning four-wheel winners, Christopher Polvoorde of Heber City, Utah, and Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, are both American. They won last year in a Ford Raptor built by Mason Motorsports of Lake Elsinore, California.

On two wheels, Tyler Lynn of Mona, Utah, shared last year’s motorcycle win. SCORE says his Honda team is unbeaten in its class this season after three races.

Race week also matters to Los Cabos itself. International passengers at its airport fell 8.0 percent in January to August from a year earlier.

That figure comes from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the airport operator, whose shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

Last year’s race was based in Ensenada, in northern Baja California, so this edition marks a move south.

In September 2025, SCORE executive Juan Tintos Funcke told El Imparcial, a Baja California newspaper, that SCORE seeks new challenges. He denied that security was behind the move.

The Cabo to Cabo Course

The 964.66-mile loop starts on Avenida Centenario in San José del Cabo and drops into the San José Wash. Near race mile 10 it leaves the wash, a dry river channel, and heads up the East Cape.

The route passes Cabo Pulmo, La Ribera and Los Barriles, with the Sea of Cortez alongside. It then climbs through the Sierra del Carrizalito and crosses San Juan de los Planes, a historic off-road location.

Racers then cut across toward El Centenario near La Paz, the state capital, and climb Cerro del Mechudo. After San Evaristo on the coast, they face the silt beds of El Bosque.

Inside the municipality of Comondú, the course crosses the Sierra de la Giganta mountains and reaches Loreto. There, racers run along the seafront Malecón at a capped 37 mph before turning north.

Near San José de Comondú, SCORE warns that several washes may carry significant water after recent rains. The return leg runs down the Pacific side, past Puerto Adolfo López Mateos and Santa Fe.

The last section passes north of Todos Santos, through Pescadero and over the Sierra de los Naranjos. A final 15-mile run back through the San José Wash leads to the finish on Avenida Centenario.

SCORE has set four checkpoints, at El Centenario (mile 213.60) and Ejido Ley Federal No. 2 (mile 405.39). The other two are at Ejido Francisco Villa (mile 604.07) and Santa Fe (mile 781.49).

Teams have 40 hours to complete the course and be classed as official finishers. That means the race runs through the night, much of it far from paved roads.

Race Week Schedule in Los Cabos

Race-week events for teams, fans, sponsors and media run from Monday, 9 November, to Sunday, 15 November. Pre- and post-race festivities are planned in San José del Cabo, known for Plaza Mijares and its art district.

Qualifying for six top classes, including the Trophy Trucks, starts at 8 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, 10 November. It takes place on private land, is closed to spectators and will be streamed live on SCORE’s digital channels.

Technical inspection and contingency, where every race vehicle is checked before the start, follow on Wednesday, 11 November, and Thursday, 12 November. Both days run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Avenida Centenario, steps from the Sea of Cortez.

The green flag drops on Friday, 13 November. Motorcycles leave at 1 a.m. Pacific Time, and cars, trucks and side-by-sides follow from 9 a.m.

SCORE gives all times in US Pacific Time. Under Mexico’s time-zone law, Baja California Sur keeps one clock all year, which puts it one hour ahead of California in November.

Getting There and Watching Safely

The natural gateway is Los Cabos International Airport, a short drive from San José del Cabo. It handled about 3.04 million international passengers from January to August 2026, against 1.94 million domestic ones, GAP reported.

Driving down from California is possible but long, roughly 1,000 miles from the border at San Diego. Baja California Sur is a so-called hassle-free zone, so US cars need no temporary import permit there.

Mexican car insurance is required for every vehicle, the State Department says. Uninsured drivers involved in a crash can be arrested, whoever is at fault.

The State Department rates Mexico Level 2 of 4, “exercise increased caution”, and gives Baja California Sur the same warning.

The State Department advises driving between cities only in daylight, and its own staff may not travel between cities after dark. That matters for anyone planning to chase the race along the course at night.

If you watch from the desert, stay well back from the track and away from the outside of bends. Emergency help is slow in rural areas, so carry water, a charged phone and a plan to get out.

Dial 911 in an emergency, or 078 for the Green Angels, a government roadside service on major highways. Comply with any road checkpoint, as the State Department warns that fleeing can get people hurt.

Tips for US and Foreign Visitors

US citizens flying to Mexico need a passport book, because a passport card is not accepted for air travel. At the airport, Mexican immigration issues a digital entry permit and decides how long you may stay.

Travellers arriving by air must declare goods worth more than US$500, or US$300 when arriving by land. Bringing firearms or ammunition without Mexican permits is a serious crime, and e-cigarettes are banned.

Use app-based rides or taxis from regulated stands rather than hailing cars on the street. Most Mexican hospitals do not accept US health insurance or Medicare, so consider cover that includes medical evacuation.

Watching the race costs nothing as far as SCORE has announced. The real costs are flights, rooms and a rental car, with more than 250 teams also needing beds.

What It Means for You

If you already have a Los Cabos holiday booked for mid-November, expect race vehicles, crowds and traffic around Avenida Centenario. If you want to see the start, plan to arrive by Wednesday, 11 November, for the vehicle checks.

Racers must register online by 9 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, 29 October. In-person registration at the SCORE office in Ensenada stays open until 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, 30 October.

For GAP investors, the November traffic report will show whether race week lifted Los Cabos. Fans at home can follow qualifying on SCORE’s live stream.

What Is Not Known

The Los Cabos municipal government has not yet published road closures or a traffic plan for race week. SCORE has not published official spectator zones along the course.

The final entry list is not known, because registration is still open. It is also unclear whether the washes near San José de Comondú will still carry water in November.

No hotel rates or extra flights for race week have been announced. Local start times have not been published separately from the Pacific Time schedule.

What Comes Next

Online racer registration closes on Thursday, 29 October, and media registration on Friday, 6 November. On-site media accreditation in San José del Cabo opens on Monday, 9 November.

The move may not last. El Imparcial reported in September 2025 that SCORE plans a peninsula-length race from Ensenada in 2027 for the 60th edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a ticket to watch the Baja 1000?

SCORE, the organiser, has announced no tickets or spectator fees for the race. Qualifying on 10 November is closed to the public and streamed on SCORE’s digital channels.

What time does the Baja 1000 start in Los Cabos?

SCORE says motorcycles start at 1 a.m. and cars, trucks and side-by-sides at 9 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, 13 November. Clocks in Baja California Sur run one hour ahead of California in November.

Is Los Cabos safe for US visitors during the race?

The State Department urges increased caution in Baja California Sur due to terrorism and crime. It sets no specific limits for its staff there but advises against driving between cities after dark.

Sources: SCORE International, course and race-week release, 3 October 2026; SCORE International, release of 2 October 2026; US State Department, Mexico travel advisory and country information; Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, August 2026 traffic report (Mexican Stock Exchange filing); Mexico, Ley de los Husos Horarios (time-zone law); Posta Baja California Sur; El Imparcial (all accessed 7 October 2026).