Grueling Baja 1000 off-road race set for weekend

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The 44th annual Baja 1000 off-road desert race is set to start Friday, with drivers navigating a loop of nearly 700 miles across Baja California.

Formally called the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the race starts and ends in Ensenada, about 65 miles south of the U.S.-Mexican border. The course stretches as far east as San Felipe on the coast of the Gulf of California.

A variety of vehicles, led by trucks and motorcycles, compete in different classes in the race. Race organizers said this year’s event has more than 275 entries from 34 U.S. states and 16 countries.

--Jim Peltz