Saavedra to join Guerrero for Baja 1000

Roberto Guerrero will celebrate his 52nd birthday Nov. 16 with a close circle of friends – all of whom will begin competition two days later in the 43rd Baja 1000.

The 15-time Indianapolis 500 starter (runner-up in 1987) will mark his sixth time participating in the race along the rugged long-distance desert course that begins in Ensenada (south of Tijuana) and finishes in La Paz, Mexico. IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights competitor Sebastian Saavedra, five-time Indy 500 starter Davy Jones, Marco Guerrero and Mike Cassling will form the team in the Baja Challenge class.

"I was invited to do it in 2000, which was the Baja 2000 (2,000 miles)," Guerrero said. "It was a great challenge and a lot of fun and I have done it most years ever since. We'll be racing with Wide Open Baja and they do a great job with the whole logistics, preparation of the cars and chase crews."

Baja Challenge entrants use Subaru-powered and identically-equipped Baja touring cars.

"It will be the first time for Saavedra racing on any sort of dirt," Guerrero added about his 20-year-old Colombia countryman who competed in a charity karting race over the weekend in Colombia. "Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to 'pre-run,' which will make it a bit more of a challenge."

Among Indy car drivers who have tested the Baja have been Rick and Roger Mears, Parnelli Jones, Danny Ongais, Danny Sullivan, Jimmy Vasser, Buddy Rice, Sebastien Bourdais, Oriol Servia, Michel Jourdain Jr., Robby Gordon, Johnny Unser and Mike and Robbie Groff.