Behind the Wheel
Jim Baldwin Leaves No Rock Unturned
By Johnny McDonald

Pro 4 truck taking turns the hard way. Photo by John Jones

When Jim Baldwin sets out to do something, either as a land developer or off-road race impresario, he leaves no rock unturned.

With his new housing project in the background, Baldwin staged one more of his Championship Off-Road Racing weekends at Otay Mesa Ranch October 20-22.

It closed out a four-race season at this mile-and-quarter course of jumps, tight corners and a short chute in front of stands, leased from the Long Beach Grand Prix.

It's an old Mickey Thompson format that gives fans what they can't see in those long Baja runs.

"Put the entire course in front of stands seating 12,000 and the fans will be here," Baldwin said. The four weekends lured 100,000 spectators.

"We have a terrific supporting cast, some of whom like rookie Michael Oberg and former national motocross champion Ricky Johnson may make the future a bit difficult for Greaves and Renezeder," he said.

Johnny Greaves took home his second Pro 4 CORR Championship in a row. Rounding out his season, Greaves was voted 2006 Driver of the Year.

Carl Renezeder won the 2006 Pro 2 Championship beating out Michael Oberg who finished only 2 points behind him and finished the season as the 2006 Rookie of the Year. This is Renezeder's second consecutive Pro 2 Championship.

The award topped off Oberg's exceptional weekend -he took the podium on both Saturday and Sunday, and won the Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup.

For Sportsman, rookie Troy Morgan came out winning Rookie of the Year. Canadian, Gary Nierop received the 2006 Super Buggy Championship title with 128 points, 3 wins and 7 top 3 finishes.

Chad Hord won his first ever CORR Championship. The new 2006 Pro Lite Champion ended the season with 216 points.

Now Baldwin, who has owned the series for two years, is expanding it to include three weekends at the Los Angeles fairgrounds and one each at Las Vegas and Texas Motor Speedways. And, he is negotiating with Charlotte's Lowes Speedway, too.

Baldwin has spent $2.5 million in a follow-up Speed television channel show series that will air each weekend through February, starting Nov. 3. "We pay for it and produce it," Baldwin said.

"We still plan to take this countrywide," he said. "In 2008, we'll explore more venues in the south and southeast. However, plans call for reducing races at Chula Vista from four weekends to two, he explained.

"I was surprised to find how much work it takes to put these things on," he said.