SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/618747
Laguna, Apdaly Lopez, Jason Voss and other drivers that grew up watching and idolizing you? RM: Its cool, I was that young kid battling with Ivan Stewart, Walker Evans or Larry Ragland and the other guys, Rod Millen and Roger Mears in stadium trucks. I was that young kid at one time and you always look up to those guys not thinking that you are supposed to be able to beat them. Then when you realize you can, that's a whole other feeling, like holy crap I can beat these guys! And then you beat them and it's like you are on top of the world. I have been through that so I know how they feel. They pay attention and watch what we do. When I meet a father and son and the son is shy and the dad tells me he wants to be like you, that's an awesome feeling and a compliment. I'm proud of that. They ask me questions and I try to help but I want to extend my career as long as I can so I keep some things to myself and don't bleed at the mouth and give them everything. I want to keep doing this for many years to come and keep beating these younger guys that are fearless. SJ: You are known for your smooth driving style, the opposite of a Robby Gordon. Where does that come from? RM: When I started racing in trucks, in 1991, you had to take care of the tires, the transmissions, the drivetrain and the brakes. You had to be cautious. If you weren't cautious you could break something anytime you wanted to. Overdrive it and you get flats, kill the trans, heat up the brakes. I still drive this way, you are saving the equipment from the green flag. No one in off road has driven as many different classes as I have [Editors note. Rob has raced Trophy Truck, Class 1, 5-1600, 7s, 1/2-1600, 10, 12, 8, stock full and stock mini and more]. You can easily kill some of those cars, so you had better slow down. But to go fast you have to be smooth and pick your lines. My dad told me you must first finish before you finish first. My smooth style comes from racing the old trucks that you had to take care of. Showing off doesn't pay off. SJ: What advice do you have for new racers? RM: Whatever you do finish the race. Enjoy it, don't race, finish all the miles. Don't be a hero, don't show off, don't go fast, don't be a racer. So many people put their helmet on throw their brain out the window. They get a flat or crash and then their race becomes miserable. If they don't get to the finish line and they do it over and over, then they quit because it's not fun. Slow down, don't get a flat and get to the finish. Its way more fun in my mind to get to the finish. SJ: The SCORE San Felipe 250 has always been a sprint race, the Baja 500 has become a sprint race, will the Baja 1000 become a sprint race? RM: Its getting closer to being a sprint race. Bryce Menzies is a good example at this year's 1000. Once he got to the front around mile 125, he started hauling the mail. He had 10 minutes on me by mile 200 and Jesse Jones had 20 minutes on me by mile 470. Some of that was me fighting the dust. Right there, that's why it's a sprint race. If he doesn't break, you're not going to win. At the 2010 Baja 1000 Tavo Vildosola made that a sprint race. Roger Norman was first on the road and once Tavo got in front of him he checked out. From San Felipe South he just left everyone behind. The trucks are so reliable now, if five guys are checking out, someone is going to make it and win so you have to keep up. Being first on the road is huge now, because you can dictate the pace for everyone behind you. SJ: Who is your toughest competitor? RM: There's more than one. When I get the entry list I count the people that can win the race. After the first elimination, a list of 30 gets cut to 15, then to 10, then to 5 or 8. Bryce is always in my top five. Apdaly used to not be in the my top ten but now he's top five, but he can still crash at any moment. If you look at this season, Bryce can win but he is breaking every race. Apdaly can win but he crashes every other race. BJ Baldwin can win but I don't think his head is in the game, he's redeveloping his truck or something. Tavo can win but something usually happens to him. For my top three to win I'd have to pick Bryce, Jason Voss and Me. SJ: I have one final question that everyone wants to know. What is the secret to Rob MacCachren's hair? RM: [Laughs] I think it's just been trained for so long it stays this way. I've always had super thick hair, its miserable in the summer too. I don't really know what the secret is, it just got a mind of its own. SJ 028 SCORE JOURNAL