SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/825030
SJ: You probably gained the most notoriety for being an outstanding rider at night. Before your first night race, did you look forward to it, or was it something that intimidated you? Hengeveld: No, it didn't intimidate me at all. My first actual night race was 1995 at the SCORE Baja 1000. It went to La Paz then. I wasn't intimidated. I thought it would be kind of cool. I pre-ran my sections at night and thought, wow this is pretty cool! Ever since then, I was basically the night guy. When I rode in '96, I rode all the night stuff. When they did loop races for the 1000, I always rode in the morning. I always started and rode the first couple hundred miles, then I'd get off and get back on when dark would hit. When it was a loop race like in '96, that's what we did, and again in '99. It's just something that suited me and it seemed like when all the other team's speed averages would go down with the sun, ours would either go up or stay the same, depending on the race. If you can gain a couple miles an hour at night with your speed averages, then you pull away from the competition. SJ: What made you so successful at night? Was it extensive pre-running so you'd know your sections intimately or great night vision or what? Hengeveld: I think it's a combination of a lot of things. First off, I had a great team behind me, especially when I went over to Honda. It was the best team out there, really. All my bikes were set up like you would race for the night a majority of the time unless you had a problem with something. There were times you had to use backup bikes that didn't have the same frame or something. My eyesight at night is really, really, good. So I think that helps, and I wasn't scared of it. I think a lot of it has to do with your state of mind. A lot of people get intimidated because they can't see things at night. They can't see their surroundings and basically it's just tunnel vision. You're just seeing what's ahead. You can't see what's on the sides of you or anything. I think it freaks a lot of people out, especially when you start talking about animals crossing your path and such. I pre-ran my sections extensively and I always pre-ran my sections at the time I thought we'd go through there in the race so I could learn different things. I could see different animal patterns because they do the same thing every day. I knew when they were feeding, I knew when they were walking, I knew when they were going to get water and things like that. SJ: Are you planning on being there for the 50th anniversary of the SCORE Baja 1000 in any capacity? Hengeveld: Yes. I have a couple options. I just don't know what it's going to entail. I'll be there in one form or another, for sure! I won the 40th anniversary of the SCORE Baja 1000 and I'd like to win the 50th (he laughs). I would like to overall it. I still have that in my blood. That'd be a goal of mine. There are a few things out there. I've just got to see which one works out best.SJ SCORE BAJA 50th SPECIAL SECTION ROAD TO THE 50TH SCORE JOURNAL 78