PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK KARIYA
VOL. 50 ISSUE 23 JUNE 11, 2013
BACK IN BAJA
W
Baja veteran
Nicola Dutto
returned to
Baja after
suffering a
paralyzing
injury three
years ago.
hen Nicola Dutto suffered a debilitating injury while practicing for one of
his many off-road adventures, the Italian
had no intentions of giving up on one of the
things he loves doing most – racing Baja.
After rehab, Dutto got back into racing
again, driving a side-by-side Razor, but four wheels was
too many. He always wanted to get back on two wheels.
He built a special bike and before long was actually
beating other competitors in local races and the Italian
Federation granted him a license again. He then started
to plan for a return to Baja, which was always his goal.
So Dutto went to work. He built a cage and hand
controls that would bolt on to his KTM and he did plenty
of testing. KTM helped him get his hand on a motorcycle in the U.S. for the Baja 500 and when he and his
crew arrived, they went to Murrieta, California, where
they put their race bike together.
The specially built KTM is fitted with an electricoperated shifter on the handlebar – with a red button
for downshifting and a green button for upshifting; and
there is an additional lever for a hand-operated rear
brake. The bike has a normal clutch lever and he also
runs a Rekluse clutch.
A special backrest helps keep him in place. The
stock seat is removed and he sits on a thick piece of
foam, securing himself to the seat with a seat belt. The
P25
HELD UP
IN BAJA!
M
ike Baxter was one of many who came
away from this year's Baja 500 with a
story to tell. Unfortunately, like all too many
of those stories, his was pretty disturbing,
though it did have a happy ending. Sort of.
While pre-running and just six miles from
the start, Baxter was robbed at gunpoint,
which really isn't all that unusual in Mexico,
but it was how the robbery was executed
that really chaps your hide.
While riding in a sand wash, Baxter
stopped to aid a fallen rider, but was surprised when the fallen rider suddenly got
up and pulled out what Baxter believes was
a .45 pistol. With aid from a cohort who
emerged from the bushes, the two bandits
hijacked his motorcycle and rode off into
the hills.
Baxter reported the incident to the police and they reportedly apprehended one
of the suspects. However, the bike has yet
to be recovered.
Baxter, along with teammates Mike
Prunty, Scott Myers, Lester Lehigh and
Sterling Rigsby, went on to win Class 40.
Brian Faris
box on the side of the bike holds the battery
for the shifter. Dutto places his feet into custom
holders that have straps to keep the boots in
place.
The team also borrowed a bike for Dutto's
chase rider, who follows behind and picks him
up if he falls. Accompanying him to the 500
were his wife, Elena Foi, chase rider Massimo
Ravetta and mechanic Roberto Boasso.
Although Dutto did not finish the race, he
hopes to find the funding to return for the 1000.
