March 31, 2005 - Mexico's Baja 1000 is a race many have heard about but few have seen. Motorcycle racer Mike "Mouse" McCoy has racing in his bloodlines and has raced the Baja for years. After getting into the film industry as a stuntman and producer, McCoy told documentary producer Dana Brown (Step Into Liquid) that covering the Baja 1000 would make a great subject for his next film. Brown accepted the challenge, but the problem was that no one had ever successfully filmed the race, which spans 1000 miles of Mexico's toughest terrain. To complete the task, Brown brought aboard a massive team that included 55 cameras, helicopters, cameras mounted inside vehicles and even helmet cams for the bike racers. The unique aspect of the Baja is that just about anyone can enter. All you need is a vehicle and the $1,200 entry fee. There are winners in various categories as well as an overall winner. This year, McCoy was attempting to accomplish a feat never before accomplished in the more than 30 year history of the Baja: race the entire Baja 1000 on a motorcycle all by himself.

For me, the first portion of watching the film Dust to Glory was just getting a grasp on the fact that this is an actual event that happens every year. The vehicles range from piles of junk being held together by duct tape to multi-million-dollar vehicles. There are very few laws and regulations to the race. Crowds gather almost on the track as the vehicles race by. The opening scenes are hard to believe, as giant 4 X 4's hop over large hills to come crashing down in front of a crowd, turning a sharp corner and nearly crashing into the crowd. Through it all, no one bats an eye. The crowd even participates in the race, setting booby traps so racers crash. Once they do, the crowd helps them to their feet. As "Mouse" puts it, this truly is the wild west.

The shooting of this film was an enormous undertaking in and of itself. Beyond the above-mentioned equipment, Brown and his crew even used night vision cameras to capture the pitch black night portions of the race that never sleeps. Dust to Glory's technical achievement is unmatched, consistently putting audiences in the thick of the race and showcasing shots that will turn audience's knuckles white as they watch. It's hard to imagine this race when you read about it, but seeing it is a whole other thing. It's totally insane that it even goes on the way it does.

	-IFC Films A bike racer goes airborne during the Baja

"Mouse's" journey is one of the focal points of the story. As he comes close to accomplishing his amazing task, a brutal crash leaves question of whether he will be all right, much less finish the race. "Mouse" does both, looking ready to pass out at the end of the race. Famed racer Mario Andretti was the master of ceremonies at this year's race and made a noble attempt to participate, but it didn't last too long. Other portions of the the race feature "Trophy Truck Titans," a group of big-wheeled monster trucks as well as a group called the Class 11, basically made up of a variation of VW bugs, some modded out and some near stock. A number of other drivers are featured briefly throughout the film with interviews and shots of everyone racing by in their vehicles.

Director Dana Brown has quickly established himself as one of the most talented documentarians to capture extreme sports and the lives of its participants on film. Similar to his previous film, Step Into Liquid, Dust to Glory exposes worlds and people you could never create in fiction. The task of filming the Baja successfully was a massive one, and Brown and his team do an exceptional job to follow the race and captures its most insane and jolting moments.

For racing enthusiasts of any kind, Dust to Glory is a fascinating and eye-opening experience unlike anything that has come before it. The races are brutal and fast. For those used to watching high-paced races in feature films like myself, you have to keep reminding yourself that everything going on in this film is actually happening. These people are actually going these speeds, crashing, spinning out and more without the aid of digital effects. At a certain point, Dust to Glory is almost too much information for the layman such as myself. As the interviews continued with racers and fans recounting their personal experiences with the Baja 1000, I found myself becoming increasingly disinterested. When the scenes shifted by to the thick of the race, I was once again enthralled. All in all, this is an entertaining and informative film that exposes an event unlike any other. Some scenes are strictly for race lovers, but there is enough here overall to entertain curious outsiders.

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