It was expected that Baja TT Idanha-a-Nova could surprise with an outstanding entry list, especially in the SSV category, but few could expect to see such an amazing and vast line up of participants for the penultimate race of the Portuguese Championship. In total 80 vehicles will be present at the start of the race in Idanha-a-Nova, in the interior of Portugal and close to the border with Spain.
Escuderia de Castelo Branco, organizer of this race, can be proud of the entry list, one of the largest ever in Portugal and second only to Baja de Portalegre. In Europe, no other country comes even close in numbers and competition level, and once again Portugal showed that it is the "place to race" in SSV.
With such a vast entry list and with several local champions not only from the SSV category but also from others, trying to name favorites is quite a difficult exercise. Looking for the first 20 names on the entry list one can find a lot of overall winner candidates - most of them, but even looking further down the entry list an there are even more. Only after SS1, it could be possible to start to draw an eventual favorite list, because the short prologue will be lived so fast that most will end up or with the same times or so close to each other that will not make any difference. And even if SS2 will be only half the distance of SS1, no one can start thinking the the victory is conquered, as on 80Km and with so many and so fast participants, the smallest error or problem will have a high cost in terms of race positions.
Baja TT Idanha-a-Nova is valid only for the multiple Portuguese competitions, but will still have an international flavor, with participants coming from 8 different countries, including Portugal. For some of the foreigners, the reality will bite hard, as high competition level will surely surprise. The category is also starting to attract more women to the sport, either for driving or co-driving, something that is very welcome not only because it represents more participants, but also because it shows that the sport is accessible to all and more could join in the future.
Can-Am is still the most represented manufacturer in this competition, but Polaris and Yamaha are fighting back with more participants than before.
Baja TT Idanha-a-Nova as two different routes, one for the cars, and the other for SSV, Moto, and Quad. The "hostilities" will begin for the SSV category on Saturday morning, with a short 7km Prologue. But the real action will start afterward, with the first real special stage: SS1 with 160,6km.
On Sunday the program will be a lot shorter, not only because there is only one sector to be raced - SS2, but also because it has only 84 km long.
Do you want to know the entry list in detail? Baja TT Idanha-a-Nova 2019: SSV Entry list
And what about the race map?Baja TT Idanha-a-Nova: Race maps
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