‘Doing the Baja Thing’: Off-Road Racer Rallies Adventurers in Support of a Good Cause

By Gary E. Frank

Originally published on triplepundit.com

The Baja Beach Bash may sound like a rowdy seaside party, but it’s something much more. Held each summer, the Beach Bash is an annual opportunity for motocross enthusiasts to indulge their passion in the rugged, picturesque landscape of the Baja California peninsula of northwest Mexico while raising money for a good cause. The event has raised more than $2 million for the Rancho Santa Marta Orphanage, a home and school for at-risk children in San Vincente, Mexico, over the past 16 years.

Off-road racing pioneer Cameron Steele, a self-described lover of the peninsula and co-organizer of the Beach Bash, said the event started as an “outreach ride” to promote tourism for the Baja, which had diminished because of the region’s reputation for crime.

“The Baja was struggling with a bunch of negative press, and there was not much tourism,” said Steele, known by many in motocross circles as “Mr. Baja.” “A guy we were friends with owned a dirt bike tour company, and he was kind of struggling. We decided to launch this trip to support him and other people doing business down there to say, ‘Hey, we’re still riding in Baja and doing the Baja thing.’”

Cameron Steele’s love for the peninsula traces back to family trips in the 1970s, and he set out to share his passion for off-road racing in the region’s beaches and deserts with more outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. While the peninsula hosts renowned off-road races like the Baja 1000, the Beach Bash aims to be more accessible to bring people to the region and raise money for the community. In the early years of the Beach Bash, Steele and professional motocross racer Johnny Campbell invited hundreds of adventurers and spectators to the peninsula for days of beach riding and fun in the sun, with a percentage of each entry fee going to support Rancho Santa Marta.

“The numbers just weren’t really where I thought they should be,” Steele recalled. “At some point, I’m not exactly sure when, maybe 2011 or 2012, I decided I was going to take on the fundraising on my own. Along with Bullet Proof Diesel and Johnny Campbell, we started rallying the entire off-road community — our sponsors, our partners — and tried to get people involved.”

Steele’s longtime sponsor Monster Energy came through in a big way. “Monster Energy stands out in racing sponsorships because they actively engage with and support sports they love, fostering strong relationships with athletes. Rather than just a typical sponsor, they create a family-like atmosphere, backing their athletes with opportunities and long-term commitments,” Steele said. “Beyond race team sponsorships, they support various events, shows and ideas athletes bring to them, emphasizing collaboration and backing meaningful projects. This approach makes Monster more than a brand — it’s a team-oriented partner that goes beyond promoting a drink.”

Getting the brand on board as a sponsor was a game-changer for the Beach Bash. “Their support attracts additional interest and engagement from others, as the brand’s participation signals quality and reliability,” Steele told 3p. “Monster carefully selects meaningful projects, providing a trusted foundation alongside other partners like Ford. This relationship offers a dependable base, enhancing the project’s appeal and visibility.”

The cause behind the event makes it even more meaningful for Steele, who first visited Rancho Santa Marta in 2006 and came away moved by what he saw.

“This was even before I had kids, so I didn’t really understand the joy of children other than seeing other people being stoked on it,” he said. “But having my kids now, it makes it even more gratifying to see the kids at the orphanage laughing and smiling and knowing they have a safe place to live.”

Steele’s father, an off-road racer and “long-time Baja lover,” was a friend of another off-road racer named Bill Lawrence who founded Rancho Santa Marta.

“He had the idea, and he started the orphanage and school on a small level, and someone gifted him a plot of land where they’re at today,” Steele said. “Over the years of the Beach Bash and our other trips like Rip To Cabo, we’ve continued to return and share the orphanage with people. Everybody that goes there is touched by it, so they bring something more back. It’s been really cool to see that grow.”

A stop at Rancho Santa Marta to have lunch with the children is part of the Baja Beach Bash, which sometimes uses the orphanage as the start and end point for the event. Other off-road races have also stopped at Rancho Santa Marta.

“It’s hard to understand, but when the Baja 1000 or one of these major events comes by Rancho Santa Marta, it’s like having the Indianapolis 500 drive through your front yard,” Steele said. “The excitement is high, and the kids love it. They see the dirt bikes and they see the trucks and they see all the people and the riding gear, and it just builds that excitement. My favorite part is definitely when we roll into Rancho Santa Marta, seeing the kids being stoked and seeing all the people that we brought with us.”

This article series is sponsored by Monster Energy and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.