Classic Baja Off-Roader Bar 'Horsepower Ranch' Sold, Hope It Stays Wild

A couple hours south of the border there's a 100-acre patch of land outside Ensenada that's played host to off-road heroes, kicked-off races, and launched epic Baja adventures for ages. The joint's called Horsepower Ranch, and it's just been bought up by some SoCal investment outfit. Hopefully they don't kick all the roaches out.

The place is no dump, but it ain't exactly Disney Land either. You might see some bugs. Something may be living in your beer mug. But you probably won't care, because you'll be clinking it with some legend of Mexican desert racing.

On August 19th, an ownership group of rich guys led by one of the Ranch's original founding partners Todd Clement and an entrepreneur named Adrian Hoyle officially announced their new ownership. Clement says they "felt strongly that keeping Horsepower Ranch not only alive, but in a position to thrive, was the right move from both a cultural and business perspective. The place has a special magic. We want to insure that legacy continues for generations to come."

Sounds noble enough. The curmudgeon in me is nervous they're going to whitewash it... especially when the press release says:

Considered as somewhat remote a few years ago, the ranch is positioned within the region's soon-to-be-completed "wine corridor" that includes nearby Guadalupe Valley that is exploding on the international vintner and culinary scene.

Groan. I get that wine tastings are more profitable than dirty biker bars, but does the world really need another place for people to sniff corks and wear sweaters around their necks?

Anyway, who knows, if the new owners are smart they'll leverage the off-road appeal of this joint and keep rolling out the welcome mat for dudes fresh off the race course. I'll be sure to tweet about it next time I'm down there.

Contact the author at andrew@jalopnik.com.