Emme Hall is taking Buddy, her heavily modified Mazda Miata, to the NORRA 500 in Baja California. Her stated aim is not a class win but a finish: “Baja is unforgiving and all I want to do is finish.” Hall’s account, published October 8, 2026, describes the car and the challenge before the event scheduled for October 9–10; it does not report how the race turned out.
What Hall says the NORRA 500 will demand
Hall describes the event as a rally combining dirt special stages with pavement transit sections. In her account, teams must stay on schedule, and the GPS file and digital roadbook arrived the night before the start. The distinction between transit and stage matters: she says crews can address small problems during transit, but help on a special stage is limited to fuel. If a car breaks, the team must repair it or wait for sweep towing. These are Hall’s descriptions, not a substitute for NORRA’s current official rules.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The planned first day was to finish in San Quintín, roughly 115 pavement miles south of the start in Ensenada. Hall said the overnight stop would give crews a chance to handle larger problems before returning to Ensenada the following morning. Those are pre-race route plans, not a report of the route ultimately completed.
Buddy has raced before, including two Mint 400 class wins, and Hall says she has previously raced in Baja in other classes. But she characterizes this terrain as a different test, with silt, rocks, g-outs and whoops presenting distinct demands on the car and crew.
#1 Best Overall
- Meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 (FMVSS 218). Meets DOT standards and certifications.
- Equipped with MIPS technology that reduces rotational forces during angled impacts for added protection on the track and trail
- Magnetic visor release system stays secure under roost but is designed to detach during a crash, reducing the risk of neck strain
- Nine intake and four exhaust vents help maximize airflow and moisture management, while the lightweight injection-molded polycarbonate and ABS shell construction offers a precise fit with 4 shell and 5 EPS sizes.
- Fit & Sizing: Designed for a snug, secure fit. Please measure head circumference and reference the size guide in the product images. If between sizes or unsure, size up.
How Buddy is prepared for the terrain
Suspension and protection
Hall says Buddy’s suspension was in its fourth iteration. The setup she described uses Fox 2.0 shocks with reservoirs, dual springs at each corner and 3D-printed bump stops. The stock lower arms are reinforced; custom chromoly upper control arms are fitted at the front, with adjustable control arms at the rear. A skid plate protects the differential, which is welded. Hall planned to bring the car’s previous limited-slip differential as a spare.
The build page for Yeah, Buddy! also lists Paco Motorsports rear control arms and gearing, Perry Parts bump stops, and skid plates. It identifies components on the car; it is not an independent safety assessment.
Rank #2
- Size - OUMURS Dirt Bike Helmet/Adult ATV helmet include Adult-S (550 - 560 mm / 21-5/8" - 22" ); Adult-M (570 - 580 mm / 22-1/2" - 22-7/8" ); Adult-L (590 - 600 mm / 23-1/4" - 23-5/8"); Adult-XL (610 - 620 mm / 24" - 24-3/8" )
- Safe and Reliable - The OUMURS Dirt Bike Helmet meets DOT FMVSS-218 Safety Standards,made of high quality ABS shell and EPS linings provide security for your driving, it’s a good choice for you as a dirt bike helmet or adult ATV helmet
- With Goggles Gloves and Mask - OUMURS Dirt Bike Helmet include the goggles, gloves and mask which you need to in driving. Put on the accessory equipment, windproof and UV resistant, can resist the interference of the sun and give you a more clear and wide vision in riding
- Multiple Air Vents Design - The adult ATV helmet have multiple air vents, make fresh air keep entering the helmet, You can have a good riding experience even in hot summer. The optimized vent reduces the wind noise and can ride more quietly with this adult ATV helmet
- Double D Ring Design - OUMURS motorcycle helmet with double D ring design, easy to wear and wear firmly. It will not fall off even if it is impacted by external forces, effectively protecting your safety
Engine, air and heat management
Buddy’s 1.8-liter Miata engine retains stock internals and runs a turbocharger. Hall reports a seven-pound boost setting and a 200-horsepower tune, with a programmed limp mode intended to respond to excessive heat. Those are figures for this car’s reported setup, not a general claim about Miata power or reliability.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Dust control is a central concern. Hall says a cleanable UMP off-road air filter sits inside the cabin because the previous filter was insufficient and contributed to an earlier engine failure. She also removed the windshield and installed a Rugged Radios fresh-air system to supply air to the crew’s helmets. A separate Miata owner’s Baja XL account in Moss Miata Motoring describes overheating in soft sand, oil-pan damage and the value of spares. That is useful context about possible desert-travel problems, but it concerns another car and a touring trip, not Buddy’s race.
Rank #3
- DOT certified for Safety - meets or exceeds FMVSS-218 and DOT safety standards.
- Upgraded lightweight ABS shell with a thick, high density fully vented EPS liner, brings you better protection and comfortable wearing.
- Sleek aerodynamic design made for speed. Front and back air vents for maximum ventilation.
- Detachable and washable inner pads.
- The visor can easily be detached from the helmet for days when not needed. It is excellent for protection against the sun, which can be rotated slightly to account for the sun's direction.
Drivetrain, tires and crew equipment
Hall lists a stock five-speed transmission, a stage 1 Flyin’ Miata clutch and 29-inch BFGoodrich tires. The car also has a cage and safety equipment, Rugged Radios communications, LED light pods, and Starlink and StarStream for live coverage. The Yeah, Buddy! build page lists additional equipment including Recaro seats, Mastercraft Safety harnesses, a Fuel Safe cell and a ProEagle jack.
Hall’s article spells the lighting brand “Ridgid Industries,” while the build page spells it “Rigid Industries.” The latter is the spelling used on the build page.
Rank #4
- Meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 (FMVSS 218). Meets DOT standards and certifications.
- Equipped with MIPS technology that reduces rotational forces during angled impacts for added protection on the track and trail
- Magnetic visor release system stays secure under roost but is designed to detach during a crash, reducing the risk of neck strain
- Nine intake and four exhaust vents help maximize airflow and moisture management, while the lightweight injection-molded polycarbonate and ABS shell construction offers a precise fit with 4 shell and 5 EPS sizes.
- Fit & Sizing: Designed for a snug, secure fit. Please measure head circumference and reference the size guide in the product images. If between sizes or unsure, size up.
Why this is not simply a weekend Miata conversion
The Yeah, Buddy! build page describes Paco Motorsports’ rally-cross kit as an accessible starting point for a weekend Miata conversion. Hall’s reported race setup goes further: it combines substantial suspension changes, protective hardware, a turbocharged engine, larger off-road tires, cabin air for helmeted occupants and a race safety package. The difference is one of purpose and preparation, not a measured performance ranking.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThe accounts point to practical questions for anyone considering a Miata in rough terrain: how much underbody protection is fitted, whether the air system can cope with dust, how heat will be managed, what can be repaired on the route, and which spares are worth carrying. A separate Baja XL trip report illustrates why these concerns matter, but its incidents should not be treated as predictions about Hall’s car or the NORRA 500.
Best Value
- Size - OUMURS Dirt Bike Helmet/Adult ATV helmet include Adult-S (550 - 560 mm / 21-5/8" - 22" ); Adult-M (570 - 580 mm / 22-1/2" - 22-7/8" ); Adult-L (590 - 600 mm / 23-1/4" - 23-5/8"); Adult-XL (610 - 620 mm / 24" - 24-3/8" )
- Safe and Reliable - The OUMURS Dirt Bike Helmet meets DOT FMVSS-218 Safety Standards,made of high quality ABS shell and EPS linings provide security for your driving, it’s a good choice for you as a dirt bike helmet or adult ATV helmet
- With Goggles Gloves and Mask - OUMURS Dirt Bike Helmet include the goggles, gloves and mask which you need to in driving. Put on the accessory equipment, windproof and UV resistant, can resist the interference of the sun and give you a more clear and wide vision in riding
- Multiple Air Vents Design - The adult ATV helmet have multiple air vents, make fresh air keep entering the helmet, You can have a good riding experience even in hot summer. The optimized vent reduces the wind noise and can ride more quietly with this adult ATV helmet
- Double D Ring Design - OUMURS motorcycle helmet with double D ring design, easy to wear and wear firmly. It will not fall off even if it is impacted by external forces, effectively protecting your safety
The cost Hall disclosed—and what it leaves out
Hall says her entry fees alone exceeded $6,000. She separately lists lodging, food, fuel, preparation and spares as additional expenses. The figure is her own entry-fee spending for this event, not an average entry cost or a full budget for racing in Baja.
What is known about the result
The October 8, 2026 account was published before the NORRA 500 was scheduled to run on October 9–10. It establishes Hall’s preparation, plans and goal, but not whether Buddy finished or what result the crew achieved.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors
