Behind the Brand - Meet Wes Wheeler, Race Support Lead at Baja Designs
July 19th, 2024
Baja Designs is known for its performance lighting. Can you tell us about the journey of the company and its evolution over the years?
Baja Designs was born in 1992 in San Diego, CA, from a need for better-performing off-road lights for racing in Baja. Our flagship products were motorcycle-focused such as our Dual Sport Kits, Halogen, and HID Moto Headlights, and helmet lights. A few years later the focus would shift to automotive off-road LED lighting, and the rest was history. Our products are performance-driven, and race proven. We have always engineered and manufactured using only the best components available to ensure the product is the absolute best it can be. In recent years, we have begun developing street-legal auxiliary lighting solutions as well as staying at the forefront of off-road LED lighting. Although we have become a household name in the off-road and performance automotive industries, we are constantly pushing to improve products and never get comfortable.
We know the best off-road stories happen after dark. Can you tell us a story from the trail where Baja Designs saved the night?
It is so hard for me to choose just one story as we tend to stay out after dark often. From countless Baja wins, search and rescue missions, mining and industrial use, and everything in between, our lights are proven to be able to get you through the harshest nights imaginable.
My personal favorite story of Baja Designs saving the night would be from the trail in Baja, en route to La Paz during the 2023 Baja 1000. Our good friends at Sherpa Equipment Company lost the transmission on their 2022 Ram 2500 just before dark. Not only did we have the lighting needed to diagnose the issue and get the truck off the trail, we also were able to light up camp all night to make tacos and enjoy each other’s company, despite the unfortunate circumstances. Having the right lights can turn even the worst-case scenario into a night of good times and memories.
We love Baja Designs for the extreme commitment to performance and durability. What’s a unique feature of your lights that you’re particularly proud of?
Our products have many proprietary features that set them apart from the rest. Of all those features the one that stands out the most to me is our “uService.” We know nothing is indestructible and because of this, all our forward-facing lighting options are completely rebuildable, and not just by us. Whether you damage the light or just want to change your lens pattern or color, you can order the components needed and easily rebuild your light to like-new condition. Back that with our limited lifetime warranty, and it is truly the ultimate “buy once, cry once” product on the market.
What advice would you give to Rebelle Rally competitors using Baja Designs products for the first time?
Less is more. While an array of cheap lights splattered all over a vehicle may look decent, a smooth and evenly blended field of light is much more important. Focus on front bumper lighting, cornering light, reverse lighting, and rock/service lights. These options are the most crucial and provide you the most usable light possible. You can refer to the Lighting Zone Chart on our website for a visual of where you should be illuminating. Roof bars may look good, but they should be your last step when building out a lighting package.
Baja Designs owns sPOD. Can you tell our community why they need sPOD?
sPOD is the original power distribution management system on the market, and still to this day, it is the most refined option. It is an advanced electronic control unit that allows you to take complete control of any and all accessories you may need to get your vehicle through the Rebelle Rally. Our systems utilize a user friendly “bus bar” style fuse block which makes it one of the simplest solid-state power systems available. The ease of use, functionality, and industry leading 5-year warranty guarantee that you will be satisfied when installing an sPOD in your rig.
Tell us one fun fact about Baja Designs that might surprise our readers
One of my favorite facts about Baja Designs is that we were the first company to utilize a forward projecting LED light. Our first ever LED light bar was utilized at the 2006 Baja1000.
What motivates Baja Designs to partner with the Rebelle Rally?
The Rebelle Rally is very unique in many ways, from being the longest Rally in the US, to being women only, it is a very special event. We wanted to elevate the work being done by Emily and the team because of all the amazing opportunities it provides women in motorsports. We have been watching the success over the years, and after chatting with some trusted industry partners such as Nicole from TOTAL CHAOS Fabrication, our racers who compete such as Sara Price and Bailey Campbell, and others, it was a no brainer to support this event. Our industry needs more passionate women to be involved and this event is the perfect opportunity for that. Rebelle Rally is the only race or rally event that we are providing monetary sponsorship to currently, and that alone says a ton about the work they are all putting in.
