SUMMARY
“This is by far the most difficult thing I have ever done,” remarked Jeff Benrud, a former Delta Force operative with over 700 combat operations under his belt, including the capture of Saddam Hussein. Yet, he wasn’t referring to his military exploits, but to the Baja 1000, the most perilous off-road race in the world.
Drive On follows elite combat veterans from SEAL Team 6, Special Forces, Army Rangers, and combat Marines as they compete in the Baja 1000, the most dangerous off-road race in the world. Yet, the heart of the story is their search for a new purpose and the journey to “come fully home from war”.
THE BAJA 1000
The SCORE Baja 1000 is the most respected and most dangerous off-road race that takes place in Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.
On average only 30% of vehicles finish and it is rare not to get in a wreck.
The race has lured legends like James Garner and Steve McQueen to compete in it.
Locals sabotage the track for fun and set booby-traps in order to watch the vehicles go flying in the air. It's just part of the race.
The Baja 1000 allows multiple kinds of vehicles. Our teams competed on motorcycles, Volkswagen Beetle, and Baja Class Trucks.
The Stories
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Bill Weber
The 1st place team, led by Navy veteran Finch, raced in memory of their late teammate Bill Weber, a Navy SEAL veteran and one of the founders of SEAL Team 6. Bill had aimed for his 10th win this year. Despite their vehicle rolling over during the race, Finch's determination and dangerous speeds secured Weber's 10th win.
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Giovanni Perez
An Army veteran with a prosthetic left arm, leads the motorcycle team. His arm is bolted to the handlebar, making crashes perilous. Midway through the race, he crashes but manages to finish just in time.
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Damian Clapper
The 2nd place team, led by Navy SEAL veteran Damian Clapper, includes Seals, an SF veteran, and a Ranger. Despite no experience in the race, they accepted the challenge. They aimed to win against seasoned racers and held 1st place for a while but faced mechanical issues, losing gears and brakes. They were still honored that the Memorial team won on behalf of a fallen SEAL Team 6 veteran.
IMPACT
Our goal is to develop the film DRIVE ON into a program within the Department of Defense's military transition department.
SUMMARY
Our goal is to work with Department of Defense on a military transition campaign centered around our upcoming documentary, Drive On and the newly released book, The Warrior Dilemma, both of which are focused on how to successfully transition from the military. Both the Director Justin D. Roberts and author D.A. Bender have a track record with DoD with previous projects.
THE BOOK
The Warrior Dilemma was written by D.A. Bender, a former Reconnaissance Marine and a licensed counselor currently working with the Vet Centers. He has worked with Navy Seals and Marine Recon teams with their transition programs and has conducted over 20,000 hours of direct counseling with veterans in areas of transition and trauma. Bender combines his experience in war with his expertise as a counselor to provide a clear road map of how to come fully home.
Drive on Status: Raising for Postproduction
1.
Director
JUSTIN D. ROBERTS
Award winning Director & former Army Captain
Justin D. Roberts is an independent film director and producer. He is currently directing a documentary called Live Free about the war in Ukraine, is in pre-production on a syndicated series called Do Good that raises support for humanitarian nonprofits and has two documentary features (Drive On and Fighting Spirit) in post-production. His most recent theatrical release was the international award winning military-documentary, No Greater Love, which was stated as “One of the best, most powerful documentaries ever made” by Movie Guide. For his tour in Afghanistan he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal for Valor.
Justin has won eleven awards internationally, screened before the White House, Congress, and the Vatican, and was the recipient of the Santini Patriot Spirit Award and Best Military Filmmaker from the G.I. Film Festival.
Justin graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary and has a Masters in Media Arts and Communication and a Masters in Biblical Studies. In 2009 he was chaplain over one of the most suicidal battalions in the military and developed a care program that helped soldiers to connect and find hope. This program was effective at ending the unit’s suicides and reducing suicidal ideations by 70%.
“You cannot solve world problems until you shift cultures. And can’t shift cultures until a story is told.” Justin D. Roberts
Reviews of No Greater Love
Contact us.
jdroberts1979@gmail.com
(337)563-5800