Ensenada, Mexico - The 2014 Baja 1000 off-road race through Mexico's Baja California Peninsula will feature competitors from 24 countries, organizers announced this week.

The competition, now in its 47th edition, will take some 250 riders and drivers from the starting point in Ensenada, at the top of the Baja California Sur peninsula, to La Paz, in the southern part of the state, according to the state's Tourism Secretariat.

The race, which traditionally takes place the third week of November - the 12th - 16th this year - sees modified cars, trucks, ATVs, and motorcycles compete across almost 1250 miles of rugged desert and coastal landscapes.

Most racers are from the United States and through the years they have included actor Paul Newman, who competed in the 2004 edition at age 80; actor James Garner; rock musician Ted Nugent; race car driver and owner Parnelli Jones; and Mexican IndyCar driver Michel Jourdain Jr.

Roger Norman, the president and CEO of Score International Off-Road Racing, which now operates this race and others in Baja and the US state of California, said organizers previously toured the route to identify areas where damage caused by Hurricane Odile could present a problem.

Ruben Riachi, Baja California's tourism chief, said that recent heavy rains have left their mark on stretches of the route, presenting new challenges for this year's competitors.