It’s been 12 years since the original showcased the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race, the characters involved and the Baja peninsula itself, but the long-awaited sequel to “Dust to Glory” has finally arrived.  We got a sneak peek of “Dust 2 Glory ” at the annual SEMA Show, and it did not disappoint.  The new film chronicles the 2015 SCORE Baja 1000 and all four races in the 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship series. It’s reminiscent of the original, with lots of racer profiles and a first-person documentary feel. Director and commentator Dana Brown once again takes you firsthand into the depths of this iconic race scene.

While the film is fully focused on the SCORE off-road racing series, it is really all about the people, landscape and adventures that Baja has to offer. The race attracts an extremely diverse group of adventurers there to test themselves against the challenging landscape that is Baja — and each other.

At the upper levels of off-road racing are the mighty Trophy Trucks, which attract rich business heads, famous race car drivers and the like, people who have the funds and support to play with the ultimate big toys. At the other end of the spectrum are the Class 11 VW Beetles, run by local families and the common racer. Motos, quads and UTV also make up the field of budget and fully funded top-tier teams. All involved add a truly unique flavor to this diverse race scene, and all are profiled in the film.

“Dust 2 Glory” shows all the highs and lows involved in desert racing. Watching and hearing a trophy truck dance across the desert at over 100 mph into the sunrise is something to behold. The lows are, for sure, the deaths that occur, like motorcyclists Travis Livingston and Noah Evermann, who died during the 2016 Baja 500 race. Racers are a big family, and even the winners of the race deeply felt the pain of loss.

The movie is a nice mix of helicopter, drone, POV and run-and-gun style cinematography. While much of the footage is truly jaw-droppingly beautiful, like many of the starry night time-lapse shots, some of the shots are also raw and gritty, like the POV crash footage. Quality editing and storytelling tie everything together.

Find a theater near you at fathomevents.com to attend the one-night nationwide premiere event of ‘Dust 2 Glory’ on Dec. 6 at 7:30.