Method Race Wheel Top Qualifier Results

Alan Ampudia, Menzies, Price, top qualifiers Thursday for Saturday’s King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: DOMINIC CLARK, DOMINIC@SCORE-INTERNATIONAL.COM

ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico – Launching its sixth decade as the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Organization this year, the top three Method Race Wheels qualifiers Thursday among over 270 racers expected to start Saturday’s King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250 were Mexico’s Alan Ampudia, Las Vegas’ Bryce Menzies, and Australia’s Toby Price.

    Held over a 5.10-mile course North of downtown, Alan Ampudia, 33, Ensenada, Mexico, powered his Papas Y Beer No. 10 Ford Raptor, built by Mason Motorsports to the fastest qualifying time of five minutes, 49.583 seconds He was fastest of the 34 SCORE Trophy Trucks out of 38 entries in the class that attempted to qualify. Alan Ampudia finished second in last year’s SCORE San Felipe 250.

     Las Vegas’ Menzies, 36, who finished third in San Felipe last year, second in 2022 and won this race in 2021, finished with the second-fastest qualifying time this year, driving his No. 7 AWD Ford Raptor to a time of 5:50.955.

     Multi-time motorcycle Dakar Rally winner Toby Price, 37, powered his way in a time of 5:51.101 to finish third in qualifying in the No. 46 all-wheel drive Mason-built Chevy SCORE Trophy Truck.

     Fastest in the SCORE TT Legend class for SCORE Trophy Truck racers over 50 years old was Ricky Johnson, 59, El Cajon, Calif. (Driver of Record--Gustavo Vildosola Sr, 70, Mexicali, Mexico), in a time of 6:09.441 in the Vildosola Racing No. 1L Mason-built AWD Ford Raptor.

     Top qualifier out of a SCORE record-setting 44 entries in the Trophy Truck Spec class was Jason McNeil, 46, El Cajon, Calif., in the No. 200 TSCO-Chevy in a time 6:18.113.

    SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend, and Trophy Truck Spec were the only three classes required to participate in the Method Race Wheels Qualifying sessions for starting positions as the other start positions in the various classes were determined by a drawing.

WHAT’S UP

     The colorfully challenging 285.69-mile race course will start and finish and pre-race contingency will be held on El Malecon in the SCORE start/finish line compound alongside of the picturesque Sea of Cortez.

     Entering Friday’s final days of late, on-site race week registration, 263 official entries to date represent 28 U.S. States, one U.S. Territory and 10 countries. In addition to the USA, U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, host country Mexico, racers so far have also come from Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, France, New Zealand and Peru.

     With double figure entries so far are SCORE Trophy Truck (38), Trophy Truck Spec (44), Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) with 23, Class 10 with 13, Pro UTV Open (22) and Pro UTV Stock (14).

     San Felipe is 125 miles south of the U.S. Border at Calexico, Calif. on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula along the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez. 

     All four 2022 SCORE races will be held on Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula for the ninth consecutive year.

     SCORE, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Organization, is celebrating its 51st season in 2024.

SCORE LIVE

    During Method Race Wheels Qualifying on Thursday, contingency on Friday and the race on Saturday until the course closes on Sunday early morning, SCORE Live streaming will be broadcasting race activities and start and finish line interviews as well as live action from Drones, ground cameras and in-car cameras from around the race course. There will also be live Zoom interviews for individuals around the race course as part of SCORE Live for this race.

    Popular Rat Sult, who is starting his ninth season as the voice of SCORE, will once again serve as host and lead ramp announcer of the expansive SCORE Live streaming. Assisting Sult will be Mexico’s Gabriel Garcia. 

    Sult and Garcia will be announcing from the SCORE start/finish ramp while the show will also include SCORE studio announcers in El Cajon, Calif., providing live info and updates throughout the race. Host announce in the SCORE Studio will again be Brandon Johnson while co-hosts during the race will be Wes Miller and Heidi Steele.

    SCORE live is being produced again by SCORE Media House, Bud Brutsman, producer, Alberto Luna, on-site director.

    Coverage will also include Austin Farner in the studio announcing during qualifying.

    SCORE live may be launched from the home page of the SCORE website or from the SCORE App.

GREEN FLAG SATURDAY

    The King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250, will be an elapsed-time race with staggered starts as the green flag on Saturday, March 23 will drop first for the motorcycles and quads at 6 a.m. (PT) and 9 a.m. (PT) for the cars, trucks and UTVs. While the fastest vehicles are expected to finish in around four and one-half hours, all vehicles will have a 13-hour time limit in the 285.59-mile race to become official finishers in the iconic race.

ON-SITE RACER REGISTRATION

    Being held in the Centro Comercial Plaza Armex (39 Avenida Mar de Cortez Sur), the final day of regular on-site and late racer registration will be held on Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT. No new entries will be accepted after 3 p.m. PT on Friday and the final entry list and final starting order will be posted after 6 p.m. PT on Friday.

King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250

Round 1 of four-race 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship

March 20-24, 2024—285.69 miles – San Felipe, Baja California

Current Total Entries: 263 (as of 3/22/24)

(from 28 U.S. States, U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, host Mexico, Australia, Bolivia,

Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, France, New Zealand, Peru)

 

Method Race Wheels Qualifying Results

(March 21, 5.10-mile desert course) 

(determined start order for qualifying classes)

 

Pro Cars, Trucks & UTVs

(Pos., Number, driver/rider of record/additional drivers and/or Navigators, vehicle, engine)

  SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (Unlimited CustomTrucks including Builder)--

TOP QUALIFIER: 1. 10 Alan Ampudia, 33, Ensenada, Mexico/Aaron Ampudia, 31, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford Raptor (Mason), five minutes, 49.583 seconds

2. 1 Bryce Menzies, 36, Las Vegas, Ford Raptor (Mason), 5:50.955

3. 46 Toby Price, 36, Australia/Paul Weel, 44, Australia, Chevy Silverado (Mason), 5:51.101

4. 83 Luke McMillin, 31, San Diego, Chevy 1500 (Mason), 5:54.279

5. 94 Christopher Poolvoorde, 23, Hemet, Calif., Ford Raptor (Mason), 5:55.000

6. 21 Gustavo Vildosola Jr, 42, Mexicali, Mexico, Ford Raptor (Vildosola Racing), 5:56.468

7. 70 Kevin Thompson, 50, New Braunfels, Texas/Harley Letner, 40, Corona, Calif., Ford Raptor (Mason), 6:01.463

8. 89 Mike Walser, 57, Comfort, Texas, Rod Walser, 45, Canadian, Texas, Chevy Silverado (Mason), 6:05.056

9. 41 Justin Lofton, 38, Lockney, Texas (Brawley, Calif.), Chevy 1500 (Mason), 6:05.939

10. 38 Eric Hustead, 53, St. George, Utah/Kolton Hustead, 24, St. George, Utah, Chevy 1500 (Custom), 6:09.498

11. 97 Ruben Torres, 26, San Luis Potosi, Mexico (DOR-Gabriel Torres, 30, San Luis Potosi, Mexico), Nissan Titan (Mason), 6:13.638

12. 34 Broc Dickerson, 22, Brawley, Calif./Jeff Dickerson, 34, Brawley, Calif., Chevy 1500 (Alumi Craft), 6:15.244

13. 51 Jack Olliges, 16, Las Vegas, Ford Raptor, 6:20.467

14. 23 Dan McMillin, 36, San Diego/Andy McMillin, 36, San Diego, Chevy 1500 (Mason), 6:22.013

15. 58 Tracy Graf, 60, Canada/Justin B. Smith, 38, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado (Racer), 6:24.490

16. 16 Cameron Steele, 55, San Clemente, Calif./Josh Daniel, 48, Bonsall, Calif., Ford Raptor (Geiser), 6:27.748

17. 78 Tracy Poole, 53, Bozeman, Mont./Ryan Huntsinger, 21, Bozeman, Mont., Chevy Silverado (Geiser), 6:27.787

18. 82 Sam Baldi, 59, Beaumont, Calif./Jake Johnson, 46, Yucaipa, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Baldi), 6:29.578

19. 85 Mikey Lawrence, 36, Banning, Calif., Ford F-150 (1 Nine Industries), 6:30.104

20. 24 Adam Householder, 39, Placentia, Calif., Ford F-150 (1 Nine Industries), 6:30.539

21. 26 Dave Taylor, 50, Page, Ariz., Chevy Silverado (Geiser), 6:34.293

22. 33 Roberto Romo Jr, 18, Mexciali, Mexico, Ford Raptor (Racer), 6:34.516

23. 2 Chad Broughton, 28, Lompico, Calif./Paul Broughton, 57, Scotts Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Geiser), 6:36.745

24. 87 Dallas Lutrell, 42, Las Vegas, Dodge Ram, 6:40.529

25. 19 Tim Herbst, 60, Las Vegas/Pat Dean, 54, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (1 Nine Industries), 6:42.000

26. 47 Kit Stokes, 45, Las Vegas/Austin Wilcox, 22, Las Vegas, Chevy 1500 (Porter)

Raptor (Geiser), 6:48.900

27. 63 Ruben Torres, 26, San Luis Potosi, Mexico/Enrique Avalos, 33, Ensenada, Mexico, Nissan Titan (Mason), 6:49.022

28. 66 Chris Hertsch, 52, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Ford Raptor (Blitzkrieg), 6:57.400

DID NOT START--27 Jonathan Brenthel, 44, La Cresta, Calif./Paul Nauleau, San Francisco (France), Chevy 1500 (Brenthel)

DNS--80 Josh Daniel, 48, Bonsall, Calif., Ford Raptor (Geiser)

DNS--11 Rob MacCachren, 59, Las Vegas, Ford Raptor (Jimco)

DID NOT QUALIFY--45 Gary Magness, 70, Denver/Chelsea Magness, Denver/Matt Robinson, Denver/Jeff Blackwell, Oklahoma City, Ford F-150 (1 Nine Industries)

  SCORE TT LEGEND (Unlimited Custom Trucks, including builder, Drivers over 50 years old)--

TOP QUALIFIER: 1. 1L Ricky Johnson, 59, El Cajon, Calif./DOR-Gustavo Vildosola Sr, 70, Mexicali, Mexico, Ford Raptor (Mason), 6:09.441

2. 37L Rick D. Johnson, 56, Barstow, Calif. (DOR-Rolf Helland, 64, Morris, Ill)., Chevy Silverado (Mason), 6:21.165

3. 65L Greg Adler, 55, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Thomas Fichter, 57, Spring, Texas, Ford Raptor (TSCO), 6:26.883

4. 61L Damon Bradshaw, 51, Peoria, Ariz. (DOR-David Payne, 63, St. Luis, Mo.)/Cam McQueen, 45, Canada, Chevy Silverado (Brenthel), 6:33.377

5. 53L Wade Porter, 57, Chico, Calif., Ford Raptor (Brenthel), 6:52.029

6. 85L Larry Roeseler, 66, Boulevard, Calif. (DOR-Clay Lawrence, 61, Banning, Calif./Steve Lawler, 65, Upland, Calif., Ford Raptor (1 Nine Industries), 6:58.314

  TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (unlimited Truck/SUV, stock, sealed engines)--

TOP QUALIFIER: 1. 200 Jason McNeil, 46, El Cajon, Calif./Eric Clay, St. George, Utah, TSCO-Chevy, 6:18.113

2. 263 EJ Herbst, 23, Las Vegas/Ryan Millen, 38, Huntington Beach, Calif. (New Zealand), 1 Nine Industries-Chevy, 6:18.939

3. 219 Thor Herbst, 24, Las Vegas, 1 Nine Industries-Chevy, 6:21.686

4. 273 Jordan Brenthel, 37, Temecula, Calif./Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, 30, Tecate, Mexico, Brenthel-Chevy, 6:25.245

5. 285 Justin Davis, 30, Chino Hills, Calif./Tyler Peterson, 38, Canyon Lake, Calif., TSCO-Chevy, 6:25.864

6. 242 Bryce Swaim, 36, El Cajon, Calif./Garrett Stone, 29, El Cajon, Calif., TSCO-Ford, 6:29.999

7. 297 Jorge Sampietro, 33, Ensenada, Mexico/Abelardo Ruanova, 40, Ensenada, Mason-Chevy, 6:30.184

8. 211 Timothy Wilson, 26, Boulder City, Nev./Pat Sims, 57, Eunice, N.M. (San Felipe, Mexico), ESM-Chevy, 6:34.023

9. 260 Santiago Creel, 37, Mexico City/Cristian Castelan, Ensenada, Mexico, TSCO-Chevy, 6:36.000

10. 241 Stephen Beal, 52, Dallas/Sean Geiser, 33, Phoenix, Geiser-Chevy, 6:38.971

11. 249 Chase Swanson, 25, Honolulu, Hawaii (Alaska)/Dustin Swanson, 45, Honolulu, Hawaii, TSCO-Chevy, 6:39.034

12. 207 Mason Cullen, 24, Long Beach, Calif./Matt Cullen, 54, Long Beach, Calif., Geiser-Chevy, 6:43.310

13. 228 Ryan Hancock, 48, Yuma, Ariz./Jordan Poole, 35, Yuma, Ariz., TSCO-Chevy, 6:44.063

14. 245 Ethan Hagle, 31, Somis, Calif./Ben Hagle, 33, Somis, Calif./Ruben Garcia, 60, Alumi Craft-Chevy, 6:44.855

15. 259 Matt Winslow, 30, Clovis, Calif./Todd Winslow, 56, Clovis, Calif., Mason-Chevy, 6:44.905

16. 240 Chris Miller, 50, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Chasen Gaunt, 27, Torrance, Calif./Mavrick Gaunt, Torrance, Calif., Mason-Chevy, 6:45.784

17. 236 Michael Marsal, 35, Millbrook, N.Y./Troy Grabowski, 23, Upland, Calif., Brenthel-Chevy, 6:46.326

18. 294 Vincent Munoz, 37, Yucaipa, Calif./Daniele Munoz, 36, Yucaipa, Calif., Full Potential-Chevy, 6:47.492

19. 282 Brent Fox, 55, Highland, Utah/Brook Beckstrom, 52, Salem, Utah/Trevor Rasmussen, 41, Highland, Utah, 1 Nine Industries-Chevy, 6:49.796

20. 264 Arnoldo Gutierrez, 34, Mexicali, Mexico/Edgar Sotelo, 29, Mexicali, Mexico, Brenthel-Chevy, 6:50.515

21. 205 Joe Delucie, 45, Las Vegas/Matt Ongman, 42, Las Vegas, SLR-Chevy, 6:51.420

22. 247 Kevin Shields, 37, El Cajon, Calif./Scott Shields, 47, El Cajon, Calif., Alumi Craft-Chevy, 6:52.469

23. 257 Ernesto Figueroa, 36, Temecula, Calif./Mike Walser, 56, Mason-Chevy, 6:53.894

24. 277 Travis Williams, 47, Avondale, Ariz./Pete Tolar, 45, Phoenix, Geiser-Chevy, 6:54.763

25. 203 Mitch McNeil, 33, Mesa, Ariz./Scott McNeil, 22, Mesa, Ariz., Geiser-Ford, 6:54.860

26. 209 J. David Ruvalcaba, 50, Ensenada, Mexico/Esteban Cruz, 51, Ensenada, Mexico, TSCO-Chevy, 6:59.679

27. 250 Dustin Swanson, 45, Honolulu, Hawaii/Eric Dollente, 44, Imperial, Calif., TSCO-Chevy, 6:59.689

28. 284 Jose Contreras, 39, Tecate, Mexico/Eduardo Arellano, Tijuana, Mexico, TSCO-Chevy, 7:00.680

29. 266 David Ziegler, 48, Reno, Nev./Paul Ziegler, 53, Reno, Nev./Wyatt Ziegler, 23, Reno, Nev., Brenthel-Chevy, 7:00.876

30. 299 Charles Dorrance, 49, Austin, Texas/Dejay Dumas, TSCO-Chevy, 7:01.450

31. 224 Miles Wyatt, 38, Brawley, Calif., Geiser-Chevy, 7:03.000

32. 246 Ben Hagle, 33, Somis, Calif./Ruben Garcia, 60, San Felipe, Mexico, Alumi Craft-Chevy, 7:04.000

33. 213 Josh Beyer, 46, Las Cruces, N.M./Jacob Carver, 38, Las Cruces, N.M., Brenthel-Chevy, 7:05.888

34. 201 Scott McNeil, 35, Sun Tan Valley, Ariz./John McNeil, 57, Mesa, Ariz./Kelly McNeil, 61, Mesa, Ariz./Adam McNeil, 45, Mesa, Ariz., Geiser-Chevy, 7:06.880

35. 238 Elijah Kiger, 24, Kirby, Pa./Christopher King, 29, Kirby, Pa., TSCO-Chevy, 7:10.992

36. 289 Tanner Rust, 33, El Cajon, Calif./Kody Kruger, El Cajon, Calif., Geiser-Chevy, 7:15.063

37. 212 Bud Pecoy, 65, W. Des Moines, Ia./Jonathan Peed, 40, Vail, Ariz./, Brenthel-Chevy, 7:15.798

38. 244 Oliver Flemate, 46, Ensenada, Mexico/Julio Cesar Gutierrez, 35, Ensenada, Mexico, TSCO-Chevy, 7:16.062

DID NOT FINISH--258 Mavrick Gaunt, 29, Torrance, Calif./Chasen Gaunt, 27, Torrance, Calif., Geiser-Chevy

UNDER REVIEW--204 Cade Garcia, 24, Santa Fe Springs, Calif./Nick Almada, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., TSCO-Chevy

DID NOT START--274 Jason Babcock, 52, Los Angeles/Nicolas Ruiz, 42, Baldwin Park, Calif., Padmur-Chevy

DNS--262 Mick Magher, 50, Australia/Ray Farrell, Australia, TSCO-Chevy

DID NOT QUALIFY--267 Jose L. Leon, 46, Calexico, Calif./Nicolas Leon, Calexico, Calif., Geiser-Chevy

DNQ--269 Troy Stone, 55, Bend, Ore./Ranch Chisholm, 30, Bend, Ore., Desert Dynamics-Chevy

DNQ-290 Isidro Ochoa, 46, Spring Valley, Calif./David Herrera/Enrique Avila, D&E-Chevy

King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250

Method Race Wheels Post-Qualifying Quotes

March 21, 2024

(As interviewed by Paul Hanson, Isaac Flores; transcribed by Cindy Clark)

 

SCORE TROPHY TRUCK

ALAN AMPUDIA, No. 10 (Ampudia qualified first) - - I liked the qualifying course. It was fast. We didn’t have any surprises, no mechanical issues. We can’t wait for Saturday’s race. 

 

TOBY PRICE, No. 46 (Price qualified third) - - Being in the back of the pack is definitely harder. We had a lot of big holes. But we have a long race ahead of us. All in all we had a good clean run. Nothing major or crazy so I’m happy about that. With all the silt it would have been nice to be up front for qualifying but we are ready for 250 miles on Saturday. We would like to be through mile 160 first with that big silt bed, but overall our truck is in good shape and we will see what the race day brings us. Everything feels good, feels smooth. Truck is in good shape; we kept it together. 

 

CHRISTOPHER POLVOORDE, No. 94 (Polvoorde qualified fifth) - - Qualifying was good. It’s my first time down here qualifying in a SCORE Trophy Truck so I was nervous. I just played it safe and didn’t take any unnecessary risks. It is a new truck so I was nervous lining up and tried to stay calm, cool and collected. I made a couple small mistakes, but overall the trunk is in one piece. I think we are right in the mix for a good start. We will see how it lines up. We are along for the ride now. I’ve been down here for ten days, got about 2500 miles in. I’ve never seen so much silt, so many silt beds. Massive. Luckily I have a four-wheel-drive, but there is always a risk. I have put in a lot of work. Hopefully we have some good lines. This class is tough, the best in the business and they put in the work too. They are the best in the business and the fastest in the world. Sometimes I don’t know if I’m ready for this. But the Ford Performance Optimum Battery No. 94 SCORE Trophy Truck is so much fun to drive. I can’t wait to do it for 250 miles on Saturday. 

 

TAVO VILDOSOLA, No. 21 (Vildosola qualified sixth) - - We had a couple of issues. The course was fast, a good course. The truck was good, no major issues. We are ready for the race on Saturday. 

 

DAN MCMILLIN, No. 23 (McMillin qualified 14th) - - I crashed on the practice lap. There was a small mound and I didn’t see it. I wasn’t going very fast but it just spit me over one or two times. The guys and Roger got it back to the pits and got the truck running again and we went out there and put down a pretty conservative but good lap, I think. The truck seems fine. We will take a good look at it and get ready to race on Saturday.

 

BROC DICKERSON, No. 34 (Dickerson qualified 12th) - - I feel good. I pushed it pretty hard, harder than I planned on. I did make one mistake getting into a corner and got off line and had to check up a little. But I probably only lost a few seconds there. I’m confident we did pretty well. The track is soft, tore up, but this thing was still hooked up. It is a two-wheel-drive, which has some disadvantages in areas but we also have our advantages. It felt great out there. Probably one of our better qualifying runs we have ever done. I want to thank everyone who got me out here. I hope we are in the top ten, top five.

 

SCORE TT LEGEND

RICKY JOHNSON, No. 1L (DOR – Gustavo Voldosola, Sr., qualified first) - -The truck is good. There were some tricky spots, but we had a great run. Mr. Gustavo will start on Saturday and run the first half, then I will do the second section. The truck is good and we are ready for a good SCORE San Felipe 250.

 

RICK D. JOHNSON, No. 37L (DOR – Rolf Helland, qualified second) - - Qualifying was challenging. It is a challenging course. The San Felipe course is always rough. The section by Zoo road is squared off and rough. We are excited to be here, excited to start a new SCORE season with a fresh plate. Very fortunate to be here.

 

WADE PORTER, No. 53L (Porter qualified fifth) - - The course is amazing. The truck was great. Hats off to SCORE for an amazing qualifying course. Our truck is ready for the race.

 

LARRY ROESSLER, No. 85L (DOR – Clay Lawrence, qualified sixth) - - That was really fun. It is amazing what these vehicles can do. It is also amazing how fast the desert changes. That was a good test of man and machine. That was fun. There was some silt but in the big picture, San Felipe is endless amounts whoops and bumps and rocks, so the silt isn’t that stressful. Great race course. Great variety of terrain. Really looking forward to Saturday. We are running the Legends class, here to have some fun. Qualifying is one thing, but race day is what matters. Lawrence Motorsports is supplying an amazing vehicle. Clay will drive part of the race. I’m new to the team and super excited.