Race week nears--285 entries--51st SCORE Baja 1000 desert race

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominiccnv@aol.com

November 9, 2018

Next week in Ensenada

To date—285 entries from 41 U.S. States, 1 U.S. Territory,

18 countries for iconic 51st SCORE Baja 1000 desert race

 

finale of 4-race SCORE World Desert Championship--806.76-mile race in Mexico’s Baja California Norte;

 

Granddaddy of All Desert Races to be televised as two-hour special on El Rey Network

 

     ENSENADA, Mexico—While SCORE Trophy Truck qualifying determined the starting order for the marquee racing division and the results of the September race in Tijuana determined the starting order for the other classes, the start draw for starting positions for the new entries was held this week for the upcoming 51st annual SCORE Baja 1000, the iconic Granddaddy of all desert races.

     Racers continue pre-running on their never-ending quest over the rugged race course over the northern part of Mexico’s majestically magnificent Baja California Peninsula.  The event offers Pro and Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, utvs, motorcycles and quads.

     The event and race-week festivities for the season-finale of the four-race 2018 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held next Monday through Sunday, starting and finishing in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

     Entering race-week late, on-site racer registration, 285 entries have been processed with racers coming from 41 U.S. States, one U.S. Territory and 18 total countries. While online racer-registration is now closed, late, on-site racer registration will be held next week in Ensenada where as many as 20 late entries are anticipated.

51ST BAJA MIL

      Over 300 entries, from 41 U.S. States and 20 countries are expected to compete in this year’s 51st anniversary celebration of the SCORE Baja 1000 which is revered worldwide as the Granddaddy of all Desert Races.

     The world’s most iconic, oldest, prestigious and longest continuously held desert race, this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will be a loop race of 806.76 miles in the northern state of Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula.

     With a total time limit of 36 hours in the elapsed-time race, the motorcycle and quad classes will start at 4 a.m. (PT) on Friday, Nov. 16 and the car, truck and UTV classes will follow with their start on at 10:30 a.m. (PT) on Friday, Nov. 16. The fastest finishers are expected to complete the race in approximately 16 hours.

     This year’s course map, course notes and GPS files are available on the SCORE website under race info on the SCORE Baja 1000 page at www.SCOREInternational.com.

SALIDA Y LA META

     This year’s race will start for the 44th time and finish for the 25th time in Ensenada, Baja California. The start/finish line compound will once again be adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos one side and to the iconic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center on Blvd. Costero in the heart of Ensenada with the first several spectator-friendly miles running up and back through the Ensenada Arroyo.

WHERE THEY’RE FROM

     Entering next week’s late, on-site racer registration for the 51st SCORE Baja 1000, there are 285 total entries with racers from 41 U.S. States and 18 countries officially signed up to compete. In addition to the United States, the U.S. Territory of Guam and host country Mexico, the other countries with racers entered are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Spain and Sweden.

MORE NUMBERS

     Including SCORE Trophy Truck (38), eight total classes have double figures in terms of entries so far. While several other classes have nearly reached at least 10 entries, the other classes with double figure entries to date are: Trophy Truck Spec (30), Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) (29), Class 10 (19), unlimited Class 1 (14), Pro UTV NA (Naturally Aspirated) (14), SCORE Lites (10), and leading the motorcycle classes with nine entries each are Pro Moto Unlimited, Pro Moto 30 and Pro Moto Ironman and at the top of the Sportsman classes is SPT M/C with 20 entries.

FIRST STARTS

     While Ricky Johnson will be the first SCORE Trophy Truck off the line after qualifying first in Las Vegas on Oct. 30 in Larry Connor’s No. 6 truck, other first starts in class were determined by their first place finishes in September’s Lucerna Hotel & Resorts Tijuana 22nd SCORE Desert Challenge. Other first starts for the 51st SCORE Baja 1000 include: Brad Wilson, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 1, No. 153 Jimco-Chevy), Gustavo Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico (SCORE TT Legend, No. 12L Ford Raptor),  William Hendrick Jr, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico (Trophy Truck Spec, No. 295 ID-Chevy), Broc Dickerson, Brawley, Calif. (Class 10, Alumi Craft-Chevy), Rhys Millen, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./New Zealand (Pro UTV FI, No. 2966 Polaris RZR XP1000 Turbo), Kaden Wells, St. George, Utah (Pro UTV, Polaris RZR), Viry Felix, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11, No. 1104 VW Sedan), Justin Morgan, El Cajon, Calif. (Pro Moto Unlimited, No. 7x Honda CRF450X) and Jose Carrasco, Rosarito Beach, Mexico (Pro Moto Ironman, KTM 450XCF).

PRE-GREEN

     Pre-race festivities include two days of Contingency and the SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway (Wednesday, Nov. 14 & Thursday, Nov. 15) on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Contingency will run each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and pre-race tech will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. On Wednesday (Nov. 14), Contingency will be held for all motorcycles, quads and UTV classes along with several car/truck classes. On Thursday (Nov. 15), Contingency will be held for the balance of the car and truck classes including the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend, unlimited Class 1, Trophy Truck Spec and Class 10.

     The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held on Thursday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m. PT at the Torre Lucerna Ensenada Hotel & Resort.

     Racer registration will be held in the Red Room at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in Ensenada. Racer registration will be held from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT on Tuesday (Nov. 13), and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT on both Wednesday (Nov. 15) and Thursday (Nov. 15).

     Media registration will be held as well in the Red Room at the Riviera from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. PT on Tuesday (Nov. 13), and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT on both Wednesday (Nov. 14) and Thursday (Nov. 15) and the BFGoodrich Tires/Baja California Secretary of Tourism SCORE Media Center will be open on Friday (Nov. 16) starting at 3:30 a.m. PT through the close of the race course. It will also be open on Sunday (Nov. 18) from 8 a.m. to Noon PT.

     SCORE sponsor Monster Energy will host the Monster Energy Papas y Beer SCORE Street Party on Avenida Ruiz in downtown Ensenada from 6 p.m. to midnight PT on Thursday, Nov. 15.

POST GREEN

     As the celebration continues Friday (Nov. 16) night to all day and evening on Friday and Saturday until the early hours of Sunday morning (Nov. 18) while official finishers cross the line and tales and epic accomplishments are added to the legacy of the event. The post-race awards fiesta will be held on the start/finish line ramp adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center starting at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday (Nov. 18).

VIVA BAJA!

     As it has for over four and a half decades, SCORE has put together another memorable race course for the 51st anniversary, this one a loop race, with all of the foreboding, unforgiving terrain that the northern state of the majestic Baja California peninsula has to offer. SCORE Race Director Jose A. Grijalva has designed and finalized this year’s race course of 806.76 miles. The course has five checkpoints along the way to the finish and 192 virtual checkpoints.

     Starting and finishing in the heart of Ensenada in front of the historic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center, the course travels in a clockwise direction east to Ojos Negros before launching its weaving route around both the east and then the west side of the northern part of the peninsula.

     The five checkpoints are located at north of San Felipe (race mile 177.34), before Highway 1 on Chapala Road (rm 378.27), Highway 1 in San Quintin (rm 597.81), end of Vicente Guerrero Wash (rm 633.85) and in Santo Tomas before Highway 1 (rm 733.02).

     Because of the horrendous silt beds, Class 11 (stock VW sedans) and all Sportsman 4-wheel vehicles classes will be allowed to eliminate the Cataviña loop, taking pavement from rm 379.22 to rm 478.38.

EL GRAN JEFE—GRAND MARSHAL

     For this year’s 51st SCORE Baja 1000, SCORE International has selected Mexico’s beloved tourism official Nico Saad, the only person who has been behind the scenes at all 50 of the previous races, as the Grand Marshal for this year’s anniversary of the world’s most iconic desert race.

     Honorably humble, unusually unassuming, famously friendly by nature while constantly and consistently working diligently behind the scenes by choice on behalf of SCORE Baja racing for nearly 45 years, Saad is the revered owner of the San Nicolas Resort and extremely cherished and prolifically productive President of Proturismo de Ensenada. Saad is the only person who has been part of all 50 Baja 1000 events, obviously including the 44 produced and sanctioned by SCORE International.

2018 REMAINING SCHEDULE

• 51st SCORE Baja 1000, Nov.12-18, Ensenada, Mexico

2019 SCHEDULE

     Here is the four-race 2019 SCORE World Desert Championship and for the fourth consecutive year all races are being held in Baja California, Mexico:

• 33rd SCORE San Felipe 250, April 3-7, San Felipe, Mexico
• 51st SCORE Baja 500, May 29-June 2, Ensenada, Mexico
• Inaugural Lucerna SCORE Baja 400, Sept. 19-23, Ensenada, Mexico
• 52nd SCORE Baja 1000, Nov.12-17, Ensenada, Mexico

TV TIME

     SCORE races are airing domestically on the El Rey Network and outside of the U.S. on ESPN International as well as syndication. The SCORE Baja 1000 race coverage show will be a two-hour special.

     El Rey Network is a 24-hour, English-language lifestyle network and is available in 45 million homes across the country through cable and OTT providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 341 and Dish Network Channel 253. For more information on how to watch El Rey visit http://elreynetwork.com.

SCORE SPONSORS…

     Official SCORE Sponsors: BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire and official race title sponsor, Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Polaris RZR-Official UTV, RACELINE Wheels-Official Wheel, VP Racing Fuels-Official Fuel, Lucerna Hotels & Resorts-Official Hotel and official race title sponsor, Wide Open Excursions-Official Arrive and Drive Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino.

     SCORE Official Partners: PCI Race Radios, 4 Wheel Parts, The Satellite Phone Store, Satellite Del Norte.

     Additional SCORE Associate Partners: Proturismo Ensenada, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Mexicali Ayuntamiento, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Cruz Roja Mexicana, Corporate Helicopters, McKenzie’s Performance Products, Advanced Color Graphics.

     Lucerna Hotels & Resorts 22nd Tijuana SCORE Desert Challenge Special Partners: XXII Ayuntamiento de Tijuana, Baja California State Secretary of Tourism, Comite de Turismo and Convenciones, Comite de Marcadotecnia Turistica, Lucerna Hotels and Resorts, Asociacion de Hoteles del Noroeste.

     For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCOREInternational.com.

51st annual SCORE Baja 1000 Nov. 12-18, 2018—806.76 miles–Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico Total Entries: 285 (as of 11/9/18) (from 41 U.S. States, U.S. Territory-Guam, Host Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Spain, Sweden) (Start order, by class) Pro Cars/Trucks/UTVs SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (38) (After Qualifying & Start Draw) 6 Larry Connor 83 Luke McMillin 77 Robby Gordon 60 Cole Potts 7 Bryce Menzies 33 Todd Tuls 31 Andy McMillin 11 Rob MacCachren 32 Ryan Arciero 19 Tim Herbst 97 B.J. Baldwin 23 Dan McMillin 16 Cameron Steele 1 Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez 85 Mike Lawrence 54 Troy Herbst 70 Kevin Thompson 15 Billy Wilson 50 Zak Langley *5L Clyde Stacy 88 Mike Walser 4 Justin Matney 57 Mike Palmer 20 Robbie Pierce 62 Mike Cook 86 Joe Bacal *12L Gustavo Vildosola Sr *81L David Westhem 61 Richard Armstrong 10 Alan Ampudia 40 Chris Miller *37L Rolf Helland *55L Jose de Jesus Flores 66 Harry Hepler 45 Gary Magness 26 Dave Taylor *72L Rob Reinertson 72 Aaron Ciliceo *SCORE TT LEGEND   CLASS 1 (14) 153 Brad Wilson 168 Shelby Reid 129 Brandon Bailey 185 Justin Davis 100 Brian Wilson 150 Morgan Langley 101 Wayne Schlosser 149 Sam Berri 188 Sergio Salgado 151 John Ramirez 189 Jon Walker 105 Mason Cullen 106 Derek Fletcher 139 Jeff Sanca-1st RS   TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (30) 295 William Hedrick Jr 204 Sara Price 250 John Langley 225 Brian Trotter 200 Elias Hanna 242 Bryce Swaim 266 Scott Biernot 267 Hammond Meredith 299 Charles Dorrance 208 Andrew Entwistle 252 Gonzalo Pirron 276 Gerardo Iribe 277 Rod Lewis 210 Ted Moncure 233 Karl Williams 218 Chad Dohrman 221 Michael Pyle 240 Robert Patton 230 Chad Hall 232 Chelsea Magness 265 Craig McCarthy 202 Chad Broughton 235 Derek Hunter 257 Shane Redline 234 Jason McNeil 211 Pat Sims 238 Scott Kiger 207 Steve Kovach 273 Jordan Brenthel 251 Joe Lombardo-1st RS

CLASS 10 (19)

1023 Broc Dickerson 1081 Todd Winslow 1062 J.J. Schnarr 1018 Miguel Tornel Z-A 1049 Ty Godde 1068 Cody Reid 1030 Jim Anderson 1002 Clay Lawrence 1048 Kevin Price 1022 Rafael Aguirre 1016 Hiram Duran 1063 Ruben Torres 1013 Harley Meservey 1070 John Gilleland 1065 Gregg Smith 1075 Eliseo Garcia 1072 Karl Ebdrup 1020 Carlos Albanez-2nd RS 1059 Brady Richard-1st RS   HAMMER TRUCK UNLTD (2) 4422 Casey Currie 4405 Shannon Campbell   CLASS 8 (2) 827 Roger Malcolm 852 Spencer Morgan   CLASS 1/2-1600 (7) 1603 Oscar Alvarez 1614 Bruce Yee 1618 Ernesto Arambula 1605 Miguel Cortez 1613 Dana Jussila 1678 Gustavo Avina 1621 Christopher Sanchez- RS   SCORE LITES (10) 1258 Jeremy Davis 1240 Miguel Bonilla 1236 Guillermo Arteaga 1247 Wes McKenzie 1208 Rich Roberts 1255 Darren Walsh 1250 Cesar Vela 1206 Freddie Willert 1210 Luis Barragan 1202 Matias Arjona IV   CLASS 7 (3) 700 Dan Chamlee 711 Carlos Diaz 709 Jeff Proctor   CLASS 7F (1) 701F Brandon Walsh   CLASS 5 (2) 524 Ben Swift 507 Greg Sullivan-1st RS   HEAVY METAL (2) 894 Vince Munoz 869 Juan Carlos Calderon   PRO UTV FI (29) 2966 Rhys Millen 2919 Brandon Schueler 2912 Tony Riggs 2989 Wes Miller 2910 Scott Trafton 2978 Luis Fortanel 2946 Jose Juarez 2968 Christine Giampaoli Zonca 2903 Juan Martinez 2940 Erick Kozin 2975 Mike Cafro 2904 Cory Sappington 2927 Justin Smith 2931 Craig Scanlon 2921 Brett Comiskey 2930 Sean Cook 2902 Jason Stewart 2977 Justin Elenburg 2984 Kristopher McCoy 2917 Derek Murray 2981 Jesse Combs 2987 Edgar Garcia 2907 Robby Gordon 2918 Justin Lambert 2948 Matthew Burroughs 2995 Daniel Parker-4th RS 2964 Derek McGaughy-3rd RS 2971 Wayne Matlock- 2nd RS 2900 Marc Burnett-1st RS   PRO UTV (14) 1995 Kaden Wells 1955 Paul Champion 1959 James Posegate 1977 Todd Romano 1944 Christopher Boyle 1913 Dean Acton 1979 Todd Katanchik 1907 Zach Van Matre 1914 Nick Schuft 1924 Miguel Garcia-Galeana 1994 Ryan Peacock 1902 Tyler Backus 1950 J.T. Holmes 1954 Kristen Matlock-1st RS   PRO UTV UNL (5) 1877 Josh Herzing 1872 Jesus Mendez Jr 1857 Al McBeth 1899 Kris Werth 1888 Earl Berg   CLASS 5-1600 (4) 553 Cesar Iniguez 577 Luis Herrera 569 Ruben Garcia 595 Matt Barnes-1st RS   CLASS 3000 (1) 3022 Pete Sohren   BAJA-e (1) E402 Raul Rodriguez Jr   BAJA CHALLENGE (8) BC4 Edward Muncey BC1 Larry McRae BC3 Will Turner BC8 Stephen Goodrich BC6 Bud Pecoy BC2 Mary Scheible BC7 Richard Spillman BC5 David Payne   CLASS 3 (1) 302 Donald Moss   PROTRUCK (1) 1350 Cody Swanty     STOCK FULL (1) 8155 Mark Van Tassell   CLASS 7SX (3) 740 Gerardo Novelo 745 Jason Babcock 750 Sean Whalen   VINTAGE TRAILBLAZER (3) V73 Craig Christy V65 Tom Haliburda V800 Mario Alesi   CLASS 11 (8) 1104 Viry Felix 1111 Eric Solorzano 1113 Mario Vazquez 1100 Dennis Hollenbeck 1106 Michael Kay 1132 Anthony Pacitto 1156 Art Penner 1149 Victor Esparza-1st RS Sportsman SPT BUGGY (3) 1577 Diane Giannelli 1500 Ricardo Rodriguez 1512 Henry Simpson   SPT LIMITED TRUCK (1) 2003 Glenn Tanizawa   SPT UTV UNLIMITED (1) 1818 Jessalyn Sells   SPT UTV STOCK NA (1) 3975 Torey Rush

Pro Motorcycles

PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (9)

7x Justin Morgan

66x Santiago Creel

25x Massimo Mangini

4x Santiago Creel

3x Garrett Poucher

1x Shane Esposito

12x Webster Whinery Jr

9x Eddie Brown

55x Steve Hatch

PRO MOTO LIMITED (6)

106x Philip Jaramillo

100x Santiago Creel

171x Luis Flores

125x Fernando Beltran

151x Juan Lopez

110x Carlos Miranda

PRO MOTO 30 (9)

300x Ryan Liebelt

303x Luis M. Gomez

304x Chris Racan

310x Enrique Fuhrken

365x Nick Lanning

360x Santiago Creel

305x William St. Laurent

333x Chad Thornton

323x Mike Mettler

PRO MOTO 40 (4)

400x Jano Montoya

427x Salvador Sainz

437x Mauricio Santana

408x Stephen Berger

PRO MOTO 50 (3)

510x Giovanni Spinali

550x Bill Sekers

524x Mike Frick

PRO MOTO IRONMAN (9)

721x Jose Carrasco

730x Francisco Septien

722x Liz Karcz

714x Lawrence Janesky

756x John Hodel

739x Aaron Richardson

744x Tony Luksa

757x Rick Thornton

747x Lloyd Andrew

PRO MOTO 60 (1)

649x Guy Laycraft

Pro Quads

Pro Quad (2)

1a Said Sanchez

2a Don Higbee

Sportsman

SPT QUAD (7)

110a Danny Magdalena

126a Manuel Mayoral

173a Miguel Arranz

102a Tristan Dietrich

115a Norberto Arce

148a Alejandro Amador

129a Israel Jimenez-1st RS

SPT M/C (20)

200x Miguel Pena

284x Shane Schorno

212x Carlos Silva

238x Rolando Cabrera

201x R. Hank Salyer

216x Luke Berlet

213x Bradley Loveday

254x Tyler Harvey

220x Diego Lopez

232x Richard Valencia

260x Mark Lucke

286x Roy Buelna

259x Mike Kaplan

245x George Radysh

228x Scott McIntosh

252x Matt Woody

277x Stephen Gholson

202x Javier Perez

224x Fabrice Le Det

247x Michael Boge-1st RS