SCORE Latest News
Menzies/A. McMillin in first start slot for next week's SCORE Baja 1000
Menzies/A. McMillin in SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominic@score-international.com November 9, 2022 Race Presented by 4 Wheel Parts BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000—special race notes, stats from world’s most iconic desert race To date—265 total entries from 36 U.S. States and 17 countries part of field; Race week-Nov. 15-20; 828.25-mile course around Northern part of Baja California for fabulous finale of four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship; Start/finish in Ensenada adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center Granddaddy of All Desert Races to be televised on ESPN2’s World of X Games ENSENADA, Mexico—More than five decades in the making, this month’s BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, has a perspective like no other on the history of desert racing. The SCORE Baja 1000 is at the pinnacle of motorsports as the oldest, most iconic, most prestigious, toughest, and longest continuously held desert race in the world. This year’s race will start and finish in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Race-week activities and the Granddaddy of All Desert Races itself will be next week (Nov. 15-20). All activities as well as the start/finish line compound will be in or adjacent to the historical fan-friendly Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Pre-running continues daily on the technically rugged 828.25-mile race course. BAJA MIL Most of the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s massive BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts. The 2022 season-finale will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour special on ESPN2’s World of X Games programming. Nearly 275 vehicles are expected at the start line the field as of today racers from nearly 35 U.S. States and as many as 20 countries anticipated. Pro and Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads will be competing in the Granddaddy of All Desert Races. This year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will be a loop race of a demanding 828.25 miles starting and finishing in Ensenada in the northern state of Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula. Ensenada, “The Off-Road Capital of the World” is a coastal city on the Bahia de Todos Santos area of the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of the U.S. border at San Diego. It will start for the 48th time in Ensenada and finish there for the 28th time. This race is annually the finale of the SCORE World Desert Championship, which has been held exclusively for the past seven years in Baja California. LASTING LEGACY Here’s a brief look back at some of the plethora of special memories that this Granddaddy of all Desert Races continues to etch indelibly into the silty sands of time… LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 1 On November 15-20 of this year, the legendary SCORE Baja 1000, the world’s most iconic, oldest, prestigious, toughest and longest continuously held desert race, will celebrate its 55th birthday, starting and finishing in Ensenada. We salute some of the stars and memories of this race. Launching this legacy tribute, we recall two of the greatest racers who have participated in the SCORE Baja 1000—the late Rod Hall and Larry Roeseler. Both are Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees. Hall, who passed away in 2019 at 81 after a long illness, competed in all the first 50 SCORE Baja 1000 races and earned a race-record 25 class wins in his long and illustrious career. Roeseler, who is also an inductee into both the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) Hall of Fame and the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, will be at the starting line again for this year’s odyssey in Ensenada. Roeseler is second in all-time class wins with 18. Roeseler is the leader in overall race wins with 14, including 10 on a motorcycle, two on an open-wheel desert race car and two in a SCORE Trophy Truck. He will again be driving solo this year in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 2 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Famer Sal Fish was President of SCORE from 1974 until Dec. 20, 2012. Besides Fish, who raced in SCORE races before owning SCORE after he was the Publisher of Hot Rod Magazine, the famous and not-so-famous have tried their hand at conquering the Baja and they have come from all walks of life. Mark Thatcher, son of Great Britain’s then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher, raced in the 1982 SCORE Baja 1000. Celebrities James Garner, Ted Nugent and the late Steve McQueen all battled the Baja in the early 1970s and many racers from other forms of motorsports crossed over to try their skills. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 3 Among the drivers from other arenas who have tested the Baja were Indy Car racers Rick and Roger Mears, Parnelli Jones, Danny Ongias, Danny Sullivan, Jimmy Vasser, Buddy Rice, Sebastien Bourdais, Alexander Rossi, Oriol Servia, Roberto Guerrero, Michel Jourdain Jr., Johnny Unser and Mike and Robbie Groff, NASCAR’s Robby Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Boris Said and Brendan Gaughan, Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, SCCA legend Elliot Forbes-Robinson, World Rally Championships’ Armin Schwarz, Armin Kremer, Andreas Aigner and Harri Pavanpera, Pikes Peak Hill Climb record holder Rod Millen, Formula Drift and Pikes Peak champion Rhys Millen, Dakar Rally champions Nasser Al-Attiyah, Ricky Brabec and Toby Price, world motorcycle champions Malcolm Smith, Larry Roeseler. Scot Harden and Destry Abbott, Motocross legends Ricky Johnson and Jeremy McGrath, XGames star Travis Pastrana, drag racers Don Prudhomme and Larry Minor and legendary SCORE founder and motorsports innovator Mickey Thompson. The late Academy Award winning actor, racer and race team owner Paul Newman raced in the 2004 event. Jesse James, of ‘Monster Garage’ fame, and Hollywood film and TV star Patrick Dempsey both have raced in this classic several times. Among the other Hollywood celebrities that have competed in this race are Chuck Norris, Aaron Norris, Michael Nesmith and Larry Wilcox. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 4 With entries expected this year from nearly 40 U.S. States and as many as 20 countries, here are the countries that have had at least one entry in the Granddaddy of All Desert Races over the years: The SCORE Baja 1000 has captured the imagination of the entire world as entries have come not only from every state in the United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories Guam and Puerto Rico, but also has attracted racers from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, China, Cyprus, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Uruguay, Yugoslavia as well as the host country of Mexico. Over the years, SCORE races have been televised in more than 100 nations worldwide. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 5 Part of the legacy of this iconic race, SCORE presents the racers who have been overall winners of the SCORE San Felipe 250, SCORE Baja 500 and SCORE Baja 1000 the SCORE Baja Triple Crown Award. The nine individuals who have earned this amazing honor are: David Ashley, Robby Gordon, Rob MacCachren, Andy McMillin, Scott McMillin, Larry Ragland, Dan Smith, Ivan Stewart and Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 6 The first SCORE Baja 1000 in 1967 (called the NORRA Mexican 1000) started in Tijuana by the bull ring and finished in La Paz. Since then, the only other time the race has started in Tijuana was in 1995 when it also finished in La Paz. Since those humble beginnings, Ensenada has hosted most of the SCORE Baja 1000 races. The race officially became the SCORE Baja 1000 in 1975 after the worldwide event was not held in 1974 because of the international fuel crisis. While the race has been point-to-point around once every three years, it has finished twice in Cabo San Lucas (2000 and in 2007). Overall, the world’s most well-known desert race has started 47 times in Ensenada, three times in Mexicali, twice in Tijuana, once in Ojos Negros and once in Santo Tomas. Overall, the SCORE Baja 1000 has finished in 27 times in Ensenada, 22 times in La Paz, twice in Mexicali, twice in Cabo San Lucas and once in Ojos Negros. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 7 This race has been the proving grounds for racers and manufacturers. Looking first at the drivers with the most overall wins in the race, Larry Roeseler is clearly on top with 14 (including 10 on a motorcycle, two in an open-wheel desert race car and once in a SCORE Trophy Truck (driving with Roger Norman in 2008). Tied for second in overall 4-wheel vehicle wins with five each are Andy McMillin, his uncle Mark McMillin, Larry Ragland, Rob MacCachren (including three straight years-2014, 2015, 2016) and Malcolm Smith (including two on motorcycles). With four overall victories is Dan Smith (which includes one on a motorcycle). With three overall 4-wheel vehicle wins are David Ashley, Doug Fortin, Robby Gordon, Ralph Paxton and Ivan Stewart. Besides Roeseler with 10, the leaders in overall motorcycle wins are Johnny Campbell (11), Steve Hengeveld (8), Kendall Norman (7), Mark Samuels (6), Ty Davis (5), Justin Morgan (5) and with four each are Quinn Cody, Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Jack Johnson, Tim Staab and Colton Udall. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 8 In the battle of manufacturers, several categories are presented. Leaders in overall car/truck wins are Ford Truck (15), Chevy Truck (11), Chenowth-VW (5) and Ford Bronco (4). Leaders in overall Tire manufacturers’ wins for cars/trucks are BFGoodrich Tires (32), Western Auto (6), Firestone (4), Toyo Tires (4) and Calahan Cap (3). The leaders in overall motorcycle wins are Honda (31), Husqvarna (11), Kawasaki (10) and Yamaha (2). Combining all classes together, motorcycles have had the fastest of the fastest times of all vehicles 38 times and cars or trucks 16 times. SCORE Trophy Trucks have had the overall fastest time in nine of the last 13 years including the three by Rob MacCachren (2014, 2015, 2016). LEGACY—SCORE BAJA 1000, No. 9 SCORE has had few racers from Bolivia compete in a SCORE race but this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will again see a pair of Bolivian international rally racers and national motorcross champions—Juan Carlos ‘Chavo’ Salvatierra and Fabricio Fuentes, Salvatierra competing in Pro Moto Unlimited and Fuentes as a solo rider in the SCORE Pro Moto Ironman class. Salvatierra, has raced nine years in the Dakar Rally, also mountain biking and triathlons. Considered the most important athlete in the history of Bolivia, In 2011, Salvatierra became the first racer from Bolivia to race in the Dakar Rally. He is also a nine-time Bolivian National Motocross champion. He is leading an undefeated team with three wins so far in 2022 in the Pro Moto Unlimited Class. “Racing solo in the SCORE Baja 1000 was like doing four stages of the Dakar Rally in one day. The SCORE Baja 1000 will be twice as demanding, but it is a challenge that I am willing to face,” says Salvatierra, who will compete on his No. 10x Villamontes Racing KTM 500 EXC-F motorcycle. Fuentes, Villamontes, Bolivia, four-time Bolvian National Motocross champion who competed in the Dakar Rally from 2014 through 2019. He also rides on a KTM motorcycle. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 10 With the 54th SCORE Baja 500 this past June in Ensenada, it is interesting to note that there are 12 racers who have overall victories in both that race and the SCORE Baja 1000. Clearly leading with way is legendary Larry ‘Mr Baja’ Roeseler who has 14 overall wins in the SCORE Baja 1000 and 12 in the SCORE Baja 500. Second was Johnny Campbell with 5 and 11 and third was Larry Ragland who has five in each of the iconic SCORE races. The other races who have overall victories in both races and were racing in June in the SCORE Baja 500 along with their overall wins in each race are Rob MacCachren (4 SCORE Baja 500, 5 SCORE Baja 1000), Andy McMillin (3, 5), Robby Gordon (4, 3), Troy Herbst (3, 2), Scott McMillin (3, 2), B.J. Baldwin (1, 2), Gus Vildosola Jr (1, 1), Kendall Norman (5, 7) Justin Morgan (5, 4) and Mark Samuels (4, 6). LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 11 This year’s SCORE Baja 100 is anticipating over 275 entries from nearly 40 U.S. states and as many as 20 countries. In addition to over 200 news media personnel from around the world on-site, this year’s race will be featured as a one-hour special on ESPN2 Network’s World of X Games programming. Executive Producer is Bud Brutsman of BCII TV. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 12 In 54 years of this great race, non-U.S. drivers have been the fastest overall winners in this race only five times, twice in the motorcycle division and three times in the four-wheel vehicle division. In 1971 and 1972, Sweden’s Gunnar Nilsson won the motorcycle division of the race. In 1971 he team with legendary American desert racing star Malcolm Smith and in 1972 he won with fellow Swedish countryman Rolf Tibblin. In both years, Nilsson won on Husqvarna motorcycles. In 2010, Mexico son/father team of Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr/Gustavo Vildosola Sr became the first Mexican nationals and first non-Americans to win the four-wheel vehicle division when they drove their Ford F-150 to victory in the Ensenada to La Paz peninsula run. In 2017 at the 50th anniversary race, Mexico son/father team of Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez/Juan C. Lopez became the second Mexican nationals to win the four-wheel vehicle division when they drove their Chevy Rally Truck to victory in the Ensenada to La Paz Golden celebration peninsula run. In 2019, hometown heroes and brothers Alan Ampudia and Aaron Ampudia became just the third Mexican national team to capture the overall four-wheel and SCORE Trophy Truck title in this prestigious race. Also of note in the motorcycle division in the 2016 race, Australia’s Daymon Stokie was one of three co-riders for the U.S.-based Ox Motorsports team with Colton Udall as rider of record. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 13 Looking at some overall stats from this legendary race, a total of 14,421 vehicles have started the first 54 races for an average of 267.06 starters per race. A total of 7,204 vehicles have finished the first 54 races for an average of 133.41 finishers per race. Percentage-wise, 49.96% is the average finishing rate for this great race. In the first 54 years, the most ever starters came in 2006 when 431 vehicles left the start line and second most starters were the 40th anniversary race in 2007 when there were 424 total starters. Third most starters were the 50th anniversary race in 2017 when there were 404 total starters. In the first 54 years, the most ever finishers came in 2007 when 237 finished the 40th anniversary race, tied for first most finishers were the 50th anniversary race in 2017 when 237 also finished. The third most finishers in race history was in 2006 when 234 vehicles finished the race. In the first 54 years of the world’s most famous desert race, the fewest number of starters was the first race back in 1967 when there were 68 starters and the race with second fewest number of starters was in 1973 when 143 started. In the first 54 years of this iconic race, the fewest number of finishers was in 1967 when there were 31 finishers and the second fewest number of finishers was back in 1978 when there were 56 finishers. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 14 Four of the most inspiring SCORE Baja 1000 legends are SCORE Baja icons Dr. Bud Feldkamp, Bobby Ferro, Malcolm Smith and Mark Stahl. Between them, these four innovating desert racing pioneers accumulated 10 overall victories and 15 class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000. Leading with five overall and eight class wins is Smith who had two overalls on a motorcycle and three in an open-wheel desert race cars. Two of Smith’s overalls were with Dr. Feldkamp (1975 and 1977) and one with ‘Baja’ Bob Gordon (1987). Ferro, who is a legendary racer and Hollywood stunt driver, won the overall in 1973. Stahl, who went on to race in NASCAR’s Cup series for 12 years and the ARCA stock car series for another 13 years, won the overall at the SCORE Baja 1000 in 1978 and 1980. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 15 While the magnificent mystery of the Baja peninsula speaks for itself, the masters of Baja have etched their names in the lasting legacy of the Granddaddy of all Desert Races with their class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000. There are 17 sturdy desert racers who have earned 11 or more class victories in this race. History shows the master to clearly be the incomparable Rod Hall, who passed away in 2019 at 81 as the only person to have competed in all 50 of the first SCORE Baja 1000 races while earning a race-record 25 class wins in this race, seven more than second-place Larry Roeseler who has 18 including a race-high 14 overall victories. Tied for third on the all-time multiple class win list with 16 each in this race are Craig Adams and Richard Jackson. Tied fifth with 15 each are Chris Haines, Johnny Johnson, Jeff Kaplan and Donald Moss. Ninth with 14 class wins each is age group motorcycle racer Jim O’Neal. Tied with 12 class wins each are Lou Franco, Steve Hengeveld, Bob Johnson, Jack Johnson and Francisco Septien. Tied with 11 all-time class wins in this race are Johnny Campbell, Daniel Chamlee and Chad Hall. Many of these SCORE Baja legends are expected to compete in this year’s race, including Roeseler, Septien, O’Neal, Franco, B. Johnson, C. Hall and Chamlee. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 16 Included in the first 264 official entry applications of the over 275 anticipated for this year’s renewal of the world’s most iconic desert race are racers from 36 U.S. States and 17 countries. U.S. States represented in the field of competitors to date are from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. The countries are United States, U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, host country Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, and Spain. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 17 Identified, designed and plotted by SCORE President/Race Director Abelardo Grijalva, the 828.25-mile race course for the BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, runs in a clockwise direction after the first part to and then back from Ojos Negros. The magnificent course features three physical, full-stop checkpoints and 285 virtual checkpoints. The course also has 18 speed zones for a total of 70.6 race miles. Checkpoint 1 is at race-mile 200.22 (El Chinero), Checkpoint 2 is at rm 579.98 (Ejido Jaramillo) and Checkpoint 3 is at race-mile 726.57 (El Alamo). After Ojos Negros, the course goes up and over the Cordillera de Molina to drop into the desert around Rm 115. After reaching the La Ventana area it will run south to the El Chinero road crossing highway 3 at Km 192 and will keep going south to Matomi Wash. Halfway into Matomi Wash it exits and goes north to Azufre Wash, then to Huatamote wash, Chanate Wash and up to Morelia Junction. From there the course will exit the desert and go to San Matias Pass road and Mike’s Sky Rancho, down to Rancho La Jolla and will run on the San Pedro Martir road to Meling Ranch. After Meling it will run to the Pacific Coast to Ejido Jaramillo and north to just below San Vicente where it will cross back to Valley de Trinidad then back to Ojos Negros and onto to the finish line in Ensenada. For safety reasons, all of the Sportsman 4 Wheel Vehicle classes along with Class 11 and Class 7SX will run a reduced course of 695.79 miles and the Sportsman Motorcycle and Quad classes will race on a reduced course of 760.91 miles. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 18 Each with their own individual stories to tell, this year’s Pro Moto Ironman class for daring and unique motorcycle solo riders has a very impressive total of 22 entries for this year. These dynamic riders come from 12 U.S. States, host country Mexico and Belize, Bolivia, Canada, England, and India. They will be riding eight different manufacturer’s equipment. There are at least two very significant military veterans, Jeff Benrud, 53, Raliegh, N.C. on the No. 715x motorcycle and Brian Englund, 45, Tacoma, Wash., on the No. 762x. After capping five straight SCORE Baja 1000 races by winning the remarkable Pro Moto Ironman class in the 50th SCORE Baja 1000 in 2017, retired Army Special Ops Sergeant Major Jeff Benrud has returned to attempt another solo motorcycle effort in this iconic race. Benrud, originally from Altoona, Penn., will be riding his No. 715x Honda CRF450X in the class for unique motorcycle racers. Benrud finished in second place in the Pro Moto Ironman class in both 2015 and 2016 in the SCORE Baja 1000 prior to his superlative class victory in the 50th anniversary of the race in 2017. Gritty would be an understatement regarding Benrud, who served his country for 25 years as part of over 700 missions in Iraq and Afghanistan before he retired with honors. Englund, a retired Army Ranger, is extremely active in serving his country in other ways. He is a huge conservationist in Washington State as well as a protector of trails. He will be riding a refurbished No. 762x Husqvarna FE501 in Baja. His friends call him IronBrian. Englund is also a member of the Veterans Racing Alliance. The two top class point leaders, Brandon Wright, 46, Oak Hills, Calif. on the No. 750x bike and Canada’s Aaron Richardson, 50, on the No. 739x motorcycle are also among these special ‘22’. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 19 When veteran SCORE motorcycle age-group champion racer Jim O’Neal, 75, Simi Valley, Calif., puts his hands on the grips as one of the riders for Giovanni Spinali’s Pro Moto 50 class this year, he will set another SCORE motorcycle record. This will be O’Neal’s 41st consecutive SCORE Baja 1000, the most by any motorcycle racer in history. In the SCORE Baja 1000, O’Neal, the noted apparel manufacturer of the company that bears his name, has 15 career class victories. The late Hall of Famer Ron Bishop rode on a motorcycle in the first 40 straight SCORE Baja 1000 races and the late Hall of Famer Rod Hall has the untouchable overall mark in this category, having driven a race truck in the first 50 consecutive SCORE Baja 1000 races (1967-2017). LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 20 During contingency on Wednesday and Thursday and the race on Friday until the course closes on Sunday early morning, 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. Popular Rat Sult, who has been the voice of SCORE over the last seven seasons, will once again serve as host and lead announcer of the expansive SCORE Live streaming. Assisting Sult will be veteran voice Dave Arnold. Sult and Arnold 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. SCORE live is being produced again by SCORE Media House, Aaron Laub, producer, Alberto Luna-director. SCORE live may be launched from the home page of the SCORE website or from the SCORE App. SCOREscope 2022 FINALE
- BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
- King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250—
- BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
- 4th SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—
- BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—