Racer registration open and official detailed race schedule now online for next month’s 51st annual SCORE Baja 500

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominiccnv@aol.com
April 20, 2019
May 29-June 2 event week

Racer registration open and official detailed race schedule
now online for next month’s 51st annual SCORE Baja 500

 

ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico – Entries from all across the United States and around the world are expected as online registration has officially opened for the upcoming internationally-televised 51st SCORE Baja 500. Round 2 of the four-race 2019 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held May 29-June 2 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Ensenada 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.
Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s celebration of one of the top 10 motorsports events in the entire world. The race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour special on the ABC Network World of X Games programming.
It is an elapsed-time race with staggered starts as the green flag on Saturday (June 1) will drop first for the motorcycles and quads at 3:30 a.m. (PDT) and approximately 8 a.m. (PDT) for the cars, trucks and UTVs. The start/finish line area will be at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium in Ensenada.
Over 300 vehicles are expected at the start line with racers from over 30 U.S. States and as many as 15 countries anticipated. Long-time SCORE sponsor BFGoodrich Tires has also posted a US$25,000 contingency bonus for the overall 4-wheel winner to help commemorate this year’s race.
ONLINE RACER REGISTRATION
Online registration, by class, for Pro and Sportsman cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads, is ongoing through the SCORE website. Information on all SCORE races can be found on the home page under the Race Info tab.
For more info, visit http://score-international.com/raceinfo/2019-baja-500/.
Official entries received after the drawing will be given the next available starting position within their respective classes. Online entries will be accepted until 8 p.m. (PDT) on Tuesday, May 21.
ESTERO BEACH S/F
Following consultation with city and state government officials, SCORE International announced that it will move all the official pre-race festivities and the start/finish line area for this year’s SCORE Baja 500 to the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium on the grounds of the Estero Beach Hotel & Resort, 12.2 miles south of downtown Ensenada.
SCORE officials stated that the move is being made because of Baja California State elections that will be held on the same weekend as the race and moving the event for this year will reduce the serious strain on public resources and eliminate all of the road closures from starting and finishing the race as it has for over a decade in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center.
SCORE has also announced that there will be no admission charge for spectators to view the start and finish of the race from several thousand grandstand seats at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium at Estero Beach.
SCORE COMMENT
“These state elections are very important to all of Mexico and after working with various municipal, state and federal officials, SCORE has found a very suitable location to move this iconic event to for only this year,” commented Jose A. Grijalva, SCORE President/Race Director. “This alternative site is ideal and very popular among fans from both sides of the border. The race track provides a stadium atmosphere with a very safe start/finish line for everyone involved.”
“Starting inside of the stadium, we will have the class winners from the recent SCORE San Felipe 250 start first by themselves and then the rest of the vehicles will leave the start line two vehicles at a time and cover the nearly one-mile off-road track both leaving the start line and then returning to the finish. This will be awesome for the fans to see this much racing at the start and finish.”
START ORDER/DRAW DEADLINE
The starting order within each class for this race will start with the finishing order from the recent SCORE San Felipe 250, if the individual entry is received and paid in full by Tuesday, May 21. For racers who were DNFs in San Felipe but enter by the deadline, a special drawing will be held for them prior to the other entries that come in for each class.
The deadline for those that raced in San Felipe to activate their reserved start position is 8 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, May 21. Deadline for all additional entries to be included in the drawing for starting positions is also on 8 p.m. PDT Tuesday, May 21.  The results of the drawing, to determine the remainder of the start order within each class, will be posted on the SCORE website at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 24.
No new entries will be accepted after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21. Late, on-site racer registration will be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (May 29-30-31).
PRE-RUNNING
Official practice, or pre-running, on the official race course for this year’s SCORE Baja 500 will begin at 8 a.m. PDT on Saturday, May 18 starting at race mile 30 and finishing at race mile 470. The 30-mile section from the start and back to the finish will be available for pre-running starting at 8 a.m. PDT on Wednesday, May 29 through Friday, May 31.
The official SCORE Racer Brief, course map and GPS files will be available by 8 p.m. PDT on Thursday, May 16.
MAIN COURSE
The race will feature a course, when finalized and plotted over the next couple of weeks by SCORE President/Race Director Jose A. Grijalva of right around exactly 500 miles.
When completed, the historic race course will be another memorable example of all that Mexico’s Baja California has to offer, including high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky and silty natural terrain, majestic Baja washes and canyons, stretches along the seashore with elevations from sea level to over 4,000 feet. The course will be another jewel reflecting the stark beauty of Baja California.
GRAN HISTORIA
Following last year’s epic celebration of the 50th BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja 500, this year’s SCORE World Desert Championship includes another special tribute to the iconic SCORE Baja 500 when it is held this year in Ensenada.
The SCORE Baja 500 is one of the top motorsports events in the world. It was started originally in 1969 by the NORRA organization. Mickey Thompson and his SCORE International organization were invited by the Mexican government to take over the event starting in 1974. Sal Fish ran and later owned and produced the SCORE Baja 500 for 39 years until he sold SCORE in December of 2012.
The first Baja 500 organized and produced by SCORE was held on July 26, 1974 as the first of over 150 SCORE Baja races.
Ensenada is the heart and soul of the SCORE Baja 500 as the popular summertime race will start for the 46th time there and finish for the 42nd time there.
In the history of the race, the start and finish line areas have been located in several areas of Ensenada and this year will be the first time the race has either started or finished at Estero Beach.
A HAPPENING…
Colorful race week festivities will be expanded to help celebrate another big anniversary of SCORE’s first Baja race.
Chassis inspections will be held on Thursday (May 30) as well as pre-tech/Stella bracket check and installation on Avenida Lopez Mateos in Ensenada.
On Friday evening will be the Monster Energy Papas Y Beer Street Party on Avenida Ruiz from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight.
On-site Racer Registration and Media Registration will be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (May 29-31) at the Mayapan Conference Center at the Estero Beach Resort.
Racer registration will be held on Wednesday (May 29) from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. PDT, on Thursday (May 30) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday (May 31) with no new entries accepted after 3 p.m. PDT on that day.
Media registration will be held in the Mayapan Conference Center from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PDT on Wednesday (May 29) and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT on both Thursday and Friday (May 30-31).
Friday (May 31) will see the day-long, pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and contingency festival at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium at Estero Beach. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. contingency row will be held all classes. Tech inspection on that day will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the end of the manufacturer’s row.
During the race on Saturday, June 1 until the course closes on Sunday morning, June 2, the start/finish line compound at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium at Estero Beach will include the massive double-sided SCOREvision LED screen broadcasting race festivities and start and finish line interviews. Popular Rat Sult will again serve as primary host of the SCORE live streaming.
All of the week’s festivities will be aired both live and same-day including the race, airing via the internet on the SCORE website.
LAST YEAR’S CHAMPS
Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren is expected to be back to defend his overall win from last year in his No. 11 Rockstar MacCachren Motorsports Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy Truck. In Pro Motorcycles, Justin Morgan, El Cajon, Calif. and his co-riders Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif. and Justin Jones, Murrieta, Calif. are expected to defend their overall motorcycle title on their No. 1x Honda CRF450X Pro Moto Unlimited motorcycle.
SCOREscope
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 28-June 2, Ensenada, Mexico
Inaugural Lucerna SCORE Baja 400, Sept. 19-23, Ensenada, Mexico
52nd SCORE Baja 1000, Nov.19-24, Ensenada, Mexico
ABC TV IN 2019
SCORE has confirmed that the 2019 SCORE World Desert Championship will be televised on the ABC TV family of networks, marking the first time back on the ABC network since the 1967 and 1968 coverage of the Baja 1000 on ABC’s old Wide World of Sports show.
The one-hour shows on the 33rd SCORE San Felipe 250, 51st SCORE Baja 500 and the 52nd SCORE Baja 1000 will be televised as part of ABC’s World of X Games year-long programming. Presented by SCORE sponsors Monster Energy and BFGoodrich Tires, the ABC World of X Games series profiles iconic action sports figures and also highlights athletes, artists, event previews and recaps.
SCORE also announced that the inaugural Lucerna SCORE Baja 400 next September will air as a one-hour special on ESPN TV.
All of the SCORE race coverage shows will continue to air internationally in nearly 25 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and South America via syndication and ESPN International.
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official SCORE Sponsors: BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, 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.
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCOREInternational.com.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019
1pm-5pm--Media Registration, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
2pm-8pm--Racer Registration, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
Thursday, May 30, 2019
8am-5pm--Racer Registration, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
9am-5pm--Media Registration, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
10am-5pm--Chassis Inspection, Avenida Adolfo Lopez Mateos
10am-5pm--Pre-Tech/Stella III Installs, Avenida Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Friday, June 31, 2019
8am-5pm--Racer Registration--No New entries after 3pm--Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
8am-5pm--Contingency Row, Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium, Estero Beach Resort
8am-6pm--Tech/Stella II Installs, End of Contingency Row, Estero Beach Resort
9am-5pm--Media Registration, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
11:30am--SCORE Media Conference, Estero Beach Resort Concert Court
6pm--Mandatory Aircraft Pilot Meeting, Estero Beach Resort Concert Court
8pm--Mandatory Racer Meeting, Estero Beach Resort Concert Court
6pm-Midnight--Monster Energy Papas Y Beer SCORE Street Party-Avenida Ruiz
Saturday, June 1, 2019
3am-Midnight--SCORE Media Center, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
START/FINISH: 500-mile course (Class starting order subject to change)
3:30am--RACE START: MOTORCYCLES/QUADS (subject to change)—
Pro Moto Unltd, Pro Moto Ltd, Pro Moto 40, Pro Moto 30, Pro Moto Ironman, Pro Moto 50, Pro Moto 60, Pro Quad, SPT Quad, SPT Moto
(Start Intervals: TBA)
GAP –approximate 3 1/2 hour gap between M/C, Quad start and car/truck/utv start
7:15am--Honor Guard and Salute to Flag Ceremony (start/finish line area)
8am--RACE START CARS/TRUCKS/UTVS (subject to change)—
TT/TT Legend, 1, TT Spec, 2, Hammer Unltd, Hammer Ltd, 10, 7, HM, 5, Pro UTV FI, SL, Pro UTV NA, 1/2-1600, Pro UTV Unltd, Pro UTV Stock, PT, 8, 3, 3000, BC, SF, 5-1600, Baja-e, 7F, 7SX, 3700/4700, 1700, 2700, VT, VI, 9, 11, SPT Unltd Truck, SPT UTV Unltd, SPT UTV Stock, SPT Ltd Truck, SPT Open-Wheel
(Start intervals: TBA)
NOTE: All SPT classes, Vintage classes and Class 11 will run an abbreviated course of approximately TBA miles.
TIME LIMIT: All vehicles will have a 20-hour time limit from the time each vehicle starts
5pm-12am--Posting of Unofficial Finishers, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
Sunday, June 2, 2019
8:30am--Posting of Unofficial Results, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
9-10:30am--Official racer results inquiry time, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
9am-Noon--SCORE Media Center Open, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
11am--Posting of official results, Mayapan Conference Center, Estero Beach Resort
Noon--Awards Celebration, Estero Beach Resort Concert Court