Very long wait has ended—SCORE Baja racing returns at BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominic@score-international.com
September 20, 2020
Presented by 4 Wheel Parts

Very long wait has ended—SCORE Baja racing returns
at BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 500 desert race

 

SAN FELIPE, Baja California, Mexico – The long wait is over...LET’S GO RACING!...
With significant BioSecurity Protocols established, approved and in place including no spectators for the contingency, start and finish line area, SCORE International will hold its first SCORE Baja race since last November when the BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, is held this week in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.
BACK TO BAJA
Entries continue to climb well past the century mark in these uncertain times for this week’s BFGoodrich Tires 52nd Annual SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.
After a 10-month absence, this will be the first SCORE race of 2020 and first in Baja since last November’s SCORE Baja 1000.
The racers and teams will challenge a rugged 493.00-mile desert race course.
To date, 129 official entries prior to the start of on-site late racer registration on Wednesday have come from 19 U.S. States along with host country Mexico, Bolivia, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands and New Zealand. The first of two races on the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 SCORE World Desert Championship schedule will be held Wednesday through Sunday in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.
San Felipe is the peaceful village on the Sea of Cortez, 125 miles south of the U.S. Border at Calexico, Calif. Both 2020 SCORE races will be held on Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula for the fifth consecutive year.
THE SHOW
Competition includes classes for cars, trucks UTVs, motorcycles and quads for the internationally-televised BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
Many of 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 and syndicated internationally to as many as 25 countries. The shows are produced by SCORE in association with prominent SoCal company BCII TV. Lead announcer for the show will be veteran Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHoF) inductee (2018), SCORE Trophy Truck champion racer and action sports TV announcer Cameron Steele.
It is an elapsed-time race with staggered starts as the green flag on Saturday (Sept. 26) will drop first for the motorcycles and quads at 3 a.m. PT and approximately 7 a.m. PT for the cars, trucks and UTVs.
Nearly 150 vehicles are expected at the start line. Long-time SCORE sponsor and race title 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.
EL DORADO RANCH S/F
Following planning with and approval from city and state governments, SCORE International has announced that all the official pre-race activities and the start/finish line compound for this year’s SCORE Baja 500 will be held in a restricted area at the prominent El Dorado Ranch resort with no spectators allowed.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Because of the significant health and safety Biosecurity protocols developed by SCORE in conjunction with and the approval of state and local health authorities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all race-week festivities and the start/finish line compound will be restricted access only and closed to the general public.
     Spectators following health and safety protocols will be allowed in the open areas around the 493.00-mile race course.
LIVE STREAMING
On the two days of contingency Wednesday and Thursday and during the race on Saturday until the course closes on Sunday morning, there will be extensive live streaming from the start/finish line compound broadcasting race activities and start and finish line interviews.
Popular Rat Sult will again serve as primary host of the SCORE live streaming.
With no spectators allowed in the start/finish line compound, all of the week’s activities (qualifying, contingency, start line and finish line) will be streamed both live and same-day including the race, airing via the internet on the SCORE website and social media platforms.
THE CHAMPS
With two of the former overall race champions entered from Las Vegas, five former overall champs are racing in this year’s race in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division, the featured racing division for high-tech, 950-horsepower unlimited custom trucks. Included on the entry list are five former SCORE Baja 500 overall winners who have combined for 23 overall titles—Larry Roeseler (11 overalls, including 9 on a motorcycle), Rob MacCachren (1996, 2018), Troy Herbst (1996, 2002, 2003), Robby Gordon (1989, 1990, 2005, 2013) and Andy McMillin (2010, 2017, 2019).
MULTIPLE CLASS WINNERS RETURN
In the field are 45 racers who have 185 combined class wins in the storied history of this race. Leading this prestigious group of returning multiple class winners are Jim O’Neal with 21 and Larry Roeseler with 17.
The other racers with the most multiple class wins in this race who are back to attempt to add to their winning totals are: Troy Herbst, Rob MacCachen and Nick Vanderwey (7 each), Clyde Stacy, Francisco Septien, Shane Esposito, Cisco Bio and Mike Cafro (6 each), Dan Chamlee, Robby Gordon, Wayne Matlock and Felipe Velez (5 each), Andy McMillin, Justin Morgan, Elias Hanna and Giovanni Spinali (4 each) and Wes Miller and Jeff Proctor (3 each).
2019 SCORE BAJA 500 CLASS WINNERS IN
Besides last year’s SCORE Baja 500 overall winner A. McMillin (SCORE Trophy Truck), other class winners from last year who have entered the this year’s SCORE Baja 500 are Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va./Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix (SCORE TT Legend, No. 1L Chevy V16), Jeff Proctor, Glendale, Calif. (Class 7, No. 709 Honda Ridgeline), Craig Scanlon, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Pro UTV FI—No. 2931 Polaris RZR Turbo), Kaden Wells, St. George, Utah (Pro UTV NA, No. 1995 Polaris RZR XP1000), Angel Barajas, Ensenada, Mexico/Eli Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 1/2-1600, No. 1600 Barajas-VW) and Edward Muncey, San Diego (Baja Challenge, BC4 BTC-Subaru).
Leading the motorcycle winners from last year who have entered this year’s SCORE Baja 500 are led by motorcycle overall winner Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif./Justin Morgan, El Cajon, Calif./Justin Jones, Murrieta, Calif. (Pro Moto Unlimited—No. 1x Honda CRF450R).
Other San Felipe 2-wheel class winners entered in this race are Santiago Creel, Mexico City (Pro Moto Limited, No. 100x KTM 350XCF), Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico (Pro Moto 30—No. 370x Honda CRF450X) and Giovanni Spinali, El Cajon, Calif. (Pro Moto 50—No. 500x Yamaha YZ450FX).
Creel has entered this year as driver of record in Trophy Truck Spec and as rider of record in the Pro Moto Unlimited Class.
MAIN COURSE
The race features a course, as finalized and plotted by SCORE President/Race Director Jose A. Grijalva of 493.00 miles. It runs both North and South of San Felipe in a counterclockwise direction on the East side of the Baja California peninsula.
The historic race course is another memorable example of all that Mexico’s Baja California has to offer, including high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky and silty natural terrain, dry lake beds, majestic Baja washes and canyons, stretches along the ocean with elevations from sea level to over 3,000 feet. The course is another jewel reflecting the stark beauty of Baja California.
There are three physical full-stop checkpoints and 198 virtual checkpoints. Checkpoint 1 is at race mile 155.63 (Laguna Salada), CP2 is at rm278.11 (Laguna Amarga) and CP3 is at rm459.11 (Camino altura Percebu). There are just six speed zones for a total of only 8.65 miles.
     Much of the course runs through Laguna Salada as well as going through parts of four of Baja California’s infamously magnificent washes: Amarillas, Chanate, Huatamote and Azufre.
All Sportsman classes along with Pro classes 7SX, 11 and 9 will run an abbreviated course of 433.34 miles.
SCORE TROPHY TRUCKS & SCORE TT LEGENDS
SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee SCORE racing division for high-tech, 950-horsepower unlimited custom trucks lead the entry list with 20 trucks (including five SCORE TT Legend entries) in the lineup so far. SCORE Trophy Truck entries to date include defending race and series overall point champion Andy McMillin, 32, San Diego (No. 1 Chevy Silverado), Rob MacCachren, 55, Las Vegas (No. 11 Ford F-150), Tim Herbst, 57, Las Vegas/Troy Herbst, 53, Las Vegas (No. 19 Ford F-150), Robby Gordon, 51, Charlotte, N.C. (No. 77 Chevy Silverado), Larry Roeseler, 63, Boulevard, Calif. (No. 43 Toyota Tundra), Alan Ampudia, 29/Aaron Ampudia, 27, Ensenada, Mexico (No. 10 Ford Raptor), A. McMillin’s cousins Luke McMillin, 27, San Diego (No. 83 Ford F-150), Dan McMillin, 32, San Diego (No. 23 Chevy 1500), Mike Lawrence, Banning, Calif. (No. 85 Ford F-150), Chris Miller, 46, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (No. 40 Chevy Silverado), Dave Taylor, Page, Ariz. (No. 26 Chevy Silverado), Eric Hustead, 49, St. George, Utah (No. 38, Ford F-150), Carlos Penunuri Ibarra, 39, Canada (No. 35 Chevy C1500) and Josh De Jong, San Jacinto, Calif. (No. 17 Chevy Silverado).
In SCORE TT Legend for SCORE Trophy Truck drivers 50 years and older, entries are Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va (No. 1L Chevy V16), Mark Winkelman, 61, Cedar Hill, Texas (No. 25L Chevy Silverado), Bobby Patton, 57, Fort Worth Texas/Robbie Pierce, 61, Alpine, Calif. (No. 20L Chevy Silverado), Jose De Jesus Flores, 57, La Paz, Mexico (No. 55L Chevy Silverado) and Jim Bult, 59, Monee, Ill. (No. 47L Dodge Ram2500).
COURSE MAP, ETC.
Official practice, or pre-running, on the official 493.00-mile race course for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts continues through Friday starting at race mile 0.11 and finishing at race mile 492.89.
The official SCORE Racer Brief, course map, GPS files and other important documents are available under racer info on the SCORE website.
QUALIFYING
SCORE will hold a qualifying session for this race starting at 7 a.m. PT on Wednesday (Sept. 23) to determine the starting positions within each class for the SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend, Class 1 and Trophy Truck Spec divisions. Entries in these classes had be completed by last Friday to be eligible to qualifying. Start order for qualifying will be based solely on entry order into race, by class.
Not open to the public, qualifying will be held on a 3.47-mile course South of San Felipe near the local airport.
DETAILS
As required by the health and safety BioSecurity protocols required to conduct this race, race week activities will have restricted access at the Eldorado Ranch with no spectators allowed for contingency, tech inspection and the start/finish compound.
On-site Racer Registration and Media Registration, again with restricted access, will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday  at the Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch.
Racer registration will be held only for racers who are qualifying from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Racer registration for the balance of the entries will be held on Wednesday from Noon to 7 p.m. PT, on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday with no new entries accepted after 3 p.m. PT on that final day of registration.
SCORE Media registration will be held in the Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PT on Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT on both Thursday and Friday.
LAST YEAR’S CHAMPS
Andy McMillin returns to defend his overall win in last year’s SCORE Baja 500 in his No. 1 McMillin Racing all-wheel drive Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy Truck built by Mason Motorsports. Back to defend in Pro Motorcycles, Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif. and his co-riders Justin Morgan, El Cajon, Calif. and Justin Jones, Murrieta, Calif. will defend their overall motorcycle title on their No. 1x Honda CRF450X, competing once again in the Pro Moto Unlimited motorcycle. Morgan was the rider of record last year.
GRAN HISTORIA
The SCORE Baja 500 is one of the top motorsports events in the world. It was started originally in 1969 by the NORRA organization.
With tremendous assistance from Ensenada tourism advocate Nico Saad, Mickey Thompson and his fledgling 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.
Prior to this year, only four times has the race not been held in Ensenada at all. Because of continuing friction between the government and land owners, Sal Fish moved the 1984 race to the desert near Barstow, Calif., USA and again in 1989 for the same reason Fish moved the race to San Felipe.
With no spectators allowed because of the Biosecurity Protocols, this year’s race will start and finish at the El Dorado Ranch resort in San Felipe.
While this will be just the second time for the SCORE Baja 500 to be held in San Felipe, the SCORE San Felipe 250, which was not held in 2020 because of the pandemic, has been held in San Felipe for 32 of its 33-year history.
SCOREscope
2020 SCORE SKED
BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
September 22-27, San Felipe, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
November 17-22, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
ABC TV AGAIN IN 2020
For the second straight year, the 2020 SCORE World Desert Championship will air on the ABC family of networks. The two-races will air as specials on ABC TV’s World of X Games program with replays on ESPN2.
ABC first covered the 1967 and 1968 Baja 1000 races on the old ABC Wide World of Sports show with Jim McKay and again in the late 1980s with veteran motorsports journalist Sam Posey.
All of the SCORE race coverage shows also continue to air internationally in nearly 25 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and South America via syndication and ESPN International. The shows are co-produced by SCORE International and SoCal’s award-winning BCII TV.
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official SCORE Sponsors: BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire and Race Title Sponsor, Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink, 4 Wheel Parts-Official Off-Road Retailer and Race Presenting Partner, Ford-Official Truck and SUV, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Polaris RZR-Official UTV, RACELINE Wheels-Official Wheel, VP Racing Fuels-Official Fuel, Wide Open Excursions-Official Arrive and Drive Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino.
SCORE Official Partners: PCI Race Radios, The Satellite Phone Store, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Lucerna Hotel.
Additional SCORE Associate Partners: Baja California Secretary of Sustainable Economy and Tourism, XXIII Ensenada Municipal Government, XXIII Mexicali Municipal Government, Mexicali and San Felipe COTUCO, Cruz Roja Mexicana.
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCOREInternational.com.#scorebaja500.

BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 500,
presented by 4 Wheel Parts

Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Today           Chassis Inspections, etc.             Qualifying classes-Call 619.572.8245 for appointment
3pm-8pm      Registration-Qualifying Classes only   Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
3pm-6pm      Media Registration                       Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
7am              Qualifying-SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend, Class 1, Trophy Truck Spec classes—Location TBA
10am-6pm    Chassis Inspections, etc.             El Dorado Ranch
Noon-7pm     Racer Registration                       Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
1pm-5pm      Media Registration                       Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
Thursday, September 24, 2020
8am-5pm      Racer Registration                       Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
9am-5pm      Media Registration                       Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
9am-5pm      Contingency  Row                        El Dorado Ranch
9am-6pm      Tech/Stella III Installs                   End of Contingency Row
Friday, September 25, 2020
8am-4pm      Racer Registration-No New entries after 3pm-Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
9am-5pm      Contingency Row                        Eldorado Ranch
9am-6pm      Tech/Stella II Installs                    End of Contingency Row
9am-5pm      Media Registration                       Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
6pm              Mandatory Aircraft Pilot Meeting   Conference Call
online    Racer Meeting                              Latest info posted on SCORE website
Saturday, September 26, 2020
2:30am-11pm          SCORE Media Center        Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
START/FINISH: 493.00-mile course (Class starting order subject to change)
3am    RACE START: MOTORCYCLES/QUADS (subject to change)—
Pro Moto Unltd, Pro Moto 30, Pro Moto Ltd, Pro Moto 50, Pro Moto 40, Pro Moto Ironman, Pro Moto 60, Pro Quad, SPT Moto, SPT Quad
(Start Intervals: Pro Moto Unlimited- 60 second split, all other classes start one every 30 seconds)
GAP –approximate three-hour gap between M/C, Quad start and car/truck/utv start
7am              RACE START CARS/TRUCKS/UTVS (order subject to change)—
TT, TT Legend, 1, TT Spec, 10, Pro UTV FI, SL, Pro UTV NA, 1/2-1600, Pro UTV Stock, 8, HM, 7, 4700, 3700, 1700, 2700, Hammer Unltd, Hammer Ltd, Pro UTV Unltd, 5, PT, 3, 5-1600, BC, 7F, 7SX, SF, 3000, Baja-e, 2, VT, VI, 9, 11, SPT Unltd Truck, SPT Ltd Truck, SPT Open-Wheel, SPT UTV Unltd, SPT UTV Stock
(TT-one every 60 seconds. All other car/truck classes one every 30 seconds)
NOTE: All SPT classes, Vintage classes, Class 7SX, Class 11 and Class 9 will run a somewhat abbreviated course of approximately 433.34 miles.
TIME LIMIT: All vehicles will have a 20-hour time limit from the time each vehicle starts
4pm-11pm    Posting of Unofficial Finishers     Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
Sunday, September 27, 2020
7:30am         Posting of Unofficial Results         Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
8-9:30am      Official racer results inquiry time   Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
8am-11am    SCORE Media Center                  Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
10am            Media posting-unofficial results    Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch
11am-1pm    Trophy pick-up                             Pavilion at El Dorado Ranch