180 official entries to date--53rd SCORE Baja 1000

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominic@score-international.com
November 7, 2020
Race week Nov. 17-22

BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000,
presented by 4 Wheel Parts

Samuels & Co, Rhys Millen, Hedrick Son and Father,
Cafro, Burnett and Janesky, among newest entries

    ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico—With excitement building to a fever pitch all over Baja California, SCORE desert racing stars Mark Samuels, Rhys Millen, William Hedrick Jr and his father William Sr, Mike Cafro, Marc Burnett and Lawrence Janesky are all among the racers tightening their helmets as latest entries for this month’s iconic internationally-televised season-ending BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, the final round of the pandemic-abbreviated two-race 2020 SCORE World Desert Championship.
    Starting and finishing under strict BioSecurity health and safety protocols in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, race-week activities and the Granddaddy of All Desert Races itself will be held Nov. 17-22.
The SCORE Baja 1000 is at the pinnacle of motorsports as the most iconic, oldest, prestigious, toughest and longest continuously held desert race in the world.
Because of the Pandemic BioSecurity protocols, all race-week activities and the start/finish line area will be closed to the public. The start/finish line compound will be located East of downtown Ensenada at at the end of the extension of Avenida Ruiz on the highway overpass.
Spectators, adhering to the protocols, will be allowed to watch the race from around the race course.
53rd SCORE BAJA 1000
Many of the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s massive BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts. The race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour special on the ABC TV Network’s World of X Games programming.
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.
Over 200 vehicles are expected at the start line with racers from nearly 30 U.S. States and as many as 15 countries anticipated. 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 the renewal of this legendary SCORE race.
This year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will be a loop race of a spectacular 898.40 miles in the northern state of Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula. The distance is a race-record for a SCORE Baja loop race.
It will start for the 46th time and finish for the 27th time in Ensenada and the race is annually the finale of the SCORE World Desert Championship, which has been held exclusively for the past five years in Baja California.
With a total time limit of 40 hours in the elapsed-time race, the motorcycle and quad classes will start at 4 a.m. (PT) on Friday, Nov. 20 and the car, truck and UTV classes will follow with their start on at 10 a.m. (PT).  While the fastest vehicles are expected to cover the course in approximately 18 hours, all vehicles will have 40 hours from the time each starts to become an official finisher.
STATES, COUNTRIES
     Included in the first 180 official entry applications of the more than 200 anticipated for this year’s renewal of the world’s most iconic desert race are racers from 26 U.S. States and 13 countries.
U.S. States represented in the field of competitors to date are from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Besides the United States and host Mexico, countries represented to date in the total entry field are from Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru and South Africa.
1x ALL-STAR TEAM
With a large bullseye on their backs, Mark Samuels and his three-rider team are the motorcycle racers everyone is looking to beat, but for nine consecutive races it has been the ‘impossible dream.’
Samuels, 31, Yucca Valley, Calif., Justin Morgan,30, El Cajon, Calif. and Justin Jones, 29, Murrieta, Calif. are the team to beat as the charge through the Baja desert on their No. Slam Life Racing 1x Honda CRF450R in the Pro Moto Unlimited Class.
The talented trio enters this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 with a total of 10 career overall motorcycle victories in the Granddaddy of All Desert Races. Samuels has four while Morgan and Jones each have three overall crowns in this race.
With both Samuels and Jones sidelined with injuries, Morgan won the overall motorcycle title in last year’s SCORE Baja 1000 with the help of co-riders David Kamo, Max Eddy Jr and Shane Esposito.
RHYS MILLEN RETURNS
A second generation desert racer, New Zealand’s Rhys Millen is a former Formula D champion, Global RallyCross racer and is also a noted Hollywood stunt driver with numerous movies and commercials to his credit. His famous father Rod Millen is a former desert racer, stadium off-road racer, rally racer and one-time record holder at the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb.
Millen, whose Rhys Millen Racing is an active vehicle builder, won the Pro UTV NA (Naturally Aspirated) class in the 2016 SCORE Baja 1000 and has raced several different vehicles in this iconic race.
For this year Millen, 48, will be driving one of his own creations, the No. 727 Ford-powered RMR truck in Class 7.
THE HEDRICKS
One of many family race teams in the SCORE World Desert Championship, Mexico’s William Hedrick Jr and his father William Hedrick Sr are back to race again in the ultra-competitive Trophy Truck Spec class.
Among the top Mexican desert racers in the world, the Hedricks are from Vicente Guerrero, Baja California.
For this year’s SCORE Baja 1000, the William Jr, 24, will split the driving with his father William Sr, 54, in the team’s No. 295 Chevy truck built by ID Designs.
CAFRO
A veteran SCORE season class point champion in quad classes where he has three titles with his brother Carmen, Mike Cafro, 50 of Fallbrook, Calif., also has five career class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000 spread out over a 25-year window (1994, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2019) has switched to racing in UTVs and has entered two classes in this year’s SCORE Baja 1000.
For the upcoming race, he will again be the driver of record in the No. 2975 Polaris RZR Turbo in Pro UTV FI as well as the No. 3955 Polaris RZR Turbo S in the Pro UTV Stock class.
As in the season opener in September at the SCORE Baja 500, Cafro’s additional drivers will be Jamie Kirkpatrick, 39, Kirkland, Wash. (Pro UTV FI) and Adan Leggs Ibarra, 40, Ensenada, Mexico (Pro UTV Stock).
At the SCORE Baja 500, Cafro won Pro UTV Stock to give him seven career class wins in that race.
BURNETT
Another of the many veteran SCORE champion racers, Marc Burnett, 49, Chula Vista, Calif., is one of the growing number of stars in the Pro UTV classes and one of the original ‘converts’ to the popular racing vehicles.
The personable Burnett started out as a supercross racer and then moved to SCORE desert racing where he has won races in three different SCORE classes.
He earned his first of three SCORE season class point titles for MB Racing in the motorcycle Class 20 in 1995. His second came in 2014 when he won Class 19, the single UTV class at the time. His most recent season crown was in 2017 when he won the Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) class.
In the SCORE Baja 1000 where he has numerous class podium finishes, Barnet won Class 20 in 1995 and Class 6 in 2008 in a Ford Ranger.
He is also the owner of San Diego’s FreestyleMX, the largest traveling show in America featuring many X Games medalists. Unfortunately, his successful business has also been hit hard by the lingering effects of the current pandemic.
INTO THE DUST
One of the extremely dedicated Pro Moto Ironman solo riders is Lawrence Janesky, 56, Middlebury, Connecticut, is an American businessman, entrepreneur, author and trainer.
Janesky is the founder and CEO of Contractor Nation, Basement Systems Inc. He is the co-founder of Total Basement Finishing, Inc., Foundation Supportworks, Inc., and Dr. Energy Saver, Inc.
Janesky's success has made him an in-demand motivational speaker, who has written numerous books and also writes an inspirational blog -- thinkdaily.com.
With much help from Chris Haines Racing, Janesky and his son Tanner began SCORE Baja racing several years ago on motorcycles.
While Tanner Janesky will not be racing this year, this will be Lawrence Janesky’s fifth straight year riding solo in the SCORE Baja 1000. He will be riding on the No. 714x Chris Haines Racing Honda CRF450X in the highly challenging and competitive class. He finished the legendary race in 2018, the oldest competitor in his class at 54.
In the 2015 SCORE Baja 1000, the two Janesky racers competed together and won the Sportsman motorcycle class on another Honda CRF450x.
Janesky has also produced two YouTube documentary movies chronically their SCORE Baja exploits entitled Into the Dust. The first one came out in 2017 and the most recent is being launched currently.
CHALLENGING COURSE
The official loop-race record 898.40-mile race course runs in a counter-clockwise direction after the two-way section to the Ojos Negros area and down along the Pacific Ocean and around San Felipe and the Sea of Cortez before heading back up through Cordillera de Molina and back to Ojos Negro and the finish in Ensenada.
The continuing pre-running starts at race-mile 33.53 and finishes at rm864.87. The first 33.53 miles of the course, which will be run in both directions during the race, will be open for pre-running outbound only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of race week (Nov. 17-19).
The challenging race course then winds its way through four of Baja California’s infamously magnificent washes: Amarillas, Chanate, Huatamote and Matomi before heading through the San Felipe area along the Sea of Cortez and West through Cordillera de Molina and then back to Ojos Negros to the finish just on the Eastern outskirts in Ensenada.
The start/finish line compound, closed to the public because of established safety and health protocols, will be located on the outskirts of Ensenada, east of downtown, at Dona Petra Canyon.
There are four physical full-stop checkpoints and 355 numbered virtual checkpoints. Physical checkpoints: CP1-El Socorro (race mile 206.60), CP2-Valle de Trinidad (rm407.95), CP3-End of Matomi Wash (rm602.85) and CP 4-El Alamo (rm838.50). The race route also has a total of 20 Speed Zones.
All Sportsman classes along with Pro classes 7SX, 11 and 9 will run a reduced course of 767.06 miles.
This year’s course map, GPS files, racer’s pre-run brief and schedule of events are available on the SCORE website under race info on the SCORE Baja 1000 page at www.SCORE-International.com.
SCORE TROPHY TRUCKS & SCORE TT LEGENDS
SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee SCORE racing division for high-tech, 950-horsepower unlimited custom trucks leads the entry list with 24 trucks (including six SCORE TT Legend entries) in the lineup so far. SCORE Trophy Truck entries to date include Rob MacCachren, 55, Las Vegas (No. 11 Ford F-150), Tim Herbst, 57, Las Vegas (No. 19 Ford F-150), Robby Gordon, 51, Charlotte, N.C. (No. 77 Chevy Silverado), Andy McMillin, 32, San Diego (No. 1 Chevy Silverado), Bryce Menzies, 32, Las Vegas (No. 7 Ford Raptor), B.J. Baldwin, 41, Las Vegas (No. 97 Toyota Tundra), Cameron Steele, 52, San Clemente, Calif. (No. 16, Ford Raptor), A. McMillin’s cousins Luke McMillin, 27, San Diego/Larry Roeseler, 63, Boulevard, Calif. (No. 83 Ford F-150) and Daniel McMillin, 32, San Diego/Justin B. Smith, Las Vegas (No. 23 Chevy 1500), Ampudia brothers Alan and Aaron of Ensenada (No. 10 Ford Raptor), Kevin Thompson, 47, New Braunfels, Texas/Harley Letner, 36, Corona, Calif. (No. 70 Ford F-150), Chris Miller, 46, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Christian Sourapas, 24, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (No. 40, Mason-Chevy), Jonathan Brenthel, 41, La Cresta, Calif./Jordan Brenthel, 33, Temecula, Calif. (No. 27 Chevy Silverado), Rick Sanchez, 43, San Vicente, Mexico (No. 52 Chevy Silverado), Eric Hustead, 50, St. George, Utah/Kolton Hustead, 21, St. George, Utah (No. 38 Ford F-150) and Jax Redline, 15, Amarillo, Texas/Apdaly Lopez, 25, Tecate, Mexico (No. 22 Chevy Silverado).
In SCORE TT Legend for SCORE Trophy Truck drivers 50 years and older, entries so far are Clyde Stacy, 75, Bristol, Va./Nick Vanderwey, 53, Phoenix (No. 5L Chevy V16), Bobby Patton, 57, Fort Worth, Texas/Robbie Pierce, 61, Alpine, Calif. (No. 20L Chevy Silverado), Mark Winkelman, 62, Cedar Hill, Texas (No. 25L Chevy Silverado), Jose De Jesus Flores, 57, Culiacan, Mexico. Oskar Slingerland, 55, Netherlands (No. 55L Chevy Silverado) and Wade Porter, 53, Durham, Calif. (No. 53L Ford Raptor).
BIOSECURITY PROTOCOLS
As was the case at the recent SCORE Baja 500, significant BioSecurity health and safety protocols have been finalized by SCORE and the government authorities and health officials to be implemented at the event. With everything still fluid in regards to this pandemic, the specific protocols for this race are the same as what was mandated for September’s SCORE Baja 500.
No spectators will be allowed to attend pre-race contingency as well as the start or the finish line area of the race itself. They will be allowed to watch the race around the course, following BioSecurity protocol requirements.
SCOREscope
2020 SCORE SKED
BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
November 17-22, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
2021 SCORE SKED
Here are the dates for the four-race 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship which will be held in Baja California, Mexico for the sixth consecutive year:
34th SCORE San Felipe 250—
February 9-14, San Felipe, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
April 14-18, Baja California, Mexico
2nd SCORE Baja 400—
September 14-19, Baja California, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
November 15-20, Baja California to La Paz, Baja California Sur, 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 Network’s World of X Games program.
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.

BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000,
presented by 4 Wheel Parts

Finale of two-race 2020 SCORE World Desert Championship

PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (3)
1x Mark Samuels
12x Webster Whinery Jr
66x Santiago Creel
PRO MOTO 30 (5)
321x Robert Smith
324x Kris Regentin
325x Jano Montoya
327x Stephen Squires
370x Francisco Septien
PRO MOTO LIMITED (1)
180x Fernando Beltran
PRO MOTO 50 (3)
500x Giovanni Spinali
504x David Hunter
522x Vance Kennedy
PRO MOTO 40 (3)
423x Ryan Stephens
440x Bernardo Segura
441x Alirio Amado
PRO MOTO IRONMAN (8)
714x Lawrence Janesky
718x Francisco De Paiva
720x Robert Longhurst
725x Juan Carlos Salvatierra
754x Charles Harvey
770x Harvey Grant
772x Javier Perez Potzch
785x Fabricio Fuentes

SPT M/C (5)
200x Carlos Silva
201x Scott Borden
203x Giovanni Aviles
204x Tommy Hunter
241x Brent Walsh
SPT QUAD (3)
106a Imanol Gomez Fierro
112a Daniel Gaytan
129a Sergio Gutierrez Jr