Start Draw results for next week's 54th SCORE Baja 500

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, Dominic@SCORE-International.com
May 27, 2022
Next week in Ensenada

BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500,
presented by 4 Wheel Parts
Entries from 30 States, 13 Countries in starting draw
for Rd 2 of 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship

 

ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico –While the majority of the start positions were determined by the finishing order from the previous race, the balance of the starting positions for the first 250 entries were determined this week as racers from around the world are heading to Baja California, Mexico for the legendary BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
FAST FACTS
Round 2 of the four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held June 1-5 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, the race will start/finish and colorful pre-race activities are returning for the first time in four years to the heart of Ensenada at the iconic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center and the adjacent fantastically fan-friendly Boulevard Costero.
Ensenada, ‘The Off-Road Capital of the World’, is located 80 miles South of the U.S. Border near San Diego.
With nearly 275 entries expected, 45 competition classes are offered for Pro and Sportsman cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads. To date, there are 250 total entries from 30 U.S. States, U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico and 13 countries. Joining the USA in the field so far are racers from host country Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, England, France, New Zealand and Peru. So far there are 193 cars, trucks and utvs entered and 59 motorcycles and quads.
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 ESPN2 World of X Games programming. It is scheduled to first air at 9 p.m. PT on Sunday, Aug. 7.
The race show on ESPN2 is co-produced by SCORE International and the award-winning BCII TV of Los Angeles. Bud Brutsman is the Executive Producer. Intro announcer for the race show will be Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee and SCORE champion desert racer Cameron Steele who will again pull double duty racing in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck class as well in his No. 16 Desert Assassins Monster Energy Ford Raptor.
All four 2022 SCORE races are being held on Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula for the seventh consecutive year.
SCORE, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Organization, is celebrating its 49th season in 2022.
TOP FIVE STARTERS
As a result of their finishes in April’s King Shocks 35th SCORE San Felipe 250 in San Felipe, Mexico, three Las Vegas SCORE Trophy Truck racers will be among the first five vehicles to start this year’s SCORE Baja 500. Starting first in the elapsed time race with 60-second intervals between starters will be Luke McMillin, San Diego (No. 83) followed second by Bryce Menzies, Las Vegas (No. 7) third by Mike Walser, Comfort, Texas/Jax Redline, Amarillo, Texas (No. 89) while fourth will be Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas (No. 1) and completing the top five starters will be Tim Herbst, Las Vegas/Pat Dean, Las Vegas (No. 19) next Saturday (June 4).
SCORE Trophy Truck, launched by SCORE in 1994, is the marquee racing division in the sport for high-tech, 1000 horsepower, unlimited custom trucks.
The first motorcycle to start the race will be Bolivian super-star international rally racer Juan Carlos Salvatierra (No. 10x) who was the Overall motocycle and Pro Moto Unlimited class winner in San Felipe.
This week’s start draw was held for all of the racers who have entered to so far that did not finish or didn’t race in the season-opening SCORE San Felipe 250.
DOUBLE DIGITS
The race includes 33 entries to date in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division (Including six SCORE TT Legend vehicles for SCORE Trophy-Truck drivers over 50 years old), the marquee racing division for high-tech, 1000-horsepower unlimited custom trucks.
Besides SCORE Trophy Truck, the other Pro four-wheel classes with double figure entries to date and their totals are Trophy Truck Spec with 32 entries, Pro UTV FI with 25 entries, and Class 10 (24).
Among two-wheel classes, leading the entry count so far is Pro Motorcycle Ironman (solo riders) with 10 entries and Pro Moto Limited with seven. Leading the two-wheel Sportsman classes is SPT Moto with 11 entries.
PRE-RUNNING
Official practice, or pre-running, on the official 463.12-mile race course for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts began last Saturday and continuing. It starts at race mile 33.82 and finishing at race mile 430.78. The section from the start to rm33.82 section will be open only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT on Thursday (June 2) Outbound ONLY and Friday (June 3) Inbound ONLY.
The official SCORE Racer Brief, Penalty brief, course map and GPS files are available on the SCORE website under race info/SCORE Baja 500.
MORE FIRST STARTS
Among the other racers who will start first in their respective four-wheel vehicle classes in this year’s SCORE Baja 500 after their season-opening class wins in San Felipe are Gustavo Vildosola Sr, Mexicali, Mexico/Ricky Johnson, Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (SCORE TT Legend, No. 21L), Kyle Quinn, Long Beach, Calif./Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 1, No. 138), Christopher Polvoorde, Hemet, Calif. (Trophy Truck Spec, No. 204), Chase Warren, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Class 10, No. 1088), Scott Brady, Gerber, Calif. (Class 7, No. 703), Wayne Matlock, Alpine, Calif. (Pro UTV Open, No. 1871), Justin Lambert, Bakersfield, Calif. (Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction), No. 2918), Matt Ferrato, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. (SCORE Lites, No. 1216), Joe Bolton, Corona, Calif. (Pro UTV NA, No. 1957), Martin Rangel, Surprise, Ariz. (Classs 1/2-1600, No. 1626), Jack Grabowski, Upland, Calif. (Class 5, No. 527) and Edward Muncey, San Diego (Baja Challenge, No. BC4).
Among the other motorcycle first starts will be the teams led by Ryan Liebelt, Reedley, Calif. (Pro Moto 40, No. 400x), Jano Montoya, Winter Garden, Fla. (Peru) (Pro Moto 30, 325x) and Brandon Wright, Oak Hills, Calif. (Pro Moto Ironman, No. 750x).
ON-SITE RACER REGISTRATION
Being held in the Salon Rojo at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in Ensenada, regular on-site and late racer registration will be held on Wednesday (June 1) from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT, on Thursday (June 2) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT and on Friday (June 3) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. No new entries will be accepted after 7 p.m. on Wednesday (June 1), 3 p.m. PT on Thursday (June 2) and 3 p.m. PT on Friday (June 3). As many as 20 addition entries are expected.
GREEN FLAG—JUNE 4
The motorcycle and quad classes will start at 4 a.m. PT Saturday (June 4) while the car, truck and UTV classes will begin their journey starting at 9 a.m. PT. SCORE Trophy Truck, TT Legend, Class 1, Trophy Truck Spec and the Pro Moto Unlimited classes will start one vehicle every 60 seconds race while all other classes will start one every 30 seconds.
While the fastest vehicles in the elapsed-time race are expected to finish in approximately nine hours, all vehicles will have 20 hours from the time each starts to become an official finisher in the historic race.
GRANDEST MARSHAL: ‘IRONMAN’
When it comes to desert racing there is only one ‘Ironman’ standing at the top of the list of solo drivers/riders. San Diego’s iconic Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart has accepted SCORE’s invitation to be the Grand Marshal for the upcoming BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
The legendary ‘Ironman’ will be celebrating his 77th birthday on June 4, the day that this year’s SCORE Baja 500 will start. Being the Grand Marshal is just some more icing on his championship cake.
Racing since 1973, Stewart, who retired in 2000, joined the Toyota factory team in 1983 for Cal Wells at Precision Preparation Inc. (PPI). He had a total of 84 career off-road race victories in stadium, short course and desert.
The legendary Stewart has been inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (2006), the San Diego Hall of Champions Breitbard Hall of Fame (2009) and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2020).
GRAN HISTORIA
This year’s SCORE World Desert Championship includes another special tribute to the iconic SCORE Baja 500.
The SCORE Baja 500 is one of the top motorsports events in the world. It was started originally in 1969 by the NORRA organization. After NORRA was removed from Baja after the 1972 race, the local Baja Sports Committee produced the 1973 event. 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 in Ensenada as the first of nearly 160 SCORE Baja races.
This year’s SCORE Baja 500 will start for the 48th time in Ensenada and finish for the 44th time in Ensenada.
BFGOODRICH TIRES UNMATCHED
BFGoodrich Tires, the official tire of SCORE for 46 years, received two awards for the 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship. BFGoodrich Tires was honored after the 2021 season as the SCORE Contingency Company of the year for the 31st time as well as being voted the SCORE Pit Support Team of the Year for the 33rd time.
BFGoodrich Tires has been the choice of 34 of the 53 overall winners of the popular SCORE Baja 500 and 32 of the 54 overall winners of the legendary SCORE Baja 1000. BFGoodrich Tires is also the title sponsor of both of the iconic races again in 2022.
BFGoodrich Tires also has been the choice of 29 of the 35 overall winners of the SCORE San Felipe 250, all three SCORE Desert Challenge races, the lone SCORE Challenge of Champions in San Felipe, the one SCORE Baja Sur 500 and one of the two overall winners in the SCORE Baja 400.
This year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 overall victory by San Diego’s Luke McMillin marked the 100th BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja overall race win.
BFGoodrich Tires has posted a contingency bonus for the overall winner of this race of US$20,000.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Presenting sponsor for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500 is 4 Wheel Parts, the Official Off-Road Retailer and Race Presenting Partner of SCORE and the SCORE World Desert Championship.
SCOREscope
2022 SCHEDULE
Here are the remaining three dates in the four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship which is being held exclusively in Baja California, Mexico for the seventh consecutive year:
BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
June 1-5, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
3rd SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—
September 13-18, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
November 15-20, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
ESPN TV NETWORKS AGAIN IN 2022
For the fourth straight year, the 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship races will air on the ESPN family of networks. The four-races will air as specials on the World of X Games program 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 journalists Sam Posey and Jack Arute.
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 and Race Title Sponsor, Polaris RZR-Official UTV, RACELINE Wheels-Official Wheel, VP Racing Fuels-Official Fuel and race presenting sponsor, Optima Batteries-Official Batteries, Wide Open Excursions-Official Arrive and Drive Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino and PCI Race Radios.
SCORE Official Partners: The Satellite Phone Store, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Lucerna Hotel.
Additional SCORE Associate Partners: Baja California Secretary of Tourism, MEXICO Secretary of Tourism, San Felipe Foundational Municipal Council, Ensenada Municipal Government, San Felipe Marketing Tourism Committee, Ensenada Marketing Tourism Committee, Ensenada Hotel and Motel Association, Proturismo Ensenada and Cruz Roja Mexicana.
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCORE-International.com.

BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500,
presented by 4 Wheel Parts
Round 2 of four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship
June 1-5 – 463.12 miles – Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (7)
10x Juan Carlos Salvatierra
4x Jason Alosi
38x Ivan Delgadillo
20x Miguel “Sammy” Pena
3x Forrest Minchinton
19x Drew Watson
69x Oliver Gamez
PRO MOTO 30 (4)
325x Jano Montoya
300x Greg Bardonnex
346x Rolando Cabrera
332x Jack Lundin
PRO MOTO LIMITED (4)
180x Fernando Beltran
103x Giovanni Aviles
122x Ignacio Laviosa
111x Carlos Castillo-1st RS
PRO MOTO 50 (2)
522x Vance Kennedy
500x Giovanni Spinali
PRO MOTO 40 (6)
400x Ryan Liebelt
432x Brad White
441x Alirio Amado
419x Jacob Nieder
401x James Avery
415x Brad Baker (ROR-Quinn Cody)
PRO MOTO IRONMAN (10)
750x Brandon Wright
739x Aaron Richardson
785x Fabricio Fuentes
733x Paul Hart
704x Juan Pablo Valenzuela
712x Eddie Meek
778x Aaron McDowell
740x Carlos Cardenas
748x Guillermo HaleBolio-2nd RS
760x Adam Rachac-1st RS
PRO MOTO 60 (1)
649x Guy Laycraft

Pro Quad (5)
7a Luis Ernesto Villafana
1a Ricardo Villafana
27a Carlos Napoles
5a Steven Lopez
10a Said Sanchez
Pro Quad Ironman (1)
83a Faelly Lopez

SPT M/C (11)
214x David Navarro
245x Filiberto Garcia
225x Jason Lopez
218x Christian Espinoza
212x Eduardo Larios
217x Dustin Davis
246x Chael Pável Avilez Urcadiz
237x Fermin Vargas
249x Armando Ortiz
224x Edgar Najar
227x Esteban Rodriguez
SPT QUAD (8)
111a Fidel Gonzalez
122a Samir Garciayala Coy
103a Dario Rabago
126a Miguel Salas
133a Julian Zepeda
104a Juan Pablo Gonzalez
130a Nakul Nacul Hernandez
105a Francisco Valle