SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, Dominic@SCORE-International.com
May 30, 2022
June 1-5 in Ensenada

BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500,
presented by 4 Wheel Parts
O’Neal leads 86 racers with 297 total combined race wins
into Round 2 of 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship

ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico –Looking to add another trophy to his record-setting class win total, SoCal’s veteran age-group motorcycle racer Jim O’Neal will help lead 86 racers who have combined for 297 class wins among nearly 275 racers expected to start Saturday’s BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
O’Neal, 75, the noted apparel manufacturer from Santa Barbara, Calif., has a SCORE-record 23 class wins in the SCORE Baja 500 and will be a co-rider again this year for the defending class season point champion Giovanni Spinali team in the Pro Moto 50 class for riders over 50 years old. This year will be O’Neal’s 40th start in the 54-year history of the SCORE Baja 500.
DIRT FAX
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. Entering race-week, late, on-site racer registration, there are 248 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.
The race course is 463.12 miles long for this year’s race.
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. He has unfortunately just withdrawn from the race because of COVID in his family. He was going to  pull double duty racing in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck class in his No. 16 Desert Assassins Monster Energy Ford Raptor and as DOR in the Pro UTV Open Class in his No. 1828 Can-Am X3.
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.
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).
SCORE LIVE
There will be extensive live streaming from pre-race contingency (Friday) and the start/finish line compound broadcasting the start, live action around the course and finish line interviews (Saturday and Sunday).
Popular Rat Sult is in his seventh year as primary host and lead announcer of the SCORE live streaming which will also air on the SCORE TV app. Sult will be assisted again by the veteran voice Dave Arnold.
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.
OTRO MAS, POR FAVOR…
In the field are 86 racers who have 297 combined class wins in this race. Leading this prestigious group of returning multiple class winners are Jim O’Neal with 23 class wins and Larry Roeseler with 18. The other racers with the most multiple class wins in this race who are back to attempt to add to their winning totals are: Mike Cafro and Lou Franco (8 each), Shane Esposito, Rick D. Johnson, Larry Ragland, Francisco Septien and Eric Solorzano (7 each), Cisco Bio, Max Eddy Jr, Ramon Fernandez, Rob MacCachren, Earl Roberts and Felipe Velez (6 each), Daniel Chamlee, Wayne Matlock, Justin Morgan, J. David Ruvalcaba, Jeff Proctor, Javier Robles Jr and Giovanni Spinali (5 each).
Vic Bruckmann, Elias Hanna, Andy McMillin, Jano Montoya, Said Sanchez, Hector Sarabia, Doug Smith and Jason Trubey (4 each) and Adolfo Arellano, Marc Burnett, Broc Dickerson, Chelsea Magness, Mike Majesky, Bryce Menzies, Wes Miller, Brian Parkhouse, Cody Parkhouse, Sergio Salgado and Dan Worley (3 each).
OVERALL WINNERS RETURN:
Among the overall race winners returning this year are 13 racers who have combined to win 33 overall 4-wheel and 2-wheel titles including drivers from of the 12 of the last 13 years of 4-wheel overalls. Leading the way with multiple overall wins in this race are Larry Roeseler with 12 overall victories (including nine on a motorcycle), Robby Gordon with four, Andy McMillin, Scott McMillin and Bryce Menzies with three each, Rob MacCachen with two, Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, Harley Letner, Dan McMillin and Justin B. Smith with one each in 4-Wheel.
In 2-wheel, besides Roeseler’s nine overall motorcycle wins, Justin Morgan has five overall moto wins and Shane Esposito and Jason Alosi each have one overall.
CLASS WINNERS RETURN:
A total of 19 class winners from last year’s BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts are entered this year with several in different classes. Returning 2021 class winners are Larry Roeseler (SCORE Trophy Truck, No. 43 Toyota Tundra), Rolf Helland, Morris, Ill./Rick D. Johnson, Barstow, Calif. (SCORE TT Legend, No. 37L Ford Raptor), Broc Dickerson, Brawley, Calif./Jeff Dickerson, Brawley, Calif. (Class 1, No. 123 Jimco-Ford), Jason McNeil, El Cajon, Calif. (Trophy Truck Spec, No. 234 Geiser-Chevy), Freddie Willert, El Cajon, Calif./Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif./Dan Worley, Encinitas, Calif. (No. 1006 Alumi Craft-Chevy)
Jeff Proctor, Glendora, Calif. (Class 7, No. 709 Honda Ridgeline), Branden Sims, Prescott Valley, Ariz. (Pro UTV FI, No. 2969 Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo), Matias Arjona IV, Ensenada, Mexico/Matias Arjona III, Ensenada, Mexico (SCORE Lites, No. 1202 Mirage-VW), Kaden Wells, Hurricane, Utah (Pro UTV NA, Polaris RZR XP1000), Eli Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 1/2-1600, No. 1600 Kreger-VW), Mike Cafro, Fallbrook, Calif. (Pro UTV Stock, No. 3956 Polaris RZR Turbo S), Justin Park, Encinitas, Calif. (Class 7F, No. 714F Ford Ranger), Armando Duron, Mexicali, Mexico (Class 7SX, No. 758 Ford Ranger), Alex Gonzales, Palm Desert, Calif. (Class 11, No. 1196 VW Sedan).
Jason Alosi, Reno, Nev. (Pro Moto Unlimited, No. 97x Husqvarna FE501), Greg Bardonnex, Visalia, Calif./James Justin Shultz, Lake Forest, Calif. (Pro Moto 30, No. 308x Yamaha WR450F), Ryan Liebelt, Reedley, Calif (Pro Moto 40, No. 408x Yamaha WR450F), Juan Carlos Salvatierra, Boliva (Pro Moto Ironman, No. 725x KTM 500EXCF) and Giovanni Spinali, El Cajon, Calif. (Pro Moto 50, No. 510x Yamaha YZ450FX).
DOUBLE DIGITS
The race includes 32 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 31 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. Leading the two-wheel Sportsman classes is SPT Moto with 10 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 May 21 and is continuing through Friday. 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.
COURSE PREVIEW
SCORE President/Race Director Jose A. Grijalva has put together another memorable race course to challenge the world’s best desert racers. The final distance is 463.12 miles.
It will be starting and finishing for the first time in four years (since 2018) on fan-friendly Blvd. Costero adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada. Pre-race Contingency will also be held on Blvd. Costero on Friday, June 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
The course will run in a clockwise direction out of and back to the start/finish in Ensenada, traveling through such noted areas as Cordillera de Molina, Coabuso, La Ventana, El Chinero, Mikes Sky Ranch, Santa Catarina, Goat Trail, El Alamo, La Lagrima and Ojos Negros.
The course will have two complete stop physical checkpoints, 175 total virtual checkpoints and 10 speed zones for a total of 34.59 miles.
Checkpoint 1 will be located at race mile 240.07 (San Matias Pass) and Checkpoint 2 will be at rm360.64 (El Alamo access road).
All Sportsman classes, Class 11 and Class 7SX will run a reduced course of a total of 452.32 miles.
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.

SCORE Baja 500--Ensenada, Baja California Mexico
All-Time Overall champions (1969 thru 2021)

Year—DRIVERS/RIDERS, VEHICLE
1969—Bud Ekins/Guy Jones, Baja Boot-Olds
Doug Douglas/Jim McClurg, Ducati
1970—Parnelli Jones, Ford
Bill Silverthorn/Gene Fetty, Husqvarna
1971—Bobby Ferro, Funco-VW
Malcolm Smith/J.N. Roberts, Husqvarna
1972—Bobby Ferro, Sandmaster-VW
Gene Fetty/Bill Silverthorn, Honda
1973—Parnelli Jones, Ford
Howard Utsey/Mickey Quade, Husqvarna
1974—Bobby Ferro, Sandmaster-VW
Mitch Mayes/A.C. Bakken, Husqvarna
1975—Ivan Stewart, Funco-VW
Larry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie, Harley-Davidson
1976—Bobby Ferro/Ivan Stewart, Funco-VW
Larry Roeseler/A.C. Bakken, Husqvarna
1977—Ivan Stewart, Chenowth-VW
Larry Roeseler/Jack Johnson, Husqvarna
1978—Bud Feldkamp/Malcolm Smith, Funco-VW
Brent Wallingsford/Scot Harden, Husqvarna
1979—Malcolm Smith/Bud Feldkamp, Funco-VW
Jack Johnson, Husqvarna
1980—Bob Gordon, Chenowth-Chevy
Bruce Ogilvie/Chuck Miller, Yamaha
1981—Malcolm Smith/Bill Newbury, Chenowth-Chevy
Larry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie, Yamaha
1982—Larry Ragland, Funco-VW
Larry Roeseler/Chuck Miller, Yamaha
1983—Corky & Scott McMillin, Chenowth-VW
Dan Ashcraft, Husqvarna
1984—Larry Ragland, Chaparral-VW
Dan Smith/Dan Ashcraft, Husqvarna
1985—Ron Gardner/Bud Feldkamp, Funco-VW
Kurt Pfeiffer/Scot Harden, Husqvarna
1986—Corky & Scott McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche
Garth Sweetland/Scot Harden, Husqvarna
1987—Bob Gordon/Tim Crabtree, Chenowth-Porsche
Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Kawasaki
1988—Mark McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche
Dan Ashcraft/Kurt Pfeiffer, Yamaha
1989—Robby Gordon, Ford
(no motorcycles)
1990—Robby Gordon, Ford
Larry Roeseler/Danny LaPorte, Kawasaki
1991—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Garth Sweetland/Paul Krause, Kawasaki
1992—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr/Paul Krause, Kawasaki
1993—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Danny Hamel/Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Kawasaki
1994—Ivan Stewart, Toyota (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Dave Ashley/Dan Smith, Ford
Paul Krause/Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Kawasaki
1995—Curt LeDuc, Jeep (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Mike Julson/Bob Lofton, Jimco-VW
Paul Krause/Craig Smith, Kawasaki
1996—Rob MacCachren, Ford (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Troy Herbst, Smithbuilt, Smithbuilt-Porsche
Paul Krause/Ty Davis, Kawasaki
1997—Ivan Stewart, Toyota (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Mark McMillin, Jimco-Porsche
Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie, Honda
1998—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie, Honda
1999—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Jonah Street/Torsten Borstrom, Honda
2000—Larry Ragland, Chevy
Jonah Street/Steve Hengeveld, Honda
2001—Mark McMillin, Jimco-Chevy
Steve Hengeveld/Jonah Street, Honda
2002—Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler, Smithbuilt-Ford
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2003—Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler, Smithbuilt-Ford
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2004—Alan Pflueger, Chevy
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2005—Robby Gordon, Chevy
Mike Childress/Mouse McCoy, Honda
2006—Brian Collins/Larry Ragland, Chevy
Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda
2007—Larry Ragland/Brian Collins, Chevy
Robby Bell/Kendall Norman/Steve Hengeveld, Honda
2008—B.J. Baldwin, Chevy
Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda
2009—Harley Letner/Kory Halopoff, Tatum-Chevy
Bill Boyer/Donnie De Arman/Nicholas Blais/Rudy Iribe, Honda
2010—Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Ford
Kendall Norman/Quinn Cody, Honda
2011—Bryce Menzies, Ford
Kendall Norman/Quinn Cody, Honda
2012—Bryce Menzies, Ford
Robby Bell/David Pearson/Steve Hengeveld, Kawasaki
2013—Robby Gordon, Chevy
Timmy Weigand/Colton Udall/David Kamo, Honda
2014—Bryce Menzies, Ford
Ricky Brabec/David Pearson/Max Eddy Jr, Kawasaki
2015—Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, Chevy
Ricky Brabec/Max Eddy Jr/Justin Morgan/Ian Young, Kawasaki
2016—Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr, Ford
Colton Udall, Mark Samuels, Honda
2017—Andy McMillin, Ford
Francisco Arredondo/Shane Esposito/Justin Morgan/Roberto Villalobos, Honda
2018—Rob MacCachren, Ford
Justin Morgan/Mark Samuels/Justin Jones, Honda
2019—Andy McMillin, Chevy
Justin Morgan/Mark Samuels/Max Eddy Jr, Honda
2020—Daniel McMillin/Justin B. Smith, Chevy
Justin Morgan/Mark Samuels/Justin Jones, Honda
2021—Larry Roeseler, Toyota
Jason Alosi/Wyatt Brittner/Ross Neely, HusqvarnaNOTE: From 1994 through 1997 SCORE Trophy Truck ran as its own series