22 Magnificent Memorable Moments from 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship

From the SCORE San Felipe 250 in April, to the SCORE Baja 1000 in November:
Recalling 22 of the magnificent moments in the four 2022 SCORE Baja races
 
    ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico—As we launch the New Year of 2023, we take some time to reflect and recall 22 of the most magical, magnificent, moments that were among the many, many lasting memories of the four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship.
They all add significantly to the growing legacy of SCORE International, which completed its 49th year as the World’s Foremost Racing Organization in 2022.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 22—
  BRAD WRIGHT—SCORE San Felipe 250
     After competing in past years as a co-rider on age-group championship motorcycle teams, Brad Wright, 46, Oak Hills, Calif., decided to switch to the Pro Moto Ironman class (for solo riders) in the 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship.
Wright started his new adventure on April 2 at the season-opening King Shocks 35th SCORE San Felipe 250 and came out of the shoot winning his Pro Moto Ironman class over 10 starters in a time of seven hours, 21 minutes, 20 seconds on his No. 750x Husqvarna FE501, averaging 37.66 miles per hour) over the 277.00-mile race course.
At the finish line, Wright commented on his first SCORE solo ride, “It was really rough the whole way. I did well for most of the time and was just trying to decide what pace to keep as I wasn’t sure where my competition was at. I was just trying to stay comfortable and everything was going well until about 15 miles to the finish when the whoops finally hit me. I thought I was done. I was just on survival mode at that point, but I made it and I won.”
That victory launched Wright to the 2022 season point title in his class and ultimately the SCORE Overall Motorcycle season point championship. His other finishes were second, second and third in the other three SCORE races.
After a pre-running accident for the SCORE Baja 1000 caused him to withdraw from the race, he later decided (with approval from his doctor) to re-enter the race and he courageously battled to a podium finish out of a season-high 20 starters to earn his two crowns.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 21—
  JUAN CARLOS SALVATIERRA—SCORE San Felipe 250
Switching from the unique Pro Moto Ironman class for solo riders after winning two straight season class point championships, Bolivia’s legendary athlete and Dakar Rally veteran Juan Carlos Salvatierra teamed up with Mexico’s Arturo Salas and USA’s Shane Logan and the three-nation team was the Overall Motorcycle and Pro Moto Unlimited Class winner in the 2022 SCORE San Felipe 250.
With Salas starting, Logan, of San Diego, taking the second section, Salvatierra, 41, finished up for the impressive victory on his KTM 450SX-F.
After Logan crashed, Salvatierra rode the final section of the race course with no seat.
The Salvatierra team finished the challenging course in a time of 6:01:34 with an average speed of 45.97 mph.
It began a streak of three straight SCORE overall motorcycle wins for Salvatierra who finished third in class in the season finale to secure the 2022 Pro Moto Unlimited season point crown.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 20—
  WAYNE MATLOCK—SCORE San Felipe 250
Veteran SoCal SCORE champion racer Wayne Matlock beat 55 UTVs competing in five different classes including 10 in his Pro UTV Open class in the 2022 SCORE San Felipe 250.
Matlock, 44, of Alpine, Calif., drove solo in his No. 1871 Matlock Racing Polaris RZR Pro R to the UTV Overall title in a time of 6:08:50 while averaging 45.06 mph.
It was his eighth career SCORE San Felipe 250 class victory. He also has seven career SCORE season class point titles, including five on quads and two in UTVs.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 19—
  RAMON FERNANDEZ—SCORE Baja 1000
Capping off another career season, Mexico’s Ramon Fernandez, 46, Ensenada, won Class 5 in the 2022 BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, in his No. 507 Penhall-Chevy. His time over the brutally tough 828.25-mile course was 26:42:31, with an average speed of 31.01 mph.
For the veteran Fernandez, who raced with brothers Greg and Mike Sullivan, of Helena, Mont. he won his third SCORE class point title.  Previously, he won Class 11 for stock VW Sedans in both 2007 and 2008.
After his season-ending class victory, his third of the season to go along with one second place, Fernandez said, “The course was tough. It was it was very complicated. The area in San Felipe was really washed out. We had a few complications before the race and we needed to change our alternator, but during the race we had no problems. No flats or any mechanical issues.”
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 18—
  RYAN LIEBELT—SCORE Baja 500
Continuing to rapidly build a winning resume, Ryan Liebelt, 42, Reedley, Calif., captured the Pro Moto 40 (riders over 40 years old) class in the 2022 SCORE Baja 500 in his No. 400x Yamaha WR450F. His winning time was 11:53:34, (38.94mph).
His riding teammates during the 2022 season were James Justin James Shultz, 40, Lake Forest, Calif., Steve Tichenor, 44, Reno, Nev., and Jason Trubey, 44, Henderson, Nev.
Liebelt has now gone undefeated in eight consecutive SCORE races, winning the Pro Moto 40 championship in both 2021 and 2022.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 17—
  FAELLY LOPEZ—SCORE Baja 500
From San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, strongman Faelly Lopez was officially a rookie in the 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship and he was competing in just the second season of the Pro Quad Ironman class for solo riders.
Lopez, 39, started 2022 by winning his class in the season-opening SCORE San Felipe 250 in April on his No. 83a Honda TRX450R. The ‘Puerto Rican Force’ covered the 277.00-mile race course in 9:47:10.
After not being able to finish his first SCORE race at last year’s SCORE Baja 1000 that went down the peninsula from Ensenada to La Paz, Lopez recovered and won SCORE’s newest class in the first three 2022 SCORE races and eventually won SCORE Pro Quad Ironman season point championship.
In June’s SCORE Baja 500, Lopez survived again and completed the rugged 463.12-mile course in a time of 18:35:46.
In September’s SCORE Baja 400 on his Honda in a time of 12:40:38.
Unfortunately, a mechanical issue forced him out of the season-ending SCORE Baja 1000.
After his sterling SCORE Baja 500 victory, Lopez said, “It was a difficult day and the course was tough, but we made it to the finish and that was the goal. The course brought a lot of different challenges, especially because we didn’t get to pre-run. We were by ourselves in the class, so I was challenging myself the entire time. I set a time I wanted to hit and went for it. Unfortunately, we had a lot of issues with the quad and that delayed me a lot. The team did a great job and we are happy about it.”
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 16—
  KYLE QUINN—SCORE Baja 1000
For many years a second driver for the wonderful Wilson Motorsports team, Kyle Quinn, 34, Long Beach, Calif., stepped into the lead driver position in one of the team’s entries this year and won the unlimited Class 1 at the SCORE San Felipe 250 in the No. 138 Chevy-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race car.
With regular DOR Brian Wilson not available for all races in 2022, Quinn took the lead and shared driving duties in San Felipe with Brian Wilson’s uncle Ronny Wilson, 60 of Long Beach, Calif.
Quinn and Ronny Wilson finished on the podium again at the SCORE Baja 500 in third place.
At the SCORE Baja 400, with Brian Wilson’s cousin Brad Wilson as the second driver, Quinn finished on the podium in third place again and took the lead in Class 1.
At the season-ending SCORE Baja 1000, Quinn won Class 1 with Ronny Wilson and Greg DiStefano as his driving mates to earn the season point title with 452 points and finish 22nd in the SCORE Overall season points.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 15—
  JEFF PROCTOR—SCORE Baja 1000
SoCal’s Jeff Proctor and his Honda Racing Factory Off-Road Team entered the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 with a four-vehicle effort, one Honda Ridgeline in Class 7 and three Honda Talon 100R UTVs in the Pro UTV NA (Naturally Aspirated) class.
But all eyes were on team leader Proctor, 43, Glendora, Calif., in his No. 709 Honda Ridgeline in Class 7 as he announced prior to the race that it would be his last race as a driver while increasing his responsibilities as the team manager.
Running in selected races during his SCORE driving career, Proctor won Class 7 in the SCORE Baja 1000 for the fourth time (2015, 2016, 2021, 2022). His driving finale saw him finished the brutally tough course in 21:42:57 (38.14mph) in his Honda Ridgeline.
“The Summit was single track, gnarly and like a train of vehicles going through there. We had to be careful because there was a lot of dust and you couldn’t see your lines. There was a truck flipped over upside down in a valley. He is going to be there a while. We had all the elements. We had rocky hill climbs and pounding whoops. We are just happy to be here. We got on our side at one point but flipped back up. Perserverance is the key. I’m stepping back from driving duties after this, so this is bittersweet, going out on top at the SCORE Baja 1000.”
In the SCORE Baja 500, Proctor ends his driving career with five total class wins (2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021). In 2016 he won in Class 2 while the four consecutive class wins have come in Class 7 in his Honda Ridgeline.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 14—
  ELIJAH KIGER—SCORE Baja 1000
He may be only 23 years old, but Elijah Kiger, of Kirby, Pa. has proven himself already a serious challenger in the ultra-competitive Trophy Truck Spec class in the SCORE World Desert Championship.
Many racers with much more experience have never won their class in the iconic SCORE Baja 1000. After his class win in the 2022 race, Kiger has won two straight years in the Granddaddy of All Desert Races.
In the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000, Kiger drove his No. 238 TSCO-Chevy to the Trophy Truck Spec class victory in 17:49:04 (46.48mph).
For the season, he had finishes of 24th, eighth fifth before his repeat performance in Baja. His perseverance not only produced a class win in the world’s most legendary desert race, his season netted him a second-place in the 2022 Trophy Truck Spec season point standings out of 52 racers in his class.
Kiger was anxious to talk about his race at the finish line in Ensenada last November, saying “It was a pretty wild day. The pace off the start was pretty aggressive for an over 800-mile race. I got a flat in my section that cost us a bit of time. Then we hit a bottleneck. Little things got us, but everyone helped us out today. We have a great team with great guys and we have great equipment that helped us get here to the finish unofficially second. But with penalties, it could be close. Looking forward to seeing how things play out; hopefully in our favor.  The Summit was gnarly. In the bottleneck, we got stuck right behind the truck that got stuck so the first place guy in our class got a big lead over us and third through sixth place got right up on us. That cost us a lot of time and really changed the dynamic of the day for sure. I want to thank everyone that helps us and our family back home. We are looking forward to next year’s SCORE season.”
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 13—
DAVID RUVALCABA—SCORE Baja 400
On the way to another SCORE championship season, Mexico’s J. David Ruvalcaba, 49, of Ensenada, won Class 10 at September’s 3rd SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels. Driving his No. 1009 Alumi Craft-Honda, he finished the 393.82-mile course in 9:01:59, averaging 43.90 mph.
Not only did Ruvalcaba win the 2022 Class 10 season crown, he was the SCORE Overall Open-Wheel point champion and was eighth in overall points.
A former SCORE motorcycle champion racer, Ruvalcaba was sixth place in his class of 19 starters in San Felipe and 11th place out of 26 starters in Ensenada in June and winning Class 10 out of 18 starters in Ensenada in September and third in Ensenada in November out of 23 starters.
His primary second driver was Esteban Cruz of Ensenada. The Lomitas Racing Team picked up their fourth SCORE season class point crown in 2022 (2000, 2001, 2019, 2022).
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 12—
  KADEN WELLS—SCORE Baja 1000
The Wells go deep in Utah and Risq Racing of Hurricane, Utah, is all about the Wells family racing team.
A two-generation desert racing team, family patriarch Travis Wells, 50, and his wife Libby, both of Apple Valley, Utah, own the Risq Racing race team than includes their sons Kaden Wells, 24, Hurricane, Utah, and Corbin Wells, 25, who lives in nearby Washington, Utah.
Travis Wells is husband/dad/brother, mechanic, vehicle builder and additional driver (when needed) and Libby Wells is the wife/mom/sister-in-law, team manager and logistics coordinator.
Also, an active part of the family team is Travis’ brother Arnie Wells, 36, who lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Kaden Wells, capped another successful SCORE World Desert Championship season by winning his class in the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 over eight starters in his class which also catapulted him into his fourth SCORE class season point championship. He finished the 828.25-mile race in 23:01:57 (35.96mph).
After four season class point titles in five years (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) Kaden Wells drives the No. 1995 Risq Racing Polaris RZR XP1000 in the Pro UTV NA (Naturally Aspirated) class.
During the 2022 SCORE season, Kaden Wells had a pair of third-place podium finishes, followed by a pair of class wins, one in the SCORE Baja 400 along with the season-ending, championship-deciding SCORE Baja 1000.
In the SCORE Baja 400, SCORE’s newest race, Kaden Wells is undefeated after his three Pro UTV NA class wins in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 11—
  LUKE McMILLIN—SCORE San Felipe 250
Turning the tables on the 2021 results, San Diego’s third-generation desert racer Luke McMillin topped Las Vegas’ Bryce Menzies in 2022 as he roared through the Baja desert to defeat a voluminous 273 starters in the April 2, 2022 King Shocks 35th SCORE San Felipe 250.
Luke McMillin, 29, drove solo to power his stunning No. 83 Mason-built all-wheel drive Chevy 1500 to lead the third-largest number of starters in race history to an inspiring error-free, penalty-free winning time of four hours, 25 minutes and 21 seconds over the sun-drenched, rock-filled, silt-strewn 277.00 miles for a remarkable average speed of 62.63 miles per hour.
Under sunny skies, light winds and mild temperatures in the mid-70s Farenheit, McMillin had plenty of competition behind him in the superb field of 42 of the marquee SCORE Trophy Trucks and 269 starters, third-most in the 35-year history of the race. Ahead of him were fast qualifier Menzies, second-qualifier Justin Lofton and 273 total starters. Finishers called it “one of the most beautifully brutal courses ever” in the history of this race.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 10—
GUSTAVO VILDOSOLA SR—SCORE Baja 500
In the 2022 SCORE Baja 500, Gustavo Vildosola Sr, 69, Mexicali, Mexico, was 12th overall and won his SCORE TT Legend class for SCORE Trophy Truck drivers over 50 years old in his No. 21L Vildosola Racing Ford Raptor. He finished this race in a time of 10:30:08 while averaging 44.10 mph.
Vildosola Sr had a memorable season, winning all four races in the 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship, to earn his second career SCORE TT Legend season point title.
Vildosola Sr won the SCORE TT Legend season point championship in 2018 with Scott Bailey as a second driver.
He won all four 2022 races with help from legendary Hall of Fame racer Ricky Johnson, 58, El Cajon, Calif. who drove the first half of each race in the Vildosola Racing No. 21L AWD Ford Raptor built by Mason Motorsports.
Vildosola Sr also has three career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins in his illustrious career in SCORE desert racing.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 9—
  DAN CHAMLEE—SCORE Baja 400
Veteran SCORE champion Daniel Chamlee, 60, of Montecito, Calif. drove again in Class 7 in his No. 700 The Factory Racing Ford Ranger. He won two races in 2022 and had two third-place podium finishes to earn yet another SCORE Class 7 season point title
Chamlee has driven consistently to earn 18 SCORE Class 7 season point championships in the last 19 years.
In this year’s season-opener in San Felipe, Chamlee was on the podium again, finishing third in Class 7. In June’s SCORE Baja 500, Chamlee earned another Class 7 victory to add to his legacy and in September he earned his third consecutive victory in the three-year old SCORE Baja 400.
Driving solo, he won Class 7 in the SCORE Baja 400 in a time of 11:05:38 (35.50mph) over the 363.12-mile race course.
At the finish line after the SCORE Baja 400, the hard-working Chamlee commented, “The shocks were working so well, the course didn’t seem that bad. But it was nasty. It is supposed to be nasty…it’s SCORE Baja racing. Zero failures.”
In his career he has also earned nine Rod Hall SCORE Milestone Awards, presented by Toyota Escondido, for racers who complete every required mile for that season.
In the SCORE Baja 1000, the ultra-dedicated Chamlee recorded 11 Class 7 victories between 2006 and 2020.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 8—
  ROB MacCACHREN—SCORE Baja 500
Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren, the veritable G.O.A.T. of off-road racing, added another amazing accomplishment to his Hall of Fame record Saturday, June 4, 2022, overcoming a field of 259 starters and a ridiculously-rugged race course to capture the Overall and SCORE Trophy Truck victory in the internationally-televised BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
     MacCachren worked his way to the front of the field in his sturdy and dependable No. 1 Ford F-150 to an admirable error-free, penalty free winning time of nine hours, 22 minutes and 47 seconds with an average speed of 49.37 miles per hour over the gut-wrenching 463.12-mile course.
“It was a very good day,” the always humble MacCachren said at the finish line. “We started out to race on our pace. The three all-wheel-drive trucks in front of us were pulling away a little bit at a time.”
“When Bryce (Menzies) lost a motor that put us third on the road to the bottom of the Summit. It is an unbelievable mountain pass; it takes probably 20 minutes to get down it. It is awesome. Half way down we caught up to (Mike) Walser but then he took off again; but then he got a flat and we got by him for good.”
“Then we started hauling ass knowing Luke (McMillin) was 10 minutes ahead of us. I couldn’t see his tracks anymore after a while. So that meant we were first on the road. SCORE outdid themselves again designing a tough, challenging course. Hat’s off to my crew as well. And no flats on my BFGoodrich Tires. They are absolutely the best!”
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 7—
  CHRISTOPHER POLVOORDE—SCORE Baja 400
On the cusp of desert racing stardom, young gun Christopher Polvoorde, Hemet, Calif., made his presence felt significantly in the 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship.
Polvoorde may be only 22 years old, but he has already been racing for over eight years and has evolved quickly into a SCORE Baja racing championship contender.
He won the massive Trophy Truck Spec class in the 2022 SCORE Baja 400 in his PCR No. 204 Optima Batteries Mason Motorsports-Ford. He finished in a time of 8:26:05 and was 10th overall on the 393.82-mile race course.
Building experience and some years under his belt along the trail upwards, SoCal’s youthful dynamo led the SCORE Overall point standings and the Trophy Truck Spec class as well following his stunning season-opening class victory at April’s King Shocks 35th SCORE San Felipe 250 that saw a race-high 36 starters in his class.
He followed up his San Felipe victory with a fourth place finish out of 32 starters in Trophy Truck Spec at the SCORE Baja 500.
     Unfortunately, his 2022 season ended abruptly when a mechanical issue forced him out of the SCORE Baja 1000 after leading his class and the SCORE Overall point standings for three-quarters of the season.
     Polvoorde has raced in many different disciplines including Short Course, Desert Racing, Rally Racing, Midget Racing, Robby Gordon’s Stadium Trucks, Kart Racing and the King of the Hammers where he won his class in 2022.
Polvoorde is also a full-time college student attending the University of San Diego on scholarship seeking a double major in finance and real estate through the USD School of Business.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 6—
  MONSTER MATT BURROUGHS—2022 SCORE World Desert Championship
With three fourth-place finishes and one ninth-place, consistency provided big dividends for Monster Matt Burroughs as he won the 2022 Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) class championship, but also the SCORE Overall UTV point championship as well with his 485 season points. All the numbers added up and his point total placed him fifth in the 2022 SCORE Overall point standings as well.
‘Monster Matt,’ 53, Norco, Calif., a Senior Vice-President for SCORE-sponsor Monster Energy, and a Can-Am Factory driver, drove his No. 2948 Monster Energy Can-Am X3 to his second season championship in three years. In 2020 he was also the SCORE Overall point champion.
The largest UTV class in the SCORE World Desert Championship saw 29 starters in the SCORE San Felipe 250, 24 in the SCORE Baja 500, 23 in the SCORE Baja 400 and 27 in the SCORE Baja 1000.
There was a total of 55 starters in the five SCORE UTV classes in the season-ending SCORE Baja 1000.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 5—
  BRYCE MENZIES—SCORE Baja 400
Helping cap the week-long celebration of the 212th anniversary of Mexican Independence, Las Vegas’ Bryce Menzies repeated as overall and SCORE Trophy Truck winner at the 3rd SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels, on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2022.
     Menzies qualified second behind eventual runner-up Luke McMillin and got around him when McMillin was stopped with a flat tire around race mile 65. And he maintained his lead to the finish despite losing his four-wheel drive and finishing with two-wheel drive.
Menzies stayed in front of the hungry field of 197 starters from that point in his Mason Motorsports-built All Wheel Drive No. 7 Menzies Motorsports Ford Raptor, posting an admirable error-free, penalty free winning time of seven hours, 59 minutes, and 27 seconds with an average speed of 49.28 miles per hour over the challenging 393.82-mile course.
Menzies commented at the finish line, “We had a clean day. We started out pretty smooth, just trying to chase Luke (McMillin) down. He got a flat early at about race mile 65. We got him while he was changing a flat. And then from there we just held him behind us with about a two and half minute gap and just wanted to keep him there in case we had any issues.”
“Overall, we just had one flat and my co-driver (Willie Valdez) changed it in 50 seconds, which is absolutely unheard of. Other than that issue we had a great run. It feels really good to win back-to-back SCORE Baja 400’s. We lost four-wheel drive at race mile 210. It tested my skills. I had to learn how to drive a four-wheel drive, then I had to re-learn to drive it with two-wheel drive. Overall, an epic day.”
“I could not ask for a better day. Thank you to all the fans down here. We love coming to Baja. And a huge thank you to SCORE for putting this race on. We wouldn’t be down here without all you guys (from SCORE). I love Baja. I love coming down here and we will be coming down here for a long time to come.”
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 4—
  TANNER JANESKY—SCORE Baja 1000
Returning to his quest that began several years earlier, Tanner Janesky, 27, Middlebury, Conn., returned for another attempt to win the Pro Moto Ironman class in the SCORE Baja 1000.
After finishing second in the class of the masochistic solo riders in the 2019 SCORE Baja 1000, the same year he won the class in the 2019 SCORE Baja 500, he was back at the starting line three year’s later with the same goal…win the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000.
After crashing at race-mile 367 while pulling over to help seriously injured rider Giovanni Spinali (who had crashed shortly before his arrival) for an hour and 25 minutes, his eventual ‘Good Samaritan’ time credit that he received earned him the Pro Moto Ironman victory on his No. 775x KTM 450XCF-W in an adjusted time of 23:55:030 (34.63mph) in the 828,25-mile race.
Starting at night and racing through another night in temperatures that dipped to as low as 18 degrees F, the deservedly exhausted Janesky reflected briefly at the glorious finish line in Ensenada, “The race was extremely difficult. You can’t even describe the terrain. It was so dangerous but I made it through. The bike worked great. One little issue when I went over the bars pretty hard and the bike landed on me and broke the subframe on my motorcycle and hurt my back.”
To capture the grueling essence of his joyful accomplishment, read his blog on his bone-chilling journey at
https://www.tjanesky.com/post/2022-baja-1000-story-775x-tanner-janesky.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 3—
  JORGE SAMPIETRO—SCORE Baja 500
Winning the season point championship in the extremely popular Trophy Truck Spec class for basically SCORE Trophy Trucks with crate engines for the second time was Mexico’s Jorge Sampietro.
His crowning achievement was his victory in the 2022 SCORE Baja 500. He covered the course in 10:34:34 (43.79mph).
The ever-growing class had 36 starters in San Felipe followed by 32 in the SCORE Baja 500, 24 in the SCORE Baja 400 and 28 in the season-ending SCORE Baja 1000.
In addition to his class win in the 2022 SCORE Baja 500, Sampietro, 31, of Ensenada, had finishes in the other races of seventh, third, and 14th in his No. 297 Mason-Chevy.
He also finished second in the SCORE overall point standings behind Luke McMillin with 509 season points.
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 2—
  MARK SAMUELS—SCORE Baja 1000
Continuing their winning ways individually and as a team were Mark Samuels, 33, Yucca Valley, Calif., and his teammates Justin Morgan, 32, El Cajon, Calif. and Kendall Norman, 38, Santa Barbara, Calif., who won the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 on Nov. 18, 2022 on their No. 7x Slam Life Racing Honda CRF450X.
Winning their 13th consecutive SCORE race (that they entered) as a team in the SCORE World Desert Championship, the super team finished the grueling course in a winning time of 18:51:30 with an average speed of 43.92 mph.
Individually this was the seventh SCORE Baja 1000 overall victory for Samuels, sixth overall for Morgan and eighth for Norman.
Morgan started the race and rode the first 280 miles. Samuels took over from race mile 280 to rocket to race mile 475. At the point, Norman took over and rode the motorcycle to race mile 726 where Morgan jumped backed on and cruised it to the finish line and a victory margin of just under one hour.
The victory also earned Honda motorcycles its race-record 32nd overall motorcycle victory in the SCORE Baja 1000.
At the finish line, Samuels said, “It was a tough course, slower than normal, slower than we anticipated. I am tired, I am sore. Looking forward to getting back and taking a nap. But it feels good to cross that finish line. It is a special feeling for sure. We had our hands full at the beginning. The course was really gnarly from Hurricane Kay that came through. It changed the course a lot, turned a lot of rocks up.”
MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS—No. 1—
  THE LUKE & THE G.O.A.T.—SCORE Baja 1000
Following his third consecutive SCORE Trophy Truck race victory in the iconic SCORE Baja 1000 in 2022, San Diego’s Luke McMillin was officially crowned the SCORE Overall, SCORE Overall Truck and SCORE Trophy Truck season point champion of the four-race 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship. For ‘The Luke,’ it was his second season point championship in three years in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division and the first SCORE Overall season point crown in his ever-expanding resume.
With the baby-face looks of a movie star, the heart of a lion and the tenacity of a Grizzly bear, San Diego’s third-generation desert racer ‘The Luke,’ 29, roared his way to the top of the point leaderboard in the SCORE Trophy Truck division and eventually the top of the SCORE Overall point leaderboard as well in 2022.
Driving solo the first three races of the year, ‘The Luke’ finished first in the SCORE San Felipe 250, sixth place in the SCORE Baja 500, second-place in the SCORE Baja 400 and capped the season with the help of the G.O.A.T. (Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren who drove the first 394 miles) by winning the season-ending SCORE Baja 1000 to complete his championship 2022 season in the SCORE World Desert Championship.
The youngest of the current active McMillin racers, ‘The Luke’ won the featured SCORE Trophy Truck division for high-tech, 1000-horsepower, unlimited custom trucks, the SCORE Overall point championship, SCORE Truck title and the SCORE Overall truck point title with 534 points in his McMillin Racing No. 83 4 Wheel Parts All Wheel Drive Chevy 1500 built by Mason Motorsports.
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2023 GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SCHEDULE
Here are the dates for the four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship Golden Anniversary season, ‘Celebrating 50 Years of Desert Racing Excellence’, which will be held totally in Baja California, Mexico for the eighth consecutive year:
King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250—
March 29-April 2, San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
May 31-June 4, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
4th SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—
September 12-17, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
November 13-18, La Paz, Baja California Sur to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
ESPN TV NETWORKS AGAIN IN 2022
For the fourth straight year, the 2022 SCORE World Desert Championship races are airing on the ESPN family of networks. The four-races 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.