SCORE Latest News
Montoya leads new entries in SCORE San Felipe 250
SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, Dominic@SCORE-International.com
March 6, 2023
‘Celebrating 50 Years of Desert Racing Excellence’
March 28-April 2 in San Felipe
King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250,
Fueled by Baja Vida
Montoya, Ebberts, Hollenbeck, 3 1/2 Amigos, Lovell,
Hagle Brothers, Muncey, among latest new entries
Opener of 4-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship on 262.80-mile course,
Online registration closes on Thurs., March 16. Pre-running opens Sat., March 18
Pre-running opens on Sat., March 18; Sal Fish Grand Marshal for 2023 season;
Dan Cornwell & Pat Butler Grand Marshals for 2023 SCORE San Felipe 250
NOTE: Current unofficial entry list at bottom of text
ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico – ‘Celebrating 50 Years of Desert Racing Excellence’ this year, latest early entries for this month’s season-opening King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250, fueled by Baja Vida, include Juan Montoya, Dale Ebberts, Dennis Hollenbeck, Stan Potter, Matt Willert, Adam Lovell/Brad Lovell, Ethan Hagle/Ben Hagle and Edward Muncey.
Round 1 of the four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held March 28-April 2 on a 262.80-mile race course in and around the quaint, peaceful village of San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.
Pre-race Contingency and Tech Inspection and the start/finish line compound will be located on the picturesque El Malecon in San Felipe along the inspiring azure waters of the Sea of Cortez.
San Felipe is 125 miles south of the U.S. Border at Calexico, Calif. on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula along the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez. All four 2023 SCORE races will be held on Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula for the eighth consecutive year.
EARLY ENTRIES
With over 300 entries anticipated at the start line to launch the 50th season of SCORE desert racing, 161 total early entries have been received so far for the popular ‘Spring Break’ event, with racers representing 25 U.S. States, and 11 countries. The countries with at least one racer so far are United States, host country Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, New Zealand, and Peru.
DOUBLE DIGITS
With double-digit entries to date are the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck (high-tech, unlimited, 1000-horsepower, custom trucks) with 27, Trophy Truck Spec, (SCORE Trophy Trucks with spec engines) with 34, Pro UTV Open (11), Pro UTV FI (12) and Pro Moto Ironman (solo riders) with 13.
EARLY BIRDS
Among the latest early entries for this year’s race are Peru’s Jano Montoya, who lives in Winter Park, Fla. (Pro Moto 30), Dale Ebberts, Wilton, Calif. (Class 10), Dennis Hollenbeck, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11), Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif./Freddie Willert, San Marcos, Calif./Dan Worley, Encinitas, Calif. (Class 10), Matt Willert, San Marcos, Calif. (Class 1/2/1600). Adam Lovell/Brad Lovell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Pro UTV FI), Somis, Calif. brothers Ethan Hagle and Ben Hagle (Trophy Truck Spec), and Edward Muncey, Las Vegas (Baja Challenge).
THREE DECADES-PLUS
Celebrating the 36th anniversary of the youngest of the three legendary SCORE Baja races, sometimes referred to as the SCORE ‘Baby Baja’, entries are being accepted on the SCORE website under Race Info at https://score-international.com/raceinfo/2023-san-felipe-250-march-28-april-2-2023/ for Pro and Sportsman entries for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads.
ENTRY DEADLINES
The deadline to enter in time to be included in the SCORE San Felipe 250 Race Day program is 5 p.m. PT on Friday March 10.
The deadline to apply online and be included in the drawing for starting positions within each class is 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, March 16. Starting positions for the classes that aren’t qualifying will be determined by a random drawing after the close of online racer registration. Results of the start draw will be posted on the SCORE website by 6 p.m. PT on Friday, March 17.
Late entries may register in person at the SCORE Ensenada office will have until 5 p.m. PT on Friday, March 24. Those late entries, however, will not be included in the start draw.
Late, on-site entries will receive the next starting position within the class entered.
Questions should be directed to Shannon Lund, SCORE Registration and Membership Director at 775.852.8907 or registration@SCORE-International.com.
QUALIFYING
For just the fourth time in the history of this popular ‘Spring Break’ race, SCORE will hold a qualifying session starting at 7 a.m. PT on Wednesday, March 29 to determine the starting positions within each class for the SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend and Trophy Truck Spec classes. The starting order for qualifying in each class will be the order in which they entered the race.
Entries received in the qualifying classes received after Friday, March 24 will be given then next available starting slot within their respective classes.
Start order for qualifying will be determined by the date and time that they are received.
Qualifying is not open to the public and will be held on an approximately five-mile course that is not part of the official race course.
PERU'S MONTOYA
Veteran SCORE motorcycle champion Jano Montoya, 51, enters this year’s as the rider of record again with his team in the Pro Moto 30 class for riders over 30 years old. In the 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship, Montoya and company won the class in the first three races and finished second in the finale to earn another season point champion.
Montoya, originally from Peru but currently lives in Winter Park, Fla., now has four career SCORE season class point titles (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022).
Riding as teammates with Montoya for this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 will be Kyle Tichenor, 31, Mesquite, Nev., and David Zarate, 35, La Paz, Mexico.
In the SCORE San Felipe 250, Montoya has three class wins (2018 in Pro Moto 40 and 2021 and 2022 in Pro Moto 30).
For San Felipe, Montoya and his team will be riding on the No. 300x KTM 450EXC motorcycle.
CHAMP RETURNS
After nearly two decades as an occasional second driver for several teams, SCORE champion racer Dale Ebberts is back with his own team with a special family twist.
Racing in his No. 1077 ESM-Toyota in Class 10, Ebberts, 52, Wilton, Calif., will be joined in this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 by his daughter Madison Ebberts, 23, Alpharetta, Ga., and his son Ezra Ebberts, 19, Wilton, Calif.
Both with their own desert racing driving experience, Madison Ebberts is on the PR staff for American Honda while Ezra Ebberts is a student at the University of Nevada in Reno. Ezra Ebberts just won Class 10 in the recent King of the Hammers in the same Class 10 car that the Ebberts will race in San Felipe.
With multiple SCORE race wins in Class 1 in his career, Ebberts was the 2003 SCORE Overall Point Champion, including winning his class in the 2003 SCORE San Felipe 250.
Most recently, he has raced with several race teams including Shelby Reid (Class 1) where they finished second in class in San Felipe and last year’s SCORE Baja 1000 where he finished eighth in Class 10 as the second driver for Ivan Tagle.
MI CASA DE ESPERANZA
Racing to promote and support Real Life Ministries and the Mi Casa De Esperanza (My House of Hope) a shelter for victims of drug abuse and domestic violence, located in Ensenada, Dennis Hollenbeck, 61, will be racing in Class 11 in his H12:1 Racing No. 1121 Stock VW Sedan, endearingly called ‘Bochito.’
Hollenbeck, Casa De Esperanza, and ‘Bochito’ were featured in Dana Brown’s iconic movie Dust2Glory which debuted in 2017.
While racing when he is able, Hollenbeck is also part of the ministry team for Racers for Christ nearly all SCORE Baja races.
Hollenbeck was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2021 in the Advocate category.
3½ AMIGOS
A trio with a multitude of years of SCORE Baja racing experience with a combined 177 years in age between them, ‘Tres Amigos’ San Potter, 60, San Marcos, Calif. is driver of record again this year and his additional compadres Freddie Willert, 55, El Cajon, Calif. and Dan Worley, 62, Encinitas, Calif. moved up to Class 10 in 2020 after winning the SCORE Lites season point title in 2019.
After several years away from the sport, the trio returned full-time in 2017 and finished seventh in the SCORE Lite points with one race win. In 2018, the talented trio finished fourth in the SCORE Lites points before the 2021 championship season in SCORE Lite where they won the SCORE San Felipe 250, the SCORE Baja 400 and the SCORE Baja 1000.
With the team’s Jimco-VW race car sitting quietly for nearly a decade, the team won their class (SCORE Lites) in the 50th SCORE Baja 1000 in 2017.
All three of them have raced in several different SCORE classes over the years and Worley won the 1992 Pro Moto 30 season points.
‘Tres Amigos’ moved up to Class 10 where they split the driving in their No. 1006 Alumi Craft-Chevy, which is shod with BFGoodrich Tires and King Shocks.
Last year, they didn’t race in San Felipe and in the other three races had class finishes of first (SCORE Baja 500), second (SCORE Baja 400) and a DNF (SCORE Baja 1000).
The ‘½ Amigo’ is Matt Willert, El Cajon, Calif., the 17-year old son of Freddie Willert, made his SCORE racing debut in last year, driving the No. 1606 Bunderson-VW in Class 1/2-1600. After not racing in San Felipe, the Steele Canyon HS Senior finished in third place in the other 2022 SCORE races to put him among the favorites in his class in 2023.
LOVELL SON/FATHER
From Colorado Springs, Colo., Adam Lovell, 16, will be making his SCORE racing debut as a Driver of Record with his Hall of Fame father Brad Lovell, 46, as his second driver in this year’s King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250, presented by Baja Vida.
The two Lovell family members will be competing in the Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) class later this month in San Felipe.
Following in dad’s dusty trail, Adam Lovell, will be the DOR in the Lovell Racing No. 2932 AMSOIL Polaris RZR Turbo S.
Brad Lovell, a legendary Rock Crawling racing champion also has earned seven career class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000 over the last 11 years.
HAGLE BROTHERS
They’re back! The Hagle brothers return in a new class as the 2021 Class 10 SCORE Season Point Champions have moved up to the even more competitive Trophy Truck Spec Class for the 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship.
From Somis, Calif., DOR this year is Ethan Hagle, 30, while his second-driver will be again be his brother Ben Hagle, 33.
Together, the Hagle brothers won Class 10 in 2021, winning the last two races of the year to win their class and finish 10th in the 2021 SCORE Overall point standings.
The Hagle brothers also won the 2021 SCORE Open Wheel Overall season point title.
In the 2022 SCORE San Felipe 250 to open the season, the Hagle brothers finished fourth out of 19 starters in Class 10, splitting the wheel time in their No. 1000 Hagle Lumber Alumi Craft-Chevy. After two DNFs, they didn’t race in the SCORE Baja 1000 to help prepare for this season.
The Hagle brothers will be driving their sparkling new No. 246 Hagle Lumber Company Alumi Craft-Chevy in the 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship in Trophy Truck Spec.
BAJA CHALLENGE
Looking to earn a four-peat as the Baja Challenge class season point champion, Edward Muncey is once again driver of record in his No. BC4 Subaru-powered BTC (Baja Touring Car) open-wheel desert race car.
With a variety of additional drivers over the years, including several family members and several retired military personnel, Muncey, 52, San Diego, will have his son Dominic Muncey, 20, as his second driver in San Felipe this year.
His brother and long-time second driver Roger Norman, 59, San Diego, has decided to run a solo season in the Pro UTV Open class in his No. 1888 Norman Motorsports Polaris Pro R race vehicle. Norman has two career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins, both in 2008.
Last season, Muncey opened with a second-place in class in San Felipe and followed that podium finish by winning his Baja Challenge class in the next two races and finish second in the SCORE Baja 1000 to earn his third consecutive class season point title.
Muncey spent 11 years as the Senior Vice-President, Technology for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and now is part of Stream Enforcement, LLC in Las Vegas.
GRANDEST MARSHAL FOR THE YEAR
Sal Fish, admired as the iconic ‘godfather’ of SCORE desert racing, has agreed to be the Grand Marshal of the Year for the entire four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship as SCORE is ‘Celebrating 50 Years of Desert Racing Excellence.’
Revered all over Baja California, Fish, who will turn 84 on May 2, is a former publisher of Hot Rod Magazine and a 2006 inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. He led SCORE for 38 years, from 1974 until he sold the organization on Dec. 20, 2012.
His footprint left an indelible mark on all of desert racing as he was an extraordinary innovator and visionary for SCORE and the entire world of desert racing.
SAN FELIPE GRAND MARSHALS
SCORE has announced that Dan Cornwell and Pat Butler will join Sal Fish as the co-Grand Marshals for this year’s King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250, presented by Baja Vida.
Cornwell, a long-time SCORE racer who raced in multiple classes, won the overall in the Inaugural SCORE San Felipe 250 back in 1982. Cornwell drove the No. 103 Chenowth-VW to victory in that first SCORE race in San Felipe.
For nearly a decade now, Cornwell has been the SCORE Tech Director so he will be even busier at this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250.
Butler, a prominent U.S. developer, opened the prominent El Dorado Ranch in 1989. Spending most of his time in San Felipe, Butler has been a staunch supporter of SCORE and the entire San Felipe municipality for over three decades.
Butler is a former International Vice-President of the Marriott Corporation.
SCOREscope
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, fueled by Baja Vida—
March 28-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
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official SCORE Sponsors: BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire and Race Title Sponsor, 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, VP Racing Fuels-Official Fuel and race presenting sponsor, Baja Vida-Official Snacks and race presenting sponsor, Optima Batteries-Official Batteries, Rugged Radios-Official Radios, Wide Open Excursions-Official Arrive and Drive Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino.
SCORE Official Partners: The Satellite Phone Store, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance.
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.
‘Celebrating 50 Years of Desert Racing Excellence’
King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250,
Fueled by Baja Vida
Opener of four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship
March 28-April 2 – 260 miles – San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
Total Entries: 161 (as of 3/6/23)
(from 25 U.S. States, host Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Peru)
(Numerical order, by class)
Pro Cars/Trucks/UTVs
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (27*)
1 Luke McMillin
6 Dan Myers
7 Bryce Menzies
10 Alan Ampudia
11 Rob MacCachren
19 Tim Herbst
*21L Gustavo Vildosola Sr
21 Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola
23 Dan McMillin
24 Adam Householder
26 Dave Taylor
*37L Rolf Helland
38 Eric Hustead
42 Juan Guillen
43 Larry Roeseler
46 Paul Weel
58 Tracy Graf
*61L David Payne
69 Andrew Myers
70 Kevin Thompson
*79L Russell Buehler
82 Sam Baldi
85 Mikey Lawrence
*85L Clay Lawrence
87 Dallas Luttrell
89 Mike Walser
92 Paul Nauleau
*SCORE TT LEGEND
CLASS 1 (6)
100 Kyle Quinn
102 Adam Castaneda
152 Joe David
153 Brad Wilson
162 Brendan Gaughan
168 Cody Reid
TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (34)
204 Christopher Polvoorde
205 Joe Delucie
207 Mason Cullen
211 Pat Sims
212 Jim Anderson
217 Joe Belt
225 Scott McNeil
226 Juan C. Lopez
228 Ryan Hancock
231 Carlos Ramos
234 Jason McNeil
236 Michael Marsal
238 Elijah Kiger
240 Chris Miller
243 James Scully
244 Oliver Flemate
246 Ethan Hagle
249 Dustin Swanson
252 Oscar Arambula
253 Ray Griffith
260 Santiago Creel
263 EJ Herbst
264 Thor Herbst
270 Jimmy Diaz
275 Juan Sanchotena
277 Travis Williams
278 Carlos Ibarra
282 Brent Fox
285 Justin Davis
289 Tanner Rust
292 Jason Coleman
294 Vincent Munoz
297 Jorge Sampietro
299 Charles Dorrance
CLASS 10 (8)
1004 Cade Garcia
1006 Stan Potter
1011 Cesar Cuevas
1020 Carlos Guillen
1023 Britney Myers
1050 Martin Christenson
1077 Dale Ebberts
1091 Francisco Vera
PRO UTV OPEN (10)
1840 Richard Fant
1850 Paul Barnhart Jr
1854 Kristen Matlock
1867 Mike Pratt
1869 Justin Lambert
1871 Wayne Matlock
1876 Mike Cafro
1885 Tyler Backus
1888 Roger Norman
1895 Kaden Wells
PRO UTV FI (12)
2915 Rickey Arslanian
2932 Adam Lovell
2935 Tomas Cantor
2940 Erick Kozin
2941 Steven Poole
2949 Alonso Lopez
2958 Conner Willet
2986 Adrian Orellana
2987 Edgar Garcia Leon
2995 Matt Monteith
2996 Jessica Lopez
2997 Dave Jablonsky
CLASS 7 (2)
700 Daniel Chamlee
703 Scott Brady
SCORE LITES (1)
1221 Scott Wisdom
PRO UTV NA (2)
1914 Lawrence Janesky
1978 T. Bradley Millner
CLASS 1/2-1600 (2)
1606 Matt Willert
1625 Eric Pavolka
PRO UTV STOCK (8)
3908 Scott Bergen
3911 Victor Esparza
3928 Endy Chavez
3930 Douglas Cornwell
3933 Randy Emberton
3936 Jorge Cano
3943 Dennis Romero
3967 Manuel Norzagaray
CLASS 5 (3)
508 Mike Sullivan
510 Gerardo Ibarra
545 Billy Gereghty
CLASS 5-1600 (1)
579 Edgar Ruiz
BAJA CHALLENGE (1)
BC4 Edward Muncey
CLASS 7F (2)
714F Justin Park
715F Daniel Reyes Jr
TROPHY LITE (1)
6049 Chase Swanson
CLASS 11 (5)
1105 Oliver Flemate
1111 Eric Solorzano
1121 Dennis Hollenbeck
1150 Geovany Alcuno
1156 Arthur Penner-1st RS
Sportsman
SPT OPEN WHEEL (1)
1522 Christopher Augenti
Pro Motorcycles
PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (5)
1x Juan Carlos Salvatierra
8x Ryan Liebelt
13x Adrian Ortiz
15x Eric Holt
18x Aaron Volle
PRO MOTO 30 (1)
300x Jano Montoya
PRO MOTO LIMITED (2)
103x Giovanni Aviles
176x Austin Cummings
PRO MOTO 40 (1)
441x Alirio Amado
PRO MOTO IRONMAN (13)
700x Brandon Wright
711x Dustin Davis
718x Kurt Steever
723x Edgar Cota
747x Jose Lozada
757x Brandon Lebrun
758x Justin Cloutier
765x Mark Bechtold
766x Dustin Vazquez
775x Tanner Janesky
785x Fabricio Fuentes
789x Christian Cuevas
793x Juan Zunino
PRO MOTO 60 (3)
611x Robbie Sjoberg
628x Scott McIntosh
644x Kevin Ward
Pro Quads
Pro Quad (2)
11a Fidel Gonzalez
21a Jose Castro
Sportsman
SPT M/C (6)
201x Nate Anderson
208x Miguel Luna
214x Lawrence Janesky
241x Cheo Tessaro
255x Isaac Amaya
290x Gerardo Rubio
SPT QUAD (2)
123a Eva Hernandez
138a Jose Hernandez