Entries from 26 States, 11 Countries for 55th SCORE Baja 500

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, Dominic@SCORE-International.com
 
May 26, 2023
 
‘Celebrating 50 Years of SCORE Desert Racing Excellence’
Next Week in Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500—
Entries from 26 US States, 11 Countries in Starting Draw
for Round 3 of 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship
 
Late, on-site racer registration May 31-June 2 at Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
in Off-Road Racing Capital of the World—Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico;
Pre-running continues on blistering 473.67-mile course around No. Baja California
Sal Fish Grand Marshal—2023 season, Stewart, Campbell—SCORE Baja 500
SCORE Live, vehicle tracking at www.score-international.com, Rat Sult anchor host;
#SCORE Baja 500
 
NOTE: Current number/name entry list in start order, by class at bottom of text
 
ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico – ‘Celebrating 50 Years of SCORE Desert Racing Excellence’ this year, most of the start positions were determined by the finishing order from the previous race and the balance of the starting positions for the first 231 entries were determined this week as racers from around the world are heading to Baja California, Mexico for the legendary BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500.
FAST FACTS
Round 2 of the four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held May 31-June 4 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Ensenada, ‘The Off-Road Racing Capital of the World,’ is located 80 miles South of the U.S. Border near San Diego.
With nearly 300 entries expected from 30 U.S. States and 20 countries, 45 competition classes are offered for Pro and Sportsman cars, trucks, UTVs, 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.
All four 2023 SCORE races are being held on Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula for the eighth consecutive year.
SCORE, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Organization, is celebrating its 50th season in 2023.
TOP FIVE STARTERS
As a result of their respective finishes in April’s King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250 in San Felipe, Mexico, the top five SCORE Trophy Truck racers will be 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. 1), followed second by Alan Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico (No. 10), Bryce Menzies, Las Vegas (No. 7) third while fourth will be Andrew Myers, San Marcos, Calif. (No. 69) and completing the top five starters will be Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr (No. 21) next Saturday (June 3).
SCORE Trophy Truck, launched by former SCORE owner Sal Fish 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 the team lead by Ciaran Naran who was the Overall motocycle and Pro Moto Unlimited class winner in San Felipe.
This week’s start draw was held for all the racers who have entered to so far that did not finish or didn’t race in the season-opening SCORE San Felipe 250.
PRE-RUNNING
Official practice, or pre-running, on the official 473.67-mile race course for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500, started last Saturday and continues starting at race mile 33.41. The section to rm33.41 section will be open only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only on Friday (June 2). Outbound pre-running on Friday (June 2) will start at rm4.89 to rm33.41. No inbound pre-running of this section.
The official SCORE Racer Brief, Penalty brief, course map and GPS files are available on the SCORE website under race info/SCORE Baja 500.
ENTRIES
     With nearly 300 entries anticipated at the start line, 231 total entries have been received so far for this historic event, with racers representing 26 U.S. States, U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, and 11 countries. The countries with at least one racer so far are United States, host country Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Finland, Japan, 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 32 (including six in SCORE TT Legend for SCORE Trophy Truck drivers over 50), Trophy Truck Spec, (SCORE Trophy Trucks with crate engines) with 32, Class 10 with 15, Pro UTV Open with 20, Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) with 21, and Pro UTV Stock with 10.
Among 2-wheel vehicles, Pro Moto Ironman (for solo riders) has 11 entries.
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 winning their respective classes in the season-opening SCORE San Felipe 250 are Gustavo Vildosola Sr, Mexicali, Mexico/Ricky Johnson, Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (SCORE TT Legend, No. 21L), Cody Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif./Brian Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 1, No. 127), Thor Herbst, Las Vegas. (Trophy Truck Spec, No. 219), Justin Buckley, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 10, No. 1064), Daniel Chamlee, San Felipe, Mexico (Montecito, Calif.) (Class 7, No. 700), Craig Scanlon, Orange, Calif. (Helena, Mont.) (Pro UTV Open, No. 1831), Joe Bolton, Corona, Calif. (Pro UTV NA, No. 1957), Eric Pavolka, Sonoita, Ariz. (Classs 1/2-1600, No. 1625), Justin Park, Encinitas, Calif. (Class 7F, No. 714F), and Oliver Flemate, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11, No. 1105.
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, 300x), Fernando Beltran, Ensenada, Mexico (Pro Moto Limited, No. 100x), and Juan Zunino, Argentina (Pro Moto Ironman, No. 793x).
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 (May 31) from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT, on Thursday (June 1) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT and on Friday (June 2) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. No new entries will be accepted after 7 p.m. on Wednesday (May 31), 4 p.m. PT on Thursday (June 1) and 4 p.m. PT on Friday (June 2).
COURSE PREVIEW
     With pre-running opening last Saturday (May 20), 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 473.67 miles.
It will be starting and finishing again on fan-friendly Blvd. Costero adjacent to the iconic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada. Pre-race Contingency will also be held on Blvd. Costero on Friday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
The course runs in a clockwise direction out of and back to the start/finish line compound in Ensenada, traveling through such noted areas as Ojos Negros, Santa Catarina, the Summit, Cohabuzo Junction, Saldana, La Ventana access, Las Cuevitas Wash, San Matias Pass, Valle de Trinidad, Llano Colorado, Cerro Solo, San Vicente Wash, Erendira, Santo Tomas, Uruapan, Los Encinitos, Rancho El Mezcal and Ojos Negros.
The course has two complete stop physical checkpoints, 187 total virtual checkpoints and 13 speed zones for a total of 58.27 miles.
Checkpoint 1 is located at race mile 211.62 (Laguna Amarga) and Checkpoint 2 is at rm326.64 (Llano Colorado).
All Sportsman classes, Class 11 and Class 7SX will run a reduced course of a total of 440.72 miles.
This will be the first time since the 2016 SCORE Baja 1000 that a SCORE race course has gone over the Summit (around race mile 108.23) and it will be the first time since the 2019 SCORE Baja 1000 that the course will go through Ejido Nativos between Erendira and Santo Tomas.
Colorful Contingency and Tech Inspection will also be held on Blvd. Costero on Friday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
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 165 SCORE Baja races.
This year’s SCORE Baja 500 will start for the 49th time in Ensenada and finish for the 45th time in Ensenada.
BFGOODRICH TIRES UNMATCHED
BFGoodrich Tires, the official tire of SCORE for 47 years, was honored after the 2022 season as the SCORE Contingency Company of the year for the 32nd time.
BFGoodrich Tires has been the choice of 35 of the 54 overall winners of the popular SCORE Baja 500 and 33 of the 55 overall winners of the legendary SCORE Baja 1000. BFGoodrich Tires is also the title sponsor of both iconic races again in 2023.
BFGoodrich Tires also has been the choice of 30 of the 36 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 three overall winners in the SCORE Baja 400.
This year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 overall victory by San Diego’s Luke McMillin marked the 103rd SCORE Baja overall race win for BFGoodrich Tires.
BFGoodrich Tires has posted a contingency bonus for the overall winner of this year’s race of US$10,000.
SCORE LIVE
SCORE Live will be streaming throughout race week on the SCORE website. Colorful Rat Sult is in his eighth season as the host and lead announcer of SCORE Live. Assisting him again at this race will be veteran voice Dave Arnold.
GRANDEST MARSHAL FOR GOLDEN YEAR
Sal Fish, admired as the iconic ‘godfather’ of SCORE desert racing who is a foundational pillar of the organization, is the Grand Marshal of the Year for the entire four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship.
Revered all over Baja California, Fish, who will turn 84 tomorrow (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.
He expanded TV coverage of SCORE races and in 1994 created the SCORE Trophy Truck class, the marquee racing division in the sport of desert racing.
SCORE BAJA 500 GRAND MARSHALS
     SCORE has announced that Ivan Stewart, Alpine, Calif., and Johnny Campbell will be the co-Grand Marshals for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500.
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’ will be celebrating his 78th birthday on June 4, during the conclusion of this year’s SCORE Baja 500.
The ‘Ironman’ celebrated his birthday annually over the years with 17 career class wins including a race-record 10 overall 4-wheel vehicle victories in the SCORE Baja 500.
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). Driving most of his career for Toyota Motorcycles, Stewart continues as a spokesperson for Toyota Racing Development.
Campbell, 52, San Clemente, Calif., is a stellar SCORE motorcycle racing champion with six career class wins including five overall victories in the SCORE Baja 500. He also has a race-record 11 overall motorcycle victories in the SCORE Baja 1000 on his resume.
Campbell is also an 11-time SCORE season point champion in the Pro Moto Unlimited class on his Honda CRF450X. He also rode in the 2001 Dakar Rally, finishing eighth overall.
Campbell has been inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (2018) and the Trailblazers MC Hall of Fame (2021).
Today he continues as the Off-Road Coordinator for American Honda in addition to running his own successful team—Johnny Campbell Racing/Honda (JCR) with several top desert motorcycle racers.
SCOREscope
2023 GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SCHEDULE
Here are the dates for the remaining three races in the four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship Golden Anniversary season, ‘Celebrating 50 Years of SCORE Desert Racing Excellence’, which are being held totally in Baja California, Mexico for the eighth consecutive year:
BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500—
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—
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, 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 Radio Communications, 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 SCORE Desert Racing Excellence’
BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500
Round 2 of four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship
May 31-June 4 – 473.67 miles – Ensenada, Baja California
Total Entries: 231 (as of 5/26/23)
(from 26 U.S. States, U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, host Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia,
Canada, Chile, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Peru)
 

(Start order, by class)

Pro Cars/Trucks/UTVs

SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (32*)

1 Luke McMillin

10 Alan Ampudia

7 Bryce Menzies

69 Andrew Myers

21 Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola

51 Steve Olliges

43 Larry Roeseler

*1L Gustavo Vildosola Sr

24 Rob MacCachren (DOR-Adam Householder)

33 Roberto Romo Jr

82 Sam Baldi

70 Kevin Thompson

87 Mike Walser (DOR-Dallas Luttrell)

19 Tim Herbst

58 Tracy Graf

*85L Clay Lawrence

*61L David Payne

23 Dan McMillin

45 Gary Magness

16 Cameron Steele

85 Mikey Lawrence

27 Jonathan Brenthel

46 Paul Weel

*37L Rolf Helland

*53L Wade Porter

60 Cole Potts

6 Dan Myers

28 Ryan Daniel

35 Kevin Adler

*65L Greg Adler

66 Chris Hertsch

*55L Jose Flores

*SCORE TT LEGEND

CLASS 1 (9)

127 Cody Parkhouse

153 Brad Wilson

168 Cody Reid

102 Adam Castaneda

101 Al Torres

100 Kyle Quinn

162 Brendan Gaughan

178 Kevy Nott

121 Damen Jefferies-1st RS

TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (32)

219 Thor Herbst

234 Jason McNeil

277 Travis Williams

236 Michael Marsal

238 Elijah Kiger

263 Ryan Millen (DOR-EJ Herbst)

211 Pat Sims

282 Brent Fox

204 Christopher Polvoorde

205 Joe Delucie

246 Ethan Hagle

217 Joe Belt

260 Santiago Creel

244 Oliver Flemate

207 Mason Cullen

249 Dustin Swanson

225 Scott McNeil

284 Jose Contreras

266 David Ziegler

240 Chris Miller

227 Jack Olliges

289 Tanner Rust

273 Jordan Brenthel

228 Ryan Hancock

270 Jimmy Diaz

299 Charles Dorrance

275 Juan Sanchotena

285 Justin Davis

232 Chelsea Magness

280 Bryan Scheible

226 Juan C. Lopez

231 Carlos Ramos

CLASS 10 (15)

1064 Justin Buckley

1091 Francisco Vera

1020 Carlos Guillen

1079 Manlio F. Diaz

1016 Hiram Duran

1006 Stan Potter

1077 Dale Ebberts

1027 Arturo V. Malo

1057 Steve Myers

1075 Eliseo Garcia

1082 Carlos Jimenez

1061 Arturo Garza

1014 Bruce Yee-3rd RS

1000 J. David Ruvalcaba-2nd RS

1023 Britney Myers-1st RS

PRO UTV OPEN (20)

1831 Craig Scanlon

1871 Wayne Matlock

1821 Cayden MacCachren

1827 Austin Weiland

1867 Mike Pratt

1885 Tyler Backus

1896 Brock Heger

1869 Justin Lambert

1850 Paul Barnhart Jr

1895 Kaden Wells

1854 Kristen Matlock

1886 Branden Sims

1866 Harison Weiss

1881 Douglas Mittag

1888 Roger Norman

1859 Josh Row

1876 Mike Cafro

1870 Brandon Walsh

1837 Ronnie Anderson

1868 Bernie Gomez-1st RS

PRO UTV UNLIMITED (1)

3993 Richard Fant

PRO UTV FI (21)

2987 Edgar Garcia Leon

2998 PJ Jones

2996 Jessica Lopez

2915 Rickey Arslanian

2948 Matt Burroughs

2935 Tomas Cantor

2976 Jesus Mendez Jr

2917 Jason Murray

2999 Tim Sullivan

2920 Roberto Ruiz

2905 Marc Burnett

2995 Matt Monteith

2927 Justin Smith

2903 Seth Quintero

2944 Phil Blurton

2985 Austin ‘AJ’ Jones

2962 Clinton Shue

2911 Aaron Aguilar

2951 Austin Johnson

2991 Rodrigo Arriagada-2nd RS

2986 Adrian Orellana-1st RS

CLASS 7 (3)

700 Daniel Chamlee

716 Gaspar Espindola

709 Ethan Ebert

SCORE LITES (2)

1211 Oscar R. Alvarez

1203 Oliver Flemate

PRO UTV NA (7)

1957 Joe Bolton

1980 Gabe Matthews

1914 Lawrence Janesky

1952 Hector Crespo

1951 Mike Podratz

1925 Zach Sizelove

1911 Carlos Waumann-1st RS

CLASS 1/2-1600 (3)

1625 Eric Pavolka

1644 Roman Pereyra

1606 Matt Willert-1st RS

PRO UTV STOCK (10)

3900 Anibal Lopez

3933 Randy Emberton

3967 Manuel Norzagaray

3908 Scott Bergen

3936 Jorge Cano

3930 Douglas Cornwell

3959 Antonio Mendez

3940 Jeff Jacobs

3953 Nick Bruce

3911 Victor Esparza-1st RS

CLASS 8 (1)

852 Spencer Morgan

CLASS 5 (3)

508 Mike Sullivan

525 Martin Anguiano-2nd RS

511 Eli Yee-1st RS

CLASS 5-1600 (1)

579 Edgar Ruiz

BAJA CHALLENGE (2)

BC4 Edward Muncey

BC7 Randy Slezak

CLASS 7F (4)

714F Justin Park

700F Gerardo Novelo

719F Cesar Gutierrez

704F Aaron Celiceo

STOCK FULL (1)

8103 John Marshall

TROPHY LITE (1)

6049 Chase Swanson

CLASS 11 (4)

1105 Oliver Flemate

1145 Esteban Ruiz

1143 Eric Brandt

1111 Eric Solorzano

Pro Motorcycles

PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (8)

3x Ciaran Naran

15x Eric Holt

18x Aaron Volle

13x Adrian Ortiz

11x Arturo Salas Jr

17x Kevin Holt

9x Connor Eddy

1x Juan Carlos Salvatierra

PRO MOTO 30 (4)

300x Jano Montoya

319x David Smith

328x Jose Ochoa Acosta

320x Jorge Garcia

PRO MOTO LIMITED (8)

100x Fernando Beltran

114x Ely Ramirez

102x Patrick Pennington (ROR-Steven Abrams)

120x Courtland Miller

117x Jeffrey Row

119x Oscar Garcia

133x Julio de Pena

103x Giovanni Aviles

PRO MOTO 50 (1)

501x Robert Creemers

PRO MOTO 40 (3)

441x Alirio Amado

455x David Garza

400x Ryan Liebelt

PRO MOTO IRONMAN (11)

793x Juan Zunino

700x Brandon Wright

718x Kurt Steever

785x Fabricio Fuentes

768x Toby Burchfield

771x Risto Niemi

795x Jason Alosi

726x Greg Galbreth

778x Aaron McDowell

723x Edgar Cota

753x Jose Hannan-1st RS

PRO MOTO 60 (3)

628x Scott McIntosh

643x Steven McQuerry

644x Kevin Ward-1st RS

Pro Quads

Pro Quad (3)

1a Nicolas Velez

21a Jose Castro

4a Juan Gonzalez

Pro Quad Ironman (2)

83a Faelly Lopez

86a Javier Guerra

Sportsman

SPT M/C (8)

290x Gerardo Rubio

233x Eluminio Berrelleza

270x Brent Phillips

202x Mariano Sanchez

236x Andy Valencia

257x Luis Rivera

249x Armando Ortiz

253x Kazuhiro Nakamura

SPT QUAD (8)

105a Francisco Valle

139a Sergio Jimenez

106a David Huezo

109a Brayan Alonso

123a Eva Hernandez

191a Juan Cota

125a Alfredo Rodriguez

138a Gabriel Vazquez (ROR-Jose Hernandez)