Colton Udall cruised to overall Motorcycle win at Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominiccnv@aol.com

September 18, 2016

Potter wins Class 40
Colton Udall cruised to overall Motorcycle win
at Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge

Robles Jr top overall Quad, Schultz, Verdugo, Winkelman, Skurkis,
all class winners on Sunday during final day of three-day event,
Complete results available at www.SCORE-international.com

ROSARITO BEACH, Mexico—Completing a glorious three days of thrilling desert racing, USA’s Colton Udall rode solo to capture the overall motorcycle victory Sunday to conclude the internationally-televised Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge in Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
Enjoying the first SCORE race in history in Rosarito Beach and the first time in the 40-plus year history of the world’s foremost desert racing organization that motorcycles and quads had their own day to enjoy the SCORE spotlight, Ox Motorsports’ Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif., rode solo on his No. 1x Honda CRF450X to cover the 128.4 total miles in a total winning time for four laps in three hours, two minutes and 44 seconds with an average speed of 42.16 miles per hour.
With a special race format, Round 3 of the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship was held through Sunday in Mexico’s Baja California. The race was run in split sessions with racers covering two laps of a rugged 32.1-mile loop course in each session for 128.4 miles total. It started and finished just south of Rosarito Beach in the Los Manantiales area south of central Rosarito. The car and truck classes ran the first half of their race on Friday and their final two laps on Saturday while the motorcycles and quads ran both of their sessions on Sunday with a break between each of the two-lap sessions.
On Saturday Mexico’s veteran Juan C. Lopez captured the overall and SCORE Trophy Truck division victory in 2:57:32 as the event had 127 starters and 79 finishers for a 62.21 percent finishing rate.
OX MOTORSPORTS
For Udall, who races the longer-distance SCORE races with teammate Mark Samuels, also of Yucca Valley, ran another flawless race to help his team remain undefeated after three races in the 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship.
Udall rode the first two laps in 1:29:56 during the morning session and handled the final two laps following a race break of a little over one hour in 1:32:48 during the afternoon session.
Starting first in the morning session with a near dust-free ride, Udall started in the back of seven starters in his Pro Moto Unlimited class and the dusty conditions slowed him down for a slower second-half split. Udall managed a victory margin of nearly eight minutes over runner-up Shane Esposito, Lake Elsinore, Calif. (Rider of Record-Francisco Arredondo) who had a time of 3:10:32 on the No. 45x Honda CRF450X.
UDALL COMMENTS
A tired but pleased Udall reflected at the finish line, “I just rode the race course and tried to pass as many guys as I could. I crashed twice throughout the day. Everything is difficult on this race course. We will start prepping and getting our pits ready for the SCORE Baja 1000. The plan is to Ironman the Baja 1000 and Mark (Samuels) will be my backup if I have any issues. It has been a goal of mine since I started racing in Baja and I've won four championships with my teamates on two different teams. I want to Ironman because it is a goal of mine and I feel like it's my time.”
Commenting on his first two laps in the morning session, Udall said, “I lapped three of the people that started after me which surprised me. I expected to lap more but I'm glad that it didn't happen. I was actually equipped with a horn so I could try and get guys out of the way. The course is much worse than during pre-running because huge horsepower trucks and buggies have been racing on the course. The stuff where it is hard pack isn't a problem but there are some nasty square edges where if you're not careful you can crash pretty hard. All the stuff in the back where it is already broken down and soft is now really is soft. There are big silt ruts and super gnarly rocks.”
The winning Udall added, “The bike is constantly working and being abused by the rocks. It isn't easy and a lot of guys underestimate the difficulty. They think I'm a cheater when it comes to racing the long miles. I just hammered that run and it comes down to knowing where you're going and what you are comfortable with on the bike. I'm one with that motorcycle and I've been racing it for eight years now so it's like we gel quite well. People doubt, but I think this short course will prove that I'm not taking some crazy line. I'm out there hammering the throttle and making sure I don't crash.”
TOP FIVE OVERALL MOTORCYCLES
Following the leaders to the finish line, besides Udall and Esposito, the other riders who earned times in the top five overall motorcycle finishers were: third overall was was Max Eddy, Barstow, Calif. in a time of 3:12:40 on the No. 46x Honda CRF450X, fourth overall was Larry Serna, Chula Vista, Calif. in a time of 3:13:00 on a KTM XCW450 and fifth overall motorcycle was Trey Vansourt, Valencia, Calif./Jeremy Newton, on the No. 47x Honda CRF450X in an elapsed time of 3:13:48.
TOP QUAD
Javier Robles Jr of Guadalupe Victoria, Mexico rode solo to victory as the fastest overall Quad in the race. Staying undefeated in three races in the 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship, Robles seized the day by riding his Honda TRX450R to a winning time in the Pro Quad class of 3:09:23 with an average speed of 40.68 mph.
OTHER CLASS WINNERS
The other class winners Sunday in the motorcycle classes were Colie Potter, Las Vegas (Class 40, Honda CRF450X), Emanuel Verdugo, Ensenada, Mexico (Rider of Record-Fernando Beltran, Ensenada, Mexico (Pro Moto LimitedChristopher Schultz, Kamuela, Hawaii (Class 30, Yamaha YZ450X), Mark Winkelman, Cedar Hill, Texas (Class 50, Honda CRF450X) and Michael Skurkis, Henderson, Nev. (Pro Moto Ironman, KTM 450XCW).
SPECIAL FORMAT
Unique for SCORE, the 20th time used this race format that saw all classes racing a total of four laps over a surprisingly rugged 32.1-mile race course (128.4 total miles) split into two, two-lap sessions.
HISTORIC COURSE
The race features a colorful course, finalized by SCORE CEO/President Roger Norman along with Race Director Jose A. Grijalva of 32.1 miles through the foothills and around a mountain to the south and east of central Rosarito Beach. It started and finished at the Los Manantiales area.
This landmark race course was another memorable example of Baja California diversity in terrain starting near sea-level and climbing up twice to around 2,000 feet. The course was another unique jewel reflecting the majestic beauty of Baja California going through more ranches than most SCORE race courses.
Traveling in a clockwise direction, the race course weaved its way through washes, on existing trails, up and over a ridgeline trail at the top of two hills and back down into the start/finish line.
Filled with farms and ranches, the race course goes through areas like Piedra Azul, Panchos, Loma Del Gato and Loma Bonita while racing around the famous El Cerro del Coronel mountain in areas where SCORE has never before held a race.
The race course included three physical, full-stop checkpoints, checkpoint No. 1 at race-mile 9.4, CP No. 2 at race-mile 18.6 and CP No. 3 at race-mile 26.7.
HISTRIONICS
While this was the first time in Rosarito, the SCORE Desert Challenge has been held 19 previous times since it first began in 1995. It was held in Laughlin, Nev., USA, from 1995 through 2012 and in Plaster City, Calif., USA, in 2014.
CBS SPORTS NETWORK COVERAGE
All races in the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship, along with the special SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience and qualifying for the SCORE Baja 1000 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway are once again airing in the USA and Canada on the CBS Sports Network. The spectacular shows feature not only SCORE Trophy Truck coverage, but also top action and highlights from many other classes of trucks, cars, UTVs, motorcycles and quads – making sure that the most exciting footage and most compelling stories continue as part of each race event broadcast.
Capping off the 2016 broadcast season, the SCORE Baja 1000 broadcast on CBS Sports Network will air as a full two-hour special for the second straight year.
ON THE AIR
2016 CBS Sports Network Original Broadcast Schedule (subject to change, check local listings)
· SCORE San Felipe 250 (first telecast-Sunday, April 17, 9 p.m. ET)
· SCORE Baja 500 (first telecast-Sunday, July 24, 9 p.m. ET)
· Rosarito Beach SCORE Desert Challenge (first telecast-Sunday, Nov. 13, 9 p.m. ET)
· SCORE Baja 1000 Qualifying @SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience (first telecast-Sunday, Dec.18, 9 p.m. ET)
· SCORE Baja 1000 (two-hour special) (first telecast-Sunday, December 25, 9 p.m. ET)
CBS SPORTS NETWORK
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
SCOREscope
The four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship includes four special events and for the first time all four are being held in Baja California, Mexico. Here is the complete 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship schedule:
· 30th SCORE San Felipe 250, Feb. 25-28, San Felipe, Mexico
· 48th SCORE Baja 500, June 1-5, Ensenada Mexico
· Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge, Sept. 14-18, Rosarito Beach, Mexico
· 49th SCORE Baja 1000, Nov.16-20, Ensenada, Mexico
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official SCORE Sponsors: Bud Light-Official Beer, Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink, BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Vision Wheel – Official Wheel, Axial R/C-Official R/C Vehicle, Muck Daddy-Official Hand Cleaner, CBS Sports Network-Official Television Partner, Wide Open Excursions- Official Arrive and Drive Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino.
Official SCORE Partners: 4 Wheel Parts, Coca Cola, The Satellite Phone Store, PCI Race Radios.
Additional SCORE Partners: Proturismo Ensenada, Visit Baja California Sur, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Mexicali Ayuntamineto, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Cruz Roja Mexicana, Corporate Helicopters, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, McKenzie’s Performance Products, Advanced Color Graphics.
Rosarito Beach SCORE Desert Challenge Special Partners: Vi Ayuntamiento de Playas de Rosarito, Cotuco de Playas de Rosarito, Comite de Mercadatecnia Playas de Rosarito, Baja California Secretary of Tourism.
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCORE-International.com.

Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge
Sept. 16-18 – Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico
Round 3 of four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship
(128.4 miles, four total laps of 32.1-mile course, split into two sessions)
(Cars, Trucks, UTVs raced Sept. 16, Sept. 17; Motorcycles, Quads raced Sept. 18)
TOTAL STARTERS (All Classes): 127; TOTAL FINISHERS: 79 (62.21 Percent)
TOTAL 4-WHEEL STARTERS: 84; TOTAL 4-WHEEL FINISHERS: 49
TOTAL M/C, QUAD STARTERS: 43; TOTAL M/C, QUAD FINISHERS: 30
(from 17 U.S. States, Guatemala, Mexico)
OFFICIAL FINISHERS—Motorcycles & Quads
Class Rank, Vehicle Number, Driver(s), Manufacturer, 4 laps, 128.4-miles, elapsed time (miles per hour)
PRO MOTORCYCLES
PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (450cc or more)—1. 1x Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:02:44 (42.16 miles per hour); 2. 45x Shane Esposito, Menifee, Calif. (ROR-Francisco Arredondo, Guatemala), Honda CRF450X, 3:10:31; 3. 46x Max Eddy, Barstow, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:12:40; 4. 15x Larry Serna, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM XCW450, 3:13:00; 5. 47x Trey Vansourt, Valencia, Calif./Jeremy Newton, Honda CRF450X, 3:13:48; 6. 3x Ray Dal Soglio, Scottsdale, Ariz./Nic Garvin, Ladera Ranch, Calif., Honda CRF450X., 3:20:17; 7. 37x Kevin Murphy, Fresno, Calif./Morgan Crawford, Fresno, Calif./Jordan Brandt, Fresno, Calif., Husqvarna FE501, 3:33:53. (Starters: 7, Finishers: 7)
PRO MOTO 30 (Riders over 30 years old)—1. 301x Christopher Schultz, Kamuela, Hawaii/Geoff Hill/Ryan Leibelt/Greg Bardonnex, Yamaha YZ450FX, 3:45:18 (34.20); 2. 371x Gerardo Buelna, Ensenada, Mexico/Roy Buelna, Ensenada, Mexico, Husaberg 350, 4:33:32. (Starters: 2, Finishers 2)
PRO MOTO 40 (Riders over 40 years old)—1. 400x Colie Potter, Las Vegas/Sterlyn Rigsby, Temecula, Calif./Dave Glass, Menifee, Calif./Rick Pratt/Lendon Smith/Robert Lightfeldt, Hemet, Calif./Steve Herstad, Honda CRF450X, 3:28:21 (36.98 mph); 2. 404x Jano Montoya, Winter Garden, Fla./Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico/Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico Kirk Russell, KTM 450XCW, 3:29:28; 3. 455x Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Rex Cameron, Albuquerque, N.M./Jason Trubey/Tim Morton, Honda CRF450X, 3:36:48; 4. 437x Craig Thompson, Fresno, Calif./Jeff Vogt, Fresno, Calif./Jeff Evans, San Jose, Calif., Husqvarna FE501, 3:49:02; 5. 403x Oscar Fazz, Yuma Ariz./Paul Lopez, Kawasaki LX450F, 4:31:15. (Starters: 5, Finishers: 5)
PRO MOTO LIMITED (449cc or less)—1. 100x Emanuel Verdugo, Ensenada, Mexico (ROR-Fernando Beltran, Ensenada, Mexico), Yamaha YZ250F, 3:44:31 (34.31 mph); 2. 106x Garrett Poucher, Valencia, Calif./Michel Valenzuela, Tijuana, Mexico, KTM 350XCF, 3:49:59. (Starters: 5, Finishers: 2);
PRO MOTO 50 (Riders over 50 years old)—1. 507x Mark Winkelman, Cedar Hill, Texas/Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Rene Magana, Husqvarna 350, 3:54:50 (32.81 mph); 2. 540x Michael Garvin, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Bill Sekkers, Agua Dulce, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 4:45:23. (Starters: 2, Finishers: 2)
PRO MOTO IRONMAN (Solo Riders)—1. 729x Michael Skurkis, Henderson, Nev., KTM 450XCW, 4:31:56 (29.99 mph). (Starters: 3, Finishers: 1)
PRO MOTO 60 (Riders over 60 years old)—(Starters: 1, Finishers: 0)
PRO QUADS
PRO QUAD (450cc or more)—1. 1a Javier Robles Jr, Guadalupe Victoria, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 3:09:23 (40.68 mph); 2. 7a Said Sanchez, Ensenada, Mexico/Adolfo Arellano, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 3:50:41. (Starters: 3, Finishers: 2)
SPORTSMAN
SPT M/C—1. 230x Kristopher Harvey, Yuma, Ariz./Eric Saltzer, Somerton, Ariz., Honda CRF450X, 4:05:39 (31.36 mph); 2. 235x Fernando Barbosa, Miami/Fernando Ferreyra/Alberto Ruiz, Honda CRF450X, 4:12:17; 3. 283x Miguel Pena, Tijuana, Mexico/Jose Luevano/Manuel Perez/Misael Barrios, Honda CRF450X, 4:26:08. (Starters: 7, Finishers: 3)
SPT QUAD—1. 117a Erik Ruiz, Tijuana, Mexico/Jesus Zains, Tijuana, Mexico/Joaquin Rodriguez, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 3:37:03 (35.49 mph); 2. 110a Danny Magdaleno, Acton, Calif./Jorge Lopez, San Felipe, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 3:38:54; 3. 120a Kelly Ramirez, San Diego/Daniel Salazar, Imperial Beach, Calif./Juan Lopez, San Diego/Eduardo Arellano, San Diego, Honda TRX450R, 3:38:54; 4. 156a Francisco Araujo, Chula Vista, Calif./Jovany Pimentel, Chula Vista, Calif./Karim Ruvalcaba, Rosarito Beach, Calif., Kawasaki KFX400, 4:07:05; 5. 152a Angel Esquivias, Tijuana, Mexico/Juan Esquivias, Tijuana, Mexico, Yamaha YZ450F, 4:10:09; 6. 122a Leyla Odisea, San Diego, Calif./Jorge Martinez, Rosarito Beach, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 4:37:00. (Starters: 8, Finishers: 6)
Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge
Sept. 16-18 – Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico
Round 3 of four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship
(128.4 miles, four total laps of 32.1-mile course, split into two sessions)
(Cars, Trucks, UTVs raced Sept. 16, Sept. 17; Motorcycles, Quads raced Sept. 18)
TOP PRO OVERALL FINISHERS-Motorcycles & Quads
Rank, Vehicle Number, Driver(s), Manufacturer, 4 laps, 128.4-miles, elapsed time (miles per hour), Class
Pro Motorcycles
1. 1x Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:02:44 (42.16 mph) (Pro Moto Unlimited)
2. 45x Shane Esposito, Menifee, Calif. (ROR-Francisco Arredondo, Guatemala), Honda CRF450X, 3:10:31 (40.44 mph) (Pro Moto Unlimited)
3. 46x Max Eddy, Barstow, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:12:40 39.99 mph) (Pro Moto Unlimited)
4. 15x Larry Serna, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM XCW450, 3:13:00 (39.92 mph) (Pro Moto Unlimited)
5. 47x Trey Vansourt, Valencia, Calif./Jeremy Newton, Honda CRF450X, 3:13:48 (Pro Moto Unlimited)
Pro Quads
1. 1a Javier Robles Jr, Guadalupe Victoria, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 3:09:23 (40.68 mph) (Pro Quads)
2. 7a Said Sanchez, Ensenada, Mexico/Adolfo Arellano, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 3:50:41 (33.40 mph) (Pro Quads)

Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge
Sept. 16-18, 2016 – Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico
Rider quotes – Sunday, Sept. 18

PRO MOTORCYCLES
PRO MOTO UNLIMITED

COLTON UDALL, No. 1x (First overall motorcycle and first in class. Quotes following the first heat.) -- I lapped three people which I was surprised by. I expected to lap more but I'm glad that it didn't happen. I was actually equipped with a horn so I could try and get guys out of the way. The course is much worse than during pre-running because huge horsepower trucks and buggies have been racing on the course. The stuff where it is hard pack isn't a problem but there are some nasty square edges where if you're not careful you can crash pretty hard. All the stuff in the back where it is already broken down and soft is now really soft. There are big silt ruts and super gnarly rocks. The bike is constantly working and being abused by the rocks. It isn't easy and a lot of guys underestimate the difficulty. They think I'm a cheater when it comes to racing the long miles. I just hammered that run and it comes down to knowing where you're going and what you are comfortable with on the bike. I'm one with that motorcycle and I've been racing it for eight years now so it's like we gel quite well. People doubt, but I think this short course will prove that I'm not taking some crazy line. I'm out there hammering the throttle and making sure I don't crash.

(Udall Quotes following the second heat.) I just rode the race course and tried to pass as many guys as I could. I crashed twice throughout the day. Everything is difficult on this race course. We will start prepping and getting our pits ready for the SCORE Baja 1000. The plan is to Ironman the Baja 1000 and Mark (Samuels) will be my backup if I have any issues. It has been a goal of mine since I started racing in Baja and I've won four championships with my teammates on two different teams. I want to Ironman because it is a goal of mine and I feel like it's my time.

LARRY SERNA, No. 15x (Fourth in class.) -- I would have been more confident in myself if I had more time to pre-run the course. We all get used to the track and just go with the rhythm and stay safe and go fast.

PRO MOTO 30

CHRISTOPHER SCHULTZ, No. 301x (First in class. Schultz shared riding duties with Ryan Leibelt.) -- We knew we had a 30-minute gap (going into the second heat) so we knew that all we had to do was finish. That was our goal. Everything went great except that I fell coming out of the start on the second lap. It was no big deal because I got right up and the bike was still running so we got lucky.



PRO MOTO 40

COLIE POTTER, No. 400x (First in class. Potter shared riding duties with Dave Glass.) -- Co-RIDER DAVE GLASS said: The rocks kind of sneak up on you and I jumped into a silt bed and it went over me like a tidal wave. On the first lap I did a turnabout when my bike hit something and I ended up facing the other way. I got up from that and continued on. Those rocks are round rocks and they just roll you.

PRO MOTO IRONMAN

MICHAEL SKURKIS, No. 729x (First in class.) -- I ran out of gas in the first heat so I was stuck up on a ridge for 20 minutes. I borrowed a gallon and a half from a pre-runner truck. He took his gas tank apart to get me gas and let me finish the heat. My mousse came apart in the first lap of the second heat. I felt it slipping and sliding so I had to nurse the bike and dodge all the big stuff to keep the front wheel from coming apart on me.

PRO MOTO LIMITED

GARRETT POUCHER, No. 106x (Second in class. Poucher shared riding duties with Michel Valenzuela.) -- We won the SCORE San Felipe 250, had bad luck in the SCORE Baja 500 with vapor lock issues so we came out here today to run a clean race and try to get a finish. This morning was looking a little rough and nobody really wanted to race but we went out and the course ended up being a lot of fun. It was very technical and very difficult but we enjoyed it.

PRO QUADS

PRO QUAD

JAVIER ROBLES, JR. No. 1a (First overall quad and first in class.) It was a little dangerous out there because of all the rocks and because of the cars and trucks having run the course for two days. I was surprised that I had the lead after the first heat so I rode hard on the second heat and hopefully it was enough.