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Radical Race Notes from 56th SCORE Baja 1000
By Dominic Clark
SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominic@score-international.com November 8, 2023 Race Presented by K&N BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000—spectacular, Radical race notes from world’s most iconic desert race To date—329 total entries from 33 U.S. States and 17 countries part of field; Race week-Nov. 13-18; 1310.94-mile course UP Baja California peninsula for fabulous finale of four-race 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship; Granddaddy of All Desert Races to start in La Paz, Baja California Sur, on El Malecon, finish in Ensenada, Baja California, adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center #SCORE Baja 1000 ENSENADA, Mexico—More than five and one-half decades in the making, this month’s BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 K&N, has a perspective like no other on the history of desert racing. The SCORE Baja 1000 is at the pinnacle of motorsports as the oldest, most iconic, most prestigious, toughest, and longest continuously held desert race in the world. This year’s epic race will start for the first time in La Paz, Baja California Sur, race UP Mexico’s majestic Baja Peninsula, and finish for the 29th time in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Race-week activities and the Granddaddy of All Desert Races itself will be next week (Nov. 13-18). Pre-race activities and the start of the race will be held on El Malecon in La Paz, along the picturesque shore of the Sea of Cortez, and the finish line compound will be adjacent to the iconic, historical, fan-friendly Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Pre-running continues daily on the technically rugged 1310.94-mile race course, the longest of the 25 races that have gone between these two Mexican cities. BAJA MIL The world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s massive BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by K&N. There will be live streaming from two days of pre-race contingency and start-to-finish live coverage on the SCORE website and social media channels. Race week activities will be held Nov. 13-18. Over 325 vehicles are expected at the start line with racers from nearly 40 U.S. States and as many as 20 countries anticipated. Pro and Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads will be competing in the Granddaddy of All Desert Races. This year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will be a point-to-point race of an exhilaratingly exhausting 1310.94 miles starting for the first time in La Paz, Baja California Sur and finishing for the 29th time in Ensenada, Baja California. La Paz is the Capital of Baja California Sur, located nearly 1000 miles from the U.S. Border at Calexico, Calif. Ensenada, “The Off-Road Racing Capital of the World” is a coastal city on the Bahia de Todos Santos area of the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of the U.S. border at San Diego. This race is annually the finale of the SCORE World Desert Championship, which has been held exclusively for the past eight years in Baja California. LASTING LEGACY Here’s a brief look back at some of the plethora of special memories that this Granddaddy of all Desert Races continues to etch indelibly into the silty sands of time… LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 1 On November 13-18 of this year, the legendary SCORE Baja 1000, the world’s most iconic, oldest, prestigious, toughest, and longest continuously held desert race, will celebrate its 56th birthday, starting for the first time in La Paz, Baja California Sur, and finishing in Ensenada, Baja California. We salute some of the stars and memories of this race. Launching this legacy tribute, we recall two of the greatest racers who have participated in the SCORE Baja 1000—the late Rod Hall and Larry Roeseler. Both are Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees. Hall, who passed away in 2019 at 81 after a long illness, competed in all the first 50 SCORE Baja 1000 races and earned a race-record 25 class wins in his long and illustrious career. Roeseler, who is also an inductee into both the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) Hall of Fame and the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, will be at the starting line again for this year’s odyssey in Ensenada. Roeseler is second in all-time class wins with 18. Roeseler is the leader in overall race wins with 14, including 10 on a motorcycle, two on an open-wheel desert race car and two in a SCORE Trophy Truck. He will again be driving in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division. He is the only person to have won the overall in all three divisions. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 2 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Famer Sal Fish was President of SCORE from 1974 until Dec. 20, 2012. To help celebrate the 50th Anniversary season of SCORE, Fish is the Grand Marshal of the entire 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship. Besides Fish, who raced in SCORE races before owning SCORE after he was the Publisher of Hot Rod Magazine, the famous and not-so-famous have tried their hand at conquering the Baja and they have come from all walks of life. Mark Thatcher, son of Great Britain’s then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher, raced in the 1982 SCORE Baja 1000. Celebrities James Garner, Ted Nugent, and the late Steve McQueen all battled the Baja in the early 1970s and many racers from other forms of motorsports crossed over to try their skills. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 3 Among the drivers from other arenas who have tested the Baja were Indy Car racers Rick and Roger Mears, Parnelli Jones, Danny Ongias, Danny Sullivan, Jimmy Vasser, Buddy Rice, Sebastien Bourdais, Alexander Rossi, Oriol Servia, Roberto Guerrero, Michel Jourdain Jr., Johnny Unser and Mike and Robbie Groff, NASCAR’s Robby Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Boris Said and Brendan Gaughan, Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, SCCA legend Elliot Forbes-Robinson, World Rally Championships’ Armin Schwarz, Armin Kremer, Andreas Aigner and Harri Pavanpera, Pikes Peak Hill Climb record holder Rod Millen, Formula Drift and Pikes Peak champion Rhys Millen, Dakar Rally champions Nasser Al-Attiyah, Ricky Brabec and Toby Price, world motorcycle champions Malcolm Smith, Larry Roeseler. Scot Harden and Destry Abbott, Motocross legends Ricky Johnson and Jeremy McGrath, XGames star Travis Pastrana, drag racers Don Prudhomme and Larry Minor and legendary SCORE founder and motorsports innovator Mickey Thompson. The late Academy Award winning actor, racer and race team owner Paul Newman raced in the 2004 event. Jesse James, of ‘Monster Garage’ fame, and Hollywood film and TV star Patrick Dempsey both have raced in this classic several times. Among the other Hollywood celebrities that have competed in this race are Chuck Norris, Aaron Norris, Michael Nesmith, and Larry Wilcox. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 4 With entries expected this year from nearly 40 U.S. States and as many as 20 countries, here are the countries that have had at least one entry in the Granddaddy of All Desert Races over the years: The SCORE Baja 1000 has captured the imagination of the entire world as entries have come not only from every state in the United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories Guam and Puerto Rico, but also has attracted racers from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, China, Cyprus, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, New Caledonia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Uruguay, Yugoslavia as well as the host country of Mexico. Over the years, SCORE races have been televised in more than 100 nations worldwide. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 5 Part of the legacy of this iconic race, SCORE presents the racers who have been overall winners of the SCORE San Felipe 250, SCORE Baja 500 and SCORE Baja 1000 the SCORE Baja Triple Crown Award. The nine individuals who have earned this amazing honor are: David Ashley, Robby Gordon, Rob MacCachren, Andy McMillin, Scott McMillin, Larry Ragland, Dan Smith, Ivan Stewart, and Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 6 The first SCORE Baja 1000 in 1967 (called the NORRA Mexican 1000) started in Tijuana by the bull ring and finished in La Paz. Since then, the only other time the race has started in Tijuana was in 1995 when it also finished in La Paz. Since those humble beginnings, Ensenada has hosted most of the SCORE Baja 1000 races. The race officially became the SCORE Baja 1000 in 1975 after the worldwide event was not held in 1974 because of the international fuel crisis. While the race has been point-to-point around once every three years, it has finished twice in Cabo San Lucas (2000 and in 2007). Overall, the world’s most well-known desert race has started 48 times in Ensenada, three times in Mexicali, twice in Tijuana, once in Ojos Negros and once in Santo Tomas. Overall, the SCORE Baja 1000 has finished in 28 times in Ensenada, 22 times in La Paz, twice in Mexicali, twice in Cabo San Lucas and once in Ojos Negros. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 7 This race has been the proving grounds for racers and manufacturers. Looking first at the drivers with the most overall wins in the race, Larry Roeseler is clearly on top with 14 (including 10 on a motorcycle, two in an open-wheel desert race car and once in a SCORE Trophy Truck (driving with Roger Norman in 2008). Second with six overall wins is Rob MacCachren (including three straight years-2014, 2015, 2016). Tied for third in overall 4-wheel vehicle wins with five each are Andy McMillin, his uncle Mark McMillin, Larry Ragland, and Malcolm Smith (including two on motorcycles). With four overall victories is Dan Smith (which includes one on a motorcycle). With three overall 4-wheel vehicle wins are David Ashley, Doug Fortin, Robby Gordon, Ralph Paxton and Ivan Stewart. Besides Roeseler with 10, the leaders in overall motorcycle wins are Johnny Campbell (11), Steve Hengeveld (8), Kendall Norman (8), Mark Samuels (7), Justin Morgan (6), Ty Davis (5), and with four each are Quinn Cody, Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Jack Johnson, Justin Jones, David Kamo, Tim Staab and Colton Udall. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 8 In the battle of manufacturers, several categories are presented. Leaders in overall car/truck wins are Ford Truck (15), Chevy Truck (12), Chenowth-VW (5) and Ford Bronco (4). Leaders in overall Tire manufacturers’ wins for cars/trucks are BFGoodrich Tires (33), Western Auto (6), Firestone (4), Toyo Tires (4) and Calahan Cap (3). The leaders in overall motorcycle wins are Honda (32), Husqvarna (11), Kawasaki (10) and Yamaha (2). Combining all classes together, motorcycles have had the fastest of the fastest times of all vehicles 38 times and cars or trucks 17 times. SCORE Trophy Trucks have had the overall fastest time in 10 of the last 14 years including the three each by Rob MacCachren (2014, 2015, 2016) and Luke McMillin (2020, 2021, 2022). LEGACY—SCORE BAJA 1000, No. 9 SCORE has had few racers from Bolivia compete in a SCORE race but this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 will again see a pair of Bolivian international rally racers and national motorcross champions—Juan Carlos ‘Chavo’ Salvatierra and Fabricio Fuentes, Salvatierra competing in Pro Moto Unlimited and Fuentes as a solo rider in the SCORE Pro Moto Ironman class. Salvatierra, has raced nine years in the Dakar Rally, also mountain biking and triathlons. Considered the most important athlete in the history of Bolivia, in 2011, Salvatierra became the first racer from Bolivia to race in the Dakar Rally. He is also a nine-time Bolivian National Motocross champion. He is racing again this year in the Pro Moto Unlimited Class where he won the 1x plate last year. “Racing solo in the SCORE Baja 1000 was like doing four stages of the Dakar Rally in one day. The SCORE Baja 1000 is twice as demanding, but it is a challenge that I am willing to face,” says Salvatierra, who will compete on his No. 1x KTM 500 EXC-F motorcycle. Fuentes, Villamontes, Bolivia, four-time Bolvian National Motocross champion who competed in the Dakar Rally from 2014 through 2019. He races on a GasGas 350 motorcycle. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 10 With the 54th SCORE Baja 500 this past June in Ensenada, it is interesting to note that there are 12 racers who have overall victories in both that race and the SCORE Baja 1000. Clearly leading with way is legendary Larry ‘Mr Baja’ Roeseler who has 14 overall wins in the SCORE Baja 1000 and 12 in the SCORE Baja 500. Second was Johnny Campbell with 5 and 11 and third was Larry Ragland who has five in each of the iconic SCORE races. The other races who have overall victories in both races and were racing in June in the SCORE Baja 500 along with their overall wins in each race are Rob MacCachren (4 SCORE Baja 500, 5 SCORE Baja 1000), Andy McMillin (3, 5), Robby Gordon (4, 3), Troy Herbst (3, 2), Scott McMillin (3, 2), B.J. Baldwin (1, 2), Gus Vildosola Jr (1, 1), Kendall Norman (5, 7) Justin Morgan (5, 4) and Mark Samuels (4, 6). LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 11 This year’s SCORE Baja 100 is anticipating over 325 entries from nearly 40 U.S. states and as many as 20 countries. In addition to over 200 news media personnel from around the world on-site, several participants in this year’s race will be featured in a one-hour ‘Surviving Baja’. Executive Producer is Bud Brutsman of BCII TV. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 12 In 55 years of this great race, non-U.S. drivers have been the fastest overall winners in this race only five times, twice in the motorcycle division and three times in the four-wheel vehicle division. In 1971 and 1972, Sweden’s Gunnar Nilsson won the motorcycle division of the race. In 1971 he teamed with legendary American desert racing star Malcolm Smith and in 1972 he won with fellow Swedish countryman Rolf Tibblin. In both years, Nilsson won on Husqvarna motorcycles. In 2010, Mexico son/father team of Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr/Gustavo Vildosola Sr became the first Mexican nationals and first non-Americans to win the four-wheel vehicle division when they drove their Ford F-150 to victory in the Ensenada to La Paz peninsula run. In 2017 at the 50th anniversary race, Mexico son/father team of Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez/Juan C. Lopez became the second Mexican nationals to win the four-wheel vehicle division when they drove their Chevy Truck to victory in the Ensenada to La Paz peninsula run. In 2019, hometown heroes and brothers Alan Ampudia and Aaron Ampudia became just the third Mexican national team to capture the overall four-wheel and SCORE Trophy Truck title in this prestigious race. Also, of note in the motorcycle division in the 2016 race, Australia’s Daymon Stokie was one of three co-riders for the U.S.-based Ox Motorsports team with Colton Udall as rider of record. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 13 Looking at some overall stats from this legendary race, a total of 14,697 vehicles have started the first 55 races for an average of 267.22 starters per race. A total of 7,357 vehicles have finished the first 55 races for an average of 133.76 finishers per race. Percentage-wise, 50.06% is the average finishing rate for this great race. In the first 55 years, the most ever starters came in 2006 when 431 vehicles left the start line and second most starters were the 40th anniversary race in 2007 when there were 424 total starters. Third most starters were the 50th anniversary race in 2017 when there were 404 total starters. In the first 55 years, the most ever finishers came in 2007 when 237 finished the 40th anniversary race, tied for first most finishers were the 50th anniversary race in 2017 when 237 also finished. The third most finishers in race history was in 2006 when 234 vehicles finished the race. In the first 55 years of the world’s most famous desert race, the fewest number of starters was the first race back in 1967 when there were 68 starters and the race with second fewest number of starters was in 1973 when 143 started. In the first 55 years of this iconic race, the fewest number of finishers was in 1967 when there were 31 finishers and the second fewest number of finishers was back in 1978 when there were 56 finishers. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 14 Four of the most inspiring SCORE Baja 1000 legends are SCORE Baja icons Dr. Bud Feldkamp, Bobby Ferro, Malcolm Smith, and Mark Stahl. Between them, these four innovating desert racing pioneers accumulated 10 overall victories and 15 class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000. Leading with five overall and eight class wins is Smith who had two overalls on a motorcycle and three in an open-wheel desert race car. Two of Smith’s overalls were with Dr. Feldkamp (1975 and 1977) and one with ‘Baja’ Bob Gordon (1987). Ferro, who is a legendary racer and Hollywood stunt driver, won the overall in 1973. Stahl, who went on to race in NASCAR’s Cup series for 12 years and the ARCA stock car series for another 13 years, won the overall at the SCORE Baja 1000 in 1978 and 1980. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 15 While the magnificent mystery of the Baja peninsula speaks for itself, the masters of Baja have etched their names in the lasting legacy of the Granddaddy of all Desert Races with their class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000. There are 18 sturdy desert racers who have earned 11 or more class victories in this race. History shows the master to clearly be the incomparable Rod Hall, who passed away in 2019 at 81 as the only person to have competed in all 50 of the first SCORE Baja 1000 races while earning a race-record 25 class wins in this race, seven more than second-place Larry Roeseler who has 18 including a race-high 14 overall victories. Third on the all-time multiple class win list with 16 in this race is Craig Adams. Richard Jackson and Jeff Kaplan are tied for fourth with 16 wins each, while tied for sixth with 15 each are Chris Haines, Johnny Johnson, and Donald Moss. Ninth with 15 class wins is age group motorcycle racer Jim O’Neal. Tied with 13 class wins each are Lou Franco, Steve Hengeveld, and Francisco Septien. Bob Johnson, and Jack Johnson each have 12 class wins. Tied with 11 all-time class wins in this race are Johnny Campbell, Daniel Chamlee, Chad Hall and Rob MacCachren. Many of these SCORE Baja legends are expected to compete in this year’s race, including Roeseler, Adams, Septien, O’Neal, Franco, B. Johnson, Chamlee and MacCachren. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 16 Included in the first 320 official entry applications of the over 325 anticipated for this year’s renewal of the world’s most iconic desert race are racers from 33 U.S. States and 17 countries. U.S. States represented in the field of competitors to date are from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. The countries are United States, U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, host country Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 17 The race features a course, designed, fully plotted, and marked by SCORE President/Race Director Jose A. Grijalva, and Assistant Race Director Rodolfo Fernandez, of 1,310.94 miles of rugged Baja California terrain. The challenging, predominantly up-hill rugged race course is another memorable example of all that Mexico’s Baja California has to offer, including high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky, and silty natural terrain, majestic Baja washes and canyons, stretches along the seashore with elevations from sea level to over 4,000 feet. The course is another crown jewel reflecting the stark beauty of Baja California. The 1310.94-mile race course, the longest ever between La Paz and Ensenada for the BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by K&N, runs for the first time from La Paz to Ensenada, UP Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula. The iconic race will start for the first time on the picturesque El Malecon in La Paz along the Sea of Cortez and finish on Boulevard Costero, adjacent to the historic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada. The incredibly beautiful, and ridiculously rugged race course has 31 Speed Zones for a total of 201.81 miles, 324 total Virtual Check Points, three physical, full-stop Check Points, and feature nine BFGoodrich Tires Pits. Physical Check Point No. 1 is at race mile 233.88 (Valle de Santo Domingo), CP 2 is at RM 599.34 (South of Vizcaino) and CP3 is at RM 922.25 (South of Catavina). After leaving El Malecon in La Paz, the course begins its windy road North from the Mexican State of Baja California Sur to the Mexican State of Baja California. The race course passes near several of the legendary Spanish Missions on its way North. From RM 50 across Arroyo Seco, the course runs adjacent to the Pacific Ocean for the first time up to RM 220. At RM 277.46 the course passes by Mission de San Javier on top of the Sierra de La Giganta and at RM 300.05 for the first time in SCORE history, the race course goes through El Malecon in Loreto, again by the Sea of Cortez. At RM 632.75, the course crosses from Baja California Sur into Baja California for the final half of the race. At RM 821.35, the course is near the Pacific Ocean for the final time near Bahia Blanco. While the race course includes numerous Baja washes, at race-mile 1014.24, the course will begin a treacherous trek through six of the gloriously majestic washes around San Felipe: Matomi, Azufre, Boulder Canyon, Huatamote, Chanate, and Amarillas. At RM 1200.75, the course passes Valle de Trinidad and up the infamous Goat Trail, behind Santa Catarina (RM 1226.36) by Rancho El Mezcal to Ojos Negros (RM 1277.04) and to the finish line in Ensenada. For safety reasons, all the Sportsman classes along with Class 11 and Class 7SX will run a reduced course of 1197.04 miles. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 18 Each with their own individual stories to tell, this year’s Pro Moto Ironman class for daring and unique motorcycle solo riders has a SCORE-record of 26 entries for this year. These dynamic riders come from six U.S. States, host country Mexico, and Bolivia, Chile, Great Britain and Hungary. They will be riding five different manufacturer’s equipment. There is at least one significant military veteran—Brian Englund, 45, Tacoma, Wash., on the No. 762x. Englund, a retired Army Ranger, is extremely active in serving his country in other ways. He is a huge conservationist in Washington State as well as a protector of trails. He will be riding the refurbished No. 762x Husqvarna FE501 in Baja. His friends call him IronBrian. Englund is also a member of the Veterans Racing Alliance. The two top class point leaders, Brandon Wright, 46, Oak Hills, Calif. on the No. 700x bike and Bolivia’s Fabricio Fuentes on the No. 785x bike are also among these special ‘26’. LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 19 When veteran SCORE motorcycle age-group champion racer Jim O’Neal, 75, Simi Valley, Calif., puts his hands on the grips as one of the riders for Giovanni Spinali’s Pro Moto 50 class this year, he will set another SCORE motorcycle record. This will be O’Neal’s 42nd consecutive SCORE Baja 1000, the most by any motorcycle racer in history. In the SCORE Baja 1000, O’Neal, the noted apparel manufacturer of the company that bears his name, has 15 career class victories. The late Hall of Famer Ron Bishop rode on a motorcycle in the first 40 straight SCORE Baja 1000 races and the late Hall of Famer Rod Hall has the untouchable overall mark in this category, having driven a race truck in the first 50 consecutive SCORE Baja 1000 races (1967-2017). LEGACY—SCORE Baja 1000, No. 20 From the new state-of-the art SCORE Studio in El Cajon, Calif., host Brandon Johnson provide exclusive SCORE Live race coverage, along with vehicle tracking, live drone, and in-car camera footage from various locations around the race course. Legendary SCORE racers will also be working with Johnson during the race-days studio show. Popular Rat Sult, in his eighth season with SCORE, will be the host announcer on the SCORE ramp during contingency and the race start and finish. Assisting Sult will be veteran voice Dave Arnold, who will also be in-studio for some of the race, and Mexico’s Gabriel Garcia, who will be working with Sult on finish-line interviews. SCORE LIVE may be viewed on the SCORE website, SCORE APP, SCORE Facebook page and the SCORE International YouTube Channel. SCOREscope 2023 FINALE
- BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by K&N—
- King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250, fueled by Baja Vida—
- BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 500—
- K&N 5th SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—
- BFGoodrich Tires 57th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by K&N—