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47 entries, 251 wins in field for 55th SCORE Baja 500
SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, Dominic@SCORE-International.com May 29, 2023 ‘Celebrating 50 Years of SCORE Desert Racing Excellence’ This week in Mexico BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500— Field includes 67 racers with 251 total combined race wins for Round 2 of 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship 236 entries so far from 26 States, 11 Countries; Start/Finish adjacent to Riviera CC; in Off-Road Racing Capital of the World—Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; SCORE Live—Contingency, Start, 473.67-mile race course, Finish Line Host Rat Sult, assisted by Dave Arnold; tracking at www.score-interional.com Grand Marshals—Sal Fish—2023 season, Stewart, Campbell—SCORE Baja 500 Saturday will be the inaugural ‘SCORE International Day’ in Ensenada Saturday—Motorcycles/quads start at 3:15 a.m. (PT), cars/trucks/utvs at 8:30 a.m. (PT) #SCORE Baja 500 NOTE: All-Time Overall winners at bottom of text, #SCOREBaja500 ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico – ‘Celebrating 50 Years of SCORE Desert Racing Excellence’ this year, the ever-expanding entry field includes 67 racers with 251 combined race wins in this week’s BFGoodrich Tires 55th SCORE Baja 500. DIRT FAX 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 over 250 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. The official race course this year is 473.67-miles. 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. GREEN FLAG—SATURDAY Taking the green flat in the SCORE Start/Finish line compound adjacent to the iconic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in Ensenada, the motorcycle and quad classes will start at 3:30 a.m. PT Saturday (June 3) while the car, truck and UTV classes will begin their journey starting at 8:15 a.m. PT. SCORE Trophy Truck, TT Legend, Class 1, Trophy Truck Spec and the Pro Moto Unlimited classes will start one vehicle every 60 seconds race while all other classes will start one every 30 seconds. While the fastest vehicles in the elapsed-time race are expected to finish in approximately 10 hours, all vehicles will have 20 hours from the time each starts to become an official finisher in the historic race. ON-SITE RACER REGISTRATION Being held this week 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). ENTRIES With over 250 entries anticipated at the start line, 235 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 33 (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 11. Among 2-wheel vehicles, Pro Moto Ironman (for solo riders) has 11 entries. SCORE LIVE There will be extensive live streaming from the colorful pre-race contingency/tech inspection fiesta on Friday as well the start/finish line compound broadcasting the start, live action around the course and finish line interviews (Saturday and Sunday). Effervescent Rat Sult is in his eighth year as primary host and lead announcer of the SCORE live streaming which will also air on the SCORE website and the SCORE TV app. Sult will be assisted again by the veteran voice Dave Arnold, who will also be announcing from the SCORE Studio in El Cajon, Calif. OVERALL WINNERS RETURN: Overall race winners returning this year are 13 racers who have combined to win 34 overall 4-wheel and 2-wheel titles including drivers from of the 12 of the last 13 years of 4-wheel overalls. Leading the way with multiple overall wins in this race are Larry Roeseler with 12 overall victories (including nine on a motorcycle), Rob MacCachren and Bryce Menzies with three each, Harley Letner, Dan McMillin, Justin B. Smith and Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr with one each in 4-Wheel. In 2-wheel, besides Roeseler’s nine overall motorcycle wins, Justin Morgan has five overall moto wins, Max Eddy Jr with two, Jason Alosi, Diego Llanos, Shane Logan, Arturo Salas Jr and Juan Carlos Salvatierra each have one overall. Las Vegas’Rob MacCachren, the G.O.A.T. of off-road racing, is the defending 4-wheel overall winner and Bolivia’s Juan Carlos Salvatierra is the defending motorcycle overall winner in this race. OTRO MAS, POR FAVOR… In the field are 67 racers who have 251 combined class wins in this race. Leading this prestigious group of returning multiple class winners is Larry Roeseler with 18 class wins. The other racers with the most multiple class wins in this race who are back to attempt to add to their winning totals are: Mike Cafro and Lou Franco (8 each), Rick D. Johnson, Rob MacCachren, Francisco Septien and Eric Solorzano (7 each), and Cisco Bio, Daniel Chamlee, Max Eddy Jr, Ramon Fernandez, and Felipe Velez (6 each). Also back again are Wayne Matlock, Justin Morgan, J. David Ruvalcaba, (5 each), Elias Hanna, Hector Sarabia, Doug Smith and Jason Trubey (4 each) and Fernando Beltran, Marc Burnett, Billy Goerke, Ryan Liebelt, Chelsea Magness, Bryce Menzies, Edward Muncey, Brian Parkhouse, Cody Parkhouse, Josh Row, Juan Carlos Salvatierra, Gustavo Vildosola Sr, and Dan Worley (3 each). CLASS WINNERS RETURN: A total of 19 class winners from last year’s BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 500, are entered this year with several in different classes. Returning 2022 class winners are Rob MacCachren (SCORE Trophy Truck, No. 24 Ford F-150), Gustavo Vildosola Sr, Mexicali, Mexico/Ricky Johnson, El Cajon, Calif. (SCORE TT Legend, No. 1L Ford Raptor), Cody Reid, Apple Valley, Calif. (Class 1, No. 168 Alumi Craft-Chevy), Jorge Sampietro, Ensenada, Mexico (Trophy Truck Spec, No. 200 Mason-Chevy), Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif. (No. 1006 Alumi Craft-Chevy), Daniel Chamlee, Montecito, Calif. (Class 7, No. 700 Ford Ranger), Mike Pratt, Draper, Utah (Pro UTV Open, No. 1867 Polaris RZR Turbo S), Austin Weiland, El Cajon, Calif. (Pro UTV FI, No. 2954 Can-Am X3). Also back are Oliver Flemate, Ensenada, Mexico (SCORE Lites, No. 1203 Alumi Craft-VW), Zach Sizelove, Hesperia, Calif. (Pro UTV NA, Honda Talon 1000R), Eli Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 1/2-1600, No. 1616 PRC-VW), Anibal Lopez, Mexicali, Mexico (Pro UTV Stock, No. 3919 Polaris RZR Turbo S), Ramon Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 5, Parker-Chevy), Armando Duron, Mexicali, Mexico (Class 7SX, No. 740 Ford Ranger), Juan Carlos Salvatierra, Boliva (Pro Moto Unlimited, No. 1x KTM 450SX-F), Jano Montoya, Winter Garden, Fla. (Peru) (Pro Moto 30, No. 325x KTM 450EXCF), Fernando Beltran, Ensenada, Mexico (Pro Moto Limited, No. 100x Honda CRF450X), Ryan Liebelt, Reedley, Calif (Pro Moto 40, No. 400x Yamaha WR450F). TRIPLE-TIME Mexico’s Oliver Flemate, of Ensenada, will be attempting a SCORE first in the SCORE Baja 500. He is the first Mexican national to enter in three classes as the driver of record in a SCORE race. Flemate, who won Class 11 at the season-opener in San Felipe, has entered Trophy Truck Spec, SCORE Lite, and Class 11. With a whole lot of help from his friends, Flemate will be driver of record in Trophy Truck Spec in the No. 244 TSCO Chevy with his daughter Ana Paoula, 17, as an additional driver. Flemate will also be the DOR in SCORE Lite in his No. 1203 Record-VW and in Class 11 in his No. 1105 Stock VW Sedan. HISTORY OF START/FINISH: In the 55-year history of the SCORE Baja 500, this will be the 48th time the race has started in Ensenada and the 44th time it has finished in Ensenada. This race has also started three times in Ojos Negros, twice in San Felipe and one time Barstow, Calif. (USA). This race has also finished five times in Santo Tomas, twice in Ojos Negros, twice in San Felipe and one time in Barstow, Calif. (USA). The 1989 race that started and finished in San Felipe was the only year that there were no classes for motorcycles. 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, 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. BODACIOUS BAJA 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. The colorful pre-race Contingency and Technical inspection of all the vehicles will also be held on Blvd. Costero 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, 188 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. 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. 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—
- 4th SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—
- BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000—