New Entries for King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250

Steele, M/M Matlock, C. Reid, Vera, Chamlee, Gaughan, Wilson, Quinn, Solorzano, Ruvalcaba, all new entries

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, Dominic@SCORE-International.com

ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico – Launching its sixth decade this year as the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Organization, the latest early entries for the next month’s season-opening King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250, include Cameron Steele, Wayne Matlock, Kristen Matlock, Cody Reid, Franciso Vera, Daniel Chamlee, Brendan Gaughan, Brad Wilson, Kyle Quinn, Eric Solorzano, and J. David Ruvalcaba.

     Round 1 of the four-race 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held March 20-24 in the quaint, peaceful village of San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.

     Pre-race Contingency, 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 ninth consecutive year.

EARLY ENTRIES

     With over 250 entries anticipated at the start line to launch the 51st season of SCORE desert racing, 120 total early entries have been received so far for the popular ‘Spring Break’ event, with racers representing 20 U.S. States, and six countries. The countries with at least one racer so far are United States, host country Mexico, Australia, Canada, Chile, and New Zealand.

DOUBLE DIGITS

     With double-digit entries to date are the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck (high-tech, unlimited, 1000-horsepower, custom trucks) with 32 and Trophy Truck Spec, (SCORE Trophy Trucks with spec engines) with 33.

EARLY BIRDS

     Among the latest early entries for this year’s race are SCORE stars Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif. (SCORE Trophy Truck), Wayne Matlock, Alpine, Calif. (Pro UTV Open) and his wife Kristen Matlock, Alpine, Calif. (Pro UTV Open), Cody Reid, Franciso Vera, El Rosario, Mexico (Class 10), Daniel Chamlee, San Felipe, Mexico (Montecito, Calif.), (Class 7), Brendan Gaughan, Las Vegas (Class 1), Brad Wilson, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 1), Kyle Quinn, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 1), Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11), and J. David Ruvalcaba, Ensenada, Mexico (Trophy Truck Spec).

THREE DECADES-PLUS

     Celebrating the 37th 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-raceinfo.com/37th-san-felipe-250-march-20-24-2024/ 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 and the race program is 5 p.m. PT on Friday March 8.

     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 15.

     Late entries may register in person at the SCORE Ensenada office will have until 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, March 14. 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.

METHOD RACE WHEELS QUALIFYING

     For just the fifth time in the history of this popular ‘Spring Break’ race, SCORE will hold the Method Race Wheels SCORE San Felipe 250 Qualifying starting at 7 a.m. PT on Thursday, March 21 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 after Friday, March 8 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.

     The first-time qualifying was held for this race was in 2017 when Rob MacCachren, Cameron Steele and Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez were the top three qualifiers in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division for high-tech, 1000-horsepower, unlimited custom trucks.

    In 2021, Bryce Menzies was the fastest qualifier followed by Andy McMillin and his cousin Luke McMillin. At the finish of the race Menzies was the winner, L. McMillin was second and A. McMillin finished in third place.

     In 2022, Menzies was the fastest qualifier again followed by Justin Lofton and L. McMillin. At the finish, L. McMillin was the winner, Menzies was second at the team of Mike Walser/Jax Redline finished in third place.

     In 2023, Australia’s Toby Price was fastest qualifier followed by Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr, and Menzies. At the finish, Luke McMillin was the winner, Mexico’s Alan Ampudia was second, and Las Vegas’ Menzies finished in third place.

     Qualifying is not open to the public and will be held on a five-mile course that is not part of the official race course.

DA-STEELE

     Cameron ‘Steely Cam’ Steele is not only a two-time SCORE Trophy Truck race winner he is also the affable leader of the Desert Assassins race team.

     He also finds time to help operate his SoCal Baja HQ aftermarket company, lead both an annual motorcycle and his annual ‘Trail of Missions’ truck tour down the Baja peninsula, emcee numerous events, host live stream internet shows, and is an action sport TV commentator who has announced a variety of competitions from IndyCar to the SCORE race coverage TV shows.

     As far as racing is concerned, Steele, 56, of San Clemente, Calif., loves to stay busy and in years past has competed and had podium finishes in multiple classes in the same race, but now focuses on his No. 16 Desert Assassins Ford Raptor, built by Geiser Bros, in SCORE Trophy Truck.

     Steele won the last two SCORE Trophy Truck races of the 2018 season after finishing second in the iconic 50th anniversary of the legendary SCORE Baja 1000 in 2017.

     Steele will be searching for his class win in the SCORE San Felipe 250. He finished 17th out of 39 starters in SCORE Trophy Truck in the 2023 race.

MR & MRS MATLOCK

     After many championship seasons and race wins driving in separate classes, Wayne Matlock and his wife Kristen Matlock, of Alpine, Calif. are entered in the same class for the 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship for the third straight year.

     Both are racing in the Pro UTV Open class in separate (but equal) new Polaris RZR Pro R UTVs. Each vehicle has a chassis built by TSCO in El Cajon, Calif.

     Wayne pilots the No. 1871 Polaris RZR Pro R UTV and Kristen is behind the wheel of the No. 1854 Polaris RZR Pro R UTV. Both will be solo drivers in San Felipe.

     In the SCORE San Felipe 250, Wayne Matlock, 46, has eight career class wins (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022) including several in quads before moving to UTV classes.

     Kristen Matlock, 43, who has been racing many far less years than her husband, has earned three UTV class wins in this race (2018, 2019, 2021) in the Pro UTV NA (Naturally Aspirated) class.

     In their simultaneous debut in the Pro UTV Open class in the 2022 SCORE San Felipe 250, Wayne Matlock was the fastest of all the UTVs in four classes including winning his class while Kristen Matlock finished in seventh place out of 10 starters in their class.

     In last year’s SCORE San Felipe 250, Wayne finished second in Pro UTV Open while Kristen suffered a rare DNF.

     In the 2023 Pro UTV Open season points, Kristen Matlock finished in sevemtj place while Wayne Matlock finished in eighth. In season-ending SCORE Baja 1000 Kristen Matlock finished sixth in class while her husband Wayne endured a DNF.

REID READY

     A second-generation SCORE desert racer, Cody Reid returns to this year’s King Shocks SCORE San Felipe 250, after winning the unlimited Class 1 in both the 2022 and the 2023 SCORE Baja 500 and winning the 2023 SCORE Class 1 season point championship with four podium finishes in his class.

     After racing in separate classes for a several years, Cody Reid, 32, Apple Valley, Calif., was reunited in 2021 with his mother Shelby Reid to form a very formidable unlimited Class 1 team. The Reids debuted their No. 168 Chevy-powered Alumi Craft AWD open-wheel desert race car by winning their class in the 2021 SCORE San Felipe 250.

     Shelby Reid, 56, is also a former SCORE class point champion and has retired from behind the wheel. However, she returned to action to help her son finished third in the epic 2023 SCORE Baja 1000.

     In his solid career, Cody Reid has won three SCORE season class point crowns, two in Class 10 (2014, 2015) and one in Class 1 in 2023.

     In the 2023 SCORE World Desert Championship, Reid finished third in Class 1 in the SCORE San Felipe 250, won Class 1 in the SCORE Baja 500, finished second in the SCORE Baja 400, and third in the season finale at the SCORE San Felipe 250.

SCORE OVERALL OPEN-WHEEL

          Bursting on the scene rapidly in Class 10 in 2023, Francisco Vera, 32, El Rosario, Mexico, won the 2023 Class 10 season point championship in his No. 1091 Alumi-Craft Chevy.

     The first racer from El Rosario to win a season point title in the 50-year history of SCORE, Vera was fourth in a field of 19 Class 10 starters in his class in the SCORE San Felipe 250, first in his class out of 16 starters in the SCORE Baja 500, first again out of 12 starters in the SCORE Baja 400, and finished third out of 17 starters in the SCORE Baja 1000. Vera also ended up 11th in overall points in 2023.

     Younger brother of Francisco Vera, Alexis Vera, 27, El Rosario, Mexico was Francisco Vera’s second driver all season and that duo was joined by Arturo Gaza, Monterrey, Mexico, Mexico, as the team’s third driver in their podium finish in the SCORE Baja 1000.

    In addition to winning the 2023 SCORE Class 10 crown, Francisco Vera was also the 2023 SCORE Open-Wheel point champion as well.

CLASS 7 MASTER

      Veteran SCORE champion Daniel Chamlee, 61, of Montecito, Calif., who now lives mostly in San Felipe, races in Class 7 in his No. 700 The Factory Racing Ford Ranger.

     Chamlee has driven consistently to earn 19 SCORE Class 7 season point championships in the last 20 years.

     In last year’s season-opener in San Felipe, Chamlee finished on top of the podium, again, winning Class 7. In June’s SCORE Baja 500, Chamlee suffered a DNF, and in September he earned his fourth consecutive victory in the four-year old SCORE Baja 400. He capped his 2023 championship season with another podium finish, second place, in the spectacular SCORE Baja 1000.

     In his career Chamlee has also earned eight Rod Hall SCORE Milestone Awards, for racers who complete every required mile for that season.

     In the SCORE San Felipe 250, the ultra-dedicated Chamlee, who drives mostly solo, has won Class 7 a total of three times (2010, 2011, 2023).

CITY LIGHT SHINE

     Prominent Las Vegas businessman, former NASCAR star and second-generation desert racer Brendan Gaughan is back his desert racing roots again as he has entered the unlimited Class 1 for this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250.

     The gregarious and very personable Gaughan, 48, is a veteran of 23 years of driving in NASCAR’s three elite division including the top tier Cup Series along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Truck Series.

     In 2019 Gaughan returned to his roots for an emotional Class 1 victory in the 2019 SCORE Baja 1000. Also driving that race with Gaughan were R.J. Anderson, Buddy Feldkamp and Billy Goerke.

     Driving South Point Hotel/Casino (Las Vegas) vehicles, Gaughan had 67 starts over nine seasons in the Cup series, 219 starts over 10 seasons in the Xfinity series and 217 in the Truck series over 14 seasons. He retired from NASCAR racing officially after the 2020 season.

    Gaughan, who also is a part of numerous national radio programs, is the son of legendary Las Vegas hotel/casino magnate and former SCORE champion and Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Michael Gaughan.

     Owner of City Light Shine (17A distillery) in Las Vegas, Gaughan is the driver of record in the No. 162 South Point Hotel HMS-Chevy. Gaughan is also an administrative executive at the South Point Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.

     CLS (produced by 17A Stillery) is the first and only legal distillery in the history of Las Vegas.

     Gaughan was plagued with issues in 2022 and the first half of the 2023 SCORE season of various kinds and had six very unfortunate DNFs. He regrouped and rebuilt his race car, missing the SCORE Baja 400 and came back with an impressive second place in the SCORE Baja 1000 last November. Gaughan’s co-drivers in last year’s season-finale were Casey Mears, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Buddy Feldkamp, Riverside, Calif.

WILSON MOTORSPORTS

    One of numerous prolific third-generation desert racing teams competing with SCORE, Wilson Motorsports has once again entered two race cars in the unlimited Class 1 for open-wheel desert race cars. Both race cars are Chevy-powered Jimco vehicles.

     Brad Wilson, 34, of Long Beach, Calif., is the driver of record for the No. 153 race car while long-time additional driver Kyle Quinn, 36, Lakewood, Calif. is the driver of record again this year with SCORE in the No. 138 Wilson Motorsports race car.

     For many years a second driver for the wonderful Wilson Motorsports team, Kyle Quinn, 34, Long Beach, Calif., stepped into the lead driver position in one of the team’s entries this year and won the unlimited Class 1 at the SCORE San Felipe 250 in the No. 138 Chevy-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race car.

     With regular DOR Brian Wilson not available for all races in 2022, Quinn took the lead and shared driving duties in San Felipe with Brian Wilson’s uncle Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif. At the SCORE Baja 400, with Brian Wilson’s cousin Brad Wilson as the second driver, Quinn finished on the podium in third place again and took the lead in Class 1. At the season-ending SCORE Baja 1000, Quinn won Class 1 with Ronny Wilson and Greg DiStefano as his driving mates to earn the season point title and finish 22nd in the SCORE Overall Season points.

     In the 2023 King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250, Wilson Motorsports claimed one podium position in the unlimited Class 1. Brad Wilson finished second in Class 1 over nine starters in the class for unlimited open-wheel cars and Quinn suffered a DNF.

     Brad Wilson endured DNFs the remaining three 2023 races while had DNFs in the SCORE Baja 500 and SCORE Baja 40 before bouncing back and winning Class 1 in the unbelievable SCORE Baja 1000 over 11 starters. Quinn’s additional drivers in the season finale were John Herder, Tucson, and Greg DiStefano, San Diego.

     In the final 2023 season point standings, Quinn finished seventh in points and Brad Wilson ended up eighth.

YO 11-11

     Eric Solorzano is a legendary Mexican racer who has risen from humble beginnings as an orphan in Tijuana to becoming the winningest Mexican national in SCORE racing history.

     Solorzano, 63, was also part of the Class of 2022 to be inducted into the prestigious Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

     He started racing off-road on motorcycles in local races around Tijuana in 1974 and continued until 1988 when he decided to trade two wheels for four after an injury so he could continue racing.

     He bought his first VW Bug in 1989. His first race was in 1991. He still owns, and races, the same car, more than 30 years later. 

     Solorzano competes in Class 11, the stock VW class. He first competed in the Mexican Record Series and later SCORE. In SCORE racing, Solorzano has won 11 SCORE season point championships in his No. 1111 VW Sedan and still competes to this day.

     A husband and father of eight, Solorzano also has 11 class wins in the SCORE San Felipe 250, nine in the SCORE Baja 1000 and seven in the SCORE Baja 500.

     His thousands of fans in Mexico view him as an inspiration for what hard work and preparation can do for a person.

     Solorzano has won Class 11 in the SCORE San Felipe 250 a total of 11 times (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017)

J. DAVID RUVALCABA

     Mexico’s SCORE champion racer J. David Ruvalcaba, 51, of Ensenada, has moved up to the Trophy Truck Spec class for the 2024 season. His primary second driver continues to be Esteban Cruz, also of Ensenada as the drive for the prominent The Lomitas Racing Team.

     Ruvalcaba, won Class 10 in 2022, and was also the 2022 SCORE Overall Open-Wheel point champion and was eighth in overall points.

     A former SCORE motorcycle champion racer, Ruvalcaba was sixth place in 2022 in his class of 19 starters in San Felipe and 11th place out of 26 starters in Ensenada in June, won Class 10 out of 18 starters in Ensenada in September and was third in Ensenada in November out of 23 starters in his No. 1009 Alumi Craft-Honda open-wheel desert race car.

     Ruvalcaba and The Lomitas Racing Team have won four SCORE season class point crowns (2000, 2001, 2019, 2022).

     They won on motorcycles the first two times, in Class 1/2-1600 in 2019 and Class 10 in 2022.

     For the 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship, Ruvalcaba will be driving The Lomitas Racing Team’s No. 209 TSCO-Chevy.

SCOREscope

2024 SCORE SCHEDULE

    Here are the dates for the four-race 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship which will be held in Baja California, Mexico for the ninth consecutive year:

·       King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250—

March 20-24, San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico

·       BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 500—

May 29-June 2, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

·       5th SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—

September 11-15, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

·       BFGoodrich Tires 57th SCORE Baja 1000—

November 11-17, 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, Optima Batteries-Official Batteries, Rugged Radios-Official Radio Communications, Sylvania-Official Lights, Lasernut-Official Custom Metal Fabricator, 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.

King Shocks 37th SCORE San Felipe 250

Round 1 of 4-race 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship

March 20-24 - San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico - 283.58-miles

Total Entries: 120 (as of 2/19/24)

(from 20 U.S. States, host Mexico, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand)

(Numerical order, by class)

Pro Cars/Trucks/UTVs

(Numerical order, by class)

SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (32*)

1 Bryce Menzies

*1L Gustavo Vildosola Sr

2 Chad Broughton

6 Dan Myers

10 Alan Ampudia

16 Cameron Steele

19 Tim Herbst

21 Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr

23 Dan McMillin

24 Adam Householder

26 Dave Taylor

34 Broc Dickerson

41 Justin Lofton

45 Gary Magness

46 Toby Price

58 Tracy Graf

*61L David Payne

63 Ruben Torres

*65L Greg Adler

66 Chris Hertsch

69 Andrew Myers

70 Kevin Thompson

72 Aaron Celiceo

80 Josh Daniel

82 Sam Baldi

83 Luke McMillin

85 Mikey Lawrence

*85L Clay Lawrence

87 Dallas Lutrell

89 Mike Walser

94 Christopher Polvoorde

97 Gabriel Torres

*SCORE TT LEGEND

CLASS 1 (5)

127 Cody Parkhouse

138 Kyle Quinn

153 Brad Wilson

162 Brendan Gaughan

168 Cody Reid

TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (33)

200 Jason McNeil

201 Mitch McNeil

204 Cade Garcia

205 Joe Delucie

207 Mason Cullen

209 J. David Ruvalcaba

211 Tim Wilson

213 Josh Beyer

219 Thor Herbst

224 Miles Wyatt

228 Ryan Hancock

236 Michael Marsal

238 Elijah Kiger

240 Chris Miller

241 Stephen Beal

242 Bryce Swaim

246 Ben Hagle

247 Scott Shields

249 Chase Swanson

258 Mavrick Gaunt

259 Matt Winslow

260 Santiago Creel

263 EJ Herbst

266 David Ziegler

270 Jimmy Diaz

277 Travis Williams

282 Brent Fox

285 Justin Davis

289 Tanner Rust

290 Isidro Ochoa

294 Vincent Munoz

297 Jorge Sampietro

299 Charles Dorance

CLASS 10 (6)

1000 Francisco Vera

1012 Jake Woodruff

1023 Tamara Myers

1044 Jason Shipman

1060 Ted Baker

1077 Dale Ebberts

PRO UTV OPEN (8)

1825 Vito Ranuio

1854 Kristen Matlock

1867 Mike Pratt

1868 Bernie Gomez

1871 Wayne Matlock

1872 Justin Smith

1880 Gabe Matthews

1891 Samuel Huesco

PRO UTV FI (4)

2908 Valeria Lozano

2915 Rickey Arslanian

2987 Edgar Garcia

2988 Jorge Vela

CLASS 7 (1)

700 Daniel Chamlee

SCORE LITES (1)

1238 Robert Illian

PRO UTV NA (2)

1919 Eva Malaban

1974 Ethan Groom

CLASS 5 (1)

538 Brandon Homme

PRO UTV STOCK (4)

3916 Jeff Embree

3924 Ricardo Zarogoza

3930 Douglas Cornwell

3943 Dennis Romero

CLASS 11 (1)

1111 Eric Solorzano

Pro Motorcycles

PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (3)

13x Adrian Ortiz

24x Jacob Robinson

92x Tucker Hopkins

PRO MOTO 30 (2)

317x Ethan Wheeler

354x Felipe Barron

PRO MOTO 50 (1)

513x Joseph Amey

PRO MOTO 40 (4)

400x Alirio Amado

407x Luis Esquivel

411x Francisco Esposito

452x Travis Flateau

PRO MOTO IRONMAN (4)

707x Joseph Darminio

724x William Gross

745x Patricio Cabrera

780x Jeff Miller

PRO MOTO ADVENTURE (2)

805x Dustin Davis

827x Gerardo Rubio

PRO MOTO BAJA-e (1)

E499 Christian Klein

Pro Quads

Pro Quad (1)

18a Roberto Villalobos

Sportsman

SPT M/C (3)

205x Francisco Rosas

283x Chad Waite

298x Josh Hess

SPT QUAD (1)

138a Gabriel Vazquez