30th Annual SCORE San Felipe 250 Results Story
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SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominiccnv@aol.com
February 28, 2016
To air on CBS Sports Network
Billy Wilson stuns favorites to earn first SCORE Trophy Truck
race win during Saturday’s 30th annual SCORE San Felipe 250
Udall takes overall motorcycle title, Ro. Wilson wins Class 1, other class winners include Winslow,
Broughton, Johnson, Robles Jr, Sampietro, Ampudia, Barragan, Burnett, Gera, Winkelman;
249.5-mile race to be televised in USA, Canada on April 10 on CBS Sports Spectacular show
SAN FELIPE, Baja California, Mexico – Seizing the day as race favorites stumbled one by one on the rugged desert race course, Texan Billy Wilson earned his first SCORE race win as he saddled up, rode hard and overcame all obstacles to capture the Overall and SCORE Trophy Truck victory at Saturday’s 30th SCORE San Felipe 250.
Round 1 of the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship was held on a super-challenging, technical 249.5-mile course during a sensationally sunning Saturday in Mexico that started and finished in San Felipe on the northeast portion of Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula.
The race will air as a one-hour special in April in the United States and Canada on the CBS Sports Network. With necessary penalties assessed, the results were made official early Sunday morning following data tracking review by SCORE race officials.
Starting 10th out of 11 starters in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck racing division for high-tech, 850-horsepower unlimited production trucks, Billy Wilson, 30, of Corpus, rode herd on the field in the No. 15 Bevly Wilson Racing Chevy Silverado to a winning time of four hours, 36 minutes, 41 seconds while averaging a strong average speed of 54.10 miles per hour.
Celebrating its 30th year on the SCORE schedule, the SCORE season opener was held in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe. The town is located 125 miles south of the U.S. border on the East side of the Baja California peninsula along the azure waters of the tranquil Sea of Cortez.
Entries came from 20 U.S. States and eight countries competing in Pro and Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and Quads, the race had 164 starters of which 117 officially finished the 249.5-mile course. With a surprisingly high finishing rate of 71.3 percent, the very challenging elapsed time race had a 17 hour time limit.
FAVORITES DOWN
Billy Wilson’s biggest challengers among the field were pre-race favorites Gus Vildosola Jr, Mexicali, Mexico and Las Vegas’ B.J. Baldwin both had mechanical issues that put them out of the race.
Vildosola, who was attempting to make history by winning the SCORE San Felipe 250 for the fourth consecutive year, was racing among the leaders when he was stopped at race miles 137.7 in the middle of the infamous Matomi Wash. Baldwin, who has never won a SCORE San Felipe 250 and is a four-time SCORE Trophy Truck season point champion, was pulling into a commanding lead when he went out at race mile 220.9 where Wilson got by him and galloped to victory in his first race in SCORE Trophy Truck. It was only the second race for the Bevly Wilson Motorsports new Jimco-built Chevy Silverado.
BILLY WILSON COMMENTS
SCORE Overall winner Billy Wilson said at the finish line, “Starting 10th we thought we would be pretty far back in the dust and having issues. We had some navigational issues with the GPS and in the first 20 miles we were kind of running in the dark and blind. It is hard to run at race speed without the GPS. Right off the bat around race mile two we noticed we had some oil cooler failures so we were pacing ourselves so we wouldn't end the race in the first few miles. Obviously that paid off.”
“This is my first race in SCORE Trophy Truck but I've been racing in SCORE for about seven years. Matomi Wash collapsed and was narrower than the truck at one point so we were scraping by. We were behind a few people swapping back and forth but you've got to keep a clear head, a straight face and don't overdo it or you'll end up having issues. We kept it cleaner than everyone else and that was the difference.”
OVERALL MOTORCYCLE WINNERS
The overall motorcycle and Pro Moto Unlimited winner was the team of Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif./Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif., who split riding time on the No. 1x Ox Motorsports Honda CRF450X. The duo took an early lead and never looked back, finishing in 4:46:41 at an average speed of 52.22 mph. It was the fifth overall motorcycle win in the SCORE San Felipe 250 for Udall and first for Samuels. Udall’s Ox teammate, Ray Dal Soglio, Scottsdale, Ariz./Nic Garvin/Daymon Stokie, Australia, finished fourth in the Pro Moto Unlimited class on another Honda CRF450X.
M/C WINNER QUOTES
Udall started the race, rode to race mile 30 and after Samuels rode from race mile 30 Udall got back and rode from race mile 146 to the finish.
Obviously happy with his overall motorcycle victory, Udall commented, “We had a really gnarly battle with the 4x team (Francisco Arredondo) and they actually caught us over time. At race mile 146 when we changed a tire I got back on the bike and barely got in front of them. We were practically holding hands going down the highway. I was checking my odometer and we were going 58 or 59 miles-per-hour (60 mph speed limit on paved section of the course) and just staying with each other. He had to peel off to pit and that's the last time I saw him.”
“This race course is so extremely gnarly. It really is a test of man and machine. The biggest terrain challenges were three and four foot-sized rock whoops where if you make any mistakes you’ll hit a rock the size of a football. It will throw the bike sideways or you'll endo. After my pit I went down Old Puertecitos road which is extremely gnarly.
“I just stuck my head down and it's a full-body experience because it's hard on your legs, arms, lower back and neck. I just kept on breathing through it and didn't put the bike on the ground. I nailed everything I had through the sand washes and I got back here in one piece so I'm happy and to win was a big bonus.”
OVERALL TOTALS
SCORE Trophy Trucks have now won 20 overalls in San Felipe in the 23-year history of the featured SCORE racing division. In the 30 years of this race, Honda has now earned 19 overall motorcycle victories (including 17 of the last 20 years), Kawasaki has seven, KTM has three and Husqvarna has one. For long-time SCORE sponsor BFGoodrich Tires, it was their 25th overall 4-wheel vehicle victory and 23rd straight.
4-WHEEL TOP SIX
Finishing second overall among 4-wheel vehicles and second in SCORE Trophy Truck was Corey Keysar, Colorado Springs, Colo. with a time of 4:38:30 in No. 98 TSCO Motorsports Ford F-150.
Finishing third overall behind Billy Wilson and Keysar was Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez,the 21-year old phenom from Tecate, Mexico, in a time of 4:42:55 in the No. 1 RPM Racing Chevy Rally Truck. Lopez won the 2015 SCORE Trophy Truck and SCORE Overall point championship en route to being voted SCORE Rookie of the Year.
Fourth overall was veteran SCORE race Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., who won the unlimited Class 1 in a time of 4:44.16 in the No. 138 Wilson Motorsports Jimco-Chevy. Veteran SCORE Baja racers, it was Ronny Wilson’s third class win in San Felipe. Wilson’s son Brad Wilson finished sixth in Class 1 in this race in another Wilson Motorsports Jimco-Chevy.
Finishing fifth overall and second in Class 1 in 4:51:44 was the team of Scott Reuschenberg, Phoenix/Andy Grider, Los Olivos, Calif., in the No. 125 Tatum-Chevy. A new team, it was just their second race and first podium finish.
Sixth overall while winning Class 10 that had a race-high 22 starters was Todd Winslow, Clovis, Calif. in 4:56:27 in an Alumi Craft Chevy.
MAKE THAT 16
Age-group racer and note apparel manufacturer Jim O’Neal, 69, of Simi Valley, Calif. added another class win to his trophy case for a SCORE race-high16 class wins wins--all in the last 16 years.
O’Neal has now raced in all 30 SCORE San Felipe 250 races and he has a SCORE-record 17 career season class point titles, including last season in Class 30 as a co-rider on the over-30 years-old motorcycle team led by Mark Winkelman. This year in San Felipe he was part of Winkelman’s Pro Moto 50 winning team.
BROUGHTON KEEPS WINNING
SCORE young gun Chad Broughton, 20, and his father Paul Broughton, 49, of Scott’s Valley, Calif., continued their winning ways while even moving up a class. Undefeated in five races in winning the Class 3000 season point championship in 2015, the Broughton bunch moved up to Trophy Truck Spec this year and in San Felipe they defeated a field of 14 starters in their new class. The Broughtons now have four class wins in the SCORE San Felipe 250.
THREE TIMERS
A pair of racers who each earned their third class wins in this race were Marc Burnett, Lakeside, Calif. (Pro UTV FI, Polaris RZR XP1000Turbo) and Pete Sohren, Glendale, Ariz. (Class 7, Ford Ranger).
MORE CLASS WINNERS
Among the other car and truck class winners in this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 were Aaron Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 8, Ford F-150), Luis Barragan, Mexicali, Mexico (SCORE Lites, Seagrove-VW), Jorge Sampietro (Class 1/2-1600, Romo-VW), Ben Swift, San Diego (Class 5, VW Baja Bug), David Heredia, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug) and Noe Gutierrez, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11, VW Sedan).
Among the other motorcycle class winners this year were Tony Gera, Santa Cruz, Calif., (Pro Moto Ironman, Kawasaki 500), Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas. (Pro Moto 40, Honda CRF450X), Mario Murillo Jr, Fort Worth, Texas, (Pro Moto 30, Honda CRF450X) and Garrett Poucher, Valencia, Calif. (Pro Moto Limited, KTM 350XCF).
THE COURSE
The race course was a single loop, run counter-clockwise for 249.5 miles. Starting and finishing at the San Felipe Arches monument, the course was considered to possibly be the toughest in the history of this popular race.
Fairly similar to the course run in 2010, it did not cross Highway 3 which goes to Ensenada. Instead it ran up to it along Highway 5 and then turned northwest just before Highway 3 and paralleled it for about 10 miles before it turned further south all the way down to the legendary Matomi Wash. It worked its way back north, headed southwest and then north and north west before it turned north back to the finish line.
In addition to Matomi, the course also included three other major Baja washes-- Huatomote, Chanate and Amarillas. The course had three physical checkpoints at race mile 24.7, rm 148.5 and rm 244.7. There also was 45 virtual checkpoints along the race course.
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 are 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 10, 9 p.m.)
· SCORE Baja 500 (first telecast-Sunday, July 24, 9 p.m. ET)
· SCORE Desert Challenge presented by Rosarito Beach (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 will include four special events and for the first time all four will be 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
· 20th SCORE Desert Challenge, presented by Rosarito Beach, Sept. 14-18, Rosarito Beach, Mexico
· 49th SCORE Baja 1000, Nov.16-20, Ensenada, Mexico
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official 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.
Associate Sponsors: Symons Ambulance Company, Aero Calafia, Tessco.
Additional SCORE Partners: Proturismo Ensenada, Visit Baja California Sur, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Baja California Sur State Government, Mexicali Ayuntamineto, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Cruz Roja Mexicana, Corporate Helicopters, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, GoPro, PCI Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products, Advanced Color Graphics.
For more information, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCORE-International.com.
SCORE San Felipe 250
All-Time Overall Champions
Pro Cars, Trucks, UTVs
Year--Driver(s), Vehicle (Class)
1982--Dan Cornwell, Chenowth-VW (Class 1)
1983--Corky McMillin/Scott McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche (Class 2)
1984--Scott McMillin/Corky McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche (Class 2)
1990--Brian Collins/Jack Johnson, Chenowth-VW (Class 1)
1991--Larry Ragland, Chevy C1500 (Class 8)
1992--Bob Richey/Boyd Cox, Raceco-Porsche (Class 1)
1993--Scott Douglas, Ford Ranger (Class 7)
1994--Ivan Stewart, Toyota SR5 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
1995--Larry Ragland, Chevy C1500 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
1996--Robby Gordon, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
1997--Curt LeDuc, Jeep Grand Cherokee (SCORE Trophy Truck)
1998--Mark Post/Jerry Whelchel, Riviera-Chevy (Class 1)
1999--Ed Herbst/Tim Herbst, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2000--Tim Herbst/Ed Herbst, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2001--Tim Herbst/Ed Herbst, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2002--Dan Smith/David Ashley, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2003--Gus Vildosola/Rob MacCachren, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2004--Mark Post/Jerry Whelchel, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2005--Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Jimco-Chevy (Class 1)
2006--Garron Cadiente, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2007--Mark Post/Rob MacCachren, Ford F-150 (SCORE Truck Truck)
2008--Brian Collins, Dodge Ram1500 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2009--Brian Collins, Dodge Ram1500 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2010—Armin Schwarz/Martin Christensen, Jimco-BMW (Class 1)
2011—Rob MacCachren, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2012—Rob MacCachren, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2013—Gus Vildosola/Gus Vildosola Jr, Ford Raptor (SCORE TruckTruck)
2014—Gus Vildosola Jr, Ford Raptor (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2015—Gus Vildosola Jr, Ford Raptor (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2016—Billy Wilson, Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Pro Motorcycles
Year--Rider(s), Vehicle
1982--Bob Balentine, Honda XR500 (Class 22)
1983--Jack Johnson, Honda XR500 (Class 22)
1984--Dan Smith/Dan Ashcraft, Husqvarna CR500 (Class 22)
1990--Dan Smith/Danny Hamel, KTM (Class 22)
1991--Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicut Jr, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1992--Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicut Jr, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1993--Danny Hamel, Kawasaki KX500(Class 22)
1994--Danny Hamel, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1995--Danny Hamel, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1996--Paul Krause, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1997--Tim Staab, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
1998--Johnny Campbell/Tim Staab, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
1999--Johnny Campbell/Cole Marshall, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
2000--Johnny Campbell/Tim Staab, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
2001--Steve Hengeveld/Jonah Street, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2002--Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2003--Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2004--Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2005--Chris Blais/Andy Grider/Quinn Cody, KTM MXC525 (Class 22)
2006--Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2007--Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2008--Robby Bell/Johnny Campbell, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2009--Kendall Norman/Tim Weigand, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2010—Colton Udall/Jeff Kargola, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2011—Colton Udall/Jeff Kargola, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2012—Kurt Caselli/Ivan Ramirez, KTM 450SX-F (Class 22)
2013—Tim Weigand/Colton Udall, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2014—Ricky Brabec/Shane Esposito/Max Eddy Jr, Kawasaki KX450F (Open M/C)
2015—Colton Udall/Justin Junes, Honda CRF450X (Open M/C)
2015—Colton Udall/Mark Samuels, Honda CRF450X (Pro Moto Unlimited)
Sportsman Cars, Trucks, UTVs
Year--Driver(s), Vehicle
2008--Peter Lang, Homebuilt-Chevy (SPT Car)
2009--Peter Lang, Homebuilt-Chevy (SPT Car)
2010—Wendell Mortensen, Raceco-VW (SPT Car)
2011—Nick Tonelli, Ford Ranger (SPT Truck)
2012—Randy Swink, Ford Ranger (SPT Truck)
2013—Vincent Munoz, Ford Ranger (SPT UNL Truck)
2014—Martin Huffman, Brenthel-Chevy (SPT Buggy)
2015—Derek Fletcher, RPM-Chevy (SPT Buggy)
2016—No Finishers
Sportsman Motorcycles, Quads
Year--Rider(s), Vehicle
2008--Bill Gilbert, Honda CRF450X (SPT M/C>250cc)
2009—Jeff Leonard, Honda CRF450X (SPT M/C>250cc)
2010—Ron Tolman, Honda CRF450X (SPT M/C<250cc)
2011—Issac Cisneros, Yamaha YZF450 (SPTM/C<450cc)
2012—Mark Winkelman, Honda CRF450X (SPTMC<450cc)
2013—Mark Winkelman, Honda CRF450X (SPTMC<450cc)
2014—Raul Hernandez, KTM450EXC (SPTMC)
2015—Juan Dominguez, Honda TRX450$ (SPT QUAD)
2016—Kristopher Harvey, Honda CRF450X (SPT M/C)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]