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Esposito/Morgan duo earns overall motorcycle win at Friday’s Tijuana 21st SCORE Desert Challenge
SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominiccnv@aol.com September 22, 2017 Racing continues through Sunday Esposito/Morgan duo earns overall motorcycle win at Friday’s Tijuana 21st SCORE Desert Challenge Round 3 of 4-race 2017 SCORE World Desert Championship is split-format, multi-lap SCORE Baja race; cars, trucks, UTVs race first half Saturday, second half Sunday start/finish line east of Rancho Casian Sanchez top Quad, Creel, Liebelt, Septien, M. Gomez, Hawley, all class winners in Friday’s opening day of three-day desert racing event, Results available at www.SCORE-international.com TIJUANA, Baja California, Mexico — Helping launch the unique, three-day, split session race, a team led by Shane Esposito rode fast and hard Friday to capture the overall motorcycle victory on the opening day of the internationally-televised Tijuana 21st SCORE Desert Challenge. The event is Round 3 of the four-race SCORE World Desert Championship. Having held over 150 races in Mexico in the last 40-plus years, this is the first time that SCORE has held a race that has both started and finished in Tijuana. With entries from 15 U.S. States and 14 countries, the race features classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads. Motocycles, quads and a few car/truck classes raced on Friday in two sessions and the balance of the car, truck and UTV classes will race on Saturday and Sunday. Riding for Chris Haines’ Adventure Tours, Esposito and Justin Morgan split the time to pull off the overall and Pro Moto Unlimited Class victory on the No. 45x Honda CRF450X in a total winning time of 3 hours, 24 minutes, 48 seconds. With Esposito riding the first of three laps in each session and Morgan running the second and third laps over the 23-mile desert loop, the team averaged 40.43 miles per hour for six laps in the 138-mile race. Both racers are regular riders for the team and Esposito was substitute rider of record for Guatemala’s Francisco Arredondo, the team’s primary rider of record. The team has now won two straight defeating the 1x team of Mark Samuels both in Tijuana and in June’s SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada. RACING CONTINUES With the course running in a counter-clockwise direction, the other car and truck classes, including the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend the unlimited Class 1 and Trophy Truck Spec divisions will run the first half of their race in one of three groups on Saturday and final half on Sunday. Racing for those classes will start each day at 8 a.m. and finish at 4:25 p.m. (PT). The featured SCORE Trophy Truck, SCORE TT Legend and Trophy Truck Spec divisions will start on both Saturday and Sunday at 2:25 p.m. (PT). START/FINISH The unique-format race is being held at a spectator-friendly start/finish line and ‘hot pit’ area located on the southeast outskirts of Tijuana to the east of the popular Rancho Casian area off of Boulevard 2000 (Highway No. 201). The actual start/finish line area and hot pits is located 2.3 miles inland off of the highway. The official race course of 23 miles is seeing all classes cover a total of six laps for 138 total miles split into two sessions. MORGAN COMMENTS At the finish line, Morgan commented, “Shane Esposito (rider of record) rode the first lap of each session and I finished it off, riding the last two laps of each session to win our second SCORE race in a row. We rode pretty smooth in this race. The first heat was a little sketchy. We are preparing for November’s 50th SCORE Baja 1000 so Chris Haines (team owner) entered four motorcycles here so all of us riders would get plenty of seat time before the race everyone has been waiting for a long time. We’re planning on entering two teams in the 100 so this was good prep work for all of us.” MORE CLASS WINNERS Among the racers who won their respective motorcycle classes were: Ryan Liebelt, Reedley, Calif. (Pro Moto 30, Yamaha WR450), Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico (Pro Moto 40, KTM 450EXC), Jose Armando Carassco, Rosarito Beach, Mexico (Pro Moto Ironman, Suzuki RMZ450X), Mark Hawley, Anaheim, Calif. (Pro Moto 60, Honda CRF450X) and Said Sanchez, Tijuana, Mexico (Honda TRX450R. Winners among the car and truck classes that raced on Friday were: Ernie Negrete, San Diego (Class 5-1600, VW Baja Bug) and Armando Salazar, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11, VW Sedan). ART SAVEDRA MEMORIAL SHOOTOUT During the Friday racing action, two of SCORE’s historical VW Baja Bug racing classes (Class 5-1600 and Class 11) held the Art Savedra Memorial Shootout in memory of SCORE’s Tech Director who passed away recently. These classes will run both halves of their race on that day with a time-out between their sessions. There will be a special trophy and bonus purse for this special part of the race. SPECIAL FORMAT Unique for SCORE, the 21st the SCORE Desert Challenge is using a race format that has all classes racing in five different groups for a total of six laps over a surprisingly rugged 23-mile race course (138 total miles) split into two, three-lap sessions. WHERE THEY’RE FROM With 131 official entries, there are entries from 15 U.S. States and 14 countries. Nations are USA, host nation Mexico along with Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland. States with entries so far are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. THE COURSE Running predominately on land owned by prominent developer Grupo Musquis, SCORE Race Director Jose Grijalva confirms that this year’s course is extremely beautiful and picturesque with more places to pass than last year’s course. He further stated that around four miles was actually part of last year’s course that started and finished just south of Rosarito Beach. The course runs in a counterclockwise direction with two checkpoints. Checkpoint 1 is at race mile 12.05 and Checkpoint 2 will be at race mile 17.8. Most of the terrain for this race course is on mountains, hills, valleys and local trails. In addition to Grupo Musquis land, the course also runs through areas like La Nopalera, Los Pancho’s and Ejido Mesa Redonda. HISTRIONICS With less than two months remaining before the historic 50th anniversary race of the iconic BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja 1000, the City of Tijuana and the Tijuana tourism groups has given SCORE a multi-year contract that moved this race from nearby Rosarito Beach where it was held last year. While this is the first time in Tijuana, the SCORE Desert Challenge has been held 20 previous times since it first began in 1995. It was held in Laughlin, Nev., USA, from 1995 through 2012, in Plaster City, Calif., USA, in 2014 and in Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico in 2016. In 1967, the first SCORE Baja 1000 (then called the Mexican 1000) started at the bull ring in Tijuana and the 1995 SCORE Baja 1000 started in the wash near the Hotel Lucerna in Tijuana but no SCORE race has ever finished in Tijuana before this year. In addition to the two starts in Tijuana, SCORE Baja races have been held numerous times in Ensenada and San Felipe, several times in La Paz, a few times in Mexicali, Santo Tomas, Ojos Negros and Cabo San Lucas, and once each in Loreto and Rosarito Beach. TV TIME The race is being filmed to air on a later date on the El Rey Network as a one-hour special. SCORE SPONSORS… Official SCORE Sponsors: BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, Title Sponsor of this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 and a top sponsor of the 50th SCORE Baja 500 in 2018, Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, RACELINE Wheels-Official Wheel, Axial R/C-Official R/C Vehicle, El Rey Network-Official Television Partner, Wide Open Excursions-Official Arrive and Drive Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino. SCORE Official Partners: PCI Race Radios, 4 Wheel Parts, The Satellite Phone Store, Satellite Del Norte, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, CETTO Vineyards. Additional SCORE Associate Partners: Proturismo Ensenada, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Baja California Sur State Government, Baja California Sur Secretary of Tourism, Mexicali Ayuntamiento, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Cruz Roja Mexicana, Corporate Helicopters, McKenzie’s Performance Products, Advanced Color Graphics. Tijuana SCORE Desert Challenge Special Partners: XXII Ayuntamiento de Tijuana, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Tijuana Comite de Turismo and Convenciones, Comite de Marcadotecnia Turistica, Asociacion de Hoteles del Noroeste. For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship atwww.SCOREInternational.com. Tijuana 21st SCORE Desert Challenge Sept. 22-24 – Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico Round 3 of four-race 2017 SCORE World Desert Championship (138 miles, six total laps of 23-mile course, split into two sessions) TOTAL ENTRIES: 131 (as of 9/22/17) TOTAL DAY 1 STARTERS:55; TOTAL DAY 1 FINISHERS: 36 (from 15 U.S. States, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland) NOTE--FRIDAY’S PORTION OF THE RACE INCLUDED ALL PRO AND SPORTSMAN MOTO AND QUAD CLASSES ALONG WITH SEVERAL CAR/TRUCK CLASSES RUNNING THEIR RACE IN SPLIT SESSIONS. REMAINING CAR/TRUCK AND UTV CLASS WILL RACE FIRST HALF OF THEIR RACE ON SATURDAY, FINAL HALF ON SUNDAY. OFFICIAL DAY 1 FINISHERS (With position, vehicle number, racer info, elapsed time) PRO MOTORCYCLES PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (450cc or more)—1. 45x Shane Esposito, 43, Temecula, Calif. (ROR-Francisco Arredondo, 45, Guatemala)/Justin Morgan, 27, El Cajon, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3 hours, 24 minutes, 48 seconds (40.43 miles per hour); 2. 1x Mark Samuels, 28, Yucca Valley, Calif./Ryan Penhall, 30, Laguna Niguel, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:27:23; 3. 44x Grant Statley, El Cajon, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:49:25; 4. 66x Santiago Creel, 31, Mexico City, Mexico/Alberto Heredia, Mexico City, Mexico/Larry Serna, San Luis Rio, Mexico/Brandon Prieto, KTM 350EXC, 3:58:26; 5. 33x Garrett Poucher, 34, Valencia, Calif./Michel Valenzuela, 29, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 4:07:09; 6. 23x Mark Winkelman, 58, Cedar Hill, Texas/Austin Miller, 29, Austin, Texas/Grant Statley, 22, Jamul, Calif., Husqvarna 501, 4:13:30. (9 Starters, 6 Finishers) PRO MOTO LIMITED (449cc or less)—1. 160x Santiago Creel, 31, Mexico City, Mexico/Larry Serna, San Luis Rio, Mexico/Massimo Mangino, Mexico City, Mexico, KTM 350EXC, 3:44:29 (36.88mph); 2.125x Fernando Beltran, 40, Ensenada, Mexico/Emanuel Verdugo, 33, Ensenada, Mexico/David Zarate, 27, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico/Rigoberto Gomez, 28, San Quintin, Mexico, Yamaha YZ250F, 3:51:28; 3. 114x Rodolfo Patron, 37, Tijuana, Mexico/Philip Herrera, 19, Tijuana, Mexico/Willy Gaxiola, 25, Tecate, Mexico/Sergio Garza, 19, Tijuana, Mexico, KTM 350EXC, 4:00:13; 4. 100x Kevin Murphy, 37, Camarillo, Calif.(ROR-Jim O’Neal, 70, Simi Valley, Calif.)/Morgan Crawford, 34, Fresno, Calif./Jared Megla, Husqvarna 350, 4:22:28. (4 Starters, 4 Finishers) PRO MOTO 30 (Riders over 30 years old)—1. 300x Ryan Liebelt, 37, Reedley, Calif./Andrew Puckett, 35/Justin Schultz, 35, Lake Forest, Calif., Yamaha WR450, 3:56:14 (35.05mph); 2. 303x Francisco Septien, 42, Ensenada, Mexico (ROR-Luis Gomez), Alberto Ruiz, 41, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 4:05:56; 3. 360x Santiago Creel, 31, Mexico City, Mexico/Larry Serna, San Luis Rio, Mexico/Alberto Heredia, Mexico City, Mexico, KTM 350EXC, 4:19:09; 4. 371x Roy Buelna, 49, Ensenada, Mexico/Gerardo Buelna, 43, Ensenada, Mexico/Oscar Hale, 55, Ensenada, Mexico/Julio Gasper, 45, Ensenada, Mexico, Yamaha WR450, 4:27:56; 5. 319x Adrian Valdez, 45, Tijuana, Mexico/Gabriel Carrius, 30, Rosarito, Mexico/Gullermo de la Herrnan, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 4:38:23. (6 Starters, 5 Finishers) PRO MOTO 40 (Riders over 40 years old)—1. 400x Francisco Septien, 42, Ensenada, Mexico (ROR-Jano Montoya, 46, Winter Garden, Fla.), KTM 450EXC, 4:00:16 (34.46 mph); 2. 411x Colie Potter, 48, Las Vegas/Paul Luce, 42, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda CRF450X, 4:11:27.(2 Starters, 2 Finishers) PRO MOTO 50 (Riders over 50 years old)—1. 500x Marty Gomez, 57, Randsburg, Calif./Tim Gomez, 60, Long Beach, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:59:24 (34.59mph); 2. 549x Doug Smith, 61, Upland, Calif.(ROR-Robert Gates), Eric McKenna, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Kawasaki KX450F, 4:00:35; 3. 510x Giovanni Spinali, 51, El Cajon, Calif./Earl Roberts, Mexicali, Mexico/Troy Pearce, Ramona, Calif./Ric Emmerson, Berthoud, Colo., Honda CRF450X, 4:09:46; 4. 550x Bill Sekeres, 56, Santa Clarita, Calif./Mike Prunty, 55, Temecula, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 4:34:59; 5. 513x Bradley Loveday, 50, Alamo, Nev., Honda CRF450X, 4:53:16. (5 Starters, 5 Finishers) PRO MOTO IRONMAN (Solo Riders)—1. 721x Jose Armando Carassco, 27, Rosarito Beach, Mexico, Suzuki RMZ450X, 3:59:09 (34.62 mph). (2 Starters, 1 Finishers) PRO MOTO 60 (Riders over 60 years old)—1. 600x Mark Hawley, 66, Anaheim, Calif./Andy Kirker, 61, Lake Forest, Calif./Bill Tarling, 64, Vista, Calif./Rod Hendrickson, 60, Boise, Idaho, Honda CRF450X, 4:36:43 (29.92 mph); 2. 609x Doug Smith, 61, Upland, Calif. (ROR-Donald Lewis)/Larry Engwall, 62, Santa Ana, Calif./George Yates, Irvine, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 4:47:35. (2 Starters, 2 Finishers) PRO QUADS PRO QUAD (450cc or more)—1. 13a Said Sanchez, 30, Tijuana, Mexico/Adolfo Arrellano, Tijuana, Mexico/Francisco Vera, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 4:07:23; 2. 11a Daniel Salazar, 37, San Diego/Eduardo Arellano, 29, Tijuana, Mexico/Juan Sanchez, San Diego/Jesus Lopez, San Diego, Honda TRX450R, 4:23:00. (3 Starters, 2 Finishers) SPORTSMAN SPT M/C—1. 283x Miguel Pena, 41, Tijuana, Mexico/Chilio Luevatlo, 34, Tijuana/Jorge Carbajal, 42, Tijuana, Mexico/Jorge Carbajal Jr, 19, Tijuana, Mexico/Alexis Velarde, 19, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda CRF450R, 4:20:18 (31.81 mph). (4 Starters, 1 Finishers) SPT QUAD—1. 117a Erik Ruiz, 27, Tijuana, Mexico/Ramon Torres, 23, Valle de Trinidad, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 3:46:51 (36.50 mph); 2. 120a Kelly A. Ramirez, 26, El Cajon, Calif./Francisco Servin/Jorge Martinez/Edgar Barraza, 4:22:42. (3 Starters, 2 Finishers) TOP OVERALL FINISHERS Rank, Vehicle Number, Driver(s), Manufacturer, 6 laps, 140.4-miles, elapsed time (miles per hour), Class Pro Motorcycles
- 45x Shane Esposito, 43, Temecula, Calif. (ROR-Francisco Arredondo, 45, Guatemala)/Justin Morgan, 27, El Cajon, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3 hours, 24 minutes, 48 seconds (40.43 miles per hour)(Pro Moto Unlimited)
- 1x Mark Samuels, 28, Yucca Valley, Calif./Ryan Penhall, 30, Laguna Niguel, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:27:23(39.93 mph) (Pro Moto Unlimited)
- 160x Santiago Creel, 31, Mexico City, Mexico/Larry Serna, San Luis Rio, Mexico/Massimo Mangino, Mexico City, Mexico, KTM 350EXC, 3:44:29 (36.88mph)(Pro Moto Limited)
- 44x Grant Statley, El Cajon, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:49:25(36.09 mph) (Pro Moto Unlimited)
- 125x Fernando Beltran, 40, Ensenada, Mexico/Emanuel Verdugo, 33, Ensenada, Mexico/David Zarate, 27, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico/Rigoberto Gomez, 28, San Quintin, Mexico,Yamaha YZ250F, 3:51:28 (35.77 mpm) (Pro Moto Limited)