SAN DIEGO — SCORE International’s new era continues as online racer registration officially opens today for one of the most popular motorsports events in the world–the 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race. Round 2 of the 2013 SCORE Desert Series will be held May 30-June 2 in Mexico’s Baja California Norte, starting and finishing in Ensenada, the seaside port on the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of San Diego.
SCORE is celebrating its 40th year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2013 and this race is traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule. Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s 45th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the original desert race produced by SCORE on July 26, 1974.
With 40 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, a live drawing for starting positions within each class will be held during the broadcast of Roger Norman’s Dirt Live internet show on Tuesday, April 23, airing on the SCORE website. The live drawing party and webcast will be held at the SCORE Tech shop in El Cajon, Calif., a suburb of San Diego. It will be open to all SCORE members.
The race will feature a course that includes new or seldom-used areas as several new festivities will be held surround the event as the celebration continues for the 40th season of SCORE International desert racing. In order to be included in the start drawing, entries must be received with full payment by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 22.
Official entries received after the drawing will be given the next available starting position within their respective classes. Late entries received after May 24 or registering on-site will be assessed a $200 late fee.
SCORE has also announced the pre-running on the race course will begin officially on Wednesday, May 8, except for the portion from the start to Ojos Negros (approximately 35 miles), which will be used in both directions during the race.
“Online racer registration was one of our major initiatives as we began the new era of SCORE desert racing this year and my wife Elise has worked tirelessly with the service program we use to streamline it and make it even more efficient than it was when we debuted it in January for last month’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250,” commented SCORE President Roger Norman. “We are putting together the elements to help make this anniversary celebration for the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 another extremely memorable experience for everyone involved.”
The new SCORE online racer registration system requires full payment of all entry fees based on four levels for cars and trucks, depending on the type of class a racer is attempting to enter and two for motorcycles and ATVs. Payment is accepted via credit card with payment by check allowed although with a check the entry is not official until the check is received and processed by SCORE.
Questions regarding SCORE racer registration should be directed to Elise Norman at 775.690.2306.
QUALIFYING
For the first time in SCORE Baja racing history, qualifying for starting positions will be held. On Thursday, May 30, qualifying for both the SCORE Trophy Truck and the unlimited Class 1 will be held over a special course of approximately six miles tentatively scheduled to be near Ojos Negros. The April 23rd live drawing for these two classes will determine their qualifying order for May 30.
The drawing will also have a pre-draw (for qualifying order) for the top 12 finishers from this year’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 who have entered. While most entries in these two top classes are expected to qualifying, those who elect not to will be given the remaining start positions in the elapsed-time race based on the original drawing or entry into the race.
All vehicles that are part of qualifying will be taped for broadcast use on the ground and from the SCORE TV helicopter by Digital Media and Tempt Media Films.
GRANDEST GRAND
Roger Norman has also announced that the grand marshal for this year’s 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be Sal Fish, the iconic godfather of desert racing, who was a vital part of the first 39 years the popular race was produced by SCORE. Fish, 73, sold SCORE International to Norman on Dec. 20, 2012.
A HAPPENING
Colorful race week festivities will include several first-time events for SCORE, starting with qualifying for SCORE Trophy Truck and Class 1 followed by the SCORE Welcome Party fueled by Monster Energy in association with Tecate on Thursday, May 30 from 7 p.m. until midnight at the start/finish line area in the heart of Ensenada. With donations for Cruz Roja (Mexico’s Red Cross), the event will be preceded by a racer’s autograph party and vehicle display starting at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 31 will see the day-long, pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and contingency festival in the start finish line area in Ensenada.
On race days, Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, the Monster Energy Tecate SCORE VIP hospitality area will be part of the start/finish line compound. Tickets will be available for the VIP area which will include live streaming from the race course as well as updated leaderboard and internet tracking display of the race vehicles.
All of the week’s festivities will be aired both live and same-day including the race, on the Dirt Live SCORE race week shows, airing via the internet on the SCORE website at www.score-international.com.