Ensenada, Mexico – BFGoodrich Tires and its arsenal of top off-road drivers will put the brand’s desert-conquering tires to the test at this year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada, Mexico, starting Saturday, June 7. The 46th running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 presents the opportunity for an unprecedented 30th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 overall victory for BFGoodrich Tires in the past 35 years of racing.
Baja has been good to BFGoodrich Tires over the years. With Gus Vildosola Jr’s win at the SCORE Mastercraft Tecate San Felipe 250 earlier this year, BFGoodrich Tires now has 78 total overall victories in the Baja peninsula. Taking into account the last two years of races in Baja, BFGoodrich Tires has claimed 32 of the overall top 40 finishers and an astounding 36 class wins.
“There is no denying that racing in the Baja peninsula has been a key focus for our motorsports efforts as well as a grounds for our company to continue developing the best desert race tires available,” said Peter Calhoun, BFGoodrich Tires motorsports manager. “But make no mistake about it, after winning 12 overall titles this decade, we are well aware that we did not claim the overall win in the last three “endurance” races in Baja and are as hungry as ever to get back to where we feel we belong – atop that podium.”
This 2014 course stretches across some new or seldom-used areas to challenge drivers with every piece of difficult terrain Baja has to offer from the start/finish line in Ensenada, Mexico.
The course, which stretches along the seashore with elevations from sea level to over 4,000 feet and cover all that Baja California is known for including high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky and silty natural terrains to scenic Baja washes and canyons.
This year, the course will run COUNTER clockwise after Ojos Negros or race mile 30. It will also utilize the Diablo Dry Lake area pushing the course further south in a mini loop for more than 30 miles before exiting back onto Mexico Highway 3 and eliminating areas east of Highway 3 near Nuevo Junction.
BFGoodrich Performance Team member Rob MacCachren has assumed the SCORE Overall and SCORE Trophy Truck point lead after the first two rounds of the five-race 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship. With tight battles in races on both sides of the border, six classes have two racers tied for the point lead and a total of just 21 points separate the top 20 SCORE Overall point leaders heading into round three at the upcoming 46th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race.
MacCachren, a two-time SCORE Trophy Truck season point champion, drives the No. 11 Rockstar Energy MacCachren Motorsports Ford F-150 and finished fourth in the season-opening Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 and with San Diego’s Andy McMillin pinch-hitting for him, he won the SCORE Imperial Valley 250 in late April.
SCORE point rules this season allow for one replacement driver if pre-approved for an acceptable reason. MacCachren was racing in two classes over two days the same weekend at the Lucas Oil short-course off-road series and SCORE officials allowed a replacement driver. MacCachren has 142 points after two events.
MacCachren’s season is off to a fast start, having gained momentum late last year with wins at the Best In the Desert Henderson 250 and the Bluewater challenge as well as a runner up finish at the Baja 1000. Winner of the season-opener in March, Mexico’s Gus Vildosola Jr is second in SCORE Trophy Truck points and tied for fourth in SCORE Overall points with 138 in the No. 21 Branix Mexicana Logistics Ford Raptor. Third in SCORE Trophy Truck points and 11th in SCORE Overall points is Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va. in the No. 5 RPM Chevy Rally Truck with 133 points so far.
In total, eight of the top 20 racers in the points are running on BFGoodrich Tires.
After narrowly missing his chance for a third consecutive Baja 500 victory last year, BFGoodrich Performance Team member Bryce Menzies will be looking to get back on top of the box this season.
Last season Menzies went off the line third overall and quickly set a pace staying within striking distance of the leaders. While the truck was in good shape at that point, around race mile 200, the team had slipped to fifth then later experienced mechanical issues. While the No. 70 Red Bull Trophy Truck recovered and gained positions, they seemed destined to give the Baja 500 crown to a new driver while Bryce finished third overall with a time of 10 hours and 22 minutes.
“The Baja 500 is a very difficult race which our team worked very hard to get back to back victories in. We led most of the race last year then had an issue that set us back a bit. We can’t wait to get back to Baja where our BFGoodrich tires are at their best and reclaim our title!”
Last season BFGoodrich Tires took seven of the top 10 overall finishers in the Trophy Truck category as well as five overall class wins to lead all tire manufacturers at the 45th running of the Tecate SCORE 2013 Baja 500.
Robby Gordon went off first on Saturday, overcame an early stumble and went on to claim the overall victory and the Trophy Truck division at the 501-mile race in a time of just over 10 hours.
Team BFGoodrich members Bryce Menzies (3rd), Rob MacCachren (7th) and Dan McMillin (11th) led a contingent of more than 20 racers on the tires that have won more races in Baja than any other tire – BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR and BFGoodrich T/A KRT.
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2014 SCORE Baja 500 Photos