ENSENADA, Mexico — Leading the field into this week’s internationally-televised 48th annual SCORE Baja 500 will be former overall winners Rob MacCachren, brothers Ed, Tim and Troy Herbst, Andy McMillin, Mark Post, B.J. Baldwin, Bryce Menzies, Larry Roeseler and Mexico’s Gus Vildosola Jr, Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez and Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Laguna. SCORE’s proverbial ‘Dirty Dozen’ all race in SCORE Trophy Truck, the sport’s marquee racing division for high-tech, 850-horsepower, unlimited production trucks.
With festivities starting on Thursday, Round 2 of the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held this week in Mexico’s Baja California Norte, starting and finishing in Ensenada, the seaside port on the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of San Diego.
The race will be televised on the CBS Sports Network with the premier showing at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 24. The show, produced with SCORE by award-winning BCII TV of Los Angeles, will be a two-hour special, marking the first time this popular SCORE race has been broadcast in a presentation longer than one hour.
THE FIELD/START
Nearly 250 entries from 22 U.S. States and 10 countries are expected at the start line of the 477.52-mile race. Through Monday there were 223 official entries with as many as 30 late registrants during on-site racer registration on Thursday and Friday.
It is an elapsed-time race with staggered starts as the green flag on Saturday will drop first for the motorcycles and quads at 5:30 a.m. and approximately 10 a.m. for the cars, trucks and UTVs. There is a 21-hour time limit in the elapsed-time race to become an official finisher.
The field features 91 racers who have 245 combined class wins in this race, including14 drivers who have combined to win 24 overall car/truck titles and six riders who have combined to win 19 overall motorcycle titles.
GRAN HISTORIA
Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s 48th anniversary of the SCORE Baja 500, the first Baja desert race produced by SCORE on July 26, 1974.
The SCORE Baja 500 is one of the top motorsports events in the world. It was started originally in 1969 by the NORRA organization.
Ensenada has been the heart and soul of the SCORE Baja 500. This year marks the 43rd time it has started and 39th time it has finished in Ensenada in its 48-year history.
OVERALL WINNERS
There are drivers who won 10 of the last 13 4-wheel overalls (including the last eight straight) as well as riders from the last three motorcycle overall winners.
Leading the way with multiple overall wins in this race are Larry Roeseler with 11 overall victories (including nine on a motorcycle), Robby Gordon with four, Troy Herbst, Scott McMillin and Bryce Menzies with three, B.J. Baldwin, Kory Halopoff, Curt LeDuc, Harley Letner, Carlos Lopez, Rob MacCachren and Andy McMillin with one each in 4-Wheel and in 2-wheel, Roeseler’s nine, Kendall Norman with five, Max Eddy Jr with two and Justin Morgan, Colton Udall and Ian Young–one each.
A HAPPENING
Colorful race week festivities will start Thursday with qualifying for SCORE Trophy Truck and Class 1. SCORE sponsor partner Monster Energy will host pre-race evening parties both on Thursday and Friday.
Friday will see the colorful day-long, pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and contingency festival in the start finish line area in Ensenada.
During the race on Saturday the start/finish line compound will include the massive double-sided SCOREvision LED screen broadcasting race festivities and start and finish line interviews along with the Monster Energy VIP area.
All of the week’s festivities will be aired both live and same-day including race highlights and interviews, airing via the internet on the SCORE website.
AT THE RIVIERA
The Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center, in the heart of Ensenada, will again be the site of many of the activities surrounding the SCORE Baja 500. Racer registration and Media registration will be held in the Red room at the Riviera on Thursday and Friday and the SCORE Media Center will be in the Red room during the race with internet access and live race updates, vehicle tracking displays including unofficial elapsed times.
In the Cathedral Room at the Riviera will be pre-race media conference as well as the mandatory pre-race racer’s meeting on Friday. The post-race awards celebration will be in the Cathedral Room at noon on Sunday.
The start/finish line for the race will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center as well on Blvd. Costero.
MULTIPLE CLASS WINNERS RETURN:
Leading this prestigious group of returning multiple class winners in the SCORE Baja 500 are Jim O’Neal with 17 class wins (all on motorcycles) and Larry Roeseler with 16. The other racers with the most multiple class wins in this race who are back to attempt to add to their winning legacies are: Troy Herbst (7) and Mike Cafro, Scott McMillin and Nick Vanderwey (6 each).
Also back for more are Dan Chamlee, Robby Gordon, Eiazuburo Karasawa, Rob MacCachren, Scott Myers, Kendall Norman and Clyde Stacy (5 class race wins each), Vic Bruckmann, Wayne Matlock, Adam Pfankuch, Kent Pfeifer, Greg Row and J. David Ruvalcaba (4 each) and Marc Burnett, Shane Esposito, Steven Eugenio, Elias Hanna, Chelsea Magness, Justin Matney, Hector Sarabia and Jason Trubey (3 each).
MAC ATTACKS
A six-time AARWBA All-America selection, MacCachren, who turned 51 this past March, is the winningest SCORE Trophy Truck driver in history with 13 career race wins in the 22-year history of the featured SCORE class along with season point championships in the class in the inaugural year of 1994 and 2007. He drives the No. 11 Rockstar Energy MacCachren Motorsports Ford F-150.
HERBST HAPPENINGS
Second in career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins with 11, Tim Herbst, 53, won his record four SCORE Trophy Truck season point titles with his older brother Ed Herbst splitting the driving in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003. This year, Tim Herbst will be splitting the driving in the No. 19 Monster Energy Terrible Herbst Motorsports Ford F-150 with 19-year old second-generation desert racer Brett Sourapas.
Ed Herbst, 55, who shared the driving with Tim Herbst for 11 career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins, will be splitting time this year behind the wheel with Mark Post in the No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150.
Troy Herbst, 51, the youngest of the three Herbst brothers will share driving duties again this year with Ryan Arciero, another second-generation desert racer in the No. 91 Monster Energy Terrible Herbst Motorsports Ford F-150.
GORDON GALLOPS
Winning races in his career in multiple racing styles including IndyCar, the NASCAR Cup Series and stages in the Dakar Rally, Gordon, 47, is a former owner/driver in NASCAR and currently owns and drives in his Stadium Trucks Off-Road Series. He is tied for second with Tim Herbst, Ed Herbst and Larry Ragland with 11 career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins and has won two season crowns in SCORE Trophy Truck (1996 and 2009). Gordon drives the No. 77 Speed Energy Team Gordon Chevy Silverado.
MENZIES’ MAGIC
In recent years, no one has dominated this race like SCORE young gun Bryce Menzies, Las Vegas. Menzies, 28, who has five career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins, has won this race three of the last five years (2011, 2012 and 2014). In 2013 he finished third behind race winner Gordon. Menzies drives the No. 70 Red Bull Menzies Motorsports Ford F-150.
MOTOS START FIRST
First off the line Saturday morning will be the motorcycle team of rider of record Guatemala’s Francisco Arredondo, a veteran international motorcycle rally racer who has won his class in SCORE Baja races.
Competing in the Pro Moto Unlimited class, splitting the riding time on the Chris Haines team with Arredondo on the No. 45x Honda CRF450x will be championship riders Shane Esposito, Ryan Penhall, Roberto Villalobos, Justin Morgan and Kendall Norman. Everyone one the team has at least one class win in a SCORE Baja race.
1x OX MOTORSPORTS
Favorite among the nearly 50 motorcycles in various classes entered in the race is the No. 1x team of Colton Udall and Mark Samuels, both of Yucca Valley, Calif. After winning the SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited class last year, the duo opening the 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship by winning the overall and their class in the season-opening 30th SCORE San Felipe 250 on their Honda CRF450X.
QUALIFYING
On Thursday, qualifying for starting positions will be held for both the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck and the unlimited Class 1 and will be held over a special course near Ensenada and is not open to the public. The start drawing for these two classes determined their respective qualifying order.
While most entries in these two top classes are expected to qualify, 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.
Qualifying is closed to the public because of safety concerns, but taped highlights of qualifying will be shown starting Thursday evening on the SCORE website.
ENTRY LEADERS
While SCORE Trophy Truck with 32 has the most entries of any class in the race, other car/truck/UTV classes with double figure entries are Class 10 with 28, Class 1 with 19, Trophy Truck Spec with 16 and SCORE Lites, Pro UTV FI and Pro UTV with 14 each.
Leading the Pro motorcycle classes is the Pro Moto Unlimited class with eight entries. Leading the Sportsman classes is SPT Moto with 10 entries.
On-site late registration will close at 5 p.m. on Friday with as many as 20 additional entries expected.
MAIN COURSE
The loop race features a 477.52-mile race course developed by SCORE CEO/President Roger Norman and SCORE Race Director Abelardo Grijalva.
The historic race course is another memorable example of all that Mexico’s Baja California has to offer, including high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky and silty natural terrain, majestic Baja washes and canyons with elevations from sea level to over 4,000 feet. The course is another jewel reflecting the stark beauty of Baja California.
The race starts and finishes in Ensenada and has four physical check points and over 60 virtual check points. It travels out through Ojos Negros to Tres Hermanos, Pino Solo, Catarina, Nuevo Junction (Checkpoint 1), The Summit, Cohabuzo, Laguna Salada, Saldana, Tres Pozos, Borrego (CP 2), Three Poles, Zoo Road, Huatomote Wash, Morelia Junction, Diablo dry lake bed, San Matias pass (CP 3), Mike’s Sky Rancho road, Kiliwas wash, the Goat Trail, Jamau and Km 33 crossing of Highway 3 (CP 4).
Covering much of the state of Baja California Norte, with some areas seldom used by SCORE, the course has been designed to make it easy to chase for support crews and great for spectators. The course is fun, fast and technical with its rough sections.
KING SHOCK ZONE
King Shocks, SCORE’s Official Shock Absorber, is again offering a special contingency cash prize. For this week’s SCORE Baja 500, the fastest vehicle through Check Point 2 (race mile 202.3) to Check Point 3 (rm329.87) on corrected elapsed time will receive the choice of either a $4,000 cash prize or $5,000 in credit for King Shocks parts or service.
Qualified vehicles must be equipped exclusively with King Race Shocks and contingency decals as required. Winning the first King Shock Zone award at this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 was Mexico’s Gus Vildosola Jr., driver of the No. 21 Mexicana Logistics Ford Raptor in the marquee SCORE Trophy Truck division.
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 as 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 17, 9 p.m. ET)
· SCORE Baja 500 (two hour special) (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.
DUST2GLORY
From award-winning documentary filmmaker Dana Brown, Dust2Glory will chronicle each of the four races in the 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship. Brown’s original Dusty to Glory, released in 2005, became an iconic classic showcasing the legendary SCORE Baja 1000. Now, D2G, which began shooting at last year’s SCORE Baja 1000, continued at this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 will be up close and personal in capturing the robust racers in their amazing adventures in Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula through all four spectacular 2016 races.
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 SCORE 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.
Official SCORE Partners: 4 Wheel Parts, Coca Cola, The Satellite Phone Store, PCI Race Radios.
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, 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 Baja 500 – Ensenada, Baja California Mexico
All-Time Overall 4wheel & 2wheel champions (1969 through 2015
Year—DRIVERS/RIDERS, VEHICLE
1969—Bud Ekins/Guy Jones, Baja Boot-Olds
Doug Douglas/Jim McClurg, Ducati
1970—Parnelli Jones, Ford
Bill Silverthorn/Gene Fetty, Husqvarna
1971—Bobby Ferro, Funco-VW
Malcolm Smith/J.N. Roberts, Husqvarna
1972—Bobby Ferro, Sandmaster-VW
Gene Fetty/Bill Silverthorn, Honda
1973—Parnelli Jones, Ford
Howard Utsey/Mickey Quade, Husqvarna
1974—Bobby Ferro, Sandmaster-VW
Mitch Mayes/A.C. Bakken, Husqvarna
1975—Ivan Stewart, Funco-VW
Larry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie, Harley-Davidson
1976—Bobby Ferro/Ivan Stewart, Funco-VW
Larry Roeseler/A.C. Bakken, Husqvarna
1977—Ivan Stewart, Chenowth-VW
Larry Roeseler/Jack Johnson, Husqvarna
1978—Bud Feldkamp/Malcolm Smith, Funco-VW
Brent Wallingsford/Scot Harden, Husqvarna
1979—Malcolm Smith/Bud Feldkamp, Funco-VW
Jack Johnson, Husqvarna
1980—Bob Gordon, Chenowth-Chevy
Bruce Ogilvie/Chuck Miller, Yamaha
1981—Malcolm Smith/Bill Newbury, Chenowth-Chevy
Larry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie, Yamaha
1982—Larry Ragland, Funco-VW
Larry Roeseler/Chuck Miller, Yamaha
1983—Corky & Scott McMillin, Chenowth-VW
Dan Ashcraft, Husqvarna
1984—Larry Ragland, Chaparral-VW
Dan Smith/Dan Ashcraft, Husqvarna
1985—Ron Gardner/Bud Feldkamp, Funco-VW
Kurt Pfeiffer/Scot Harden, Husqvarna
1986—Corky & Scott McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche
Garth Sweetland/Scot Harden, Husqvarna
1987—Bob Gordon/Tim Crabtree, Chenowth-Porsche
Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Kawasaki
1988—Mark McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche
Dan Ashcraft/Kurt Pfeiffer, Yamaha
1989—Robby Gordon, Ford
(no motorcycles)
1990—Robby Gordon, Ford
Larry Roeseler/Danny LaPorte, Kawasaki
1991—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Garth Sweetland/Paul Krause, Kawasaki
1992—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr/Paul Krause, Kawasaki
1993—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Danny Hamel/Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Kawasaki
1994—Ivan Stewart, Toyota (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Dave Ashley/Dan Smith, Ford
Paul Krause/Ted Hunnicutt Jr, Kawasaki
1995—Curt LeDuc, Jeep (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Mike Julson/Bob Lofton, Jimco-VW
Paul Krause/Craig Smith, Kawasaki
1996—Rob MacCachren, Ford (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Troy Herbst, Smithbuilt, Smithbuilt-Porsche
Paul Krause/Ty Davis, Kawasaki
1997—Ivan Stewart, Toyota (SCORE Trophy Truck)
Mark McMillin, Jimco-Porsche
Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie, Honda
1998—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie, Honda
1999—Ivan Stewart, Toyota
Jonah Street/Torsten Borstrom, Honda
2000—Larry Ragland, Chevy
Jonah Street/Steve Hengeveld, Honda
2001—Mark McMillin, Jimco-Chevy
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2002—Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler, Smithbuilt-Ford
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2003—Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler, Smithbuilt-Ford
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2004—Alan Pflueger, Chevy
Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda
2005—Robby Gordon, Chevy
Mike Childress/Mouse McCoy, Honda
2006—Brian Collins/Larry Ragland, Chevy
Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda
2007—Larry Ragland/Brian Collins, Chevy
Robby Bell/Kendall Norman/Steve Hengeveld, Honda
2008—B.J. Baldwin, Chevy
Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda
2009—Harley Letner/Kory Halopoff, Tatum-Chevy
Bill Boyer/Donnie De Arman/Nicholas Blais/Rudy Iribe, Honda
2010—Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Ford
Kendall Norman/Quinn Cody, Honda
2011—Bryce Menzies, Ford
Kendall Norman/Quinn Cody, Honda
2012—Bryce Menzies, Ford
Robby Bell/David Pearson/Steve Hengeveld, Kawasaki
2013—Robby Gordon, Chevy
Timmy Weigand/Colton Udall/David Kamo, Honda
2014—Bryce Menzies, Ford
Ricky Brabec/David Pearson/Max Eddy Jr, Kawasaki
2015—Carlos Lopez, Chevy
Ricky Brabec/Max Eddy Jr/Justin Morgan/Ian Young, Kawasaki
SCORE Baja 500 Overall Champions
Racers
Cars & Trucks
11
*Larry Roeseler
10
Ivan Stewart
5
Larry Ragland
4
Bobby Ferro
Robby Gordon
**Malcolm Smith
3
Bud Feldkamp
Troy Herbst
Mark McMillin
Scott McMillin
Bryce Menzies
2
Brian Collins
Bob Gordon
Parnelli Jones
Corky McMillin
**Dan Smith
1
Dave Ashley
B.J. Baldwin
Bud Ekins
Ron Gardner
Kory Halopoff
Guy Jones
Mike Julson
Curt LeDuc
Harley Letner
Bob Lofton
Carlos Lopez
Rob MacCachren
Andy McMillin
Alan Pflueger
*9 on motorcycle
**1 on motorcycle
Motorcycles
7
Steve Hengeveld
6
Johnny Campbell
5
Paul Krause
Bruce Ogilvie
Johnny Campbell
Kendall Norman
4
Robby Bell
Ted Hunnicutt Jr
3
Scot Harden
Jonah Street
2
Dan Ashcraft
A.C. Bakken
Ricky Brabec
Quinn Cody
Max Eddy Jr
Gene Fetty
Jack Johnson
Chuck Miller
David Pearson
Kurt Pfeiffer
Bill Silverthorn
Craig Smith
1
Torsten Borstrom
Mike Childress
Cameron Corfman
Ty Davis
Doug Douglas
Danny Hamel
David Kamo
Jim McClurg
Danny LaPorte
Mitch Mayes
Mouse McCoy
Justin Morgan
Mickey Quade
J.N. Roberts
Garth Sweetland
Colton Udall
Howard Utsey
Brent Wallingsford
Tim Weigand
Ian Young
Manufacturers
Overall 4wheel Vehicle Trucks/SUVs*
10
Ford
8
Chevy
7
Toyota
1
Jeep
*Includes 1993-97 (51 Total)
Cars
7
Funco
Chenowth
3
Jimco
Smithbuilt
2
Sandmaster
1
Baja Boot
Chaparral
Tatum
*Includes 1993-97 (51 Total)
Overall Engine Winners
Cars & Trucks
13
Volkswagen
12
Chevy
Ford
7
Toyota
5
Porsche
1
Jeep
Oldsmobile
*Includes 1993-97 (51 total)
Motorcycles
17
Honda
12
Husqvarna
11
Kawasaki
4
Yamaha
1
Beta
Ducati
Harley-Davidson
Tires
4wheel vehicles
(missing 4 years)
31
BFGoodrich Tires
5
Western Auto Tires
2
Firestone Tires
Goodyear Tires
Yokohama Tires
1
Toyo Tires