November 27, 2002 Race Includes 234 Starters from 30 States, 10 Countries

BFGoodrich Tires win 17th straight overall 4-wheel crown in Final round of 2002 Optima SCORE Desert Series

LA PAZ, Mexico - Placing an indelible mark on the history of the granddaddy of all desert races, American Honda motorcycle teammates Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell and Andy Grider along with Optima Ford F-150 teammates Dan Smith and David Ashley enjoyed record-setting performances in capturing the overall motorcycle and 4-wheel vehicle victories at the 35th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 which started Thursday and concluded early Saturday.

A total of 234 of 244 adventuresome entries took the green flag Thursday in Ensenada, competing in 24 Pro and five Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. The arduous 1,017.31-mile down Mexico's exotic Baja California peninsula was the season-finale of the 2002 Optima SCORE Desert Series. When the finish line in La Paz officially closed at 2:36 a.m. (PST) on Saturday, a remarkable 151 vehicles (65 percent) survived, making it to the finish line within the 40-hour time limit in the elapsed-time race--the granddaddy of all desert races.

First to cross the finish line early Friday morning was the Honda XR650R of Hengeveld, Campbell and Grider, who blasted their way down the peninsula in an astonishing time of 16 hours, 17 minutes and 28 seconds, for a record average speed of 62.45 miles per hour. The win increased Honda's lead in overall wins in this race to 13.

While the Honda teammates were the fastest vehicle in the grueling race, Smith and Ashley in their Enduro Racing Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck nearly beat the motorcycles in this legendary race for the first time since 1993. The Smith/Ashley duo fashioned their own history-making run for a four-wheel vehicle, covering the terrain in the day-night race in 16:19:03, in a record-setting average speed of 62.34 miles per hour.

For Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., the victory was his second straight in this season finale of the Optima SCORE Desert Series while his teammate Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., improved his record run in this desert classic to six straight and Grider, Los Olivos, Calif., was part of the overall winning team for the first time.

"Winning six in a row is incredible, really awesome,"said Campbell. "Of course, it's not really over until the bike is here so it was great to see Steve cross the finish line. You can't do this without great partners and the unbelievable Honda XR650R."

For the patient-driving veteran Smith and Ashley, both of Riverside, Calif., their victory in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division was their third straight in this historic motorsports event. The victory also extended the winning streak of BFGoodrich Tires to 17 consecutive overall 4-wheel champions. It was also the ninth overall 4-wheel victory for Ford. The victory was Ashley's ninth in this race and Smith's eighth.

"I´m a little bit tired but I feel good," said Smith just after taking the checkered flag.

"I´m real happy to win this for Optima and Ford. We spent almost four weeks down here practicing, and we finished faster than we even expected. In Mexico it´s faster racing and more fun. There´s more people and they are so hospitable. Dave did a super job this morning - he is a patient man. He got the lead around mile 470 as the Herbsts (Ed and Tim) were in the pit doing something and Dave went by them. We switched at San Ignacio and we had the same old game plan - we knew that people were going to make problems for themselves. Dave passed most of the motorcycles, I only passed three, but of course I have a big advantage at night with all these lights - they know I´m coming."

While Hengeveld/Campbell/Grider defeated Smith/Ashley by a mere one minute, 35 seconds, they easily out-raced all other motorcycle competition. Behind the champions by just over an hour on a Honda XR650 was the runner-up motorcycle team of Brian Pinard, Murrieta, Calif./Scott Myers, Temecula, Calif.

Second overall among four-wheel vehicles was Las Vegas brothers Ed and Tim Herbst, who covered the picturesque course in their Terrible Herbst Motosports Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck in 17:04:37. With their finish, the Herbst brothers became the first team to win three season point titles in the nine-year history of SCORE Trophy-Truck. They also won the crown in 1999 and 2000.

Third overall and winning the unlimited Class 1 was the team of Mike Julson, El Cajon, Calif./Bob Lofton, Westmorland, Calif., in a Julson-built Chevy-powered Jimco, just 11 seconds behind the Herbst brothers. Second in Class 1 and fourth overall was last year's overall winner in this race-Doug Fortin, El Cajon, Calif./Charlie Townsley, Las Vegas, in another Jimco-Chevy in 17:36:12.

Overcoming a blown transmission midway through the race, Las Vegas' Troy Herbst made SCORE history by finishing third in Class 1 and fifth overall in 18:09:43 in his Smithbuilt-Ford. With help from co-driver Larry Roeseler, Hesperia, Calif., the youngest of the three Herbst brothers, 36, clinched the SCORE Class 1 season point championship for an unparalled sixth-straight year. He also became the first racer in SCORE history to capture the overall season point championship for the fourth time. He has now won the crown four of the last six years (1997, 1998, 2000, 2002).

Among the other early finishers Friday was NASCAR Winston Cup regular Robby Gordon, Orange, Calif., who returned to his desert roots to finish third in SCORE Trophy-Truck, seventh overall, in his Cingular Ford F-150 in 18:32:04.

Celebrating his 65th birthday in a most unique way late Friday afternoon, Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., shared driving duties with his sons Chad and Josh, to increase his record class win total to 17 in this race. The only driver to compete in a four-wheel class all 35 years of the event, Hall won the Stock Full class in an AM General Hummer XLCZ.
In Class 40, for motorcycle riders over 40 years old, Chris Haines, Dana Point, Calif., earned his ninth win in this race on a Honda in 18:29:23, fourth overall among motorcycles. One of his co-riders, Las Vegas' Jack Johnson, won his eighth crown in this storied event.

In winning class 50, Richard Jackson, Acton, Calif., rode a Honda XR650R in 23:46:02 for his fourth win here.

Mexico's Eric Solorzano, of Tijuana, won for the sixth time in Class 11, with a time of 30:53:37 in his stock VW Sedan.

In Class 9, Mexico's Eric Fisher, of Ensenada, picked up his fourth SCORE win of 2002, posting a time of 27:44:22 in a VW-powered Garibay Challenger.

Honolulu's Alan Pflueger completed his SCORE rookie season with an impressive second straight victory in the Protruck class. He defeated a field of nine starters with a winning time of 20:35:06 in a Chevy Silverado and a solid 10th place overall finish.

Brothers Donald and Kenneth Moss, Sacramento, Calif., drove their Ford Bronco to their fourth win of the season (24:41:03) and Japan's Ikuo Hanawa won Class 3 International in 25:13:22 in a Mitsubishi Montero Sport.

Mexican government official Rodimoro Amaya, of Constitucion, won Class 8 in a Chevy C1500 in 25:01:02.

Other class winners in the historic race included: Steve Myers, Newport Beach, Calif. (Class 10, Jimco-Toyota, 21:53:07), Perry McNeil, Lemon Grove, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger, 22:08:42), Dave and Bill Gasper, Goleta, Calif. (Class 5/1600, VW Baja Bug, 22:59:04), Brian Jeffrey, Acton, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600, Lothringer-VW, 23:08:46), David Callaway, Menifee, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Dunrite-VW, 23:16:34), Robert Sutton, Englewood, Colo. (Baja Challenge, BC Touring Car-Porsche, 23:31:20), Michael Horner, Mission Viejo, Calif. (Class 7S, Toyota Tacoma, 25:21:33), Deputy Steve Williams, Carson, Calif. (Stock Mini, Ford Ranger, 27:57:38) and Ruben Martin, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 25, Honda ATV, 23:20:31).

Tecate Beer was the title sponsor of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. Major associate sponsors of this legendary motorsports extravaganza were: Coca Cola of Mexico, the Baja California and Baja California Sur Departments of Tourism, Cotuco and Fondo Mixto Turistica de Ensenada.

SCORE official sponsors for 2002 are: Optima Batteries-title sponsor of the series and official battery, BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Southern California Ford Dealers-official vehicle, 76 Racing Fuel-official fuel and Rental Services Corporation-official equipment supplier. Associate sponsors this year have been: Bilstein Shocks, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Signpros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's, Rancho Suspensions, Advanced Color Graphics and Off-Road Innovations.

The 2002 Optima SCORE Desert Series will honor its champions at the gala SCORE Awards Night on Dec. 7 at the Primm Valley Resort in Primm, Nev.

For more information, contact SCORE at it's Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the Optima SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.