BAJA RACING NEWS.COM LIVE from Baja California, Mexico. BAJA RACECASTS & NEWS. The #1 Internet Source of Baja racing info, online & real-time race results LIVE! The wild life of the racers-pilots, teams and fans who love Off Road Desert Racing-Baja Racing! Offroad trucks, tires, engines, tools & new offroad gear. Exclusive inside off-road racing dirt! EXCLUSIVE RACING PICS VIDS and stories, the most dangerous & notorious racing in the world!
"The speed limit is one thing, but, I have an issue with is, where in the rules is the course stuff, I really don't understand what SCORE and IRC is doing". Marty Fiolka, DIRT SPORTS Magazine
"The SCORE rulebook? The SCORE Rulebook? Yea, I have a use for it, I wipe my ass with it!" BFG Relay Radio Bob Hynes (RIP) LOADING NOW>>>
November 12, 2009
Baja Racing News.com EDITORIAL Baja Racers Have No Trust in SCORE Race Tracking
First, at the Baja 250 in San Felipe, SCORE almost bent over for its tire sponsor BFGoodrich Tires, when Roger Norman has a temper tantrum over his failure to finish the race and his assertion (he's a BFG sponsored team) that Robby Gordon "cheated" to win.
Then at the Baja 500, all hell broke loose when after over 37 years of Baja racing, SCORE decided to f*** everything up by penalizing racers and taking MONTHS to decide what the hell it was going to do with several classes of racers.
After months of racers letting SCORE race tracking know how they felt, SCORE's race tracking came out and bitch slapped the talking racers. The Baja racers have been threatened not to talk about SCORE's race tracking performance.
After many, many, many sanctioning body and race tracking mistakes, they expect everyone to trust them with this years Baja 1000.
The majority of racing teams have "Zero Trust", for SCORE's race tracking and most everything else it touches. In just one week, we'll see how bad the race tracking can F*** Up the Baja 1000. End
November 11, 2009
SCORE Press Release:
"Real-time race tracking, displayed on large LCD screens, will be provided through BFGoodrich Tire’s and SCORE’s partnership with 'SCORE's race tracking' throughout the race. Additional adjusted time updates provided by BFG Central from BFG pits will also be available at [Baja Racing News.com]. SCORE International and supporting sponsors will post press information and results for use in developing stories during the race. In Ensenada, the finest off-road destination in Mexico.
SCORE, BFGoodrich Tires and the Baja California State Secretary of Tourism office know the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 has fans around the world that deserve the best, most up-to-date information possible about the most extreme off-road race in the world."
UPDATE October 29, 2009
Now, Dirt Sports Magazine, PCI Race Radios (the radio services vendor for the races), Eric Morley marketing, Cameron Steele and every racer is critical of the Baja race-results, SCORE Scandal.
October 28, 2009
* Dave Despain of SPEEDs 'Wind Tunnel' commented: "Baja racing is about passion, by hook or crook". Dave, it's mostly about crook!
* DIRT SPORTS Magazine went out on a limb officially to dis-respect IRC and SCORE, last night.
Marty Fiolka said, "the black boxes, timing, scoring, IRC Thing has been a big highlight on cheating".
Cheating, highlighted by SCORE and Race Tracking International. Now, IRC (International Racing Consultants, the Official race tracking and race results data vendor) through its affiliate Race Tracking International, has been hired for Public Relations and Media work. Joe Parsons confirmed, the Penhall Kawasaki Team will be highlighted in this Baja 1000. Why Ike, What Ever Do You Mean? No limits on the vendor duties and responsibilities? You mean they can get paid for "other services"? Like, they won't have any effect on the race data the vendor is ultimately responsible for?
"The speed limit is one thing, but, I have an issue with is, where in the rules is the course stuff, I really don't understand what SCORE and IRC is doing", Marty Fiolka, DIRT SPORTS Magazine, went on to assert.
UPDATE October 23, 2009
Even PCI's Scotty Steinberger goes off the farm on this one! Though, its obvious they're not happy about missing the GPS tracking with SCORE- money boat.
"I run a secondary unit called IonEarth that tracks my vehicles and gives real time updates in each equipped chase vehicle. So I will have a redundant system in my vehicle, the question is will Score use the data from a second non official source to back up IRC if a failure occurs? In a racecar there are 100 parts that can fail robbing your chance of winning the Baja 1000; it is a shame that a rental unit that gets passed around weekend after weekend subjected to abuse could potentially hamstring you before the start! I will not worry about it, follow the rules, and race the Baja 1000, but I think maybe we racers should stand strong and together and let IRC and Score know that we will not accept racing under these conditions. I have talked to Steve from IRC in the past and he assured me they could tell if someone was playing games and that no one would be accountable for faulty equipment. This is not the case now. I flat think it is WRONG to penalize anyone for faulty equipment! I try hard to stay away from politics because I consider Score and IRC my friends, but I have the right as the owner of Trophy Truck #7 who has put my heart and soul in this sport for over 20 years to voice my opinion, sorry if my friends take offense. Yes the rules need to be followed, but penalties for fried boxes at the start line or intermittent tracker units that are above the control of the competitor need to stop! My 2 cents, Viva Baja!
Scott Steinberger Trophy Truck #7"
Steve Brown of Colorado:
"We should all purchase OnStar!!! At least it works and you pay $119 year. Plus OnStar uses American Satellites in orbit. IRC uses antiquated technology and claims they pay $3000 per box. Is that in Pesos? IRC SUCKS period. Scam that should be investigated by the Race Czar in the Obama cabinet. SCREW IRC!!!"
October 18, 2009
Some Baja 1000 Honesty! Baja Racing News.com Racers Talk from their heart.
Steve Schwab: "40 years of checkpoint racing in Baja will not go away quietly."
Andy:"Missing data penalties at the last 500 was a sore spot for many competitors. Although it hasn't been officially announced yet, SCORE and IRC plan to offer a second data recorder option at a discounted rate. This would allow teams to run two data recorders at the same time. One as primary and the other as a back up in case of failure. This should drastically reduce the instances of bad or missing data." Randy from El Cajon California, about the Baja 1000 2009: "I believe i'll just stick to having the one (tracking device in his race car during the Baja 1000) ..if the thing-a-ma-jig quits working or won't turn over or whatever, and they want to penalize me for having a cheat design built into my strategy for this race in one of the fastest, toughest, most competitive and popular classes in all of score...the sportsman truck class?...I don't care. most the time we don't have all our s--t together enough to have time to think about how we're gonna get over on our sport truck compadres.
We're in it for the fun.
And we're too skeered to cheat on purpose. if we do good, i could give a s--t what the the one tracker thinks as it is.. Why do i need two? You watch. pretty soon score will REQUIRE us to rent two of these POS. Crap, I still got my old rally tracker or whatever it was before that that did'nt work. Maybe I'll just throw that baby on. Add our trusty spot tracker, Ionearth, the sentenal, and the LA Dodgers speed gun that guy uses behind home plate and i'll be too heavy to get off the start line. At least i'd know where I'm at..maybe...but for a few bucks more, a heluva special for this race only, three IRC trackers for the price of four...and on it goes...good luck everyone and have a safe race.."
Thanks for sending in your comments Racers!
UPDATE September 30, 2009
SCORE Desperate, Goes Berserk! Posts 2009 Baja 1000 Waiver of Liability and Indemity, Tells Racers to Shut The F-Up
Baja Racing News.com EXCLUSIVE
SCORE International must be desperate, they go berserk and demand racers sign a "2009 Baja 1000 Waiver of Liability and Indemity (Indemnity)", that on its face is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
Is this the END of SCORE? SCORE International is now requiring all racers to sign and submit to indemnify SCORE International from any mistakes of ANY kind. Any racer who wishes to race in a SCORE sanctioned event, will have no right to PROTEST any rulings by the sanctioning body! SCORE is demanding the racers keep their big mouths shut, under penalty of threatened litigation by SCORE against the racers in question.
Baja Racing News.com has received reports that this NEW legal document is the product of Oscar Ramos, the attorney for SCORE and was drawn up in Mexico by a non-english speaker and in a non-American legal stature. Looking at the spelling errors alone, shows this reporter, some flunky in Tijuana wrote it.
The constitutional rights of the signee would have to be waived for any agreement of this type to be valid. In Mexico it could be considered legal. There is no way this document could be legal in the United States, even if signed by the participant.
Here is the language "Godfather" Sal Fish is now demanding racers sign, before racing in this years, 2009 Baja 1000:
"I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THE 2006-2010 SCORE RULEBOOK AND THAT I UNDERSTAND AND SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL RULES CONTAINED THEREIN. ISPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT SCORES INTEREPREATION (INTERPRETATION) OF RULES, DECISIONS ENFORCING RULES, INTERPRETATION OF PENALTIES IN CONNECTION WITHENFORCEMENT OF RULES, TIMINING (TIMING) OF EVENTS AND DECISIONS AS TO WINNERS AND PLACEMENT POSITIONS SHALL BE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PROTEST OF ANY KIND. NO DECISION OF SCORE WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS MAY BE CHALLENGED BY LITIGATION OR OTHERWIESE (OTHERWISE). I UNDERSTANDTHAT ANY STATEMENTS MADE BY ME OR ANYONE ACTING ON MY BEHALF WHICH CHALLEGES (CHALLENGES) THE INTEGRITY OF SCORES DECISION WITH RESPECT TO RACERESULTS WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM TO SCORE’S BUSINESS REPUTAION (REPUTATION) AND SUBJECT ME TO DAMAGES UNDER APPLICALBE (APPLICABLE) LAW. I ALSO CERTIFY THATI HAVE READ AND WILL COMPLY WITH ALL SUPPLEMENTAL OR AMENDED RULES SPECIFICALLY PUBLISHED FOR THIS EVENT IN THE RACE BULLETINS."
Here is the text of the document in its entirety:
""2009 TECATE SCORE BAJA 1000 WAIVER OF LIABILITY & INDEMNITY AGREEMENT PLEASE READ CAREFULLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY - DO NOT SIGN MUST BE SIGNED AT BAJA 1000 RACE REGISTRATION IN ENSENADA
I UNDERSTAND THAT IN CONSIDERATION AND EXCHANGE FOR, AND AS A CONDITION TO MY PARTICIPATION IN THE 2009 TECATE SCORE BAJA 1000 OFF-ROAD RACE ACTIVITIES, I KNOWINGLY AND FREELY RELEASE AND INDEMNIFY SCORE INTERNATIONAL ("SCORE"), TECATE BEER, RED BULL, MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY, INSTANT MEXICO INSURANCE, SUNOCO RACE FUELS, AND ALL OTHER SCORE SPONSORS, FROM ALL RESPONSIBILITY TO ME, MY HEIRS, EXECUTORS AND ASSIGNS FOR ANYTHING THAT OCCURS DURING THE RACE. IT IS MY INTENTION THAT THIS RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION EXTEND TO MY PARTICIPATION IN THE RACE, USE OF ANY AND ALL EVENT RELATED FACILITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MY USE OF THE RACE COURSE DURING THE EVENT AND PRERUNNING (PRE-RUNNING) OF THE RACE COURSE PRIOR TO THE EVENT.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BY SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT, I AM ASSUMING RISKS, AND AGREEING TO INDEMNIFY, NOT TO SUE AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY THE ORGANIZER OF THIS EVENT AND SCORE INTERNATIONAL ("SCORE"), TECATE BEER, RED BULL, MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY, INSTANT MEXICO INSURANCE, SUNOCO RACE FUELS, AND ALL OTHER SCORE SPONSORS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS, CLUBS, SPONSORS, PROMOTERS AND AFFILIATES (COLLECTIVELY “RELEASEES”), AND THAT I AM GIVING UP SUBSTANTIAL LEGAL RIGHTS. THIS RELEASE IS A CONTRACT WITH LEGAL AND BINDING CONSEQUENCES AND IT APPLIES TO ALL RACES AND ACTIVITIES ENTERED AT THE EVENT, REGARDLESS WHETHER OR NOT LISTED ABOVE. I HAVE READ IT CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT I AM AGREEING TO BY SIGNING.
I UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OFF-ROAD RACING IS AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY AND FULLY REALIZE THE DANGERS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT BY PARTCIPATING IN THE RACE AND PRE-RUNNING ACTIVITIES, I AM EXPOSING MYSELF TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH TO MY PERSON AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY. I KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY ACCEPT THESE STATED RISKS AND FULLY ASSUME THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH PARTICIPATION.
I HEREBY FOR MYSELF, MY HEIRS, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNS, AS WELL AS MY SPONSORS OR ANY AFFILIATED COMPANY WITH WHOM I HAVE ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, AGREE WITH SCORE AS FOLLOWS:
I HEREBY WAIVE, RELEASE, DISCHARGE, HOLD HARMLESS, AND PROMISE TO INDEMNIFY AND NOT TO SUE THE RELEASEES THEIR OFFICERS, AGENTS, OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES FROM ANY AND EVERY CLAIM OR RIGHT OF ACTION OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, INCLUDING CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE RELEASEES OWN NEGLIGENCE, WHICH ARISES OUT OF OR RESULTS FROM MY PARTICIPATION IN THIS RACING EVENT. I ALSO AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS SCORE AND ALL SCORE SPONSORS FROM ALL SUCH CLAIMS OR RIGHTS OF ACTION, AS WELL AS COSTS, LOSS OR EXPENSE IN ANY WAY RELATED TO OR ARISING OUT OF THOSE CLAIMS OR RIGHTS OF ACTION, INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES. IT IS MY INTENTION THAT THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT AND THE INDEMNITY AND HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION DESCRIBED ABOVE SHALL COVER ANY CLAIM OR DEMAND FOR INJURY TO OR DEATH OF ANY PERSON, OR ANY DAMAGE TO OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY PROPERTY, OR ANY CLAIM OR DEMAND OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INJURY TO OR DEATH OF ANY PERSON OR DAMAGE TO OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY PROPERTY, ANY DAMAGE TO MY REPUTATION, BUSINESS, OR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WHICH MAY ARISE OUT OF ANY ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF SCORE, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, EVEN IF SAID ACT OR OMISSION WOULD BE CONSIDERED NEGLIGENT UNDER APPLICABLE CIRCUMSTANCES. BY SIGNING THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT, I DO NOT RELEASE ANYONE FROM ANY DAMAGE I SUFFER FROM INTENTIONAL ACTS DESIGNED TO HARM EITHER ME OR MY PROPERTY. HOWEVER, I DO KNOWINGLY RELEASE SCORE AND ALL SCORE SPONSORS FROM LIABILITY THAT MIGHT BE IMPOSED ON THEM BY LAW FOR SUCH ACTS OF THEIR OFFICERS, AGENTS, OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTED, ADOPTED OR RATIFIED BY AN OFFICER OR DIRECTOR OF SCORE.
I DECLARE THAT I HAVE READ THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT NO OFFICER, AGENT, OFFICIAL OR EMPLOYEE OF SCORE IS AUTHORIZED TO VARY ANY TERM OR PROVISION OF THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT. I EXPRESSLY AGREE NOT TO RELY ON ANY SUCH VARIANCE OR REPRESENTATION IF ANY IS MADE. I FURTHER REPRESENT THAT THE DRIVER/RIDER AND CO-DRIVERS/CO-RIDERS LISTED ON THIS ENTRY FORM POSSESS THE STANDARD OF COMPETENCE NECESSARY AND ARE PHYSICALLY FIT TO COMPETE IN THIS OFF-ROAD EVENT. I FURTHER REPRESENT THAT THE VEHICLE ENTERED IS ROADWORTHY AND SUITABLE FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT. I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THE 2006-2010 SCORE RULEBOOK AND THAT I UNDERSTAND AND SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL RULES CONTAINED THEREIN. I SPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT SCORES INTEREPREATION OF RULES, DECISIONS ENFORCING RULES, INTERPRETATION OF PENALTIES IN CONNECTION WITH ENFORCEMENT OF RULES, TIMINING OF EVENTS AND DECISIONS AS TO WINNERS AND PLACEMENT POSITIONS SHALL BE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PROTEST OF ANY KIND. NO DECISION OF SCORE WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS MAY BE CHALLENGED BY LITIGATION OR OTHERWIESE. I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY STATEMENTS MADE BY ME OR ANYONE ACTING ON MY BEHALF WHICH CHALLEGES THE INTEGRITY OF SCORES DECISION WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM TO SCORE’S BUSINESS REPUTAION AND SUBJECT ME TO DAMAGES UNDER APPLICALBE LAW. I ALSO CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ AND WILL COMPLY WITH ALL SUPPLEMENTAL OR AMENDED RULES SPECIFICALLY PUBLISHED FOR THIS EVENT IN THE RACE BULLETINS AND ON THE SCORE WEBSITE.
THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS OR OTHER ACTS OF GOD COULD CAUSE SCORE TO POSTPONE OR CANCEL THE EVENT. SCORE RETAINS THE RIGHT TO DELAY THIS EVENT FOR A PERIOD OF 24 HOURS. ADVERTISING RELEASE: THE VEHICLE OWNER, DRIVER/RIDER OF RECORD, CO-DRIVERS/CO-RIDERS, AND ALL PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RACE TEAM AGREE TO PERMIT SCORE INTERNATIONAL AND ITS ASSIGNS AT NO FEE WHATSOEVER, NOW OR AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE, TO THE USE OF THEIR NAMES AND PICTURES OF THEMSELVES AND OF THEIR VEHICLES FOR PUBLICITY, ADVERTISING AND ENDORSEMENTS (INCLUDING PUBLICATIONS, TELEVISION AND MOVIES) BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE EVENTS AND DO HEREBY RELINQUISH ALL RIGHTS TO ANY PICTURES AND VIDEO TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH THIS EVENT AND GIVE THEIR PERMISSION TO PUBLISH, SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF SAID PICTURES AND VIDEO AS SCORE SO DESIRES, WITH ALL ADVERTISING RIGHTS RESERVED BY SCORE.""
The bare-assed joke of the Volkswagen/BF Goodrich/SPOT Tracking Baja 1000 2008 website When VW-BF Goodrich-Spot Tracking announced they were going to have their tracking website of the Baja 1000 2008, we thought Baja Racing was finally going get first class live coverage.
But what transpired was the most laughable effort ever, to cover a Baja racing event. Done by those who claim they are the best in the business.
When reached for comment, a senior BF Goodrich pr rep said, "we are proud of the Baja 1000 2008 effort with SPOT tracking". During the event, no one could reach the website. When some did, all they got was the lame screen pop-up that had been viewable before the race. No race tracking and very little race results, provided by the tire company that for all measures, owns SCORE, all the way to the 50th Baja 1000, in 2017.
Without BFG, would SCORE have any race results ever? Let alone a week later. Yes, BFG handles all of SCORES 'official' race data and the race tracking services handle each of their own data, separate. So, if BFG doesn't like you (Robby Gordon at San Felipe) or the race tracking service is paid off...well, you know what happens...you can't win.
For VW, the worlds largest auto maker and BFG, the only real logistical infrastructure SCORE has, to team with aimless SPOT and fail as badly as they did, shows a lack understanding even the best in the business have for Baja racing.
So, their marketing people screwed up? More LOADING>>>
Baja Racing News.com has been LIVE! Webcasting for going on five years now.
SPOT tracking, the newbie on the block, in their contracts for service, state clearly, their services are NOT for racing events. No wonder, their refresh rates, their reporting system and their expertise as a company is best suited for tracking and recovering lost pets. You know, tracking our aimless, wandering and lost furry friends!
Really, anyone who gets rescued by SPOT, should live in a kennel! Perfect name for the company.
We should know!
One of our Editorial Board gave Sal Fish and Hal Andreoli of Instant Mexican Auto Insurance, the official insurance company of SCORE, their first working sat phones! Long time ago. Way before Globalstar started promoting to off-road racers!
One also spent ten years side by side with BFG's race radio relay team founder, Radio Bob (RIP) and the fun group that runs the SCORE races of BFG Dave, BFG Frank and BFG Wild Bill and Company. Enough time to know the system and luckily, not enough time to have the slime rub off on him.
That same board member found out how respectable team BFG is, when in swapping race course files on the CABO 500 and the southern leg of the BFG-SCORE Baja 1000, going into Cabo in 2007. BFG Dave needed the race route GPS file.
BFG said they 'needed' the file because they had 'no data' on the leg south of La Paz to Todos Santos and only the Baja 2000 data, since SCORE had only gone to Cabo once. That particular section had never been driven by SCORE or BFG and the CABO 500 had run that section for two years, in competition. No wonder BFG Jeff's team ran into a palm tree on that section in the TV show, "Chasing Baja".
BFG Dave, now SCORE Dave is a flat out flim flam. SCORE needed the CABO 500 track file and asked for it. BFG-SCORE requested the file and got it and when the same was asked back, it didn't happen. So much for professional courtesy! Would you like to personally confirm this item? Cool, just ask IRC Phil, he handled the "transfer".
These guys have been going to Mexico too long, they've picked up more than the 'revenge' from our friends down south!
Another of our board members, before Desert Storm I, was dropped into Basra, Iraq with a small band of brothers, and they took a little spin and "transferred ownership", of an Iraqi freighter from Saddam to a friend in the Persian Gulf, with the help of some authorized sat hardware, among others.
We've had some experience with this stuff. In fact, one of our board members is currently in testing with American tech that makes the commercial French equipment look like kids walkie-talkies. Who really won?
The stories beyond the race results. From the mouth of those responsible for today's desert racing results, "everybody does not follow the rules. No one follows rules during these races". It's a tradition of off-road desert racing of the west, to "not follow the rules". From the 60's, when racing went into Mexico, the tradition began.
In the early days of west coast motorsports, sportsmanship was more important than 'winning'. Once the races went south, to Baja Mexico, open courses, open classes, open rules. "Baja racing".
Today, the holders of the race results (the best data) get paid for keeping their mouths shut. The sponsors, racers and organizers keep their mouths shut, to keep the game going. When someone questions the results, the methods or the people involved in racing off-road, the money keeps the telling lips, silent.
Most of the time. Baja Racing News.com comes across the 'insiders stories' that aren't meant for wide circulation, that we publish as often as possible. Pure entertainment. That's why we say, "Who's gonna die NEXT"! As dangerous as Baja racing is, the racers, chasers, teams and fans are far more dangerous than any 'rabid skunks'.
In a recent interview of several desert racers, talking about the watershed San Felipe 2009 race, all of them admitted short-coursing. All of them admitted planning on short-coursing during their pre-running for the race and short-coursing during the race. Except Pete Sohren, but, thats another story.
What the interviewed racers may not know, is that SCORE and its representatives, Cameron Steele has said in public, that short-coursing is kosher, its accepted by the racing organization. Just don't rough ride over ranchers lands and don't get caught.
Open desert racing in Mexico, is just that, if a team sees an open desert advantage, they should take. In fact, the racers are encouraged to race like that, in Mexico. Any shortcut is legal. Just review the past enforcement actions regarding these matters. There are none.
Because its been this way for at least two generations of racers in the west, into the third, its now the "MO", the tradition of desert, open off-road racing. To question the operation is to question the viability of the 'sport'. But, this is no sport, its pure entertainment. And marketing.
It's a cash & carry form of entertainment. The racers pay for their thrills and the sponsors pay to get their marketing, for the consumers to buy all the products we require, they must reach buyers. Step up to the organizers and pay up, the show are the thrills of the race, crazy racing, in the wilds of the hostile, open desert.
Race tracking. Who cut the course? Who finished first? Who really knows? The race all happens in the middle of nowhere. You can't trust the holders of 'the data'. Until its all opened like a childrens book, for all to see, it will remain magic.
Magic and entertainment.
Safety
Rather than look at Baja race tracking from ''Safety Network or course enforcement' perspectives, we want to converse this subject as 'fans', Baja race fanatics. We are not the racers who put themselves at risk, everytime they suit-up.
The racers themselves know what's 'safer' for them! You'll know whats what when we report on the services THEY choose and the results of those decisions. We also strongly feel, that its up to the racers to decide what the course rules should be.
After a short history of modern open desert, off-road racing in Mexico, since the 1960's, an even shorter history of 'race tracking' is known. The fans have used the available technologies to follow 'the action'. The action of the desert race, described not just by being at the race and watching or hearing the events, but by radio communications and very recently by computer displayed tracking of contestants & results.
From the distant replays of ABC's "Wide World of Sports" and the first TV images of open desert racing, electronic displays of the action were as close as some fans could get. Many living in the colder, far reaching stretches of the globe, only got the kicks of the sport on TV. Much after the fact, often with little or no actual race results, just simple replays of the camera works, emitted on the boob tube.
Today, with the miracles of micro-processing and communications, from the comfort of a fans home, they can watch the winner of distant international off-road race, cross the finish line, in all the glory and colors of the sport. At the exact moment of the action and knowing the sequence of why and how 'the win' is occurring.
Only on Baja Racing News.com, the first contingency from Mexicali, the capital of Baja California, Mexico, was webcast, live. We have pioneered following the action. The first to "twitter", before twitter was twitter. Recently, the Mexicali 500 race was LIVE! video webcast. Both firsts. The famous El Alamo contingency from Ensenada, Baja Mexico, was webcast live, for the first time. All, webcast LIVE! here.
In a simple way, a video webcast can be a crude race tracking with the race radio used as audio. A fan can follow the race developments, by listening to the race radio communications, as the race progresses and ends.
The sophisticated race tracking that fans follow today, displayed on their mobile and home computers, is what we would like to discuss forward. The systems that display the location and condition of the racers during off-road races is our real 'race tracking'. Sure its nice to know, the conditions, weather, state of the event and the festivities that racers, teams and participating fans are experiencing.
But, the bottom line during the race is "who's in first and who's following", right now. "What happened to get the race to this point", are what modern, sophisticated race tracking, explains in their own terms. Some say they will display and explain the race proceedings and fewer accomplish their huge task.
In review, the tracking is great entertainment for fanatics. But, can't be trusted for race results, until all of the data is placed on the publics table for all to see. Happy Heidi Steele face place here!
Baja Racing News is committed to bring you "the Action", LIVE! And the stories 'they' don't want you to know, about Baja Racing.
THE ORIGINAL STORY: March 11, 2008
"The only reliable race management at this race is between the racers and the race tracking systems", "there is no fully reliable safety network nor course enforcement", said the inside source. Baja Racing News.comEXCLUSIVE inside source.
The inside source has been a desert racer for many years and is currently the senior race safety authority working with SCORE.
The recent decision by SCORE to cut lose any 'mandated race tracking by the sanctioning body' is a move simply to allow SCORE to keep making its entry fee and to pose to the racers as the 'white hat' (the good guy), reducing overall costs to the racer. It's mostly meaningless, but to force the racer to shop for tracking services.
Ask for the rules, they don't exist. Look for the contracts, they don't exist. The only guidance from SCORE and SCORE reps is this, past experience. And, Cameron Steele relating the private meeting after the drivers meeting at San Felipe some years ago, between Jason Baldwin, Cameron and Sal Fish. "Sal said we can do anything we want, just don't cross a ranchers private property and knock down their fences and don't get caught, thats official SCORE Sal Fish racing in the Mexican deserts rules".
The recent SCORE moves were clearly meant as a financial rescue to the sanctioning body, so that its racers don't see the racing costs as being imposed by the racing authority. Now, the tracking is a non-fixed, non-mandated cost. So the racers can perceive the races in Mexico with SCORE as more affordable. But most racers know the game, they know what Sal is up to. It's a bloodbath out there and teams are collapsing by the day.
Rather than trim costs across the board, meaning the mandated "fees", the race tracking cost is essentially cut. And the services they pay for, gone. The one clear safety item that connects all the lose patchwork of comm-nets, communication networks, that always fail at desert off-road racing events in Mexico. A cel hole here, a satellite phone without a good battery there and the Weatherman asleep and you get the picture. No verifiable course or race management.
Our inside source said to expect this condition for the 500 and 1000 as well. Did he tell the future or what?
SPECIAL FOR Monday Night, November 16 , 6 PM As the BIG, BAD, Baja 1000 fast approaches, be sure to tune into Baja Racing News RADIO LIVE Monday, November 16, 6 PM Pacific Time. All of the Baja 1000 details! BobCat & Monster Mike in their new digs (Our home, business. Permanent location. Or crib. You get the picture), breakin' out the BIG GUNS! We'll also talk about: "The speed limit is one thing, but, I have an issue with is, where in the rules is the course stuff, I really don't understand what SCORE and IRC is doing". Marty Fiolka, DIRT SPORTS Magazine
Baja Racing News RADIO LIVE! on Monday Night, November 16, 6 PM Left Coast Time (Pacific)
CHECK OUT OUR NEW CLASSIFIED FEATURE, BOB'S GARAGE!
TOTAL ENTRIES: 326(39 States, 14 Countries)(as of 11/9/09)
All-Time Starters, Finishers, Race Sites
1967
Tijuana to La Paz
Total Starters: 68, Total Finishers: 31
1968
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 243, Total Finishers: 106
1969
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 247, Total Finishers: 96
1970
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 261, Total Finishers: 145
1971
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 222, Total Finishers: 116
1972
Mexicali to La Paz Total Starters: 245, Total Finishers: 98
1973
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 143, Total Finishers: 73
1974
NO RACE (Fuel Crisis)
1975
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 235, Total Finishers: 86
1976
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 218, Total Finishers: 74
1977
Ensenada to Ensenada Total Starters: 346, Total Finishers: 123
1978
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 219, Total Finishers: 56
1979
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 244, Total Finishers: 121
1980
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 255, Total Finishers: 104
1981
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 250, Total Finishers: 85
1982
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 135, Total Finishers: 69
1983
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 248, Total Finishers: 76
1984
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 169, Total Finishers: 75
1985
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 211, Total Finishers: 111
1986
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 237, Total Finishers: 147
1987
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 314, Total Finishers: 180
1988
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 329, Total Finishers: 163
1989
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 286, Total Finishers: 176
1990
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 308 Total Finishers: 162
1991
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 271, Total Finishers: 124
1992
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 307,Total Finishers: 189
1993
Mexicali to Mexicali
Total Starters: 260, Total Finishers: 96
1994
Mexicali to Mexicali
Total Starters: 281, Total Finishers: 120
1995
Tijuana to La Paz
Total Starters: 283, Total Finishers: 160
1996
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 220, Total Finishers: 113
1997
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 221, Total Finishers: 130
1998
Santo Tomas to La Paz
Total Starters: 207, Total Finishers: 123
1999
Ojos Negros to Ojos Negros
Total Starters: 238, Total Finishers: 101
2000
Tecate SCORE Baja 2000
Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas
Total Starters: 262, Total Finishers: 184
2001
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 219, Total Finishers: 102
2002
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 234, Total Finishers: 151
2003
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 272, Total Finishers: 153
2004
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 284, Total Finishers: 198
2005
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 342, Total Finishers: 163
2006
Ensenada to La Paz
*Total Starters: 431, Total Finishers: 234
2007
Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas
Total Starters: 424,Total Finishers: 237**
2008
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 347, Total Finishers: 227
*Event Record-Starters
**Event Record-Finishers
All-Time Start Sites
Times, City
34-Ensenada
3-Mexicali
2-Tijuana
1-Ojos Negros
1-Santo Tomas
All-Time Finish Sites
Times, City
19-Ensenada
17-La Paz
2-Mexicali
2-Cabo San Lucas
1-Ojos Negros
Top Total Starters
Year, Number (Finishers)
2006—431 Starters (234 Finishers)
2007—424 Starters (237 Finishers)
2008—347 Starters (227 Finishers)
1977—346 Starters (123 Finishers)
2005—342 Starters (163 Finishers)
1988—329 Starters (163 Finishers)
1987—314 Starters (180 Finishers)
1990—308 Starters (162 Finishers)
1992—307 Starters (189 Finishers)
1989—286 Starters (176 Finishers)
2004—284 Starters (198 Finishers)
1995—283 Starters (160 Finishers)
1994—281 Starters (120 Finishers)
2003—272 Starters (153 Finishers)
1991—271 Starters (124 Finishers)
Top Total Finishers
Year, Number (Starters)
2007—237 Finishers (424 Starters)
2006—234 Finishers (431 Starters)
2008—227 Finishers (347 Starters)
2004—198 Finishers (284 Starters)
1992—189 Finishers (307 Starters)
2000—184 Finishers (262 Starters)
1987—180 Finishers (314 Starters)
1989—176 Finishers (286 Starters)
2005—163 Finishers (342 Starters)
1988—163 Finishers (329 Starters)
1990—162 Finishers (308 Starters)
1995—160 Finishers (283 Starters)
2003—153 Finishers (272 Starters)
2002—151 Finishers (234 Starters)
1986—147 Finishers (237 Starters)
Like Ampudia, Bio, Baldwin, Hall, Herbst, McMillin, Vildosola,
Wilson–it’s all about family at 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
326 Racers entered to date, including 35 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, from 39 States
And 14 countries in internationally-televised Granddaddy of all desert races
Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
From Ampudia to Wilson, desert racing is all about family ties and among the nearly 350 entries for next week’s 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are over 30 entries with multiple-family members competing in the granddaddy of all desert races.
With racers competing in 29 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, the legendary race will be held Nov. 19-22 in Ensenada, Mexico. Completing its 36th year as the World’s foremost desert racing sanctioning body, the event is the finale of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series. To date, adventurers and the world’s best desert racers have come from 39 U.S. States and 14 countries to gather on the majestic Baja California peninsula.
While many entries have family members on support crews that can swell to as high as 50 people and some entries now have third-generation desert racers, the Ampudia, Bio, Baldwin, Hall, Herbst, McMillin, Vildosola and Wilson families are among the prominent SCORE Baja racers that have multiple family members competing either in the same vehicle or in separate vehicles this year in the world’s most challenging desert race.
“There is no sport in the world that attracts more family participants than desert racing,” said Sal Fish, SCORE CEO/President since soon after SCORE International started in 1973. “SCORE is both humbled and honored to have so many of the greatest racing families in the world competing with us in the most incredible desert race in the world. To think with everything going on in the world today that we have nearly 350 entries heading to Ensenada is a true testament to the preeminent position this race holds in the motorsports world.”
It’s the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the Granddaddy of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula. Because of the economics and logistics involved, some years it is a peninsula run while most years it is a loop race, starting and finishing in Ensenada.
This year’s 672.85-mile race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada. The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (PST, Friday, Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 14 hours. All vehicles will have a 31-hour time limit to become official finishers in the legendary adventure.
Rodrigo Ampudia Jr., of Ensenada, splits driving in Class 8 with his father Rodrigo Sr. while Cisco Bio and his father Pancho Bio, of El Cajon, Calif., will share the driving in two classes—Cisco as driver of record in SCORE Lite and Pancho as DOR in Class 9.
B.J. Baldwin and his father Bobby Baldwin, of Las Vegas, drive separate Chevy Silverado trucks in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division while Rod Hall will drive in two classes, one with each of his sons.
The venerable Hall, Reno, Nev., is only individual who has raced in all 41 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races.
The legendary Hall has a race-record 19 career class wins in this event and is the only driver to have competed every year (all in a car or truck class). Hall, who will turn 72 on Nov. 22, will be looking for two class wins this year as he is entered as the second driver for his sons Josh and Chad Hall in Hummer H3 vehicles in both the Stock Mini and Stock Full classes.
The three-generation McMillin Racing family, who all live in the San Diego area, continue to follow in the racetracks of family patriarch Corky McMillin, who raced until shortly before he passed away at 76 in 2006.
Corky’s sons Mark and Scott will both drive in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division. Mark will share driving with longtime team member Brian Ewalt while Scott will be the second driver for his son Andy, who won the 2006 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 driving with Robby Gordon.
Mark’s sons Daniel and Luke McMillin will share the driving in a Class 1-2/1600 entry.
McMillin Racing has 12 class wins in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, led by Mark McMillin’s eight class wins which includes five overall titles.
Another prominent Mexican race team, Gus Vildosola Jr. and Gus Vildosola Sr., share the driving in a Ford F-150 in the SCORE Trophy-Truck division.
Wilson Motorsports of Long Beach, Calif., is another of the prominent multi-generational SCORE Baja race teams. In this year’s race, Randy Wilson and his brother Ronny will team up in Class 1 where Randy is the current class point leader heading into the season finale. In Class 1-2/1600, cousins Brian Wilson and Brad Wilson will share driving with Las Vegas’ Sammy Ehrenberg. Brian Wilson enters the race currently tied for the Class 1-2/1600 point lead.
The only husband/wife combination entered as drivers of record this year are Cameron Steele and Heidi Steele of San Clemente, Calif. Cameron Steele races in SCORE Trophy-Truck while Heidi Steele is the Class 6 point leader in her Ford Ranger.
Both racing in motorcycle classes, leading the brother and sister racers entered this year are Quinn Cody and Anna Cody. Quinn Cody, Los Olivos, Calif., is a team rider for Johnny Campbell Racing in the open Class 22 while Anna Cody, Simi Valley, Calif., is the rider of record for a strong team in Class 20.
Among the other father/son teams competing together are Las Vegas’ Rudy and Carlos Cortez (Class 1), Stuart Chase, Burbank, Calif. and Eric Chase, San Diego (Class 1), Mexico’s Carlos and Gerardo Iribe (Class 1-2/1600), Mark and Shea McIntyre, Oakland, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600), Dan and Thomas Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7), Lee and Lee Banning Jr. (SCORE Lite), Luis and Luis Barragan Jr., Mexicali, Mexico (SCORE Lite), Brian and Cody Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite) along with Ron and Jeremy Purvines, Henderson, Nev. (Class 21).
John Langley, the Producer of the popular COPS Television show, has two family vehicles entered in the SCORE Lite class. He is driver of record in one vehicle with his son Zak as a co-driver and his other son Morgan is driver of record in the second vehicle.
This year’s race also features two sets of twin brothers racing together. Arturo and Able Velazco, Banning, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600) and Matt and Max Eddy, Barstow., Calif. (Class 22) are the two sets of twins.
Leading the brothers racing separately are England’s Darren and Gavin Skilton. Darren Skilton races in Class 3 while Gavin Skilton competes in the Stock Mini class. The brothers each won their respective classes in this race last year.
Among the other brothers racing together are: Phoenix’s Nick, Larry and Mike Vanderwey (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Eric and Hiram Duran, Tecate, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600), Sacramento’s Donald and Kenneth Moss (Class 3), Scott Wisdom, Lake Forest, Calif. and Brady Wisdom, Huntington Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite) and Ryan and Connor Penhall, Corona, Calif. (Class 22).
The race will start and finish on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the historical Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada.
Pre-running on the 672.85-mile loop course officially began this past Saturday. Pre-running is allowed from Ojos Negros and back, starting at race mile 43.3. One way pre-running from the start to Ojos Negros will be allowed only on Wednesday and Thursday of race week (Nov. 18 and 19). During the race, the first section of the course, approximately 40 miles, will be used both leaving the city and returning to Ensenada.
While late entries are accepted up to race day, a total of 326 entries have officially been accepted for the race as of today which will put the starting field in the top 10 in the 42-year history of the storied event.
The car and truck classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (35), Class 1 (24), Class 1-2/1600 (15) and SCORE Lite (14) and Class 10 (10).
Among the motorcycle and ATV classes, the open motorcycle Class 22 has the most entries to date with 18 followed by Class 30, riders 30 years old and over, which has 13.
Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which has 37 entries and Sportsman Motorcycle under 250cc which has 15 entries to date.
The defending overall champions are all in this year’s field: Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif., in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports BFGoodrich Tires Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck, the No. 1x Class 22 open motorcycle team led by Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif., on a Kawasaki KX450 and the No. 1a Class 24 open ATV team led by Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX.
With massive crowds reaching nearly 250,000 anticipated to again be spread out along the rugged course that travels from Ensenada to Ojos Negros, east down Laguna Salada to San Felipe, down through the legendary Matomi Wash, around Mike’s Sky Ranch, through both Rancho Las Truchas and Rancho El Coyote, down the infamous Simpson’s Hill and back to the Pacific Coast below San Vicente and up through Santo Tomas, Uruapan and back to Ojos Negros, covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula to and from Ensenada.
Pre-race festivities on Thursday, Nov. 19, for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, including the vastly popular tech and contingency of all vehicles and the SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral Room at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer and media registration will be held at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.
The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Survivor’s Celebration will be held poolside at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special, in association with SCORE and Aura360, for the sixth consecutive year. It is scheduled to air on NBC at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 19 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN International.
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series.
This race also features the prestigious Sal Fish SCORE IronRider awards presented to each motorcycle or ATV rider who completes the course within the time limit while riding solo. To date, 28 individuals have officially declared that they will be attempting to complete the course riding solo.
Sal Fish signature race course
Pre-running starts Friday on rugged 672.85-mile course
For November’s 42nd
303 Racers entered to date, including 34 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, from 38 States and 13 countries
In internationally-televised Granddaddy of all desert races; finale of five-race 2009 SCOREDesert Series
To be held in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, Nov. 19-22
LOS ANGELES—Adventurers and the world’s best desert racers will begin practicing Friday as official pre-running starts for November's 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race.
With over 325 entries expected to compete in 29 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, the granddaddy of all desert races will be held Nov. 19-22 in Ensenada, Mexico. Completing its 36th year as the World’s foremost desert racing sanctioning body, the event is the finale of the five-race 2009 SCOREDesert Series. To date entries have come from 38 U.S. States and 13 countries.
It’s the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the Granddaddy of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula. Because of the economics and logistics involved, some years it is a peninsula run while most years it is a loop race, starting and finishing in Ensenada.
This year’s 672.85-mile race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada. The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (PST, Friday, Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 14 hours. All vehicles will have a 31-hour time limit to become official finishers in the legendary adventure.
The race will start and finish on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the historical Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada.
Pre-running on the 672.85-mile loop course will officially begin on Saturday. Pre-running will be allowed from Ojos Negros and back, starting at race mile 43.3. One way pre-running from the start to Ojos Negros will be allowed only on Wednesday and Thursday of race week (Nov. 18 and 19). During the race, the first section of the course, approximately 40 miles, will be used leaving the city and returning to Ensenada.
While late entries are accepted up to race day, a total of 303 entries have officially been accepted for the race as of today which will put the starting field in the top 10 in the 42-year history of the storied event.
“We have been able, with the dedication and cooperation of many of our friends in Baja California, to develop a race course for the 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 that will challenge even the most experienced of our great SCORE desert racers,” commented Sal Fish, SCORE President/CEO since soon after it was founded in 1973. “This great, great course presents the competitors with all of the variety of terrain and elevation changes you could possibly hope for along with the dramatic beauty of Baja. This spectacular race course features the best of the courses we have used in our last three SCORE Baja races.”
With massive crowds reaching nearly 250,000 anticipated to again be spread out along the rugged course that travels from Ensenada, down Laguna Salada to San Felipe, down through the legendary Matomi Wash, around Mike’s Sky Ranch, through both Rancho El Trachis and Rancho El Coyote, down the infamous Simpson’s Hill and back to the Pacific Coast below San Vicente and up through Santo Tomas, Uruapan and back to Ojos Negros, covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula to and from Ensenada.
From the start in Ensenada the course will go east to Ojos Negros for almost 40 miles which will be raced in both directions during the race. From Ojos Negros, the course will travel in a clockwise direction. From Ojos Negros, the course turns South to El Alamo and then east up through the Summit and makes a South turn at Cohabuzo Junction and on to the the infamous Laguna Salada, paralleling Mexican Highway 5.Next is San Felipe loop where the course will cover some of the rugged Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 course including the magnificent MatomiWash.
After the San Felipe loop, which travels in a counterclockwise direction from and back to Borrego, the course will head north and northwest, joining Highway 3 for a short distance to the Mike’s Sky Ranch turnoff. Then the course heads behind Mike’s and around Rancho Trachis and Rancho Coyote and down the challenging Simpson’s hill. From this point the course is very similar to the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 heading north along the Pacific Ocean below San Vicente and past Erendira, back inland up through Santo Tomas then turning northeast just past Uruapan winding its way back to Ojos Negros for the final charge back to Ensenada. In the Erendira area, the course avoids the rocky section along the Pacific, taking instead a high plateau east of that area.
The course features six checkpoints, where vehicle numbers and passing times are recorded to help verify the information gathered on the electronic recording devices that are mounted on all vehicles in the race.
The locations of the six checkpoints are: Checkpoint 1 (race-mile 90.03, North of Santa Catarina), CP2 (rm213.27-southwest of Borrego), CP3 (rm309.80-South of San Felipe), CP4 (rm401.94-Southwest of Borrego), CP5 (rm 535.32-San Vicente Vineyards) and CP6 (rm631.25-Ojos Negros).
Pre-race festivities on Thursday, Nov. 19, for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, including the vastly popular tech and contingency of all vehicles and the SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway will be held from 19 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral Room at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer and media registration will be held at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.
While entries will be accepted up to race morning (Friday, Nov. 20), late entries will be assigned the next available number and starting position within each class.
The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Survivor’s Celebration will be held poolside at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.
The car and truck classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (34), Class 1 (23), Class 1-2/1600 (13) and Class 10 and SCORE Lite (10 each).
Among the motorcycle and ATV classes, the open motorcycle Class 22 has the most entries to date with 18 followed by Class 30, riders 30 years old and over, which has 13.
Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which has 35 entries and Sportsman Motorcycle under 250cc which has 14 entries to date.
The defending overall champions are all in this year’s field: Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif., in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports BFGoodrich Tires Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck, the No. 1x Class 22 open motorcycle team led by Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif., on a Kawasaki KX450 and the No. 1a Class 24 open ATV team led by Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX.
Among the many other talented entries from all over the world is the venerable Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., who is only individual who has raced in all 41 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races.
The legendary Hall, 70, of Reno, Nev., has a race-record 19 career class wins in this event and is the only driver to have competed every year (all in a car or truck class). Hall will be looking for two class wins this year as he is entered as the second driver for his sons Josh and Chad Hall in Hummer H3 vehicles in both the Stock Mini and Stock Full classes.
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special, in association with SCORE and Aura360, for the sixth consecutive year. It is scheduled to air on NBC at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 19 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN International.
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCOREDesert Series.
This race also features the prestigious Sal Fish SCORE IronRider awards presented to each motorcycle or ATV rider who completes the course within the time limit while riding solo. To date, 24 individuals have officially declared that they will be attempting to complete the course riding solo.
2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Final round of five race 2009 SCORE Desert Series
Nov. 19-22 -- Ensenada, Mexico
TOTAL ENTRIES: 303 (38 States, 13 Countries)(as of 11/3/09)
PRO CARS & TRUCKS
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (34)
2 Pete Sohren
71 Rick D. Johnson
96 Bobby Baldwin
7 Scott Steinberger
12 Brian Collins
84 Nick Vanderwey
1 B.J. Baldwin
77 Robby Gordon
19 Tim Herbst
8 Roger Norman
24 Adam Householder
3 Mark Post
9 Mark Weyhrich
16 Cameron Steele
23 Mark McMillin
4 Gus Vildosola Jr.
59 Craig Potts
28 Alan Pflueger
31 Andy McMillin
74 Rob Bruce
76 Jesse Jones
78 Jesse Ashcraft
51 Kory Scheeler
13 Ed Stout
22 Damen Jefferies
47 James Bult
30 Robbie Pierce
20 Rob MacCachren
58 Ronnie Wilson
35 Jason Voss
39 Ron Whitton
10 Greg Nunley
79 Mike Mastro
75 Jerry Zaiden
CLASS 1 (23)
101 Armin Schwarz
102 Harley Letner
103 Jerry Penhall
104 Armin Kremer
105 Brian Parkhouse
106 Randy Wilson
107 Robert LeMaster
108 Todd Welling
109 Rudy Cortez
110 Troy Herbst
111 Dale Lenk
112 George Thieriot
113 Josh Daniel
114 Eric Chase
115 Brad Fouvre
116 Richard Boyle
117 Brendan Fikes
118 Brad Etter
119 Charles Rudolph
120 Jesse Hooker
121 Josh Rigsby
147 Chuck Dempsey
148 Chuck Sacks
CLASS 1-2/1600 (13)
1601 Cody Robinson
1602 Jose Fernandez
1603 Arturo Velazco
1604 Wes McKenzie
1605 Daniel McMillin
1606 Gerardo Iribe
1643 Alejandro Lozano
1644 Eliseo Garcia
1645 Eric Duran
1646 Corbin Harris
1647 Brian Wilson
1648 Justin Smith
1649 Arnoldo Ramirez
CLASS 3 (4)
300 Donald Moss
301 Scott Barnes
302 Daniel Wright
349 Darren Skilton
CLASS 5 (7)
500 Kevin Carr
501 Drew Belk
502 Chris Willis
503 Shaun Dunbar
517 Carlos Albanez
518 Vince Wavra
519 Che Corlett
CLASS 5/1600 (9)
551 Jonathon Knight
552 Alonso Angulo
553 Oscar Venegas
554 Mark Low
555 Erich Reisen
556 Ernesto Arambula
577 Armando Garcia
578 Pedro Athie
550 Marcos Nunez
CLASS 6 (8)
601 Richard Blunk
602 Marc Burnett
603 Robert Pickering
604 Jose Acuna Jr
616 Steve Kovach
617 Heidi Steele
618 John Townsend
619 Gregg Hempel
CLASS 7 (6)
701 Scott Ulrich
700 Dan Chamlee
703 Bill Kunz
704 Brandon Walsh
705 Jose Gonzalez
706 Igor Galvan
CLASS 7SX (3)
741 Norman Turley
742 Brandt Anderson
759 John Holmes
CLASS 8 (4)
801 Rodrigo Ampudia Jr.
802 Juan C. Lopez
803 Dave Crinklaw
839 Clyde Stacy
CLASS 9 (3)
901 Zack Burkett
902 Chuck Krumm
949 Ulises Morquecho
CLASS 10 (10)
1001 Jesus Gonzalez
1000 Mike Lawrence
1003 Javier Robles
1004 Justin Davis
1005 Lars Ferry
1006 Scott Gailey
1007 Sergio Salgado
1008 Steve Restivo
1048 David Greenhill
1049 Jose Lynch
SCORE LITE (10)
1201 Luis Barragan
1202 Brent Parkhouse
1203 Morgan Langley
1204 John Langley
1205 Rob Smith
1206 John Padgett
1207 Mark Fusting
1200 Rick St. John
1248 Greg Gustin
1249 Roberto Encinas
CLASS 11 (5)
1101 Eric Solorzano
1102 Michael Brown
1103 Dolores Casarez
1104 Jim Graham
1149 Gustavo Garayzar
STOCK FULL (3)
860 Chad Hall
878 Joe Bacal
879 Justin Matney
STOCK MINI (3)
761 Josh Hall
778 Robert Ditner
779 Gavin Skilton
PROTRUCK (4)
250 Gary Magness
234 Rob Reinertson
260 Nils Castillo
240 Rob Kittleson
CLASS 17 (3)
1701 Eric Filar
1702 Mike Shaffer
1749 Cliff Cook
BAJA CHALLENGE (4)
BC1 Christian Hammarskjold
BC2 Jay Culbertson
BC3 Brian Valentine
BC4 Mike Cassling
CLASS 2 (1)
209 William Erickson
PRO MOTORCYCLES
CLASS 22 (18)
2x Adam Thissen
3x Jason Lulis
4x Cameron Corfman
5x James Hall-S
1x Robby Bell
7x A.J. Stewart
8x John Kaisersatt
9x Dunn Voyer-S
10x Mark Bradford
11x Ivan Ramirez
12x Kendall Norman
13x Chuck Neugebauer
14x Chad Black
16x Brad Williscroft
17x Aaron Lindsey-S
18x Colton Udall
19x Adam Neuwirth
20x Matt Eddy
CLASS 21 (5)
101x Dan Troy-S
102x Ronnie Wilson
103x Bill Boyer
104x Chris Parker
105x Jeremy Purvines
CLASS 20 (6)
151x Manuel Reyes
150x Anna Cody
153x Jesus Rios
154x Tony Gurule
155x Marco Bernaldez
169x Hector Castillo
CLASS 30 (13)
301x Mike Johnson
302x Sean Bradley
303x Jean-Paul Cyr
304x Alejandro Ventosa
305x Eric Alfaro
306x James Dickinson
307x Robert Boyle
308x Sol Saltzman
309x Ron Wilson-S
310x Miguel Jimenez
311x Sergio Villalpando
312x Talya Dodson-S
349x Mike Kay
CLASS 40 (6)
401x Brian Campbell
402x Brad Turnidge
403x Tom Vogt
400x Scott Myers
405x Mike Prunty
449x Julio Abril
CLASS 50 (5)
501x Hugh Graffunder
502x Gary Barr-S
503x Craig Wear
504x Charles Wallace
500x Jim O’Neal
CLASS 60 (2)
601x Richard Jackson
600x Donald E. Lewis
PRO ATVS
CLASS 25 (5)
2a Patrick Christensen
1a Wayne Matlock
4a Greg Row
5a Felipe Velez
6a Nick Nelson
CLASS 24 (8)
101a Brian Harris
100a Craig Christy
103a Cesar Chanate
104a Tom Wright
105a Roberto Ruiz
106a Christian Vera
108a Luis Berumen
109a Benjamin Lopez Jr.
CLASS 26 (4)
201a Chuck Neugebauer
202a Reid Rutherford
218a Mike Penland
219a Rob Ransford
SPORTSMAN
SPT CAR (6)
1401 George Jackson
1400 Peter Lang
1403 Raymond Calore
1404 Gary Hewett
1448 Rory Ward
1449 Peter Ramseier
SPT TRUCK (4)
1501 Nick Tonelli
1502 Ken Fraizer
1503 Tim Smith
1549 Randy Swink
SPT UTV (4)
1801 Dave Roberts
1802 Thomas Graves
1803 Reid Nordin
1819 John Crowley
SPT M/C 250< (14)
201x Charles Shortt
202x Matt Ladendorf
204x Joel Blockson
205x Miguel Montenegro
206x Seppo Saarinen
208x Fred Sobke
209x Doron Kollan-S
210x Zachy Moritz-S
211x Tibi Imbuzan-S
212x Greg Willitts
213x Humberto Valle
214x Francisco Teran
248x Louie Montano-S
249x Nathan Barlow-S
SPT M/C 250> (35)
251x Craig Anstine
252x Salvador Sainz
253x Jeff Leonard
254x Cliff Cook
255x Craig Campbell
256x Oscar Fazz
257x Eric Anderson-S
258x Jeb Boynton
259x Dave Bervin
260x Michael Powell
261x Mike Kaplan-S
262x Andrew Siegmund
263x Ricardo De La Pena
264x Gary Gonzales
265x Doug McCrady-S
266x Shohei Himeno
267x Bob Gumser
268x Ray Grupp
270x Mike Mensinger
271x Trent Burgiss
272x Hideaki Sasski-S
273x Ebara Shuji
274x Brian Garrahan
275x Tatsushi Asaga-S
276x Yvan Perroud-S
277x Christian Chapman
278x Duncan Ragsdale
279x Don Wadsworth
280x Dan Dooling-S
281x Davy Patterson
282x Blake Ribbe-Tanner
283x Octavio Valle-S
297x Ken Kosiorek-S
298x Yoram Lavee-S
299x John Lowe
SPT ATV (11)
51a Dennis Lemare-S
52a Howie Orona
53a Adrian Valdez
54a Edgard Saldivar
55a Daniel Wehr-S
56a Yuval Sharon
57a Daniel Montano
58a Brad McLean
59a Manuel Jimenez
60a Alberto Maya
99a Gustavo Ameca
S-Indicates Solo Rider
THE BAJA 1000 RACE SCHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY, NOV 18 / San Nicolas Hotel Early Registration - 1:00PM to 6:00PM Media Registration - 2:00PM to 6:00PM
THURSDAY, NOV 19 / San Nicolas Hotel Express Racer Registration - 9:00AM to 11:00AM Regular Racer Registration - 11:00AM to 4:30PM Media Center - 9:00AM to 5:00PM
THURSDAY, NOV 19 / Costero Blvd Riviera Center Contingency Row - 10:00AM to 4:00PM Technical Inspection - 10:00AM to 5:00PM
THURSDAY, NOV 19 / Riviera Convention Center Competitors Meeting - 7:00PM
FRIDAY, NOV 20 / Riviera Convention Center Late Registration & Tech - 5:30AM Media Center - 6:00AM
FRIDAY, NOV 20 / Costero Blvd Riviera Center Motorcycle & ATV Start - 6:30AM Four Wheel Start - 10:30AM
SATURDAY, NOV 21 / San Nicolas Hotel Posting of Unofficial Results - 9:00PM Competition Review Board - 10:00PM
SUNDAY, NOV 22 / Poolside at San Nicolas Hotel Awards Presentation - 10:00AM
THE RACING CONDITIONS: Sky conditions for the Baja 1000 2009:
Friday, November 20 Pacific Standard Time
SUN Begin civil twilight 5:57 a.m. Sunrise 6:24 a.m. Sun transit 11:34 a.m. Sunset 4:45 p.m. End civil twilight 5:11 p.m.
MOON Moonset 7:09 p.m. on preceding day Moonrise 9:54 a.m. Moon transit 2:58 p.m. Moonset 8:06 p.m. Moonrise 10:32 a.m. on following day
Phase of the Moon on 20 November: waxing crescent with 15% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
WEATHER DATA TO BE LOADED BEFORE RACE HERE
THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS: Baja Racing News.com TROPHY-TRUCK (39 Total Racers, Wins)
2. Roberto Ruiz, El Centro, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 138
3. Luis Berumen, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 132
Manufacturers
Engine Builder:
1. FAT Performance, 198
1. Major Performance, 198
3. Wiks, 131
4. Menards, 83
5. Redline, 78
Original Buggy Chassis:
1. Jimco, 191
2. Lothringer, 85
3. Fraley, 56
4. Curry, 49
5. Duvel, 48
THE RACING FEES:
Entry Fee - $1400.00 Insurance - $550.00 Land Use - $75.00 Points Fund - $50.00 Addition Fee - $35.00(For each co-driver addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $75.00 (If applicable) MOTORCYCLE & ATV RACE FEES: Entry Fee - $950.00 Insurance - $550.00 Land Use - $75.00 Points Fund - $50.00 Addition Fee - $35.00 (For each co-rider addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $50.00 (If applicable) SPORTSMAN TRUCK, BUGGY & UTV: Entry Fee - $1300.00 Addition Fee - $35.00 (For each co-driver addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $75.0 (If applicable) SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE & ATV: Entry Fee - $950.00 Addition Fee - $35.00(For each co-rider addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $50.00 (If applicable) LATE FEE - $200.00 / Effective on 11/11/09 PLEASE NOTE: There is a $35.00 fee for ANY Co-Driver/Rider change or addition done at Race Registration in Ensenada.
THE RACING SERVICES:
SPEEDMEX.com Baja 1000 Pit Services All race pit services are handled by this company.
Baja 1000 Fuel Services
Jet A Helicopter and Racing Fuels are available, fuel pricing/requirements are in as well. We are already taking orders. Please help us with planning & logistics by getting your orders in as early as possible. Call Cristy Chavez @ 562-432-3946 ext 141 or Bruce Luce w/ VP @ 951-696-5100. All fuel will be picked up from Ray Gastellum's fuel pit.
THE RACE COURSE:
2009 Baja 1000 Course Notes
BEGIN PRERUNNING AT RACE MILE 43.32, WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE CATTLE GUARD 3.6 MILES SOUTH OF THE OJOS NEGROS HWY 3 JUNCTION @ KM 39 LINE # RACE COURSE DESCRIPTION TRIP TOTAL X Start Line at Riviera Convention Center on Blvd Costero X 0.00 X Left at white arch onto graded road / Right is HWY 3 @ KM 19 21.77 21.77 X Cross HWY 3 @ KM 33 13.12 34.89 1 Begin prerun at cattle guard / Stay straight on graded road 8.43 43.32 2 Stay straight / Sign says "Rancho San Antonio" 0.18 43.50 3 Pass through gate 1.42 44.92 4 Cross small creek at ranch 0.23 45.15 5 Pass through open fence 1.44 46.59 6 Stay straight 8.81 55.40 7 Pass through gate, water tank on right / Tres Hermanos 0.87 56.27 8 Left after fence / Right goes to Uruapan 0.01 56.28 9 Stay straight / Either Or 0.79 57.07 10 Through gate, then right into wash 0.77 57.84 X MULTIPLE LEGAL LINES AHEAD THROUGH SILT AREA X X 11 Stay straight at top of hill 5.82 63.66 12 Go left 5.14 68.80 13 Left at Village of El Alamo 0.51 69.31 14 Pass through fence 4.22 73.53 15 Stay straight, road comes in from left 7.01 80.54 16 Right onto HWY 3 @ KM 77 0.24 80.78 X 60 MPH SPEED CONTROLLED ZONE FOR 1.18 MILES X X 17 Left off HWY 3 @ KM 78 / Pass through cattle guard 1.18 81.96 18 Go right at Y 0.42 82.38 19 Merge right onto ranch road 0.62 83.00 20 Stay straight / Sign says "Rancho Candolfi" 0.06 83.06 21 Stay straight 0.47 83.53 22 Stay straight, road comes in from left 1.27 84.80 23 Pass over cattle guard 0.50 85.30 24 Right through open fence 0.73 86.03 25 Either Or 0.13 86.16 26 Turn left at fence and follow main graded road 0.17 86.33 27 Stay left / Right is access to HWY 3 @ KM 85 0.96 87.29 28 Go left at open field 0.77 88.06 29 Merge with graded road 0.38 88.44 30 Left turn / Right is access to HWY 3 @ KM 85 0.31 88.75 31 Right over cattle guard / CHECKPOINT 1 1.28 90.03 X CHECKPOINT 1 ---------- CHECKPOINT 1 X 90.03 32 Go left at Y 0.21 90.24 33 Stay straight, road comes in from left 0.72 90.96 34 Cross Santa Catarina graded road 0.47 91.43 35 Go right at Y 0.72 92.15 36 Go right at Y 0.45 92.60 37 Go left at Y and pass through open fence 0.41 93.01 38 Cross wash / Fenceline on right 0.71 93.72 39 Stay straight, road comes in from right 0.78 94.50 40 Right at T intersection 3.88 98.38 41 Right at four way intersection, and pass over cattle guard 1.04 99.42 42 Left turn at Nuevo Junction 1.88 101.30 43 Immediately go left off rancher's graded road 0.00 101.30 44 Go left / Stay off rancher's graded road 1.35 102.65 48 Pass through gate and climb hill 1.27 103.92 49 Go right at Y / Left goes to dam 1.61 105.53 50 Go right at Y, and stay on new road 1.17 106.70 51 Left at T intersection 1.20 107.90 52 Either Or 4.11 112.01 53 Top of Summit 0.24 112.25 X MULTIPLE LEGAL LINES AHEAD FOR NEXT 65.97 MILES. X X X BUT MUST PASS THROUGH THE FOLLOWING MILE POINTS: X X X 139.31, 153.80, 159.72, 161.64, 178.22 X X 54 Stay to the right 0.03 112.28 55 Stay to the left 0.44 112.72 56 Go right at Y 0.19 112.91 57 Either Or 0.10 113.01 58 Either Or / Right is faster 0.51 113.52 59 Pass through open fence 1.35 114.87 60 Either Or at junction of wash & high road / High road goes left 3.56 118.43 61 Either / Or 3.03 121.46 62 Go right at Y 0.80 122.26 63 Cross over cattle guard 8.51 130.77 64 Right at Cohabuzo Junction 8.54 139.31 65 Go right at Y 10.81 150.12 66 Enter Laguna Salada dry lake 3.68 153.80 67 Go left at Y toward interior of dry lake 5.92 159.72 68 Cross EJ Saldana road / Left is access to HWY 5 @ KM 87 1.92 161.64 69 Stay straight 5.27 166.91 70 Right at T intersection / Oasis Road 1.73 168.64 71 Stay straight / Diesel generator on left 3.88 172.52 72 Go left out of Arroyo Grande wash 5.70 178.22 73 Either Or 5.50 183.72 74 Stay to right at dropoff 7.52 191.24 75 Possible military inspection area 5.40 196.64 76 Cross HWY 3 @ KM 179 / Borrego 5.24 201.88 77 Go left at Y 0.74 202.62 78 Either Or at wood powerpole junction 0.80 203.42 79 Borrego Pit Area 2.76 206.18 80 Go left at Y just past Borrego pit area / VERY IMPORTANT !! 0.24 206.42 81 Cross under wood powerpoles lines 2.44 208.86 82 Cross steel tower powerline road / CHECKPOINT 2 4.41 213.27 X CHECKPOINT 2 ---------- CHECKPOINT 2 X 213.27 83 Pass through open fence 0.89 214.16 84 Cross graded high road, then drop onto Laguna Diablo dry lake 1.91 216.07 85 Stay straight, road comes in from left 10.10 226.17 86 Go left at Y 1.08 227.25 87 Go left at Y 1.41 228.66 88 Go left at Y off graded road 0.63 229.29 89 Cross high road 0.39 229.68 90 Cross cattle guard / Dam on right 1.00 230.68 91 Go left at Y 0.83 231.51 92 Either Or 2.86 234.37 93 Right at Morelia Junction onto fast graded road 2.67 237.04 94 Cross cattle guard 13.73 250.77 95 Left off graded road 3.06 253.83 96 Go right at Y 1.62 255.45 97 Stay straight / Windmill on left 0.68 256.13 98 Go right at Y into long wash 5.21 261.34 99 Go right at Y 1.99 263.33 100 Right out of wash / Fenceline on right 2.20 265.53 101 Fenceline on left 1.09 266.62 102 Through open fence 3.75 270.37 103 Drop into Matomi Wash 7.95 278.32 X MUST PASS MILE POINT 278.32 TO DROP INTO MATOMI WASH X X X ALL LINES INSIDE MATOMI WASH ARE LEGAL X X 104 Left out of Matomi Wash onto HWY 5 @ KM 59 26.98 305.30 X 60 MPH SPEED CONTROLLED ZONE FOR 4.50 MILES X X 105 Left off HWY 5 at KM 52 / CHECKPOINT 3 4.50 309.80 X CHECKPOINT 3 ---------- CHECKPOINT 3 X 309.80 106 Stay straight / BFG pit on right 3.55 313.35 107 Stay straight at intersection 2.13 315.48 108 Go left / Right is access to HWY 5 @ KM 41 2.05 317.53 109 Stay straight, road comes in from right 3.09 320.62 110 Stay straight 1.34 321.96 111 Stay straight, road comes in from right 1.48 323.44 112 Stay straight through intersection 1.87 325.31 113 Stay straight, road comes in from right 6.51 331.82 114 Old Puertecitos Road becomes smooth & fast 0.44 332.26 115 Left off Old Puertecitos Road at white concrete water trough 7.97 340.23 116 Stay straight, wood fence post on left 0.68 340.91 117 Go right at Y 0.33 341.24 118 Go left at Y 1.08 342.32 119 Stay straight / White fenceline on left 1.30 343.62 120 Left turn 1.88 345.50 121 Right at T intersection 0.58 346.08 122 Stay straight / White building on right 0.64 346.72 123 Go under metal power lines / Fenceline on right 1.00 347.72 124 Left onto San Felipe dump road / Right is San Felipe Arches 0.56 348.28 125 Go right at Y onto powerline road / San Felipe Dump 2.69 350.97 126 Cross Zoo Road 4.36 355.33 127 Stay straight, road comes in from right 3.80 359.13 128 Right off powerline road 0.90 360.03 X MUST REMAIN ON POWERLINE ROAD UNTIL MILE POINT 360.03 X X 129 Stay straight 5.15 365.18 130 Stay straight at intersection 1.89 367.07 131 Left prior to HWY 5 @ KM 159 / No access due to construction 4.73 371.80 X MULTIPLE LEGAL LINES AHEAD, BUT MUST STAY TO X X X THE RIGHT OF LAST HILL IN THREE POLES WASH BEFORE X X X TURNING WEST. DO NOT CUT TO THE LEFT AT LAST HILL X X 132 Stay straight at intersection of wide graded road 6.65 378.45 133 Either Or at junction of wood powerpole line 12.41 390.86 134 Begin repeat section of Borrego Area 1.12 391.98 135 Either Or at wood powerpole junction 2.52 394.50 136 Repeat of Borrego Pit Area 2.76 397.26 137 Go left at Y just past Borrego pit area / VERY IMPORTANT !! 0.24 397.50 138 Cross under wood powerpoles lines 2.44 399.94 139 Right onto steel tower powerline road / CHECKPOINT 4 2.00 401.94 X CHECKPOINT 4 ---------- CHECKPOINT 4 X 401.94 140 Cross Villa Del Sol graded road 1.72 403.66 141 Pass through double gates near HWY 3 6.59 410.25 142 Cross HWY @ KM 150 / Then continue in San Matias Wash 1.01 411.26 143 Go right at Y / Left is access to HWY 3 @ KM 146 2.22 413.48 144 Stay straight, road comes in from left 1.86 415.34 145 Left towards HWY 3 / Fenceline on right / Stay off highway 0.27 415.61 146 Right onto HWY 3 @ KM 142 / San Matias Village 1.68 417.29 X ENTER HIGHWAY ACROSS FROM GREEN METAL CORRAL X X X 60 MPH SPEED CONTROLLED ZONE FOR 2.43 MILES X X 147 Left off HWY 3 @ KM 137 / Mike's Sky Rancho turnoff 2.43 419.72 148 Cross cattle guard 2.70 422.42 149 Go right at Y / Sign says - "Rancho Mikes Sky" 0.32 422.74 150 Cross cattle guard 4.53 427.27 151 Stay straight at junction of crossover road 6.12 433.39 152 Through water crossing water, then left / Mike's Ranch is right 6.14 439.53 153 Cross culvert and go uphill 0.84 440.37 154 Rancho El Trachis on right 2.69 443.06 155 Caution - downhill 1.31 444.37 156 Right at T intersection 0.74 445.11 157 Right at T intersection 1.08 446.19 158 Washout !!! / Then go uphill 2.37 448.56 159 Go around washout !!! 7.08 455.64 160 Pass through open fence 0.07 455.71 161 Stay straight, road comes in from right / Fenceline on both sides 0.21 455.92 162 Left through gate, and over cattle guard 0.62 456.54 163 Stay straight at entrance to Rancho El Coyote 0.25 456.79 164 Pass through open fence 0.24 457.03 165 Right off graded road 0.12 457.15 166 Pass through open fence, then drop down to left, then go uphill 0.12 457.27 167 Go right at Y 0.55 457.82 168 Go left at Y / Fenceline on right 0.27 458.09 169 Go right and pass through open fence 0.14 458.23 170 Pass through gate, enter ranch and corral area 0.17 458.40 171 Pass corral on left, and continue left through gate and exit ranch 0.23 458.63 172 Go left 0.98 459.61 173 Cross cattle guard 0.15 459.76 174 Go right and pass through open fence / Cattle guard 0.61 460.37 175 Go right 1.35 461.72 176 Either Or 1.68 463.40 177 Either Or 1.94 465.34 178 Right turn / Mike's Sky Ranch Sign 0.18 465.52 179 Cross cattle guard 1.40 466.92 180 Go right / Sign says "Rancho El Coyote" 0.44 467.36 181 Cross cattle guard 0.40 467.76 182 Go left and descend to Simpson Ranch / Straight goes to Mike's 1.92 469.68 183 Either Or 2.57 472.25 184 Pass through gate 7.18 479.43 185 Pass through gate 0.26 479.69 186 Stay straight / Mike's crossover road on right 2.55 482.24 187 Cross cattle guard 1.26 483.50 188 Cross cattle guard 2.47 485.97 189 Go right at Y 2.45 488.42 190 Go right at T intersection / Leandro Valle Village 1.13 489.55 191 Either Or 2.29 491.84 192 Either Or 0.35 492.19 193 Either Or 0.31 492.50 194 Left turn off graded road before cattle guard / Valle de Trinidad 1.58 494.08 195 Pass building on left, cross field, then merge with graded road 7.92 502.00 196 Cross cattle guard 0.44 502.44 197 Either Or 1.92 504.36 198 Either Or 9.93 514.29 199 BFG Pit on left 15.93 530.22 200 Right onto HWY 1 @ KM 102 0.14 530.36 X 60 MPH SPEED CONTROLLED ZONE FOR 4.09 MILES X X 201 Left off at HWY 1 @ KM 96 4.09 534.45 202 Right off graded road / CHECKPOINT 5 0.87 535.32 X CHECKPOINT 5 ---------- CHECKPOINT 5 X 535.32 X FOLLOW HIGH ROAD IN HILLS AFTER CHECKPOINT X X X STAY OFF RANCH FIELDS X X 203 Right at fence and go uphill 0.06 535.38 204 At top of hill turn right and go downhill 0.19 535.57 205 Pass through gate 2.19 537.76 206 Turn right toward ranch 0.06 537.82 207 Go left toward fence / Corral is on left and rancho is on right 0.22 538.04 208 Pass through gate and stay straight 0.10 538.14 209 Left onto graded road / San Vicente Village is right 0.11 538.25 210 Stay straight at vineyards junction 1.65 539.90 211 Right off graded road 0.38 540.28 212 Either Or 2.62 542.90 213 Pass through open fence 2.03 544.93 214 Go left around water 1.92 546.85 215 Either Or 0.46 547.31 216 Either Or 0.22 547.53 217 Either Or 0.24 547.77 218 Merge right onto graded road 0.27 548.04 219 Either Or / Drop to Pacific Ocean 0.44 548.48 220 Go right and move away from ocean 1.35 549.83 221 White cement structure on right 0.41 550.24 222 Pass through white concrete fence posts 2.34 552.58 223 Pass through gate 0.62 553.20 224 Stay straight 0.40 553.60 225 Stay straight, then take second right 0.09 553.69 226 Go uphill / Concrete structure on left 0.03 553.72 227 Desend to Erendira Village 3.05 556.77 228 Toward bottom of hill go right and drop into wash 0.65 557.42 X DO NOT USE TRADITIONAL ERENDIRA BEACH ROUTE X X X COURSE RUNS IN THE HILLS EAST OF ERENDIRA X X 229 Climb out of wash, cross pavement and climb steep hill 0.31 557.73 230 Left along fenceline 0.50 558.23 231 Right at end of fenceline 0.93 559.16 232 Stay straight along fenceline 0.08 559.24 233 Right onto graded road and pass through gate 1.63 560.87 234 Go right at Y 0.33 561.20 235 Pass through gate 0.11 561.31 236 Go left at Y 0.06 561.37 237 Go right / Boat on left and corral on right 0.45 561.82 238 Go right at second boat 0.07 561.89 239 Left onto graded road 0.05 561.94 240 Pass through gate 0.31 562.25 241 Go right at Y along field 0.02 562.27 242 Hard right and exit field 0.33 562.60 243 Pass through open fence 0.45 563.05 244 Hard right onto graded road 0.52 563.57 245 Pass through gate and cross road / Blue water tanks 0.95 564.52 246 Go right and pass through gate 0.12 564.64 247 Go right and downhill 0.15 564.79 248 Left onto graded road 0.12 564.91 249 Pass through gate and go right 0.25 565.16 250 Left at T intersection 0.48 565.64 251 Go right at Y and uphill 0.75 566.39 252 Go right at Y and uphill 0.17 566.56 253 Go left at Y 0.11 566.67 254 Go left at Y towards ocean 0.67 567.34 255 Right onto good graded road / Join traditional route 0.28 567.62 256 Pass through open fence 0.40 568.02 257 Cross cattle guard 0.91 568.93 258 Either Or 3.38 572.31 259 Either Or 1.46 573.77 260 Either Or 2.43 576.20 261 Either Or 0.57 576.77 262 Right at T intersection 1.88 578.65 263 Stay straight / Small village on right 4.44 583.09 264 Left at four-way intersection / Follow residential street to highway 9.21 592.30 265 Left onto HWY 1 @ KM 51 / Santo Tomas 0.15 592.45 X 60 MPH SPEED CONTROLLED ZONE FOR 6.37 MILES X X 266 Either Or / Prior to Military Inspection Station on Highway 1 3.00 595.45 X CLIMB STEEP HILL OR STAY ON HIGHWAY SWITCHBACK X X 267 Right off HWY 1 @ KM 41 / Acambaro Restaurant Bar & Market 3.37 598.82 268 Pass through two consecutive gates 0.03 598.85 269 Top of hill, left downhill, then uphill through red gate 0.25 599.10 270 Stay straight and cross road 0.46 599.56 271 Either Or 0.15 599.71 272 Pass through uphill gate 0.23 599.94 273 Go right through gate and ditch, then uphill 0.48 600.42 274 Either Or / Go left to avoid steep hillclimb 0.10 600.52 275 Left at T intersection / Right goes to cemetary 0.57 601.09 X DO NOT GO THROUGH URUAPAN CEMETARY X X 276 Hard right turn 0.14 601.23 277 Go right at Y and then downhill 0.33 601.56 278 Left at T intersection, then pass through gate between fences 0.27 601.83 279 Stay straight at four-way intersection 0.27 602.10 280 Stay straight at four-way intersection 0.10 602.20 281 Pass through gate 0.03 602.23 282 Stay straight, road comes in from left 0.06 602.29 283 Pass through gate 0.29 602.58 284 Take middle road, then cross road 0.45 603.03 285 Cross road, then climb short hill 0.50 603.53 286 Top of hill 2.09 605.62 287 Left and go uphill / Greenhouses on right 1.01 606.63 288 Stay straight road comes in from right 4.04 610.67 289 Cross graded road 0.99 611.66 290 Cross graded road 0.45 612.11 291 Pass through open fence with metal posts 0.31 612.42 292 Pass through long section of tall trees with water crossing 3.80 616.22 X DO NOT CUT UPPER LOOP OFF THE COURSE IN THIS AREA X X 293 Go left at Y in open field 2.68 618.90 294 Pass through gate 0.83 619.73 295 Either Or 0.34 620.07 296 Go left at Y 0.60 620.67 297 Top of hill / View of Ojos Valley 1.75 622.42 298 Yellow metal post on right 0.92 623.34 299 Right at T intersection 0.61 623.95 300 Hard left / Tres Hermanos Road outbound course is straight 0.71 624.66 301 Pass through gate, then go downhill 1.37 626.03 302 Go right at Y / Rancho San Antonio 0.68 626.71 303 Pass through open fence 1.10 627.81 304 Stay straight, road merges in from left 0.33 628.14 305 Pass through open fence 0.02 628.16 306 Pass through white metal gate 1.11 629.27 307 Left off graded road 0.05 629.32 308 Go left at Y, then pass fenceline on right 0.96 630.28 309 Go left at Y 0.60 630.88 310 Pass through open fence 0.09 630.97 311 Left at T intersection, then climb hill / CHECKPOINT 6 0.28 631.25 X CHECKPOINT 6 ---------- CHECKPOINT 6 X 631.25 312 Either Or 0.79 632.04 313 Stay straight, road merges in from left 0.45 632.49 314 Pass through gate 1.85 634.34 315 Go left at Y 0.09 634.43 316 Go left at Y, then climb hill 0.07 634.50 317 Pass through gate 0.75 635.25 318 Pass through gate 0.14 635.39 319 END OF PRERUNNING ------- END OF PRERUNNING 0.70 636.09 X HWY 3 @ KM 36 IS STRAIGHT AHEAD X X X COURSE TURNS LEFT TO ENSENADA FINISH LINE X X X BUT ABSOLUTELY NO PRERUNNING IN THIS DIRECTION X X X EXIT COURSE BY GOING STRAIGHT ACROSS LARGE FIELD X X X Cross HWY 3 @ KM 33 1.85 637.94 X Ensenada Finish Line at Riviera Convention Center 34.91 672.85
END COURSE NOTES
2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 PENALTIES:
60 MPH Highway Speed Zone Information IRC devices generate approximately 10 data points for each mile of highway section. A penalty will be assessed for each data point that exceeds 60 MPH. The penalty will be 30 seconds for each MPH that exceeds 60 MPH. The following example of speed data will result in a 24 minute penalty: 56 - 58 - 60 - 59 - 60 - 62 - 63 - 65 - 68 - 70 - 71 - 66 - 63 - 60 - 60 - 59 A competitor who finishes the race with NO DATA or MOSTLY INCOMPLETE DATA will receive the time penalties shown below. It is the responsibility of each competitor to ensure that the IRC device is properly installed. WEST OF SANTA CATARINA - 60 MPH 1 On @ HWY 3 / KM 77 Race Mile - 80.78 1.18 Miles 1 Off @ HWY 3 / KM 78 Race Mile - 81.96 12 Data Points NO DATA PENALTY = 10 MINUTES SOUTH OF SAN FELIPE - 60 MPH 2 On @ HWY 5 / KM 59 Race Mile - 305.30 4.50 Miles 2 Off @ HWY 5 / KM 52 Race Mile - 309.80 45 Data Points NO DATA PENALTY = 30 MINUTES SAN MATIAS VILLAGE - 60 MPH 3 On @ HWY 3 / KM 142 Race Mile - 417.29 2.43 Miles 3 Off @ HWY 3 / KM 137 Race Mile - 419.72 24 Data Points NO DATA PENALTY = 20 MINUTES SOUTH OF SAN VICENTE - 60 MPH 4 On @ HWY 1 / KM 102 Race Mile - 530.36 4.09 Miles 4 Off @ HWY 1 / KM 96 Race Mile - 534.45 40 points of data NO DATA PENALTY = 30 MINUTES SANTO TOMAS TO URUAPAN - 60 MPH 5 On @ HWY 1 / KM 51 Race Mile - 592.45 6.37 Miles 5 Off @ HWY 1 / KM 41 Race Mile - 598.82 64 points of data NO DATA PENALTY = 40 MINUTES TOTAL HIGHWAY 18.57 MILES MAXIMUM NO DATA PENALTY = 130 MINUTES END PENALTIES MORE DATA LOADING DAILY>>>
The Baja 1000 2009 will be LIVE! Webcast Here on Baja Racing News.com on November 19-22, for the fifth year in a row. The LEADER in LIVE! Baja Races!
Baja 1000 2009 UPDATES!
Edited and Compiled by: Gary Newsome, Editor Baja Racing News.com
November 12, 2009
TOYOTA 4Runner 2010 Effort UPDATE
By, Bill Center:
"The biggest local news of the week regards an entry in the following weekend's Baja 1000 off-road race.
Ivan Stewart will be racing for the first time since 2000 as part of a three-driver Toyota team running a factory-prepared 4Runner.
“I always said I wasn't retired, just in between opportunities,” the 64-year-old desert legend and member of the Breitbard Hall of Fame said yesterday.
“Here's an opportunity.”
Stewart will be driving the final 175 miles of the race from Valle de Trinidad back to the Ensenada start/finish line.
Toyota's main reason for entering the race is to desert test the new 4Runner. The sports utility vehicle will be stock aside from the tires, wheels, shocks and required safety equipment.
The elimination of Toyota's factory involvement in off-road racing paralleled Stewart's premature “retirement.” Stewart had spent more than a decade and had scored most of his major victories with Toyota when the factory withdrew from off-road racing as it got into NASCAR and Formula One.
Toyota's limited return to desert racing comes two weeks after the Japanese factory closed its Formula One program.
“I always thought Toyota got a good return on their off-road investment,” said Stewart, who has continued to be the desert face of Toyota trucks and utility vehicles.
“I'm going to have fun. It's still a challenge, although we'll be moving a lot slower than we did with those fire-breathing dragons that Toyota built for us before.”
Since the end of Toyota's involvement in off-road racing, Stewart developed the ProTruck class of off-road racing vehicles and manufactures the one-of-a-kind, race-ready trucks in his Lakeside shop.
Stewart, incidentally, will appear in an ABC television special with Jimmie Johnson and seven-time Supercross/motocross Rick Johnson. The spot is expected to be aired before the season-ending NASCAR Sprint Cup race Nov. 22.
Stewart and Rick Johnson were Jimmie's earliest racing heroes. Jimmie later raced against Stewart in the Mickey Thompson Stadium Off-Road Series and was coached and teamed with Rick Johnson."
Marty Fiolka of Dirt Sports Magazine chimed in this subject today. He said:
"Toyota's Baja 1000 2009 4Runner effort is purely an engineering exersize". Marty was not happy with the Toyota participation in this years Baja 1000. Or, maybe he's not happy that Toyota is not paying HIM enough.
He droned on and on about how much money he spent on his failed past events. Marty Fiolka's spots have not changed.
November 10, 2009
BULLETIN Baja Racing News.com
American Dies Pre-Running The Baja 1000 2009!
In the area known as "La Laguna del Diablo" a man given to the Baja 1000 together with some professionals that roamed what is the route of the famed Baja Californian tour, died when he fell on his motorbike in the rugged terrain that it is jurisdiction of the Municipality of Ensenada, so the prosecutor of that community took charge of attesting to the body of Javier Cuevas.
Cuevas, an American, was 43 years of age and his place of residence was the State of California. He was part of a group of competitors who were conducting a route reconnaissance along the route, on a stretch of territory between Ensenada and the Delegation of San Felipe, the municipality of Mexicali
Witnesses said the supervisions to be doing, Cuevas grabbed his bike and started running like competition, unfortunately did not realize there was a ditch in his path and stuck with the bike in this suffering showy fall in which the same bike to lurch with him struck him.
The companions tried to give first aid but were going as Xavier died almost immediately, so until that point had to go the services of the Office of Justice of Lower California, ordering the representative of Public Prosecutions that he move the body Ensenada's morgue for the autopsy of scrutiny and the subsequent delivery of the body to the family.
Always updating. Reports from all over Southern Cal and Baja California. Compiled and Editorialized by Gary Newsome
November 6, 2009
Baja Racing News.com Gaming Odds
Gary's Trophy Truck Picks, Tony's the rest!
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (30)
ENDS
ODDS
1
Pete Sohren
Forget About It
22 to 1
2
71 Rick D. Johnson / Carl Rezeneder
Partner bailed
7 to 1
3
96 Bobby Baldwin / Danny Anderson
Danny will keep it close
3 to 1
4
7 Scott Steinberger / Syko
Old car, heavy car
5 to 1
5
12 Brian Collins / Chuck Hovey
Maybe even money
2 to 1
6
84 The Vanderwey “Moo Crew”
Hope for attrition
4 to 1
7
1 B.J. Baldwin
No Clowning!
2 to 1
8
77 Robby Gordon
Needs points, not win
2 to 1
9
19 Tim / Ed Herbst
OUR PICK TO WIN
2 to 1
10
8 Roger Norman / Larry Roeseler
Defending winners
3 to 1
11
24 Adam Householder /
Long odds
7 to 1
12
3 Mark Post / Rob MacCachren
DARK HORSE PICK
2 to 1
13
9 Mark & Gary Weyhrich
Welcome back to Baja!
7 to 1
14
16 Cameron Steele / Ricky Geiser
LOL, Too Funny!
23 to 1
15
23 Mark McMillin /
Never count out
3 to 1
16
4 Gus Vildosola, Jr. & Sr.
Will be fast
3 to 1
17
59 Craig & Curt Potts
Mazio CrashMobile
8 to 1
18
28 Alan Pflueger /
Hawaii 5-No
5 to 0
19
31 Andy & Scott McMillin
Odds on performer
2 to 1
20
74 Rob Bruce /
Needs to “Duck” penalties
8 to 1
WD
76 Jesse Jones /
Cliff Diver
W/D
21
78 Jesse Ashcraft / Adam ???
Unproven
8 to 1
22
51 Kory Scheeler /
Needs a “result” result
8 to 1
23
13 Ed Stout
Not a chance
10 to 1
24
22 Damen Jefferies /
Fallen on hard times
10 to 1
25
47 James Bult /
Show-stopper?
19 to 2
26
30 Robbie Pierce / Mike Julson
Stay in the shop
8 to 1
W/D
20 Rob MacCachren
Looks for win, IF entered
W/D
28
58 Ronny & Rick Wilson
Buggy guys … learning?
5 to 1
29
35 Jason Voss
Hot or not
4 to 1
30
39 Ron Whitton /
Will have fun
6 to 1
WD
10 Greg Nunley /
Second to none
W/D
31
79 Mike Mastro
Not the “Maestro”
7 to 1
32
75 Jerry Zaiden (RS)
Advertising junket
8 to 1
CLASS 1 (23)
101 Armin Schwarz / Martin Christensen
Seven points back
2 to 1
Checkers
102 Harley Letner / Kory Halopoff
Six points back
9 (to) 11
Checkers
103 Jerry Penhall / Dan Martin
COPS a plea
4 to 1
104 Armin Kremer /
Has the skills
4 to 1
105 Brian Parkhouse / Tom Ridings
DARK HORSE
1320 to 330
106 Randy Wilson /
Points leader
2 to 1
107 Robert LeMaster /
Shouldn’ta “Volunteered”
9 to 1
Checkers
108 Todd Welling / Phil Speet
“Dutch” Treat? NOT!
7 to 1
109 Rudy Cortez /
Experience does count
4 to 1
110 Troy Herbst /
LONG $HOT 4 OA
3 to 1
111 Dale Lenk /
Look for good effort
25 to 9
112 George Thieriot
Cam shafted?
9 to 1
113 Josh Daniel / Chris Muzio
DanziO ready to gO
4 to 1
Checkers
114 Eric & Stuart Chase
New motor = new chance
22 to 7
115 Brad Fauvre / James Barker
“Lite” not “1″
12 to 1
116 Richard Boyle /
Can be hot, at times
3 to 1
117 Brendan Fikes /
“10″ not like “1″
10 to 1
118 Brad Etter /
Gets better
5 to 1
119 Charles Rudolph / Paul Keller (?)
Keller COULD help
6 to 1
120 Jesse Hooker /
Might take a “header”
9 to 1
121 Josh Rigsby
Not to repeat Snowflake
8 to 1
148 Chuck Sacks
Might get bagged
5 to 1
149 Chuck Dempsey
RS a bad choice?
4 to 1
CLASS 1-2 / 1600 (10)
1601 Cody Robinson
Fourth in points
3 to 1
1602 Jose Fernandez
Along for the ride
5 to 1
1603 Arturo & Abel Velazco
DARK HOSSES
4 to 1
1604 Wes McKenzie
Not a chnce
5 to 1
1605 Daniel McMillin
Good for Fifth Place
4 to 1
1606 Gerardo Iribe
Roundhouse specialist?
4 to 1
1644 Eliseo Garcia
To be considered
4 to 1
1645 Eric & Hiram Duran
Third in points
3 to 1
1646 Corbin Harris
Takes a back seat
4 to 1
1647 Brian Wilson / Sammy Ehrenberg
Points leader
3 to 1
1648 Justin Smith
Two wins!
3 to 1
1649 Arnoldo Ramirez
Sleeper
4 to 1
CLASS 3 (3)
300 Donald Moss
“Heavy traffic … will inhibit … growth of moss” – Wikipedia
2 to 1
301 Scott Barnes
Buckin’ Bronco
9 to 1
302 Daniel Wright
Not up to competition
4 to 1
309 Darren Skilton
ATK Wrangler is Top Bet
2 to 1
CLASS 5 (5)
500 Kevin Carr
Hit and run?
3 to 1
501 Drew Belk
Will hold ‘em or fold ‘em
3 to 1
502 Chris Willis
Hmmmph
5 to 1
503 Shaun Dunbar
Might get deep fried
7 to 1
517 Carlos Albanez
Sabe el desierto
3 to 1
518 Vince Wavra
Surf’s up!
3 to 1
519 Che Corlett
Naw
9 to 1
CLASS 5 / 1600 (5)
551 Jonathon Knight
“Once a king … “
6 to 1
552 Alonso Angulo
Points leader
2 to 1
553 Oscar Venegas
On the gas?
3 to 1
554 Mark Low
Aiming high?
6 to 1
555 Erich Reisen
No flats?
6 to 1
556 Tito Aramubla
Too tough to dismiss
2 to 1
557 Armando Garcia
Known finisher
5 to 1
558 Pedro Anthie
Has probable cause
4 to 1
550 Marcos Nunez
Shoe-in
2 to 1
CLASS 6 (7)
BITD “TT7″
601 Richard Blunk
Said to be learning
6 to 1
602 Marc Burnett
Tranny issue
4 to 1
Checkers
603 Bob Pickering / Mike Childress / My Hero
Ramsey makes the diff
2 to 1
604 Jose Acuna
No way, Jose
7 to 1
616 Steve Kovach
Learning
4 to 1
617 Heidi Steele
The JC Factor
4 to 1
618 John Townsend
“… likes to live dangerously”
6 to 1
619 Gregg Hempel
“1450″ guy?
7 to 1
9 to 1
CLASS 7 (2)
701 Scott Ulrich
Not a novice, anyway
3 to 1
700 Dan Chamlee
Easy as cake; a piece of Pi
2 to 1
703 Bill Kunz
Torched but not hot enough
4 to 1
704 Brandon Walsch
Fun to watch
5 to 1
705 Jose Gonzalez
Mexicali Blues
5 to 1
706 Igor Galvan
LA Bay Black Sheep
3 to 1
CLASS 7SX (3)
741 Norman Turley
Should finish
3 to 1
742 Brandt Anderson
Wishes to finish
7 to 1
743 Oscar Saliza
Who knows …
5 to 1
759 John Holmes
Easy winner
2 to 1
CLASS 8 (2)
801 Rodrigo Ampudia, Jr.
Papa’s beer boy
3 to 1
802 Juan Lopez
Wil mix it up
3 to 1
839 Clyde Stacy
Top dairymobile?
4 to 1
CLASS 9 (3)
901 Zack Burkett
In for a long … night
70 to 1
902 Chuck Krumm
Who the hell is this guy?
9 to 1
949 Ulises Morquecho
Prerun pace
3 to 1
CLASS 10 (10)
1001 Jesus Gonzalez
Has Dunrite before
4 to 1
Checkers
1000 Mike Lawrence
Child’s play!
2 to 1
1003 Javier Robles
Can’t be discounted
3 to 1
1004 Justin Davis
Can be wicked
3 to 1
1005 Lars Ferry
With age, ya get a cage
6 to 1
1006 Scott Gailey
Watch this basic 2L
4 to 1
1007 Sergio Salgado
A rare Lothringer
5 to 1
1008 Steve Restivo
Worth following
4 to 1
1048 David Greenhill
Google error: “a sexy playboy”
? To 1
1049 Jose Lynch
Cooleymobile
5 to 1
SCORE LITE (9)
1201 Luis Barragan
Local fav
3 to 1
1202 Brent Parkhouse /
DARK HORSE
3 to 1
1203 Morgan Langley /
A band of brothers
4 to 1
1204 John Langley
Will attack at dawn
2 to 1
Checkers
1205 Rob Smith / Robert Harman
Bullhorn his way to top?
3 to 1
1206 John Padgett
Should run tough
2 to 1
1200 Rick St. John
Unfazed by threats
2 to 1
1248 Greg Gustin
Serious effort
4 to 1
1249 Roberto Encinas
Experienced partners
4 to 1
CLASS 11 (5)
1101 Eric Solorzano
Same old same old
Even
1102 Michael Brown
Should drive a Tundra
9 to 1
1103 Dolores Casarez
Delerious?
9 to 1
1104 Jim Graham
Desert Dingleberry
7 to 1
1149 Gustavo Garayzar
Best of the rest
2 to 1
STOCK FULL (3)
Checkers
860 Josh Hall
Obvious choice
2 to 1
878 Joe Bacal
Beginner’s luck just ran out
5 to 1
879 Justin Matney
Sadly mistaken?
2 to 1
STOCK MINI (3)
Checkers
761 Josh Hall
Unequalled
2 to 1
778 Robert Ditner / Ivan Stewart
How’s the prep?
3 to 1
779 Gavin Skilton
Will have to prove it
2 to 1
PROTRUCK (3)
250 Gary Mangess
Possibly
4 to 1
234 Rob Reinertson
Best of the bunch
3 to 1
240 Rob Kittleson
Needs a break
5 to 1
CLASS 17 (3)
JeepSpeed
1701 Eric Filar
Track Bar from Hell
9 to 1
1702 Mike Shaffer
Overtemp
9 to 1
1749 Cliff Cook
Xfr Case
9 to 1
BAJA CHALLENGE (4)
WOB
BC1 Christian Hammarskjold
WOB CEO
5 to 1
BC2 Jay Culbertson
The Usual Suspect
2 to 1
BC3 Brian Valentine
Heart has to be in it
8 to 1
BC4 Mike Cassling
Cornhuskers get shucked
8 to 1
CLASS 2 (1)
Ecotech “Ten”
209 William Erickson
Among “10s” and “12s”
5 to 1
SPORTSMAN CAR (6)
1401 George Jackson
Needs calm crew
5 to 1
1400 Peter Lang
Consistent
4 to 1
1403 Raymond Calore
Not hot enough
6 to 1
1404 Gary Hewett
Bettern a Rhino
6 to 1
1498 Rory Ward (Solo!)
Fuel King should kill ‘em!
3 to 1
1499 Peter Ramseier
Not a chance
6 to 1
SPORTSMAN TRUCK (2)
1501 Nick Tonelli
Takes it easy and wins
1450 to 350
1502 Ken Fraizer
Tries to race and breaks
1450 to 360
1503 Tim Smith
SVT Raptor?
1450 to 370
1504 Randy Swink
Big ol’ comfy car?
F150 to 50
November 5, 2009
TOYOTA 2010 Model Year 4Runner Slated for the SCORE Baja 1000 The Fifth Generation 2010 Toyota 4Runner to run in the "Stock mini" Class
SEE UPDATE: November 12, 2009
Toyota will make history by entering its 2010 Model Year Fifth Generation 4Runner in the internationally renowned SCORE Baja 1000. With over 672 milesin length and a time limit of 31 hours, the Baja 1000 is one of the toughest desert races in the world.
Toyota will test its newest 4Runner and showcase the SUV's capabilities and durability in the Mexican desert's treacherous terrain. "Historically, only half of the racers finish this incredible test of man and machine, but we're confident the Fifth Generation 4Runner will be a major contender in the stock mini class and can handle the grueling course", said Les Unger, Toyota's national motorsports manager.
One of the scheduled drivers will be the legendary Ivan "Ironman" Stewart 22-time SCORE Baja race winner. Stewart has successfully conquered the toughest obstacles in off-road racing and was inducted into the Off- Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006. "I'm thrilled to have been chosen to be one of the drivers to once again prove the toughness and durability of Toyota vehicles. I'm sure the Fifth Generation 4Runner will be tough enough to survive even my Iron foot", said Stewart. Co-driving the 4Runner will be the teams of Bob Ditner/Zach Zwillinger from the start line to Borrego Junction, Ken Ziesemer/Mark Sasaki throughout the San Felipe loop, Joe Nolan/Paul Williamsen from Borrego to Valle De La Trinidad, and Ivan Stewart/Bob Ditner from Valle De La Trinidad to the finish line. The 4Runner will run on General Tires.
The 2009 Baja 1000 will be a single loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada on the Pacific Ocean side of the "magnificent peninsula" and run through Mexican villages -- luring in tens of thousands of spectators.
The Fifth Generation 4Runner
The fifth generation 4Runner has an improved V6 engine with better fuel economy and 34 more horse- power than the previous V6. It also adds 17 inch wheels and two additional airbags-for a total of eight, providing buyers more than $1,700 worth of added content. However, the price of the popular four wheel drive V6 SR5 remains unchanged at $30,915. Vehicles will begin arriving at dealerships in late-November. For Fifth Generation 4Runner specs visit:
"Johnny Campbell suffered an injury while out testing the 2009 Baja 1000 bike near Bell Mountain located in the desert outside of Victorville, California. A trip to the Emergency room reveled that Johnny had suffered a mild concussion, fractured sacrum, fractured L1 and a lacerated elbow. Johnny is in good spirits currently at Mission hospital under Doctors surveillance he is expected to make a make a full & quick recovery and be riding again in no time. No surgery required, however Johnny will have to wear a back brace for a few weeks." We will report as information becomes available.>>>
** Pitiful Pete Sohren commented tonight on the 2009 Baja 1000:
"We have a new, super-duper transmission, top-secret, can't talk about it, right now. But, ours is better than Robby Gordons $51,000 new transmission, cuz we saw him gettin' his a** beat at Primm with his 'New' transmission".
FREE TEQUILA OFFERED UP IN PRESS RELEASE:
"BAJA 1000: What do firemen, free tequila and a Whale’s Tail have in common?
If it's fall, it must be time for the earth to rock and rumble with the roar of the off-road races in Baja California (and everyone's invited!). SCORE's Baja 1000 is an annual event that includes a variety of vehicles: motorcycles, buggies, trucks and custom off-roaders. This year, the race will take place from November 19-22, leaving from Ensenada, zig-zagging its way down to La Paz in Baja Sur[FALSE INFORMATION HERE], and then looping back to Ensenada - 1000 grueling miles marked by desolate terrain, stark mountains and stunning coastline. Along the route, racers will be cheered on by excited bystanders, SCORE groupies and others…and opportunities will abound to purchase t-shirts, memorabilia and, naturally, the occasional Baja beverage.
But wait…where do the firemen, free tequila and a Whales Tail come in? Everyone is invited to come on down and find out. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, afternoon-ish, there will be a kick-off fiesta for the Baja 1000, featuring the YOLO racing team along with some of their vehicles as well as some other teams, at the Whale's Tail pub & grill at Bajamar, kilometer 77.5, on Highway 1, south of Rosarito. A) The YOLO team is comprised of fire fighters who are donating 100 percent of their proceeds to the Vancouver Fire Fighters' Charitable Society. B)There will be free Tequila Nicho Real shots, and Baja 1000 margaritas, available at C)The Whale's Tail.
The day after the kick-off party, racers will gather at Ensenada's 'Hotel San Nic' for registration, and will reconvene there for an awards ceremony on November 22. The hotel, which is also the site of the Caliente Race & Sports Book casino, has a long history with SCORE and provides a central location to all other Ensenada activities and attractions."
November 4, 2009
The happening topic of the moment, Virtual Checkpoints.
Report Reload:
Originally Reported Oct 27.
More "Black Box" Fun and Games
Some insight on these "must pass through mile markers", our inside source, as many of you may know, has been working with SCORE on trying to resolve many of the technical issues with using GPS/tracking systems to score or penalize racers. Looks like these mandatory "must pass through mile markers" will be thought of as "Virtual Check Points".
There will be a new phrase added to Baja racing's vocabulary. "Virtual Check Point" or VCP for short. These will be a series of unmanned waypoints that you must race through in order to be in course compliance. These will be strategically placed to discourage course deviations in sensitive areas. Miss a VCP and you will receive a penalty. It will be important to pay attention to the maps and course notes to know where these are during pre-running. Basically connect the dots and you are good to go.
Expect the VCPs to have a 10 minute penalty value. Miss one and get penalized 10 minutes. Miss 2 = 20 min. and so on. Sensitive areas will have several VCPs in a row, like a string of pearls, to levy a more severe penalty and to visually show the degree of sensitivity. For instance, if you took the Cemetery road in Uruapan, you would miss 6 VCPs and receive a 60 min penalty. If you go through the lower field in San Vicente, you would miss 9 and that would pretty much ruin your day.
November 3, 2009 As the Baja 1000 fast approaches, Baja Racing News RADIO LIVE heard Anna Cody talk about her team and their push for the Championship at this years Baja 1000.
Anna talked about the inspirational story of her teammate Roger Hurd. For those who don't know, Anna and Roger raced together when they were part of Team Kawasaki 15+ years ago.
During the show, Anna Cody said they are currently running in second in seasonal points. She also described the racing conditions in Baja Mexico, on playas over 100 mph, slow technical sections and the towns and ranches in Mexico and their inherent troubles having the race course on their ranch roads.
She also talked about the Baja Boobytraps...
She commented how her team is very experienced and can handle any Baja terrain. She talked about the race conditions across the course, pitting situations and her personal hydration setup and riding styles.
"It's all part of racing in Baja", when she was mentioning Baja racing. She also commented about how the military beefs up security, during the time of the race. The host mentioned how Mexico is not safe right now.
She is riding a Honda Motorcycle, prepped by a Honda racing technician. She also described her sponsors and their contributions to her teams efforts for this years Baja 1000.
Anna mentioned the 31 hour time limit on the race, but, she said her team will make it in around 16 hours. End Radio Report
According to Andy Carter and Bill Savage, they will be coming out to Rosarito Beach, Mexico on NOV 7, 2009, to certify or SCORE tag your race car. The event will take place at OFF ROAD LEGEND race shop in Rosarito at 11:00 AM Saturday morning.
All confirmed to tag their race vehicles are MARTIN LIZZARGA 12 CAR, OSCAR VENEGAS 16 CAR, DAVID ANRADE 5 OPEN, CARLOS IRIBE 7 OPEN,HECTOR ORTEGA 16 CAR, AN MANY MORE TO ADD TO THE LIST.
FOR MORE INFO CALL OSCAR VENEGAS AT HIS NEXTEL 152*148255*3 OR CARLOS IRIBE AT 122*47113*45 OR HIS HOUSE # AT 011526616121674 IN MEX . IF YOUR IN ROSARITO YOU DIAL, 61 21674. OR FOR MORE INFO CALL ERNIE NEGRETE AT 619 864-0590.
October 29, 2009
Now, Dirt Sports Magazine, PCI Race Radios (the radio services vendor for the races), Eric Morley marketing, Cameron Steele and every racer is critical of the Baja race-results, SCORE Scandal.
October 28, 2009
* Dave Despain of SPEEDs 'Wind Tunnel' commented: "Baja racing is about passion, by hook or crook". Dave, it's mostly about crook!
* DIRT SPORTS Magazine went out on a limb officially to dis-respect IRC and SCORE, last night.
Marty Fiolka said, "the black boxes, timing, scoring, IRC Thing has been a big highlight on cheating".
Cheating, highlighted by SCORE and Race Tracking International. Now, IRC (International Racing Consultants, the Official race tracking and race results data vendor) through its affiliate Race Tracking International, has been hired for Public Relations and Media work. Joe Parsons confirmed, the Penhall Kawasaki Team will be highlighted in this Baja 1000. Why Ike, What Ever Do You Mean? No limits on the vendor duties and responsibilities? You mean they can get paid for "other services"? Like, they won't have any effect on the race data the vendor is ultimately responsible for?
"The speed limit is one thing, but, I have an issue with is, where in the rules is the course stuff, I really don't understand what SCORE and IRC is doing", Fiolka went on to assert.
Race Team Announcements: * El Centro’s Cameron Corfman won the Pumpkin Dash 100 last Saturday in the AMA’s District 38 season.
The race, presented by Over The Belt Racing of San Diego, had plenty of excitement for Corfman.
“I was doing pretty good. My little brother (Kyle) was the first to the Bomb so I was chasing him for a while … it was pretty cool,” Corfman said.
Corfman passed his little brother, only after Brawley’s Aaron Tuck had passed both. So Corfman was trailing Tuck after passing his brother. But Tuck ran into mechanical problems in the last loop of the race, giving Corfman the win.
“In the last lap, his bike broke down about a mile after the start line,” Corfman said.
With the win, Corfman still leads the open expert class. His next focus will be the Baja 1000 in November.
In other overall results from Saturday’s race, Craig Smith finished second, Damian Bermudez finished third, Wesley Deen finished fourth, Steve Fenton finished fifth, A.J. Stewart finished sixth, Travis Wood finished seventh, Corey Freeman finished eighth, Eric Biddlecome finished ninth and David Wilson finished 10th.
* Ryan Penhall announced last night that the Penhall-Green-Kawasaki Moto effort has signed a deal with Iritrack for guaranteed results for the November Baja 1000 2009.
"Mexico IS NOT the best place to race right now", Joe Parsons of Monster explained that Ryans dad, Bruce, is making all "the deals", for the team.
Bob Bell suspension is Ryans favorite equipment sponsor, he also mentioned Oakley, Royal Purple Nurples.
Ryan went on to say, "the Baja 1000 first place position and trophy is as good as mine!"
* SPEEDMEX Baja 1000 Pre Run Pit plans/dates/RM/Location SPEEDMEX will be running pre-run pit support for Baja Racers for two weekends (Nov 7-8 ; Nov 14-15) at Ejido Saldana (approximately race mile 160).
There will be food and drinks offerred for free.
If you need gas, they will have PEMEX for $5.
This is the only spot SPEEDMEX will be at for pre-running but they'll be there both weekends.
That location was chosen because most moto's and quads can't make that entire loop on a single tank of gas.
1) 11/7-8/09 RM 160 North end of Laguna Salada off Hwy
2) 11/14-15/09 RM 160 Same location
* Missing Lenk Motorsports (car # 111) will be leaving Costa Mesa around 9:30am Monday the 16th.
* Ramsey El Wardani: kook of the year, is teaming with Robert Pickering and Mikey Childress in the #603. Leaving a week from today. Pickering with RFS Motorsports, wants to get down before the crowd and get the SF loop covered.
* Pat Dailey: "I will be down at MM310 with the BBQ in full swing waiting to see my brothers and sister running up front. Let the games begin!!" * Brett Frederickson: "I have been in Baja at least 5 times in the last 2 months with trailers and race cars. crossed twice in Tecate both times they need all the paper work for the trucks trailers and race car/ prerunner all was in order no problem. crossed Mexicali the other times, 2 times was ok the third time took almost 30 min the registration had expired last month for my prerunner. After 3 diff people checked over the van trailer and prerunner they let me cross. We had a great time at the mexicana logistics race and petes camp poker run, it was worth the hassle. Get your paper work in order."
* Victor Celis: "there is a new process to enter Mexico, they just changed the old stop light (red/green) for new ones, also all the Customs Inspectors are "NEW""so this is their first Baja, and they come all the way from MX City so they dont have an idea of whats happening in Baja next Month..
I recommend you to have all your vehicle registration, incl. trailers, motorcycles, prerunners, etc etc. if they don't like something they will turn you back...forget giving stickers to this guys to let you pass.....
Also an inventory of what you have on your trailers, DONT Cross RACE GAS, also tires must be mounted on Wheels, and a reasonably piece count of what you are bringing to Baja, if its a lot of the same they would think that you are selling the stuff and they will make you pay duty, taxes, and turn you back."
* Randy Swink, El Cajon CA: "My experience is that an 'impuesto" might be sort of required by some of those guys. in other words, just grease the f--kers (pay the customs guys off) and be on your merry way. if you're speaking about our guys stopping you before entering, then that's not going to be about registering your prerunner or racecar. it's about whether you've got lots of money or guns you're taking down. i crossed at tecate in my pre-run truck and nary a word was mentioned regarding my reg, but he did ask me if i had ten thousand dollars or guns with me. i just said "I wish" and laughed and he let me go. i don't think he was amused though."
LOADING NOW>>>
October 27, 2009
More "Black Box" Fun and Games
Some insight on these "must pass through mile markers", our inside source, as many of you may know, has been working with SCORE on trying to resolve many of the technical issues with using GPS/tracking systems to score or penalize racers. Looks like these mandatory "must pass through mile markers" will be thought of as "Virtual Check Points".
There will be a new phrase added to Baja racing's vocabulary. "Virtual Check Point" or VCP for short. These will be a series of unmanned waypoints that you must race through in order to be in course compliance. These will be strategically placed to discourage course deviations in sensitive areas. Miss a VCP and you will receive a penalty. It will be important to pay attention to the maps and course notes to know where these are during pre-running. Basically connect the dots and you are good to go.
Expect the VCPs to have a 10 minute penalty value. Miss one and get penalized 10 minutes. Miss 2 = 20 min. and so on. Sensitive areas will have several VCPs in a row, like a string of pearls, to levy a more severe penalty and to visually show the degree of sensitivity. For instance, if you took the Cemetery road in Uruapan, you would miss 6 VCPs and receive a 60 min penalty. If you go through the lower field in San Vicente, you would miss 9 and that would pretty much ruin your day.
More Baja 1000 2009 HEADLINES:
Gabriel Garcia Report:
Ensenada, B.C., El Vigia Newspaper
Montes celebrates 20 years of his dream
""It was in 1988 that Federico Montes began what today is a hundred percent dedicated to the Off-Road, but he did it with the mind set on getting rich, but to live their dream, to continue running in the lowlands. You are 20 years of many successes, frustrations, laughter and sports for ensenadense first of its port that ran a prestigious Dakar Rally, taking place as long tablecloths their personal success and are a reality thanks to the victories of Samuel Araiza drivers, Marcos Nunez, Fabian Aros, Alejandro Guevara, and many more who have remained loyal to this company dedicated to building engines and transmissions.
For people who know Montes, know of his passion, and dedicated body and soul with his mechanical staff to leave a motor in excellent condition for a career, spanning different states of Mexico such as Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Mexico City, something that not everyone can boast.
This corridor and mechanical Buenos Aires showed that a Mexican can be to you for you with the Americans to prepare authentic pieces of art to try to win a Baja 1000 or 500, coupled with that has created an important school in Ensenada, since by their company have paraded hundreds of entrepreneurs who are now supporting competition teams, so big we have to celebrate the first 20 years of Forestry, engine and transmission, and missing.
"Mr. Baja" is not lost for the Baja 1000. Larry Roeseler is already well placed to live an adventure in what he calls his second home, Baja, after recovering satisfactorily from his back injury, it prevented him from running the previous date of Score International, the race Terrible's Primm 300.
Roger Norman said he was confident all the time that "Mr. Baja" would be ready to defend with it, its absolute bicampeonato and SCORE Trophy-Trucks of the 1000 miles, so fans can rest assured Roeseler, if you run the last date of Score and is thirsty for victories, for something is one of the top winners of the event.
I still do not understand Brokers such as Ramon Fernandez and Carlos Villa, among those that come to mind that I have been asked how is that a Class 11 or 9 pay at Score as much as a Trophy-Truck? To which I answer, to Sal Fish must be equal because there is no logic in that recovery and less in these economically difficult times.
That's why the State Championship headed by Fernando Montijo has been a tremendous success, not only with the 11 but with the 5-1600, by charging reasonable rates, on the same grounds used in 1000, 500 and 250 with better financial awards for the drivers and more competition, but for Sal, bank account or Post Mark Robby Gordon is the same as that of Eric Solorzano and Daniel Reyes Junior.""
Robby Gordon and the Baja 1000 2009
The Southern California construction industry remains in the doldrums (San Diego sized understatement). And violence in Mexico is still a problem (Tijuana sized understatement).
Despite that double dose of bad news, officials of SCORE are looking forward to a strong Baja 1000 off-road race Nov. 19-22 to complete the 2009 season.
Lots of Desert Off-Road Racing entries are expected for the 42nd edition of the desert classic, which will start and finish in Ensenada for the 20th time.
The star of the show will be NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Robby Gordon, who leads the overall and TrophyTruck points races going into the 673-mile season finale.
For the past decade, Gordon has run SCORE events when his NASCAR schedule permitted. This year, breaks in the NASCAR schedule enabled Gordon to run in three of the first four SCORE events. H skipped the Sept. 12 Sprint Cup race in Richmond, Va., to compete in a SCORE event at Primm, Nev.
Gordon won that race to widen his SCORE points lead going into the Baja 1000. Gordon will fly from Ensenada after finishing the 1000 to compete in the NASCAR season finale at Homestead, Fla.
Gordon's win at Primm gave him two wins, a second and a seventh in SCORE's first four races this season.
“Prior to the start of this year's SCORE series, we made a decision to run for the TrophyTruck point championship,” said Gordon, who won the title in 1996.
“We are fulfilling that goal and being the overall points leader is a big bonus. We really have our Chevy CK-1500 dialed in.”
Gordon, 40, is an owner-driver in both the SCORE and NASCAR series.
McMillins return
Gordon isn't the only name of note among the Baja 1000 entries.
The McMillins, will be returning to the Baja 1000 after missing last year's event and the past four Mexican desert races.
“We're looking forward to returning,” said Mark McMillin, a five-time overall winner of the Baja 1000.
Led by McMillin patriarch Corky and sons Mark and Scott, the McMillins have raced in 32 of the past 33 Baja 1000s. “Off-road racing is part of us,” said Mark.
The McMillins' hiatus from Mexican races wasn't a total move away from the sport.
Andy McMillin teamed with his father, Scott, to win the three-day Las Vegas-to-Reno race in the Best In The Desert off-road series. Andy is the overall points leader in the BITD series with three wins this season.
The McMillins are entering three vehicles in the Baja 1000.
Mark will team with Brian Ewalt in one TrophyTruck, with Andy and Scott McMillin in a second Trophy truck. Mark's sons, Daniel and Luke, will team in a 1600cc buggy.
Dan McMillin drove a Jimco buggy to first overall in the Superstition 250 off-road race last weekend. Luke was fifth in the 1600cc buggy class; finished first in Class 12." Bill Center
LeMaster shows off his rig in Tennessee
A little bit of brains and a lot of patience and perseverance is what Bob LeMaster said it took to turn his dream into a racing car that will compete for the first time in an international off-road race in Mexico.
"I've put every ounce of spare time into this project for the last two years," said LeMaster, an engineering professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin. "It was a little like building Noah's Ark - we built a buggy for desert racing with the closest desert 1,500 miles to the west."
LeMaster, 56, and his design and support team held a press conference at the UT Martin campus Monday morning to talk about their project and show off the race car. The group is called West Tennessee Baja, and most of the work was done in LeMaster's garage.
Team members include Jimmy Kee, who teaches welding at the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie, and graduates from UT Martin and the Tennessee Technology Center.
The University of Tennessee is not involved in or sponsoring the project.
LeMaster, who has been working on the project for three years, is the owner and primary engineer.
Known as a "Baja buggy," LeMaster's car looks like a cross between a dune buggy and a jeep.
It is the first off-road racing car of its kind built in West Tennessee, LeMaster said, and is classed as Class 1, Unlimited Division.
LeMaster plans to travel to Ensenada, Mexico, to compete in the Tecate SCORE 2009 Baja 1000 on Nov. 19.
This year, the race covers about 672 miles of mountainous terrain and sandy desert lake beds in Baja California, Mexico, LeMaster said.
Up to 400 participants from more than 20 countries take part in the race every year. The race will take about 12 hours to complete, and the car will be followed by a support team.
"The Baja 1000 is one of the longest and most difficult off-road races in the world," LeMaster said. "Only about half the cars finish the race. Our goal is to finish."
Monday's demonstration included firing the 650-horsepower, custom-built Corvette engine, which emitted a loud roar. LeMaster also showed how built-in jacks can lift one side of the car at a time.
The car weighs close to 4,000 pounds and has 35-inch tires with about 24 inches of suspension travel. It can travel faster than 150 miles an hour and can sustain speeds of up to 80 miles an hour in deep sand.
It runs on 110 octane fuel and only gets about 3 miles per gallon. At $8.25 a gallon, it will cost about $2,000 in fuel for the race, LeMaster said.
"The horsepower isn't so much for speed as for power," LeMaster said. "The wheels will be half buried in sand during part of the race."
The most difficult part of the project was taking the computer plans and translating them into an actual car, according to Bryan Boggs, a UT Martin engineering alum.
Boggs, 25, joined the team in May 2009 and worked on putting together much of the car.
"If it leaks, its my fault," Boggs said. "But I loved it, and you couldn't put me in a more ideal situation. It is a unique car, so we had to do a lot of trouble shooting on our own."
Boggs will be the navigator for the team during the Baja race and also will help with the support vehicle.
Matt Jackson, a Tennessee Tech graduate, has spent two years working on welding for the car. He will drive part time during the race and also work as a navigator.
Jackson, 22, has raced on dirt tracks in West Tennessee for several years and also helped build race cars in Jonesboro, Ark.
But he has never done any racing in the desert.
"I don't know what it will be like," he said. "We'll go out there and do our best."
"It will be the little things that bite you, like a loose brake line," added Kee. "But it will be fun just to be there and meet all the great racers."
October 25, 2009
West Tennessee Repped at 2009 Baja 1000
"What does a University of Tennessee at Martin engineering professor, several engineering alums and the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie have in common? Each contributes to a 12-member team that has built a racecar to compete in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Nov. 19, in Ensenada, Mexico. The Class 1 desert racecar will be shown to the public at 11:30 a.m., Monday, Oct. 26, in the north patio area of UT Martin’s Boling University Center.
Dr. Bob LeMaster leads the team with assistance from UT Martin engineering grads Brian Boggs, Ashley Owens and Jonathon Kolwyck. Jimmy Kee, who teaches welding at the Tennessee Technology Center, and his former students Matt Jackson, Jason Young, Shay Barksdale and Kyle McConnell, have also played a major role in the car’s construction. The car was recently certified by SCORE International, the race organizer, and the car will wear number 107 during the race.
The Baja 1000 is the longest and most difficult off-road race in the Western Hemisphere and is rivaled on the world stage only by the Dakar Rally in western Africa, LeMaster said. The race attracts cars from across the United States and will feature cars from 20 countries. This year’s race will be 672 miles long and will start and end in Ensenada. Several television specials about the race will be broadcast in early December, he added. LeMaster became interested in building the car through the university’s participation in the Baja SAE competition. He annually advises UT Martin engineering students who construct a small Baja racecar that competes against teams from other universities. Welding students from the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie have frequently assisted with the fabrication of these cars. His work with students sparked LaMaster’s interest in building the current Class 1 desert racecar.
The car is about 18 feet long, weighs 3,800 pounds, has a 650 horsepower custom-built engine, and 35-inch tires with 24 inches of suspension travel. The car was designed to reach speeds of 150 mph. “The shock technology used in this form of racing is more advanced than that used in other forms of motorsports,” LeMaster said. “Although the terrain is very rough, the ride inside the car is amazingly smooth.” During the technical inspection, SCORE Race officials told LeMaster that “you guys have a serious entry,” and that they “could not recall another unlimited-class desert racecar being entered from the state of Tennessee.”
LeMaster said that there are typically 30 cars in the class, but because of the extreme nature of the course, only half the cars in the class are likely to finish.
The car is being entered by West Tennessee Baja LLC and driven by LeMaster and Matt Jackson. Brian Boggs will navigate and serve as a back-up driver.
The car is equipped with a satellite tracking system that will allow race officials to monitor the location of the car along with its speed and orientation. Race officials positioned hundreds of miles away will know instantly if the car has been involved in an accident or is not moving. The navigator is responsible for radio communications, monitoring the engine operating parameters and keeping the car on track using a GPS system.
The car is also equipped with an on-board fire suppression system that will automatically activate in the event of a fire. The logistics of competing in an off-road endurance race are demanding, with pit stops located approximately 150 miles apart, LeMaster said.
Fuel, tires and spare parts needed at each pit stop must be determined in advance and positioned at appropriate points one to two days before the race begins. A chase vehicle, equipped with extra fuel, spare tires and parts will follow the racecar as closely as possible.
In the event of a breakdown or accident, the chase team must locate and provide assistance as quickly as possible. Participation in the race is expensive, and sponsorship is important, LeMaster said. BF Goodrich is providing access to tires with Kevlar reinforced sidewalls and pit support. West Tennessee sponsors include Legens Hot Rod Shop, Fuqua Family Farms, Stewart Perkins Trucking, Pablo’s Pickles and Southern Custom Metalworks.
“The team believes that they will be representing West Tennessee at the race and would like to make it a true West Tennessee effort by having most of the sponsorship coming from West Tennessee companies,” LeMaster said, adding that more sponsors are needed and that there is still time for sponsors to become involved.
Some 300,000 are expected to attend the November race, but LeMaster and the race team aren’t intimidated. “I’ve always thought that if the only reason for not doing something is fear of failure, that that’s not a good enough reason not to do it,” LeMaster said.
The team will face many challenges during the race but will have overcome the biggest one simply by making it to the starting line."
Still Crazy Racing Report
"There are birthday celebrations and there are birthday experiences. It's not unusual to choose the latter as we get older.
But Zack Burkett may be going over the top. He has chosen the experience of racing through the Mexican desert in an extremely modified Volkswagen over getting a new pair of socks. The county supervisor, who will turn 70 in January, will commemorate his birthday by competing in the Baja 1,000, the world's longest point-to-point race.
"I always wanted to run in a race, and I figured if I didn't do it, now I'd have trouble doing it later," he said. "My wife asked why I didn't do something sane like jumping out of an airplane."
The race will run for 31 hours Nov. 19-22 over a 673-mile loop course that begins and ends in Ensenada on the Baja peninsula--that long piece of land that appears to be Southern California but is really part of Mexico.
Burkett heads the Still Crazy Racing team that includes his 45-year-old son, who is the Texas amateur cross-country motorcycle-racing champion in the over-40 category. "I call him Zack Burkett the Lesser, but he kinda resents it," his father said with a laugh.
The two Zacks will share the time behind the wheel of the custom-built "Baja Bug" that the elder Burkett spent 18 months building. He put the car through a test race last weekend and had no major problems with the Class 9 short-wheelbase vehicle, which uses a VW drive train on a custom-built race car chassis.
"We rolled it during the test run," Burkett said, "but we drove it away. Since then we've been fixing and modifying it."
In an earlier test, he said, he found that he had put the switches out of his reach when he was strapped into the required five-point safety harness.
Comfort has been an issue, too. "It can get painful after a few hours of bouncing through the dirt," he said. "As a kid, I did hot-rodding, but nothing like this. I went to the Baja 1,000 last year and talked to people there to see what we would be getting into.
"About 30 miles of the race was on the road, but the rest is through the desert. We'll test the car in the desert when we get out there and see if there are things we still need to figure out."
But it's not just a lark for the birthday boy.
"When we started this, I was hoping just to finish, but now I think we have a good shot at winning our class," he said."
October 23, 2009
Even PCI's Scotty Steinberger goes off the farm on this one! Though, its obvious they're not happy about missing the GPS tracking with SCORE- money boat.
"I run a secondary unit called IonEarth that tracks my vehicles and gives real time updates in each equipped chase vehicle. So I will have a redundant system in my vehicle, the question is will Score use the data from a second non official source to back up IRC if a failure occurs? In a racecar there are 100 parts that can fail robbing your chance of winning the Baja 1000; it is a shame that a rental unit that gets passed around weekend after weekend subjected to abuse could potentially hamstring you before the start! I will not worry about it, follow the rules, and race the Baja 1000, but I think maybe we racers should stand strong and together and let IRC and Score know that we will not accept racing under these conditions. I have talked to Steve from IRC in the past and he assured me they could tell if someone was playing games and that no one would be accountable for faulty equipment. This is not the case now. I flat think it is WRONG to penalize anyone for faulty equipment! I try hard to stay away from politics because I consider Score and IRC my friends, but I have the right as the owner of Trophy Truck #7 who has put my heart and soul in this sport for over 20 years to voice my opinion, sorry if my friends take offense. Yes the rules need to be followed, but penalties for fried boxes at the start line or intermittent tracker units that are above the control of the competitor need to stop! My 2 cents, Viva Baja!
Scott Steinberger Trophy Truck #7"
Steve Brown of Colorado:
"We should all purchase OnStar!!! At least it works and you pay $119 year. Plus OnStar uses American Satellites in orbit. IRC uses antiquated technology and claims they pay $3000 per box. Is that in Pesos? IRC SUCKS period. Scam that should be investigated by the Race Czar in the Obama cabinet. SCREW IRC!!!"
October 18, 2009
Some Baja 1000 Honesty! Baja Racing News.com Racers Talk from their heart.
Steve Schwab: "40 years of checkpoint racing in Baja will not go away quietly."
Andy:"Missing data penalties at the last 500 was a sore spot for many competitors. Although it hasn't been officially announced yet, SCORE and IRC plan to offer a second data recorder option at a discounted rate. This would allow teams to run two data recorders at the same time. One as primary and the other as a back up in case of failure. This should drastically reduce the instances of bad or missing data." Randy from El Cajon California, about the Baja 1000 2009: "I believe i'll just stick to having the one (tracking device in his race car during the Baja 1000) ..if the thing-a-ma-jig quits working or won't turn over or whatever, and they want to penalize me for having a cheat design built into my strategy for this race in one of the fastest, toughest, most competitive and popular classes in all of score...the sportsman truck class?...I don't care. most the time we don't have all our s--t together enough to have time to think about how we're gonna get over on our sport truck compadres.
We're in it for the fun.
And we're too skeered to cheat on purpose. if we do good, i could give a s--t what the the one tracker thinks as it is.. Why do i need two? You watch. pretty soon score will REQUIRE us to rent two of these POS. Crap, I still got my old rally tracker or whatever it was before that that did'nt work. Maybe I'll just throw that baby on. Add our trusty spot tracker, Ionearth, the sentenal, and the LA Dodgers speed gun that guy uses behind home plate and i'll be too heavy to get off the start line. At least i'd know where I'm at..maybe...but for a few bucks more, a heluva special for this race only, three IRC trackers for the price of four...and on it goes...good luck everyone and have a safe race.."
Thanks for sending in your comments Racers!
SECURITY SERVICES REQUIRED
Be advised, simply because Baja Racing News.com is no longer reporting on the severe criminal activities ongoing in Baja Norte, doesn't mean there are NOT still on the rise.
Teams going to Mexico for pre-running and racing in the Baja 1000 in one month, be advised security services are required for your travel. Don't Be a Victim!
Dateline Tijuana-Four youths were off-roading near the toll-road at the same time an armed narco convoy of 10 vehicles was reported to be headed north through Rosarito. Bad timing. These kids thought the police were just chasing them off the lot as usual- when the Marines opened fire and shot them all. The kids even held their arms up and the Marines kept shooting. None died.
All the grisly crime reports have been confined to Spanish languange newspapers. Rather than criticize the US media- they decided to totally shut them out. None of these three events (all on major roads tourists use daily) were mentioned in the English Rosarito rag or any other promotional Baja mouthpieces. So much for the truth.
It is mind boggling that a convoy of narcos in black SUV's could vanish from the toll road from Tijuana to Ensenada with everyone having cell phones these days (even Mexicans). And how could a black SUV convoy become a single white SUV off-roading?
The real story is that well orchestrated criminal elements are operating out in the open between Puerto Nuevo and Rosarito, today.BEWARE
MyLLC.com Sponsors Desert Dingo Racing 2009-10 Off-Road Racing Season
Race car owners and teams see the importance in operating as a corporation or LLC.
MyLLC.com®, the nation’s leading document filing service, catering to individuals, small businesses and the legal and financial industries, announced today that it is sponsoring Desert Dingo Racing’s 2009-2010 off road racing season, including the Baja 1000 in Mexico in November.
“Few sports illustrate the importance of liability protection better than off-road racing. For teams big and small, it can’t be overstated how important it is ensure that drivers, co-drivers, owners, investors, and their families are protected in the event of a mishap”, said MyLLC.com® Vice-President Greg Monterrosa. “Operating as a properly formed and maintained Limited-Liability Company provides a liability “shield” for the entire team, as well as offering substantive tax benefits that could not be realized without the use of a business entity such as an LLC or Corporation.”
Desert Dingo Racing campaigns a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle in off road races in the U.S. and Mexico. The team is the official World Diabetes Day off road race team and works with the International Diabetes Federation to raise money for diabetes education and awareness programs. Two Desert Dingo team members have Type 2 diabetes and several other team members have a history of the disease in their families. The team makes the car available for public events and distributes thousands of hero cards with the warning signs of diabetes printed on the back in English and Spanish.
“We knew that operating as an LLC had tremendous advantages in terms of liability protection, financial management and for working with sponsors,” said Dingo co-founder Jim Graham. “MyLLC.com® offered a solution that was affordable, comprehensive and most importantly, tailored to exactly what we needed. Plus, their customer support is superb.”
The team is ranked third in the Southern Nevada Off Road Enthusiasts (SNORE) racing series in the Stock Bug class, and just finished fifth of 10 VWs in the SNORE South Point 250 in Primm, Nevada. The car will be on display at the World Diabetes Congress in Montreal from Oct. 18-22 and the team heads to Mexico in mid-November for the Baja 1000, which runs Nov. 21-22 with a start and finish in Ensenada.
About MyLLC.com
Founded in 1998 and based in Westlake Village, California, MyLLC.com® is a leading document filing service that caters to individuals, small-businesses, as well as the legal and financial industries throughout the United States and abroad. MyLLC.com®, the authors of Limited-Liability Companies for Dummies™ offers customers complete entity formation, entity dissolutions/ withdrawals, certificates of good standing, amendments, free name checks, trademark searches and registrations, DBA registrations, registered agent services, corporate services and corporate supplies such as corporate kits, stock certificates and embossing seals. We offer these services in all 50 States as well as the District of Columbia.
About Desert Dingo Racing
Desert Dingo Racing is a team of high tech professionals based in Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley who campaign a 1969 VW Beetle in off road races in the U.S. and Mexico. They are the official World Diabetes Day off road race car and the team raises money for diabetes education and awareness programs sponsored by the International Diabetes Federation. To learn more, visit http://www.desertdingo.com .
Founded in 1998 and based in Westlake Village, California, MyLLC.com®, the authors of Limited-Liability Companies for Dummies is a leading document filing service that offers customers business solutions. To learn more, visit http://www.MyLLC.com
October 17, 2009
BAJA 1000 2009 THE RUMOR MILL
***Baja Racing News Pre-Run Map, Thanks Monster Mike! Critical Notes: After crossing the creek at Mike's, the course turns south and starts a climb. It is 6 miles of whoops and rocks created by many previous races. Good workout after that freeway you just left going up to Mike's. After that 6 miles, the course turns right (west). If you go left, this road goes to Rancho Concepcion and the paved Observatory road. After the right turn, it is about 10 miles to Rancho El Coyote and downhill. There is a silt section in here that can be real nasty.
Once at El Coyote, the course does a great 9 miles through Baja backcountry, with varying types of terrain. Note the "Racers and Ranchers" sign, asking to close the gate - El Coyote owner Esteban Meling has installed a new cattle guard there and the gate no longer used. Coming out of the loop you will climb 2 rocky miles, then turn left down to Simpson's. If you go straight, you'll be at Mike's Sky Ranch in 3 miles.
4 very rocky and steep miles to the Simpson's creek crossing. It is actually called San Rafael and is the same creek you crossed at Mike's. The crossing is well hidden under trees and constant prerunning by 4 wheel vehicles will create two wheel ruts in the sand. To make it more fun, locals will dam the creek to force a nice deep pond to form. That 4 inches of water you crossed pre-running may be 2-3 feet deep on race day. And it will be at night.
***Baja Racing News staffers will not only attend SEMA 2009, but the Baja Racing Club will also rock Vegas at Dead Mans Hand that weekend. Check out Baja Racing Club for details HERE.
***"Toyota is secretly having a 2010 Toyota Four-runner race truck built, and the rumored driver for this years 2009 B1K, is said to be Ivan Stewart." By Paul Sullivan
***"The old Racer Offroad building in Deer Valley for sale or lease. Very nice building." By Rob Martensen
***"Seve" is keeping SCORE on the grill. Steve is sending out mass emails screwing SCORE:
Of course, for "the Baja Pussy", the United States NAVY is Bourgeois biggest Sponsor!
SCORE sucks! This is the jewel of the paragraph (I corrected Oscar's multiple spelling errors):
I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THE 2006-2010 SCORE RULEBOOK AND THAT I UNDERSTAND AND SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL RULES CONTAINED THEREIN. I SPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT SCORES INTERPRETATION OF RULES, DECISIONS ENFORCING RULES, INTERPRETATION OF PENALTIES IN CONNECTION WITH ENFORCEMENT OF RULES, TIMING OF EVENTS AND DECISIONS AS TO WINNERS AND PLACEMENT POSITIONS SHALL BE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PROTEST OF ANY KIND. NO DECISION OF SCORE WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS MAY BE CHALLENGED BY LITIGATION OR OTHERWISE. I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY STATEMENTS MADE BY ME OR ANYONE ACTING ON MY BEHALF WHICH CHALLENGES THE INTEGRITY OF SCORES DECISION WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM TO SCORE'S BUSINESS REPUTATION AND SUBJECT ME TO DAMAGES UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. I ALSO CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ AND WILL COMPLY WITH ALL SUPPLEMENTAL OR AMENDED RULES SPECIFICALLY PUBLISHED FOR THIS EVENT IN THE RACE BULLETINS AND ON THE SCORE WEBSITE.
Gee, I wonder what could have possibly brought THIS on?" Steve Bourgeois"
October 15, 2009
Baja 1000 2009 Moto Insights
Q: Do the Baja 1000 "race fans" in Mexico throw rocks at the racers? A: Watch out for the young ones they are really into it. I got hit in the side of the helmet in the 2008 Baja 500.
Q: What are the conditions on site for the moto riders in this years race? A: If you can be prepared to put your lights somewhere in the San Felipe loop. The pros will get to borrego by 11:30. They will finish the San Felipe loop by 2:30ish. Good luck with the whoops.
Q: What about the coastal fog in November?: A: Have some clean rags handy for the coast section to wipe your goggles off, tuck them into your pants or have an open pocket in your jacket with only rags. The moist air will make mud with the dust on you goggles.
Sky conditions for the Baja 1000 2009:
Friday, November 20 Pacific Standard Time
SUN Begin civil twilight 5:57 a.m. Sunrise 6:24 a.m. Sun transit 11:34 a.m. Sunset 4:45 p.m. End civil twilight 5:11 p.m.
MOON Moonset 7:09 p.m. on preceding day Moonrise 9:54 a.m. Moon transit 2:58 p.m. Moonset 8:06 p.m. Moonrise 10:32 a.m. on following day
Phase of the Moon on 20 November: waxing crescent with 15% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Q: Will the bikes finish at night at this years Baja 1000? A: It's usually dark 4:45PM. So if you avg 50mph (like only the top 5 bikes usually do, but it might be the top 10 with the stacked field this year) 13 hrs total time - 6:30 am start = 7-7:30PM first bikes.
More Moto News...KTM racers head to Baja with Force Accessories
Next month Motorex KTM Off-Road racers Ben Grabham (Grabbo), and Brad Williscroft (Wonka), will take to Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula for the famed Baja 1000 with extra support from Force Accessories who have come on board as a major team supporter.
Taking place from November 19 to 22 the Baja 1000 will see Grabbo and Wonka 2009 Finke Desert Race first and second podium holders, ride the KTM 530 EXC over a 631 mile (1000 kilometre) loop racing, starting and finishing in Ensenada.
The duo have been trying to raise much needed funds to contribute to the entry fees and expenses required to enter Baja, which have now been eased with a welcoming donation from Force Accessories.
Force Accessories develop and distribute specialty motorcycle products to enhance protection during racing with their primary products being radiator guards, bash plates and case savers. The company has supported riders in many of Australia’s leading off-road events including the Australian Safari, Finke Desert Race, Australian Four Day Enduro, Hattah Desert Race and Condo 750.
Now setting their sights on Baja, Force Accessories, Director Brian Finn, said, “It’s a great privilege to Force Accessories to help out with the Team Australia assault on the Baja 1000. When we heard of the effort KTM was putting in to help out Grabbo and Wonka it was something we just had to be involved in, particularly when it includes two of the greatest Australian off-road riders, and we wish Grabbo and Wonka a safe and successful event.”
Motorex KTM Off-Road Racing will feature Force Accessories on their racing uniforms for the Baja 1000 and also use their products on the KTM 530 EXC race bike.
October 12, 2009
Economic Hit on Baja California, Mexico
Francisco Vega de Lamadrid, of the State of Baja California (Mexico) Chamber of Deputies was quoted in Tijuana today about the economic hit on Baja lately, "In the last 4 years the gates of Tijuana have ceased to be the most visited in the world, visitors have declined by up to 22.4%, even today (the tourism sector) has lost over 70 thousand jobs", said Vega de Lamadrid. Todays Racers Round-up
Andrew McMillin on the Baja 1000 race course talk, about the previously very common course cutting by the teams that used to get away with the stuff, "I would have to think that staying on the course means no course cutting. So, don't cut off a major corner somewhere. If there are multiple lines and one might be better and they come out in the same place, then that should be okay. In a sand wash like Matomi, there are 3-4 lines at times and I believe those all should be part of the "marked course". Again, as long as you don't cut off any sections of the course you should be okay. But that's just my interpretation of it."
INSIDER SAYS: "SCORE will be taking off 1 hour for every mile of course deviation."
Pitiful Pete Sohren was quoted, talking about the Baja 1000 this weekend as saying, "I'm going to win this F****R! Nevermind the last time Sohren was first off the line at the San Felipe 250, an even easier race to win, he DNF'd badly, Did Not Finish.
Pete did say he has a NEW truck!
Baja 1000 contestant BJ “Ballistic” Baldwin has confirmed he will be competing in the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers off-road race February 12th, 2009 in Johnson Valley, CA. Baldwin will be driving the #97, Ultra 4 car, co-piloted by owner and racer Dave Schneider.
Common in off-road, a high dollar, low performer like Baldwin could get even more seat time. With his General Tires contract, Baldwin has increased his flat tire in competition ratio and relegated himself to near inconsequence in the Baja 1000 in November.
He has performed well as a clown of late in the Vegas To Reno race.
October 10, 2009
Dan McMillin, McMillin Racing is bringing at least, "Two trophy trucks and a 1600", for the Baja 1000. October 9, 2009
2 Pete Sohren 71 Rick D. Johnson 96 Bobby Baldwin 7 Scott Steinberger 12 Brian Collins 84 Nick Vanderwey 1 B.J. Baldwin 77 Robby Gordon 19 Tim Herbst 8 Roger Norman 24 Adam Householder 3 Mark Post 9 Mark Weyhrich 16 Cameron Steele 23 Mark McMillin 4 Gustavo Vildosola Jr 59 Craig Potts 28 Alan Pflueger 31 Andy McMillin 74 Rob Bruce 76 Jesse Jones 78 Jesse Ashcraft 51 Kory Scheeler 13 Ed Stout 22 Damen Jefferies 47 James Bult 30 Robbie Pierce 20 Rob MacCachren 58 Ronnie Wilson 35 Jason Voss 39 Ron Whitton 10 Greg Nunley
CLASS 1:
101 Armin Schwarz 102 Harley Letner 103 Jerry Penhall 104 Armin Kremer 105 Brian Parkhouse 106 Randy Wilson 107 Robert LeMaster 108 Todd Welling 109 Rudy Cortez 110 Troy Herbst 111 Dale Lenk 112 George Thieriot 113 Josh Daniel 114 Eric Chase 115 Brad Fauvre 116 Richard Boyle 117 Brendan Fikes 118 Brad Etter 119 Charles Rudolph 120 Jesse Hooker
CLASS 1/2-1600:
1601 Cody Robinson 1602 Jose A. Fernandez 1603 Arturo Velazco 1604 Wes McKenzie 1605 Daniel McMillin 1645 Eric Duran-5th RS 1646 Corbin Harris-4th RS 1647 Brian Wilson-3rd RS 1648 Justin Smith-2nd RS 1649 Arnoldo Ramirez M.-1st RS
CLASS 2:
209 William Erickson-1st RS
CLASS 3:
300 Donald Moss 301 Scott Barnes 302 Daniel Wright
CLASS 5:
500 Kevin Carr 501 Drew Belk 502 Chris Willis 518 Vince Wavra-2nd RS 519 Che Corlett-1st RS
CLASS 5-1600:
551 Jonathon Knight 552 Alonso Angulo 553 Oscar Venegas 554 Mark Low *550 Marcos Nunez-1st RS
CLASS 6
601 Richard Blunk 602 Marc Burnett 606 Steve Kovach-4th RS 607Heidi Steele-3rd RS 608 John Townsend-2nd RS 609 Gregg Hempel-1st RS
CLASS 7:
701 Scott Ulrich *700 Dan Chamlee
CLASS 7SX:
741 Norman Turley 742 Brandt Anderson 759 John Holmes-1st RS
CLASS 8:
801 Rodrigo Ampudia Jr. 839 Clyde Stacy-1st RS
CLASS 9:
901 Zack Burkett 949 Ulises Morquecho-1st RS
CLASS 10:
1001 Jesus J. Gonzalez A. 1000 Mikey Lawrence 1003 Javier Robles 1004 Justin Davis 1005 Lars Ferry 1006 Scott Gailey 1049 Jose Lynch-1st RS
CLASS 11:
1101 Eric Solorzano 1102 Michael Brown 1103 Dolores Casarez M. 1104 Jim Graham 1149 Gustavo Garayzar-1st RS
SCORE LITES:
1201 Luis Barragan 1202 Brent Parkhouse 1203 Morgan Langley 1204 John Langley 1205 Rob Smith 1206 John Padgett 1249 Roberto Encinas1st RS
CLASS 17:
1701 Eric Filar 1702 Mike Shaffer 1749 Justin Cook-1st RS
STOCK MINI:
778 Robert Ditner-2nd RS 779 Gavin Skilton-1st RS
STOCK FULL:
878 Joe Bacal-2nd RS 879 Justin Matney-1st RS
BAJA CHALLENGE:
BC1 Christian Hammarskjold BC2 Jay Culbertson BC3 Brian Valentine BC4 Mike Cassling
SPTS. BUGGY:
1401 George Jackson *1400 Peter Lang 1403 Raymond Calore 1445 Peter Ramseier-1st RS
SPTS. TRUCK:
1501 Nick Tonelli 1502 Ken Fraizer
SPTS. UTV:
1801 Dave Roberts 1802 Thomas Graves 1803 Reid Nordin
PRO MOTORCYCLES
CLASS 22 (18)
2x Adam Thissen 3x Jason Lulis 4x Cameron Corfman 5x James Hall-S 1x Robby Bell 7x A.J. Stewart 8x John Kaisersatt 9x Dunn Voyer 10x Mark Bradford 11x Ivan Ramirez 12x Kendall Norman 13x Chuck Neugebauer 14x Chad Black 15x Ron Wilson-S 16x Brad Williscroft 17x Aaron Lindsey 18x Colton Udall 19x Adam Neuwirth
CLASS 21 (5)
101x Dan Troy 102x Ronnie Wilson 103x Bill Boyer 104x Chris Parker 105x Jeremy Purvines
CLASS 20 (5)
151x Manuel Reyes 150x Anna Cody 153x Jesus Rios 154x Tony Gurule 155x Marco Bernaldez
CLASS 30 (8)
301x Mike Johnson 302x Sean Bradley 303x Jean-Paul Cyr 304x Alejandro Ventosa 305x Eric Alfaro 306x James Dickinson 307x Richard Boyle 308x Sol Saltzman
CLASS 40 (5)
401x Brian Campbell 402x Brad Turnidge 403x Tom Vogt 400x Scott Myers 405x Mike Prunty
CLASS 50 (4)
501x Hugh Graffunder 502x Gary Barr-S 503x Craig Wear 500x Jim O'Neal
CLASS 60 (1)
600x Donald E. Lewis
PRO ATVS CLASS 25 (5)
2a Patrick Christensen 1a Wayne Matlock 4a Greg Row 5a Felipe Velez 6a Nick Nelson
CLASS 24 (5)
101a Brian Harris 100a Craig Christy 103a Cesar Chanate 104a Tom Wright 105a Roberto Ruiz
CLASS 26 (2)
201a Chuck Neugebauer 202a Reid Rutherford
SPORTSMAN SPT M/C 250< (11) 201x Charles Shortt 202x Matt Ladendorf 203x Brian Garrahan 204x Joel Blockson 205x Miguel Montenegro 206x Seppo Saarinen 207x Talya Dodson 208x Fred Sobke 209x Doron Kollan 210x Zachy Moritz 249x Nathan Barlow
SPT M/C 250> (22)
251x Craig Anstine 252x Salvador Sainz 253x Jeff Leonard 254x Cliff Cook 255x Craig Campbell 256x Oscar Fazz 257x Eric Anderson-S 258x Jeb Boynton 259x Dave Bervin 260x Michael Powell 261x Mike Kaplan 262x Andrew Siegmund 263x Ricardo De La Pena 264x Gary Gonzales 265x Doug McCrady-S 266x Shohei Himeno 267x Bob Gumser 268x Ray Grupp 269x Tibi Imbuzan 270x Mike Mensinger 271x Trent Burgiss 299x John Lowe
SPT ATV (10)
51a Dennis Lemare-S 52a Howie Orona 53a Adrian Valdez 54a Edgar Saldivar 55a Daniel Wehr-S 56a Yuval Sharon 57a Daniel Montano 58a Brad McLean 59a Manuel Jimenez 99a Gustavo Ameca
S-indicates solo rider
SCORE PRESS RELEASE MAGIC
Baja 1000 2009 Enters Less Than Half of the racers than it did in 2007 and the SCORE self-controlled "Race Drawing", pulled out of Sal Fish's undershorts, announced.
Sohren draws first start SCORE Trophy-Truck, Thissen in M/C
For November's 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race
Racers from 34 States, 12 countries entered to date in nationally-televised Baja 1000 ;32 SCORE Trophy-Trucks entered; race to be held in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, Nov. 19-22.
Just patiently plugging along in desert racing's marquee division, Arizona's journeyman driver Pete Sohren has received the first starting position during Saturday's computerized drawing for November's 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race. While the grizzled veteran Sohren will pilot his No. 2 Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck, starting first among the motorcycle and ATV classes will be the team led by promising newcomer Adam Thissen of Reno, Nev. on a KTM 550XC-W motorcycle.
A lame total of 231 vehicles officially entered in time for Saturday's computerized "underwear" drawing held at SCORE International's headquarters in Los Angeles.
With more entries expected to compete in 28 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, the granddaddy of all desert races will be held Nov. 19-22 in Ensenada, Mexico. Completing its 36th year as the desert racing series known for bonehead moves, the event is the finale of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series. To date, entries have come from 34 U.S. States and 12 countries.
With massive crowds reaching nearly 25,000 anticipated [much closer to the truth than the stupid estimate of 300,000] to again be spread out along the rugged course that travels much of the northern part of Baja California, down Laguna Salada to San Felipe, down thrown legendary Matomi Wash, around Mike's Sky Ranch, down the infamous Simpson's Hill and back to the Pacific Coast through Santo Tomas covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula. The race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada.
The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (Friday, Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 13 hours. All vehicles will have a 31-hour time limit to become official finishers in the legendary adventure.
The race will start and finish on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the historical Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada.
Drawing the first start in the ATV classes was the team led by Patrick Christensen, Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., who will ride a Yamaha Raptor in Class 25. A unique part of Saturday's drawing was the special drawing for the top 10 finishers from the nearest previous SCORE Baja race entered in the current race in both SCORE Trophy-Truck and the unlimited Class 1. For this race it was the top 10 finishers from this year's 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Sohren finished fourth in June's race, tying his best career SCORE Trophy-Truck race finish.
NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner/driver Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., whose roots are in SCORE desert racing and is this year's SCORE Overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck point leader, drew the eighth starting position in SCORE Trophy-Truck in the Team Gordon No. 77 Chevy CK1500. Gordon will be pulling double duty driving also driving in the NASCAR Cup season finale in Florida on Nov. 22.
Gordon better keep his mouth shut, or SCORE will penalize Robby out of SCORE points, money and championship existence.
Drawing the second start in SCORE Trophy-Truck was Rick D. Johnson, Barstow, Calif., this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500 winner, who drives the No. 71 Ford F-150. Last year's overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck winners in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, El Cajon, Calif., drew the 10th starting spot in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports Ford F-150.
Pre-race festivities on Thursday, Nov. 19, for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, including the vastly popular tech and contingency of all vehicles and the SCORE Manufacturer's Midway will be held from 19 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral Room at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer and media registration will be held at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.
While entries will be accepted up to race morning (Friday, Nov. 20), late entries will be assigned the next available number and starting position within each class. The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Survivor's Celebration will be held poolside at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.
Besides Sohren, Gordon, Johnson and Norman/Roeseler, other entries among the veterans in the talented 32-truck field in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division include Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas (No. 3-Ford F-150), B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas (97-Chevy Silverado), Las Vegas' Brian Collins/Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif. (12-Dodge Ram1500), Robbie Pierce/Mike Julson, Santee, Calif. (30-Chevy Silverado), Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif./Rick Geiser, Phoenix (GMC Sierra), Mexico's Gus Vildosola/Gus Vildosola Sr. (No. 4-Ford F-150), Honolulu's Alan Pflueger (28-Chevy Silverado), Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, National City, Calif. (31-Chevy Silverado), Las Vegas' Tim Herbst/Troy Herbst (19-Ford F-150), Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif. (23-Ford F-150), Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz. (39-Ford F-150), Scott Steinberger, Cypress, Calif./Dave Sykes, San Diego (7-Ford F-150), Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix (84-Chevy Silverado), Ed Stout, Irvine, Calif. (13-Ford F-150) and Bobby Baldwin/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas (96-Chevy Silverado).
The car and truck classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (32), Class 1 (20) and Class 1-2/1600 (10).
Among the motorcycle and ATV classes, Class 22 has the most entries to date with 18.
Leading the seven Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which had 22 entries and Sportsman Motorcycle under 250cc which had 11 entries in the drawing.
Drawing first start in Class 1 was former German World Rally Championship driver Armin Schwarz/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., in a Jimco-BMW, while first off in Class 1-2/1600 will be Cody Robinson, Calexico, Calif., in a Romo-VW.
Pre-running will be allowed only from Ojos Negros and back. One way pre-running from the start to Ojos Negros will be allowed only on Wednesday and Thursday of race week (Nov. 18 and 29).
It's the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the Granddaddy of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula.
This year's Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special, in association with SCORE and Aura360, for the sixth consecutive year, scheduled to air at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 19 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN International.
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series.
This race also features the prestigious and self-centered, Sal Fish SCORE IronRider awards, BBBWWWAAAAA!, presented to each motorcycle or ATV rider who completes the course within the time limit while riding solo. To date, nine individuals have declared that they will be attempting to complete the course riding solo.
Additions By: Baja Racing News.com
October 8, 2009
Baja 1000 Schedule of Events
November 18 LIVE WEBCAST on Baja Racing News.com Begins
WEDNESDAY, NOV 18 / San Nicolas Hotel Early Registration - 1:00PM to 6:00PM Media Registration - 2:00PM to 6:00PM
THURSDAY, NOV 19 / San Nicolas Hotel Express Racer Registration - 9:00AM to 11:00AM Regular Racer Registration - 11:00AM to 4:30PM Media Center - 9:00AM to 5:00PM
THURSDAY, NOV 19 / Costero Blvd Riviera Center Contingency Row - 10:00AM to 4:00PM Technical Inspection - 10:00AM to 5:00PM
THURSDAY, NOV 19 / Riviera Convention Center Competitors Meeting - 7:00PM
FRIDAY, NOV 20 / Riviera Convention Center Late Registration & Tech - 5:30AM Media Center - 6:00AM
FRIDAY, NOV 20 / Costero Blvd Riviera Center Motorcycle & ATV Start - 6:30AM Four Wheel Start - 10:30AM
SATURDAY, NOV 21 / San Nicolas Hotel Posting of Unofficial Results - 9:00PM Competition Review Board - 10:00PM
SUNDAY, NOV 22 / Poolside at San Nicolas Hotel Awards Presentation - 10:00AM
PRE-RUNNING INFORMATION
Begin Pre-run at Race Mile 43.3 Cattle Guard 3.6 Miles South of Ojos Negros HWY 3 @ KM 39 Junction
End Pre-run West of Ojos Negros at Race Mile 636.1 Exit Course Across Open Field to HWY 3 @ KM 36
Outbound Pre-run from Start Line to Ojos Negros Only on Wednesday, Nov 18 and Thursday, Nov 19 Exit Course at Race Mile 36.3 / Access HWY 3 @ KM 36
TO AVOID DANGEROUS TWO-WAY TRAFFIC, THE FOLLOWING RULES ARE MANDATORY:
ABSOLUTELY NO OUTBOUND PRE-RUNNING PAST RACE MILE 36.3 /HWY3@KM36
ABSOLUTELY NO INBOUND PRERUNNING FROM RACE MILE 636.1 WEST OF OJOS NEGROS BACK TO THE ENSENADA FINISH
Baja 1000 2009 672.85 total race-course miles.
October 7, 2009
2009 Baja 1000 a throwback to Baja 1969?
The Moto part of the Baja 1000 this year (2009) is shaping up to be a legendary event. This is the hottest news in Baja racing, the Ivan Ramirez teammates for this years Baja 1000 for 1x title, for the first time that a Mexican national could be champion in C22! For sure it's gonna be good BETA VS JCR (A) VS JCR (B) VS KAWASAKI VS KTM PRIVATEER EFFORT VS KTM AUSTRALIA!
Good old fashion dog fight in the Moto 2009 Baja 1000, Man vs. man.
What? No way that Ramirez' dad would pay both what Childress and Esposito are asking. Hiring two paid gringo ringers doesn't make it a "Mexican national" team. One if not both will be left at the altar.
And the biggest question, where's the King Of Baja '08 Septien and Mexicano Casas?
Course Update: A racer was down in Colonet this past weekend and noticed the BFG pit already taped off at Llano Colorado.
October 7, 2009
A racer tells Baja Racing News.com: "There is a big group of suspected course plotters in Baja this week.....doubtful the map will be complete by this weekend (October 9-11) . With pre-running not opening for a month from today, more or less, I bet they hold it a bit longer on releasing the new (2009) Baja 1000 map. There is a chance SCORE is messing with us and map comes out this week and pre-running opens on OCT 15th!"
October 6, 2009
October 5 Baja Racing News RADIO LIVE "The SCORE SCANDAL EXPANDS" Bobcat and Monster Mike
Reports Confirmed! SCORE Demands Racers Sign New Docs! This is the information that was deleted from the Message Board that is TOO HOT TO HANDLE!
Baja Racing News.com EXCLUSIVE
SCORE International must be desperate, they go berserk and demand racers sign a "2009 Baja 1000 Waiver of Liability and Indemity (Indemnity)", that on its face is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
Is this the END of SCORE? SCORE International is now requiring all racers to sign and submit to indemnify SCORE International from any mistakes of ANY kind. Any racer who wishes to race in a SCORE sanctioned event, will have no right to PROTEST any rulings by the sanctioning body! SCORE is demanding the racers keep their big mouths shut, under penalty of threatened litigation by SCORE against the racers in question.
Baja Racing News.com has received reports that this NEW legal document is the product of Oscar Ramos, the attorney for SCORE and was drawn up in Mexico by a non-english speaker and in a non-American legal stature. Looking at the spelling errors alone, shows this reporter, some flunky in Tijuana wrote it.
The constitutional rights of the signee would have to be waived for any agreement of this type to be valid. In Mexico it could be considered legal. There is no way this document could be legal in the United States, even if signed by the participant.
Here is the language "Godfather" Sal Fish is now demanding racers sign, before racing in this years, 2009 Baja 1000:
"I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THE 2006-2010 SCORE RULEBOOK AND THAT I UNDERSTAND AND SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL RULES CONTAINED THEREIN. ISPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT SCORES INTEREPREATION (INTERPRETATION) OF RULES, DECISIONS ENFORCING RULES, INTERPRETATION OF PENALTIES IN CONNECTION WITHENFORCEMENT OF RULES, TIMINING (TIMING) OF EVENTS AND DECISIONS AS TO WINNERS AND PLACEMENT POSITIONS SHALL BE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PROTEST OF ANY KIND. NO DECISION OF SCORE WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS MAY BE CHALLENGED BY LITIGATION OR OTHERWIESE (OTHERWISE). I UNDERSTANDTHAT ANY STATEMENTS MADE BY ME OR ANYONE ACTING ON MY BEHALF WHICH CHALLEGES (CHALLENGES) THE INTEGRITY OF SCORES DECISION WITH RESPECT TO RACERESULTS WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM TO SCORE’S BUSINESS REPUTAION (REPUTATION) AND SUBJECT ME TO DAMAGES UNDER APPLICALBE (APPLICABLE) LAW. I ALSO CERTIFY THATI HAVE READ AND WILL COMPLY WITH ALL SUPPLEMENTAL OR AMENDED RULES SPECIFICALLY PUBLISHED FOR THIS EVENT IN THE RACE BULLETINS."
Here is the text of the document in its entirety:
""2009 TECATE SCORE BAJA 1000 WAIVER OF LIABILITY & INDEMNITY AGREEMENT PLEASE READ CAREFULLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY - DO NOT SIGN MUST BE SIGNED AT BAJA 1000 RACE REGISTRATION IN ENSENADA
I UNDERSTAND THAT IN CONSIDERATION AND EXCHANGE FOR, AND AS A CONDITION TO MY PARTICIPATION IN THE 2009 TECATE SCORE BAJA 1000 OFF-ROAD RACE ACTIVITIES, I KNOWINGLY AND FREELY RELEASE AND INDEMNIFY SCORE INTERNATIONAL ("SCORE"), TECATE BEER, RED BULL, MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY, INSTANT MEXICO INSURANCE, SUNOCO RACE FUELS, AND ALL OTHER SCORE SPONSORS, FROM ALL RESPONSIBILITY TO ME, MY HEIRS, EXECUTORS AND ASSIGNS FOR ANYTHING THAT OCCURS DURING THE RACE. IT IS MY INTENTION THAT THIS RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION EXTEND TO MY PARTICIPATION IN THE RACE, USE OF ANY AND ALL EVENT RELATED FACILITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MY USE OF THE RACE COURSE DURING THE EVENT AND PRERUNNING (PRE-RUNNING) OF THE RACE COURSE PRIOR TO THE EVENT.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BY SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT, I AM ASSUMING RISKS, AND AGREEING TO INDEMNIFY, NOT TO SUE AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY THE ORGANIZER OF THIS EVENT AND SCORE INTERNATIONAL ("SCORE"), TECATE BEER, RED BULL, MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY, INSTANT MEXICO INSURANCE, SUNOCO RACE FUELS, AND ALL OTHER SCORE SPONSORS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS, CLUBS, SPONSORS, PROMOTERS AND AFFILIATES (COLLECTIVELY “RELEASEES”), AND THAT I AM GIVING UP SUBSTANTIAL LEGAL RIGHTS. THIS RELEASE IS A CONTRACT WITH LEGAL AND BINDING CONSEQUENCES AND IT APPLIES TO ALL RACES AND ACTIVITIES ENTERED AT THE EVENT, REGARDLESS WHETHER OR NOT LISTED ABOVE. I HAVE READ IT CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT I AM AGREEING TO BY SIGNING.
I UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OFF-ROAD RACING IS AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY AND FULLY REALIZE THE DANGERS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT BY PARTCIPATING IN THE RACE AND PRE-RUNNING ACTIVITIES, I AM EXPOSING MYSELF TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH TO MY PERSON AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY. I KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY ACCEPT THESE STATED RISKS AND FULLY ASSUME THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH PARTICIPATION.
I HEREBY FOR MYSELF, MY HEIRS, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNS, AS WELL AS MY SPONSORS OR ANY AFFILIATED COMPANY WITH WHOM I HAVE ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, AGREE WITH SCORE AS FOLLOWS:
I HEREBY WAIVE, RELEASE, DISCHARGE, HOLD HARMLESS, AND PROMISE TO INDEMNIFY AND NOT TO SUE THE RELEASEES THEIR OFFICERS, AGENTS, OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES FROM ANY AND EVERY CLAIM OR RIGHT OF ACTION OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, INCLUDING CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE RELEASEES OWN NEGLIGENCE, WHICH ARISES OUT OF OR RESULTS FROM MY PARTICIPATION IN THIS RACING EVENT. I ALSO AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS SCORE AND ALL SCORE SPONSORS FROM ALL SUCH CLAIMS OR RIGHTS OF ACTION, AS WELL AS COSTS, LOSS OR EXPENSE IN ANY WAY RELATED TO OR ARISING OUT OF THOSE CLAIMS OR RIGHTS OF ACTION, INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES. IT IS MY INTENTION THAT THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT AND THE INDEMNITY AND HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION DESCRIBED ABOVE SHALL COVER ANY CLAIM OR DEMAND FOR INJURY TO OR DEATH OF ANY PERSON, OR ANY DAMAGE TO OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY PROPERTY, OR ANY CLAIM OR DEMAND OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INJURY TO OR DEATH OF ANY PERSON OR DAMAGE TO OR DESTRUCTION OF ANY PROPERTY, ANY DAMAGE TO MY REPUTATION, BUSINESS, OR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WHICH MAY ARISE OUT OF ANY ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF SCORE, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, EVEN IF SAID ACT OR OMISSION WOULD BE CONSIDERED NEGLIGENT UNDER APPLICABLE CIRCUMSTANCES. BY SIGNING THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT, I DO NOT RELEASE ANYONE FROM ANY DAMAGE I SUFFER FROM INTENTIONAL ACTS DESIGNED TO HARM EITHER ME OR MY PROPERTY. HOWEVER, I DO KNOWINGLY RELEASE SCORE AND ALL SCORE SPONSORS FROM LIABILITY THAT MIGHT BE IMPOSED ON THEM BY LAW FOR SUCH ACTS OF THEIR OFFICERS, AGENTS, OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTED, ADOPTED OR RATIFIED BY AN OFFICER OR DIRECTOR OF SCORE.
I DECLARE THAT I HAVE READ THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT NO OFFICER, AGENT, OFFICIAL OR EMPLOYEE OF SCORE IS AUTHORIZED TO VARY ANY TERM OR PROVISION OF THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT. I EXPRESSLY AGREE NOT TO RELY ON ANY SUCH VARIANCE OR REPRESENTATION IF ANY IS MADE. I FURTHER REPRESENT THAT THE DRIVER/RIDER AND CO-DRIVERS/CO-RIDERS LISTED ON THIS ENTRY FORM POSSESS THE STANDARD OF COMPETENCE NECESSARY AND ARE PHYSICALLY FIT TO COMPETE IN THIS OFF-ROAD EVENT. I FURTHER REPRESENT THAT THE VEHICLE ENTERED IS ROADWORTHY AND SUITABLE FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT. I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THE 2006-2010 SCORE RULEBOOK AND THAT I UNDERSTAND AND SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL RULES CONTAINED THEREIN. I SPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT SCORES INTEREPREATION OF RULES, DECISIONS ENFORCING RULES, INTERPRETATION OF PENALTIES IN CONNECTION WITH ENFORCEMENT OF RULES, TIMINING OF EVENTS AND DECISIONS AS TO WINNERS AND PLACEMENT POSITIONS SHALL BE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO PROTEST OF ANY KIND. NO DECISION OF SCORE WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS MAY BE CHALLENGED BY LITIGATION OR OTHERWIESE. I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY STATEMENTS MADE BY ME OR ANYONE ACTING ON MY BEHALF WHICH CHALLEGES THE INTEGRITY OF SCORES DECISION WITH RESPECT TO RACE RESULTS WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM TO SCORE’S BUSINESS REPUTAION AND SUBJECT ME TO DAMAGES UNDER APPLICALBE LAW. I ALSO CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ AND WILL COMPLY WITH ALL SUPPLEMENTAL OR AMENDED RULES SPECIFICALLY PUBLISHED FOR THIS EVENT IN THE RACE BULLETINS AND ON THE SCORE WEBSITE.
THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS OR OTHER ACTS OF GOD COULD CAUSE SCORE TO POSTPONE OR CANCEL THE EVENT. SCORE RETAINS THE RIGHT TO DELAY THIS EVENT FOR A PERIOD OF 24 HOURS. ADVERTISING RELEASE: THE VEHICLE OWNER, DRIVER/RIDER OF RECORD, CO-DRIVERS/CO-RIDERS, AND ALL PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RACE TEAM AGREE TO PERMIT SCORE INTERNATIONAL AND ITS ASSIGNS AT NO FEE WHATSOEVER, NOW OR AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE, TO THE USE OF THEIR NAMES AND PICTURES OF THEMSELVES AND OF THEIR VEHICLES FOR PUBLICITY, ADVERTISING AND ENDORSEMENTS (INCLUDING PUBLICATIONS, TELEVISION AND MOVIES) BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE EVENTS AND DO HEREBY RELINQUISH ALL RIGHTS TO ANY PICTURES AND VIDEO TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH THIS EVENT AND GIVE THEIR PERMISSION TO PUBLISH, SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF SAID PICTURES AND VIDEO AS SCORE SO DESIRES, WITH ALL ADVERTISING RIGHTS RESERVED BY SCORE.""
October 1, 2009
Rob Mac lays down the Mac-Law!
Rob Mac said today, he is under contract with Riviera Racing for this year and the team decided not to run the Primm race. IF Riviera decides not to run the Baja 1000 this year, he'll be driving the other Trophy Truck for Mastercraft Seats Team, as he did at Primm.
About Primm. Rob Mac is still Verry Disappointed about the final race results of SCORE at Primm. "I won the race at Primm", he said. Rob went on about the new SCORE scandal. "There's too much on the line to be wrong about the race results in the SCORE series". He continued, "The penalties are too harsh".
Reportedly, Robby Gordon is STILL very bitter about the final Baja 500 race results. SCORE stole the win away from Robby after the June classic, at the time, Gordon said he would sue SCORE and do everything possible to fight the results.
However, this week, the official spokesperson for Gordon Motorsports back east, said, "Robby is no longer willing to talk about the Baja 500".
The 2009 Baja 1000 course will be marked and open for prerunning on Friday November 6.
This is one week later than the "loop" course from 2008 and only allows racers 2 weeks to prerun, instead of three. On Tonight's Show: Factor Off-Road Promotions Big Announcement, Racers Fiesta at El GreenRESTAURANT & GRILL, "On Boulevard BENITO JUAREZ Y DEL RINCON DE PANCHITO PLAZA FIMBRES, FRENTE A JARDINES DEL VALLE NO HAY PIERDE" in Mexicali This Thursday, October 1 and Baja Racing Champion, Perry McNeil.
From Monday September 28 at 6 PM Pacific Time.
Robby Gordon Motorsports News:
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., maker of Jim Beam Bourbon, announced that its marketing plans for 2010 will not include a return to the Sprint Cup Series. As a result, the company will not extend its current partnership with Robby Gordon Motorsports in 2010. The company plans to focus its marketing resources for Jim Beam into other platforms that directly impact the end consumer.
Gordon
"It was a difficult decision to transition away from being a Cup Series team sponsor," said Bill Newlands, president Beam Global Spirits & Wine U.S. "We always take a hard look at our marketing resources and how we can best interact with legal purchase age consumers. After an extensive review of our marketing strategy, we have come up with new alternatives to fuel growth for Jim Beam in 2010."
Jim Beam will continue its support of Robby Gordon Motorsports for the remainder of the 2009 Cup schedule.
"Jim Beam has been a great partner for the past five years," Gordon said. "I would like to thank them for their support through the years. They have been with me since we started the team in 2005, helping build our Cup team and aiding in its success. Great relationships have been formed, and I expect those to continue well into the future."
"We would like to thank Robby Gordonand the entire No. 7 team for partnering with us these past five years," Newlands said. "Robby is a fierce and talented competitor and a sponsor couldn't ask for a more dedicated brand ambassador. Robby Gordon, fans of the Jim Beam No. 7 car and the entire No. 7 team have been very good to us, and that's what makes this such a difficult decision." No doubt, this move, of a major Gordon Motorsports sponsor, will impact the Off-Road program.
September 28, 2009 SCORE Press Release Magic Computerized draw for start positions for 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to be held Saturday, Oct. 10
"Enjoying his full-time return to desert racing in between his ‘day job’ as a NASCAR Cup team owner/driver, Robby Gordon has increased his point lead in the 2009 SCORE Desert Series point standings following his second win of the year at the recent 14th SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300.
With 292 points, Gordon, 40, who returns to his desert racing roots as often as his NASCAR schedule allows (which is every race this year), is the SCORE Overall point leader and he additionally leads the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck class for high-tech, 800-horsepower, unlimited production trucks in his No. 77 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500.
While assuming a big lead in the 2009 SCORE Desert Series point standings, Gordon, who lives in Charlotte, N.C., actually missed the NASCAR Cup race in Richmond on Sept. 12 to run in the SCORE race in Primm and has earned his eighth and ninth career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins this year along with one second and one seventh in the four races held so far this season.
After Gordon’s big lead of 24 points over second place in the SCORE Overall point standings (he also has an even larger 48-point lead in SCORE Trophy-Truck), only 16 points separate the rest of the top 10 in the 2009 SCORE Overall point standings.
SCORE racers are now preparing for the 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, to be held in Ensenada, Mexico, Nov. 18-22. The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, for the final round of five-race World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series will be held at the SCORE headquarters in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 10. It will be a loop race, starting and finishing in Ensenada.
After winning Class 10 in San Felipe, Ensenada and Primm in his Lothringer-VW, Mike Lawrence, Banning Calif., is leading the class he won the season championship in last year and stands second in SCORE overall points with 268.
“Prior to the start of this year’s SCORE Desert Series, we made a decision to run for the SCORE Trophy-Truck point championship and we are fulfilling our goal at this point and being the SCORE Overall Point leader is a big bonus,” said Gordon, who was the SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion in 1996, the last season he was able to run the entire series prior to this year. “We really have our Chevy CK1500 SCORE Trophy-Truck dialed in this year. The crew has done a great job in the shop and in the desert and my co-driver Andy Grider has helped immensely in many ways in every race.”
Wilson Motorsports of Long Beach, Calif., currently leads two classes as well as being tied for third and 11th in SCORE overall points after four races.
With two Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars and two Class 1-2/1600 open-wheel cars with 1600cc VW engines, Randy Wilson, 50, the middle of three racing Wilson brothers, leads Class 1 and is 11th in overall points with 241. Ronny Wilson, 47, the youngest of the brothers, is fifth in Class 1 with 175 points while tied for the lead Class 1-2/1600 and tied for third in overall points with 265 is Brian Wilson, 24, Randy and Ronny’s nephew and son of Rick Wilson, 53, the oldest of the three Wilson brothers. In Class 1, both Wilson brothers drive Chevy-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race cars.
With a fourth place class finish in Laughlin, followed by a second place in San Felipe, a fourth in Ensenada and another fourth in Primm in a Kreger-VW, Brian Wilson is a field superintendent for the family business-Norm Wilson & Sons, a prominent Southern California general contracting company. Wilson is receiving considerable help this season from veteran co-driver Sammy Ehbrenberg, Las Vegas, who splits the driving with Brian Wilson when not mentoring him in the sport.
Brad Wilson, 20, who is Ronny’s son, also races in Class 1-2/1600 in a Penhall-VW where he is ninth after a third place class finish in Primm. Ronny Wilson has also entered a Jimco-VW and won in SCORE Lite in Primm, giving Wilson Motorsports five entries in the Southern Nevada race.
Tied with Brian Wilson for the lead in Class 1-2/1600 and tied for third with him in SCORE Overall points is Justin Smith, Capistrano Beach, Calif., who has two class wins this year in his Fraley-VW.
Eric Duran, Tecate, Calif., is driver of record for his family team and is fifth overall and third in Class 1-2/1600 in with 260 points in a Neth-VW.
SCORE points are based on starting and finishing as well as the number of starters in each class and placement position in every race. All class titles will go down to the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Tied for sixth in overall points with 255 points are Gavin Skilton, Anaheim, Calif., undefeated in his class in all four races this year (Stock Mini, Honda Ridgeline) and Cody Robinson, El Centro, Calif., who is fourth in Class 1-2/1600 in a TL-VW.
While second through seventh in the 2009 SCORE Overall point standings are just 13 points apart, eighth through 10th place are separated by only 12 points.
Class 7 point leader Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif., who has three race wins this season in a Ford Ranger, is eighth overall with 254 points.
Two SCORE Trophy-Trucks are ninth and 10th in SCORE Overall points and second and third in class. Las Vegas’ Brian Collins, who won in San Felipe this year, is ninth and second in the No. 12 Dodge Ram1500 with 244 points and Ed Stout, Santa Ana, Calif., is third and 10th in the No. 13 Chevy Silverado with 242 points.
One of female regular racers this season, Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., leads the Class 6 points in the Desert Assassins Ford Ranger. Heidi Steele won a SCORE season point title last year was in Class 7SX and has one Class 6 race win this year. Steele’s husband Cameron Steele is fifth in SCORE Trophy-Truck points.
Another SCORE regular female racer this season, Anna Cody, Simi Valley, Calif., and her all-female team, is tied for second in the motorcycle Class 20 points.
Among the car and truck classes, other point leaders include: John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif. (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger), Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va.. (Class 8, Chevy Silverado), Kevin Carr, San Deigo (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Alonso Angulo, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 5/1600, 1600cc VW Baja Bug), Justin Matney, Briston, Tenn. (Stock Full, Dodge Ram1500) and Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11, stock VW Sedan).
With motorcycles and ATVs racing in the three SCORE Baja races, the team of Cameron Corfman, El Centro, Calif./Craig Smith, Brawley, Calif./Kyle Corfman, El Centro, Calif., leads the open motorcycle Class 22 standings with 150 points after the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 on a Beta RR450.
Leading the overall motorcycle and Class 30 (motorcycle riders 30 years old and older), Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Rex Cameron, Albuquerque, N.M., with 159 points on a Honda CRF450X.
The defending Class 25 open ATV championship team led by rider of record Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX has 149 points.
Leading the overall ATV and the Class 24 point standings with 163 points is the team led by defending Class 24 season point champion Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif., on a Honda TRX450R.
Among the other motorcycle class point leaders are Bill Boyer, Lomita, Calif. (Class 21, Honda CRF450X), Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif. (Class 50, Honda CRF450X), Brian Campbell, Bakersfield, Calif. (Class 40, KTM 450XCF) and Hector Castillo, Calexico, Calif. (Class 20, Yamaha WR250).
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series."
Here are the SCORE Championship Points Standings for the Baja 1000 2009:
Four Wheel Vehicle Class SCORE TROPHY TRUCK:
(Anyone below 7th place is OUT of the running) Points Position DRIVER OF RECORD Laughlin Race Baja 250 Baja 500 Primm 300 TOTAL
1 Robby Gordon 54 71 84 83 292
2 Brian Collins 18 77 85 64 244
3 Ed Stout 44 57 78 63 242
4 Roger Norman 39 25 91 73 228
5 Cameron Steele 48 23 77 65 213
6 Adam Householder 41 62 73 20 196
7 Greg Nunley 38 58 72 28 196
8 B.J. Baldwin 20 61 83 25 189
9 Robbie Pierce 12 59 80 21 172
10 Bobby Baldwin 14 20 81 27 142
11 Pete Sohren 0 24 88 26 138
12 Mark Post 37 67 30 0 134
13 Damen Jefferies 21 22 0 61 104
14 Rick D. Johnson 0 0 101 0 101
15 Gus Vildosola, Jr. 17 0 74 0 91
16 Scott Steinberger 0 0 82 0 82
17 Jason Voss 0 0 79 0 79
18 Rob MacCachren 0 0 0 77 77
19 Alan Pflueger 0 0 76 0 76
20 Rob Bruce 0 0 75 0 75
21 Rusty Stevens 10 0 0 60 70
21 Jesse Ashcraft 0 0 0 70 70
23 Mark McMillin 0 0 0 68 68
24 Kory Scheeler 0 0 0 67 67
25 Marc Ewing 0 0 0 66 66
26 Chet Huffman 0 64 0 0 64
27 Steve Sourapas 0 0 0 62 62
28 James Bult 0 26 31 0 57
29 George Pondella 0 0 0 29 29
30 Rick Thomas 0 0 0 24 24
31 Mark Weyhrich 0 0 0 23 23
32 Craig Potts 0 0 0 22 22
33 Nick Vanderwey 0 21 0 0 21
34 Travis Coyne 19 0 0 0 19
35 Bill McBeath 16 0 0 0 16
36 Jesse James 15 0 0 0 15
37 Justin Lofton 13 0 0 0 13
38 Larry Roeseler 11 0 0 0 11
End Current Points
September 24, 2009
Gabriel Garcia, sports writer of Ensenada, calls on the Federal Preventive Police to jail and impose fines on the Baja 1000 racers!
""The organizers of the races did not learn their lesson.
When many Off-Road enthusiasts thought that racers and trackers have learned their lessons of the Baja 500 as to exceed the speed limit in restricted areas and be sanctioned by Sal Fish with several posts in Primm reality was another, with confirmation that the vast majority did not observe the rules of the race.
When it happened for Robby Gordon in the San Felipe 250, where they allegedly cut and refer the case because he could not see on video, though I think most believe that if it did, many drivers who demanded to assert Score the rules and now that the results are being displayed, ***deleted*** , but what was clear to me that in all categories, even in Sportsmans not respect the rules of the race and that they were in the United States, where laws are more rigid than in Mexico.
The changes implemented by Score were necessary, many acquaintances and people passing through the road in Baja, complained of the danger when they went at full speed all-terrain vehicle, even risking piques the position without remembering that they could not do that and it there that the authorities, particularly the Federal Preventive Police will rigorously exercise the law, regardless of whether that driver is Robby Gordon or one of the Terrible Herbst, if they break the law must be punished, both in sports and in economics, thinking about the welfare of them and the spectators.
It's just trying to keep the head and intelligence, as it will now need to wait to know the winners of each event sponsored by Score International, many fans think this is ridiculous, breaking with tradition to know that the winner was which looked into the goal and hold the organizers do not reveal the day after or several weeks, but brokers exceeded by much and it was time to teach them that the rules also exist in the Off-Road.
For Sal all runners are equal.
Previously criticized both Sal Fish Score International and have different treatment into the corridors, an example, if you are Robby Gordon and Johnny Campbell, have certain privileges and make them more appropriate if they complain, as opposed to being a pilot class or girl Mexican.
The goal of the Primm 300, Fish approached me and we had a short chat about this, where I indicated that the housekeeper and the Mexican Baja, so I point it was completely false, I still think the same as before, the treatment is not the same for everyone and many drivers will not let me lie, there is still much favoritism at Off-Road and that is something that is not worth, at the end, who pay much of their wages to Salt and brokers and company are in this season, the Mexican Navy has taken afloat in these areas.
I should also make clear that I do not want the Baja races get out of mexico, and Score International, only the brokers and traders treatment to be more fair, as well as prices for competing in this serial and prizes, but the truth, are of laugh and sometimes you can make more money in Record or CODE with them.""
September 23, 2009
Confirmed today, the McMillins will be back to the Baja 1000. One Trophy Truck and one 1600. After Andy McMillins brush with a Mexican pointing a rifle at his family in downtown Ensenada, Baja Norte, the thought and sight of all that Baja racing glory, and hardware from the awards ceremony was too hard to resist.
Also, with a very thin field of competitors, almost anybody can win in the unlimited classes in this years Baja 1000. Not really. You'll need several hundreds of thousands of dollars and some undrunk team members, then you can win.
The "McMillions", as they are known in our desert racing circles (jealous haters!) have been missing in action for several years while the crime situation in Baja Mexico has blown out of control.
Just yesterday, the San Ysidro Port of Entry was the criminal site of a major shooting, as smugglers tried to push their way into the Unitied States. Anywho, the McMillins are back in Baja for the Mil (Baja 1000) and all Baja racing fans are rejoicing. More later...
September 21, 2009
The Baja 1000 2009 drawing will be held on Saturday, October 10.
2009 Baja 1000 November 19-22, 2009 Drawing For Starting Positions - Saturday, October 10th Entries MUST Be Received by Noon on October 7th
FOUR WHEEL VEHICLE RACE FEES: Entry Fee - $1400.00 Insurance - $550.00 Land Use - $75.00 Points Fund - $50.00 Addition Fee - $35.00(For each co-driver addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $75.00 (If applicable) MOTORCYCLE & ATV RACE FEES: Entry Fee - $950.00 Insurance - $550.00 Land Use - $75.00 Points Fund - $50.00 Addition Fee - $35.00 (For each co-rider addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $50.00 (If applicable) SPORTSMAN TRUCK, BUGGY & UTV: Entry Fee - $1300.00 Addition Fee - $35.00 (For each co-driver addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $75.0 (If applicable) SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE & ATV: Entry Fee - $950.00 Addition Fee - $35.00(For each co-rider addition after a total of four) SCORE Membership - $50.00 (If applicable) LATE FEE - $200.00 / Effective on 11/11/09 PLEASE NOTE: There is a $35.00 fee for ANY Co-Driver/Rider change or addition done at Race Registration in Ensenada.
September 16, 2009
Robby Gordon sez, the desert racing championship is in the cross hairs.
Gordon said today, "we are shooting for the championship and I think we'll do it, this season. We'll be running 70-75% so my neck won't get worked to hard. My neck is hurting, I've got soft tissue damage, not attached to my neck bones".
Robby continued, "our team is fully prepared to win the Baja 1000 this year".
2009 Course Rumors: UPDATED!
The Pine Forest is out also, too much crime there, like Mexicans shooting at pre-runners and racers! Drug shootings, not HUNTERS!
Ensenada-Valle de guad- ojos negros- loop around pine forest- el mano pass(cordillera de molina)-laguna salada going northbound towards 08' B1K Course-Borrego-San Felipe Loop-San Matias Pass-Mikes-Coyote-San Telmo-Simpson-Valle T-Goat trail- Km77-Tres Hermanos-Ojos-Ensenada. BRUTAL!
No La Rumorosa run like last year. BUMMER!
No run uphill at Matomi Arroya from what I have been told after asking for years. People getting stuck going "up river" in the narrows probably the reason. The bikes hate the whoops, especially those that ride like they pee, my Trophy Truck skims the tops of the whoops at 90mph, it does not make them, the limited cars make the whoops, starts out as a ripple of cavitation when they accelerate out of slow downs and grows from there.
No Pacific Run in 2005.
So far..More Loading>>>
Baja 1000 Racers Round-up Chad Ragland and Pat Dailey got together this week to talk about the desert racing season for this 2009 final set of races.
They said that Larry Roeseler is out at Roger Normans Baja 1000 effort. What Happened?
Larry was injured recently at the San Diego east county moto event called the "Oaktown Gran Prix". On August 30 at Live Oak Springs, "Mr. Baja", as he recently has called himself, was racing when the injury occurred.
One witness at the east county San Diego racing event said, "Larry tweeked his back". Thanks Seve. He reportedly has a compression fracture in his back, Larry hurt himself during one of the heats and everyone at the event noticed the seriousness of the injury. Larry Roeseler, Craig Smith, Ron Wilson, Joe Hauler, and a huge crowd of District 38 regulars, raced.
Chad Ragland underlined that his T Force Motorsports has its doors closed for the 2009 Baja 1000. Ragland continued he was looking to put a deal together for the upcoming desert season classic and that all the rest of the former T Force team members are doing the same. His other team members have no deals and no plans for the rest of the season.
Ragland and Dailey pointed out that the reason why Pete Sohren doesn't finish well at the Baja desert racing events, was, "maybe he doesn't have a good prep plan". Not mentioning that Pete is always chiming in, that he doesn't prep well because, "I don't have enough money to prep".
The dynamic duo went further and commented on this seasons hapless BJ Baldwin. They said, "he (BJ) has some demons with his mechanicals". Not doing well this year at the Mint, the Baja 500 and the recent Vegas To Reno, BJ's results speak for themselves.
Numerous flat General Tires during his races this year and losing transmissions in the middle of 1,000 mile races, have proven to hurt the Las Vegas based, Baldwin Motorsports launch efforts with the tire company.
More Baja 1000 News
Mark Post and the Riviera Team will not be running in the Baja 1000. Timeshare sales are down after the collapse in the 'spare money travel market', earlier this year.
Mark McMillin will be running in the Primm warm-up. A clue, that Andy and his dad Scott, may be running in this years Baja 1000. Sizzlin' steak must be eaten! With the fewest racers in the Baja 1000 in 20 years, it'll be a turkey shoot in this years Baja Mil.
Rob Mac announced he is driving in the Robbie Pierce stable in the #20 Trophy Truck for the 2009 Baja 1000. Robbie switched numbers to the #30 Trophy Truck for the annual classic.
Entries are way down for the Primm race, the warm up to the old bitch of Baja racing, the Baja 1000. Lots of changes are on tap for the November race. Mexico is taking it in the shorts, with Mexican airline skyjackings, carjackings and the rest.
Pete Sohren commented his new engine is awesome, "it never missed a beat and ran 125.8 Miles per hour, at the fastest and Pete will have a new aero package for the Baja 1000 to get a bit more on the top".
Mark McMillin Launches #23 Trophy Truck. Is The Baja 1000 Far behind?
Mark McMillin unleashed the new 2009 edition of the Geiser Brothers unlimited trophy truck at Best in the Desert's Vegas to Reno 3-day stage race last week. The 3-day race event featured a total of 997-miles raced over three full days of desert racing. Mark qualified the #23 FORD race truck in 20th position of the 42 trophy truck and Class 1 racers who attempted qualifying.
Mark has had limited test time behind the wheel of the new trophy truck. However, that did not stop him from running at full speed in Thursday's stage one of the race. Mark charged from the start line in Beatty, Nevada as Cameron Parrish handled navigator duties. The newest McMillin trophy truck features FOX Racing Shox and BFGoodrich Tires. After the first 333-miles, Mark was rewarded with a top ten finish after a solid performance on the course in the new truck.
Racing the McMillin 1600 car were Mark's sons, Daniel and Luke. Taking the green flag was the youngest McMillin racer, Luke, who was fast early before the unthinkable occurred. The alternator pulley failed and although the driver and co-driver worked nonstop at repairs for hours on end, the 1600 racers were forced to take a DNF penalty in stage 1.
While waiting for the 1600 in the main pits, the McMillin Racing crew determined Mark McMillin's truck needed to change out the rear end. This put them over the allotted one-hour of work time on the truck and penalty times were assessed for the start of stage 2.
The second stage of racing started in Tonopah and ended in Hawthorne, Nevada. Mark McMillin charged the #23 trophy truck hard all day long before handing it over to Brian Ewalt for the final 125-miles to the finish line. When the race truck crossed the finish line, they were in the 8th position overall and immediately readied for the start of stage 3 on Saturday morning.
Daniel McMillin started the second stage in the 1600 car and drove the entire 372-mile stage. Daniel found his way into a ditch with two flats, resulting in two hours of downtime while working towards extraction.
Mark McMillin commented, "We have to thank the JIMCO Strobel team for stopping and pulling the McMillin 1600 car from their buried predicament. It's nice to have good friends show up in the middle of a race and help out."
As darkness descended over the Nevada desert, the race was on as Daniel McMillin chased checkpoint closing times throughout the night, staying ahead of them by just a few minutes. Daniel finished stage 2 in 12 hours, 55 minutes and 15 seconds.
And although the night ended up in another late work party, the race support crew prepared 12 rib eye steaks for the hungry and worn out race team sometime around midnight.
The sun rose early as the final day of the 3-day race began with Brian Ewalt setting a quick pace in the #23 trophy truck. He made his way to Pit 5 in Gabbs, Nevada, but not before he endured a long flat tire stop that eventually ended up with them getting stuck. Mark McMillin stood by at Pit 5 waiting to get in his truck and prepared for the final push to the checkered flags in Dayton, Nevada.
The final 298-miles saw Daniel McMillin complete the entire stage from behind the wheel of the pounding 1600 car. Daniel was the third fastest among the 1600 cars, finishing with a time of 6 hours, 21 minutes and 54 seconds.
Mark McMillin ran a near flawless race in stage 3, finishing in 5 hours, 51 minutes and 38 seconds finishing 8th overall among 146 cars and trucks entered in the race. The #23 was 6th in the elite class of 20 trophy trucks.
Mark smiled and said, "It was a fun and great race with the new Geiser-built trophy truck. Daniel and Luke finished 12th in the 1600 class after not finishing at all in the first stage of the race, so overall they rallied and ran solid. Our good friends, Ryan and Ross Mattox finished in 10th position and Luke drove their car in the second half of stage 2. Thanks to every single one of the 50 people who helped us get to the race, qualify, push the cars thru 115 degree heat in contingency, and get to the starting line everyday with full bellies. You were there at all the pits and at the finish line with shade and drinks. You all worked well and fast in the work area and were impressive. You were there to feed us at night and sometimes very late at night. You moved our trailers and motor homes everyday and kept smiling. We were all having fun. All the chase vehicles and pit support planning worked well. Fueling was impressive. Spirits were high and it's off to our next race."
Summer 2009 has not been kind
Several sources tell Baja Racing News.com that Robby Gordon was not seriously hurt testing the H3 recently. The same can't be said of the H3. Totalled. What happened to RGs Hummer and if he was really testing in Parker? Sounds like it was a "Monster" wreck.
One of the guys announcing the race at Crandon, stated that Robby Gordon, "while testing his Hummer in Arizona had a Blowover". We were told Robby was testing the H3 this week. Several sources saw the Trophy Truck being towed through Victorville towards Barstow on the I-15 on Tuesday morning. They were out for testing. Here's a pic with Robby having a wicked black eye, from the H3 crash.
Second photo is of Gordon at Crandon, performing just another, off-road wheelie!
Gordon is really F'd up right now. His neck is jacked and the pinched nerves leaves him with no feeling in his right arm. He was doing 115 when the Hummer blew over. He was backwards when he was cutting a turn and hit the inside berm. It landed on the Passenger rear and then tumbled 6 times.
He has a slow week now and he plans to rest... But this last week was murder... Crandon, Cup, Prelude and Primm. Now to prep for the Baja 1000.
Belly Laugh of the Weekend: In the Primm pits this last weekend, Robby was quoted by Baja Racing News Insider "The Fly", as calling everyone at DRC (Desert Racings Crackheads), a crack head! Going into the Baja 1000 here are the top three to watch, Robby Gordon with 284 points, Ed Stout with 241 points and Roger Norman with 219 points.The Baja 1000 is in November, we'll keep you updated, here on Baja Racing News.com
Robby Bell moves to Kawasaki and Baja 1000 effort
Robby Bell, 3 time Tecate SCORE Baja International Champion, the current holder of the 1x plate and a Top WORCS rider, officially announced today major changes are coming for 2009. Bell will be leaving Johnny Campbell Racing and has come to terms with Team Green Kawasaki to ride their stunning new fuel injected KX450F starting in the 09 racing season. Robby plans for 2009 are to race the WORCS series and selected AMA Outdoor Nationals. In addition, Robby is reviewing options available for a possible a defense of his Baja championship aboard the Kawasaki.
"I have had a great run with Honda and last year with JCR. It was truly a rewarding experience to have ridden for some of the legends of this sport. For that opportunity I will be forever grateful", said Bell. "2009 is the next chapter of my career and I am really excited about it. The new KX450F is awesome and I feel right at home on it. We've just begun working with my personal set up and I am getting more and more comfortable with each change. I think it's going to be a good year." The Baja 1000 secret plans are next!
September 10, 2009 UPDATE
Bruce Penhall announces Team Green Baja 1000 efforts
Baja Racing News.com got it from multiple sources that the Penhalls have hooked a support deal with KAWISAKI which includes at least 4 bikes.
We expect that Penhall Motorsports will run two bikes in Class 22
Destry Abbott and Robbie Bell are reported to be under the Penhall Motorsports racing team. Two time world speedway champ and AMA Hall of Famer Bruce Penhall has been etching a solid mark in Baja’s SCORE series, and over the course of his racing partnership with Joe Black, has earned championships and a bunch of podiums in Mexico. Older son Ryan Penhall has paid some heavy dues along the way, including a head on collision under a race truck in 2008.
Penhall has been going for it against JCR in class 22 for 2 years and are going into the 2009 BAJA 1000 with loaded cannon. Today, Bruce Penhall said he signed a one-race deal with KAWASAKI to race their KX450 with the 1x plate of Robby Bell in the upcoming B1000. Joining the former champ and the Penhall brothers , Ryan and Connor, will be Steve Hengeveld and most likely Destroy Abbott. Bob Bell from Precision Concepts will be building the bike. It all makes sense now.
We talked to Bruce not long after the Ryan pulled up to the house with the 1x race bike in the back of the truck.“We just picked up the bike today, the deal just happened yesterday”, says Penhall, who just announced his team lineup for this November. “I’ve been working on this for a while and my boys used to be on contract with Team Green.”Penhall was particularly pleased with arrangements.
“Kawi dug deep. They didn’t hem haw a bit. My deal is what I consider to be a very good one in this economy. Four years ago it wouldn’t have looked like the best deal out there, but what they’ve offered us is fantastic considering the circumstances”
The bikes are coming directly from the manufacturer with works components from Team Green and final blueprint from Precision Concepts. “Bob is building the bike and PC is really stepping up with all the testing. Reid and Jason from Team Green have been a big part of this and they‘ve even got the PR dept. behind the thing.”The team is as fierce a challenge to Johnny Campbell Racing as they’ve yet to face despite the fact that neither of the Penhalls are in contention for the series points. Robby Bell and the more experienced Steve Hengeveld both raced with and against each other while on contract under Bruce Ogilvie’s American Honda Racing. Ryan Penhall won a championship in class 20.
If Destry Abbott comes on board (which is all but done at press time), you have a real threat to Norman, Weigand and Udall. "I’m going into this with a solid team. I think I run a real tight ship and a professional team. I don’t have any shortcuts and I want the riders to be comfortable.”Penhall explained that of these riders have their own preferences as to everything from handlebars, to tires to energy drinks and described the way they’re coming together as a team.
“I’m not into pre-madonnas. I want to make everyone happy, but I expect the same in return.”
Some of these riders have contracts coming up and this huge effort by Penhall to create a winning team gives each rider the same opportunity to leverage a success when they sit down to work out deals for 2010. Penhall is doing everything he needs to gear up against the Hondas of JCR and he’s getting the support of the manufacturer. Penhall was also happy about SCORE’s impulsive move to start enforcing deviation and speeding violations.
“It’s awesome. It couldn’t be better, should’ve happened years ago. First, from a father’s standpoint, when you’re pre-running, you drop the kids off in Ojos and wait for em in Valley T. You know exactly how long it takes to pre-run. But you can add 3-4 hours onto that when the guys are looking for the best lines. As a father, you can’t help but wonder where they are.”
Penhall was firm about the new requirements to stay on course.“But this time you’re gonna run the arrows. Everyone stick to the arrow. It’s a great thing. We go down there to win. We need to win the right way. This gives more of an even playing field.”
Penhall further explained another benefit of the strict rules enforcement. “Some other teams have been down there with m
Gary Newsome, Editor
* Dave Despain of SPEEDs 'Wind Tunnel' commented: "Baja racing is about passion, by hook or crook". Dave, it's mostly about crook!
