The 48th running of the Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 promises an epic motorcycle duel to rival that of the past 2 years at the event.
The 48th Annual Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000, round five of the 2015 SCORE World Desert Championship, is set to leave the starting line in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, Friday, November 20, with the battle for one of off-road racing’s oldest and grandest titles expected to fall among two teams, each with Baja 1000 victories under their belts.
The defending Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 champion THR Motorsports/Monster Energy/Precision Concepts team is back to defend the title that it won in the dramatic final moments of last year’s race, when team rider Steve Hengeveld made a pass on the Honda team of Colton Udall and Mark Samuels for the lead near the finish line at La Paz in last year’s point-to-point race to end Honda’s winning streak in the Baja 1000 and give the Kawasaki brand its first overall motorcycle win since 1996. The team returns to the starting line for this year’s race without Ricky Brabec (who has signed to ride for the Team HRC factory rally team in 2016) or Robby Bell, but with Max Eddy Jr., and Justin Morgan. Eddy Jr., and Morgan piloted the THR Motorsports machine to victory in the 2015 Bud Light SCORE Baja 500 this past June.
But Samuels and Udall, who won the race as part of the Johnny Campbell Racing Honda team in that squad’s Baja swan song, continue to fortify their privateer WFOx Honda effort, and the duo will be fielding two machines in an attempt to regain the Baja 1000 title. And, there are several other teams that are capable of stepping up if either of the Honda teams or the Kawasaki team should falter.
This year’s Baja 1000 will feature a grueling loop of 821.38 miles that includes seven physical checkpoints and 95 visual checkpoints before the finish line on Blvd. Costero, adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in downtown Ensenada. The course travels in a counter-clockwise direction around the Baja Peninsula and includes a 35-mile stretch near Ojos Negros that is run in both directions. The outbound course heads southwest from Ojos through Santo Tomas and then runs south along the picturesque Pacific Ocean for over 100 miles. It covers both sides of the peninsula, parallels Highway 1 for nearly half of the race and loops south back to the Pacific before crossing over to the other side of the peninsula below Puertocitos. The course then heads back north along the tranquil Sea of Cortez, past San Felipe paralleling Highway 5 and up to the junction with Highway 3 before traveling west then northwest back into Ojos Negros and to the finish line in Ensenada.
This year’s race course has eight pavement speed zones with a maximum speed limit of 60 mph for a total of approximately 136 miles and one pavement speed zone with a maximum speed of 37 mph for just under one-half mile. The motorcycle teams will have to be careful not to incur any time penalties in these sections, something that always seems to be a challenge.
The schedule of events and pre-entry list for the 48th annual Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 are listed below.
486h Annual Bud light SCORE Baja 1000 Schedule of Events
Tuesday, Nov. 17–(All times PST)
10a.m. – 4 p.m. SCORE Chassis and Pre-Tech Inspections, Playa Hermosa Beach, 1.1 miles south of Riviera del Pacifico CC
5 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Racer Registration, Red Room-Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center (adjacent to S/F)
Wednesday, Nov. 18–(All times PST)
10a.m. – 4 p.m. SCORE Chassis and Pre-Tech Inspections, Playa Hermosa Beach, 1.1 miles south of Riviera del Pacifico CC
10a.m. – 7 p.m. –Racer Registration, Red Room-Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center (adjacent to S/F)
1 p.m. – 6 p.m. — Media Registration, Casino Room-Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
7 p.m. – Midnight – SCORE Baja 1000 Goes Green, Monster Energy SCORE Party, (adjacent to S/F) Everyone welcome
8 p.m. – Midnight – Bud Light SCORE Racers Welcome Party, Andaluz Bar, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
Thursday, Nov. 19–(All Times PST)
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Racer Registration, Red Room-Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Media Registration, Red Room-Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
9 a.m. – Opening Ceremony, Honor Guard, Salute to the Flag, start/finish line area, Blvd. Costero
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Contingency Row, Boulevard Costero, next to Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. — Technical Inspection, End of Contingency Row
11:30 a.m. – SCORE Media Conference, Cathedral Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
7 p.m. — Mandatory Racer Meeting-Cathedral Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
7 p.m. – Midnight – Monster Energy SCORE Papas & Beer Street Party, Avenida Ruiz (adjacent to Papas Y Beer) Everyone welcome
Friday, Nov. 20–(All Times PST)
5:30a.m. – 11:59p.m. – BFG Tires/Baja California Secretary of Tourism/SCORE Media Center—Red Room, Riviera CC
6:00 a.m. – RACE START – Pro Motorcycles, Pro Quads, Sportsman Motorcycles, Sportsman Quads
Starting Order (Subject to change): (One vehicle every 30 seconds)
Motorcycles–Open Pro, Limited Pro, 30, Ironman, 40, 50, 60, Pro Quad, SPT M/C, SPT Quad
11:00 a.m. (APPROX) RACE START – Cars, Trucks, UTVs (minimum 3 1/2 hour gap between groups)
Starting Order (Subject to change): (One vehicle every 60 seconds for TT, Class 1, every 30 seconds for other classes)
Cars and Trucks–TT, 1, TT Spec, 4400, 2, 10, SL, 8, 1/2-1600, HM, 7, 3000, TL, BC, 19, 5, PT, 7SX, 5-1600, 3, 3700, 1700, 4500, SF, SM, 9, 11, SPTUnl Truck, SPT Buggy, SPTLtd Truck, SPT UTV
Time Limit: All cars/trucks will have a 33-hour time limit from the time each starts.
Race in Progress — Posting of Unofficial Results — SCORE Media Center, Red Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
Saturday, Nov. 21–(All Times PST)
12:01 a.m. – 11 p.m. – BFG Tires/Baja California Secretary of Tourism/SCORE Media Center—Red Room, Riviera CC
Race in Progress — Posting of Unofficial Results — SCORE Media Center, Casino Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
Sunday, Nov. 22–(all times PST)
8 a.m. – Noon — BFGoodrich Tires/Baja California Secretary of Tourism/SCORE Media Center—Casino Room, Riviera CC
9 a.m. — Posting of FINAL UNOFFICIAL Results—Casino Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
10 a.m. — Awards Celebration-Cathedral Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
SCORE 48th annual Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 Motorcycle Entry List (as of November 16, 2015)
Open Motorcycle (450cc or more)
14x Raul Hernandez, Tijuana, Mexico/Rodolfo Patron/Miguel Munoz/Larry Serna/Tijuana, Mexico, KTM 450XCW
35x Nicholas Gust, Pescadero, Calif./Don Campbell, Daly City, Calif./Mike Vetter, South San Francisco, Calif., KTM 450XCF
3x Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif./Ray Dal Soglio, Scottsdale, Ariz./Brian Adams/Daymon Stokie, Australia, Honda CRF450X
11x Ulises Fierro, Tijuana, Mexico/Marco Higuera/Robert Underwood, KTM 450XCF
81x Joseph Jepsen, Salt Lake City/Michael Goldman, Ogden, Utah/Shawn Strong, American Fork, Utah, KTM 450XCF
45x Francisco Arredondo, Guatemala/Ryan Penhall, Corona, Calif./Shane Esposito, Menifee, Calif., Honda CRF450X
1x Ricky Brabec, Hesperia, Calif./Max Eddy Jr, Barstow, Calif./Justin Morgan, El Cajon, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F
21 Dustin McCarthy, El Cajon, Calif./Gavin McCarthy/Lance Lewis, Honda CRF450X
5x Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif./Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif./Justin Jones, Murrieta, Calif., Honda CRF450X
7x Joseph Wingfield, Lookout Mountain, Tenn./Jackson Wingfield, Lookout Mountain, Ga./Jared Wingfield, Chattanooga, Tenn./Braxtan Gallian, Cave Creek, Ariz., Honda CRF450X
13x Ricky De la Pena, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Paul Lopez/Tony Gera, Santa Cruz, Calif., Austin Miller/Troy Vanscourt, Honda CRF450X
Limited Motorcycke (449cc or less)
111x Chad Thornton, Farmington, N.M./Tim Fitzpatrick, Yerrington, Nev./Alan Cameron, Reno, Nev./Mark Weirich, Bozeman, Mont., KTM 350XCW-F
128x Steve Kameda, Japan/Patima Kongpetch, Thailand/Waranyu Tanjaroen, Thailand/Oscar Hale Jr, , Ensenada, Mexico, KTM350XCW-F
122x Ruben Alamo, Manzanillo, Mexico/Santiago Creel/Tono de la Vega/Abel Burgueno,KTM XCW350-F
100x Fernando Beltran, Ensenada, Mexico/Emmanuel Verdugo/Abraham Mena/Fernando Tavarez/Carlos Miranda, Ensenada, Mexico, Yamaha YZ250
Class 30 (Riders over 30 years old)
318x Jeffery Pillon, Canada/RJ Clapp, Canada/Andrew Beselaere, Canada/Frank Cantin, Canada, Husqvarna 510
301x Christopher Schultz, Kamuela, Hawaii/Geoff Hill, San Diego/John Bach, Brea, Calif./John Canton, Coronado, Calif., Honda CRF450X
300x Mark Winkelman, Cedar Hill, Texas/Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Kevin Murphy, Camarillo, Calif./Jason Trubey/Aaron Tuck, Brawley, Calif./Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif., Honda CRF450X
Class 40 (Riders over 40 years old)
444x Kyle Abney, Albuquerque, N.M./Paul Luce, Albuquerque, N.M./Scott Eck, Albuquerque, N.M./Herman Johnson, Rio Rancho, N.M./Joe Marquez, Corrales, N.M., KTM 500XCW
409x Stephen Sanders, Henderson, Nev./Bill Witt, Henderson, Nev., Honda CRF450X
424x Jeff Powell, Reardan, Wash./Todd Powell, Spokane, Wash./Rick Mianecki/Craig Janett, Royal City, Wash./Matt Worbes, Bend, Ore., Honda CRF450X
403x Oscar Fazz, Yuma, Ariz./Kenji Gauthier, Rosamond, Calif./Steve Gallegos, San Fernando, Calif./Yvan Perroud, France/David Fifer, Alpine, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F
404x Jano Montoya, Winter Garden, Fla./Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico/Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico/Kirk Russell, Los Barriles, Mexico/Stefano Caputo, San Felipe, Mexico (Italy), KTM 450XCW
411x Colie Potter, Las Vegas/Sterlyn Rigsby, Temecula, Calif./Dave Glass, Menifee, Calif./Lendon Smith/Robert Lightfeldt, Hemet, Calif., Honda CRF450X
Class 50 (Riders over 50 years old)
556x Donald Blake, Mission Viejo, Calif., Husqvarna FE510
505x Daniel Argano, San Luis Obispo, Calif./Joseph Zabala, Los Osos, Calif./Timothy Hayes, San Luis Obispo, Calif./Robert Eaton, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Honda CRF450X
501x Marc Prince, Malibu, Calif./Eric McKenna/Steve Williams, Tehachapi, Calif./David Potts, Burbank, Calif./Doug Smith, Upland, Calif./Kris Goolsby, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Bob Johnson, Oceanside, Calif., Honda CRF450X
513x Guillermo Gomez, Guadalajara, Mexico/Jose Rivas/Juan Azanza, KTM 450XCW
Class 60 (Riders over 60 years old)
611x Richard Jackson, Acton, Calif./Mark Force, Bakersfield, Calif./Bob Wadlow, Hemet, Calif./Jim Libby, Anchorage, Alaska/Gregg Hawks, Hesperia, Calif./Robert Koch, Leona Valley, Calif./Bill Nichols, Peoria, Ariz., Honda CRF450X
SCORE Ironman (Solo Riders)
705x Francisco Aldrete, Tecate, Mexico, Yamaha YZ250
731x Tyler Gagnor, Danielson, Conn., Honda CRF450X
740x Boe Huckins, Pueblo West, Colo., KTM 450SXF
715x Jeff Benrud, Raeford, N.C., Honda CRF450X
734x Lyndon Jones, South Jordan, Utah, KTM 500XCW
707x Gary Sparks, Page, Ariz., Honda CRF450X
706x Kevin Daniels, Bishop, Calif., KTM 450XCW
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