WHAT: 49th Annual SCORE Baja 1000 desert race, final round of four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship
WHEN: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 15-20, 2016
WHERE: START/FINISH: Ensenada-Baja California, Mexico (65 miles south of U.S./Mexico Border at San Diego)
WHO: Nearly 275 entries from 32 U.S. States, and 17 countries, participating in Pro and Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and ATVs.
COURSE TOTAL MILEAGE: 854.50 miles (4 physical checkpoints, 122 visual checkpoints plus the finish line). Start/Finish on Blvd. Costero, adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in Ensenada. SCORE has put together another memorable race course, this one for a loop race, with all of the foreboding, unforgiving terrain the northern state of the mysterious Baja California peninsula has to offer. Starting and finishing in the heart of Ensenada in front of the historic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center, the course travels in a counter-clockwise direction. It includes the approximate 30 mile stretch to Ojos Negros which is used in both directions. The race will have its normal start from Ensenada to Piedras Gordas, then out to highway 3 around Rm 20.7 and will go to Km33 and get back on the dirt. The course will go past Rancho Grijalva to El Mezcal (Rm 39.6) and head to Uruapan using La Lagrima Rd, a different road than in past years.
From Santo Tomas, the course heads to the coast of the Pacific Ocean at La Calabera and runs down nearly 100 miles to San Quintin, Nuevo Odisea and then to El Rosario. The course will travel zig zag up the well known hill La Vivora, el Arenoso, and will loop around from San Juan de Dios at approximate Rm305 to El Metate Rm 340, Los Martires Rm 363 and go back to San Quintin on the east side of the highway and run north to Col. Vicente Guerrero, Jaramillo and Colonet.
The course will travel a new route from Colonet to Llano Colorado and across to Valley de Trinidad. The race course goes along the highway from San Matias to Villa del Sol then crossing the highway at El Chinero, north to Coabuso Junction and then out to Borrego, up Highway 1 and up the goat trail to checkpoint 4 Nuevo Junction. From there it will be on to Catarina then back to Ojos Negros and from Ojos Negros back to the finish line.
This year’s race course has 14 speed zones for a total of approximately 115 miles.
This year’s race course features 4 outlying checkpoints where each vehicle is required to quickly stop before continuing on. The checkpoints will be located as follows: Checkpoint No. 1—Santo Tomas (race mile 88.15), No. 2—El Rosario (rm 249.92), No. 3—Vicente Guerro (rm 469.15), No. 4—Nuevo Junction (rm 751.04).
2017 Baja 1000 Schedule of Events
TUESDAY, Nov. 15–(All times PST)
9a.m. – 4 p.m. SCORE Chassis, Pre-Tech Inspections & Transponder checks, 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. 16–(All times PST)
10a.m. – 4 p.m. SCORE Chassis, Pre-Tech Inspections & Transponder checks, Playa Hermosa Beach, 1.1 miles south of Riviera 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, Red 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
THURSDAY, Nov. 17–(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. – 5 p.m. – Volunteer Registration, Corona Hotel parking lot OR rear of Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Contingency Row, Boulevard Costero, next to Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
9 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 Fan Fest, Avenida Ruiz (adjacent to Papas Y Beer) Everyone welcome
FRIDAY, Nov. 18–(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—Pro Moto Unlimited, Pro Moto 30, Pro Moto 40, Pro Moto Limited, Pro Moto 50, Pro Moto Ironman, Pro Moto 60, Pro Quad, SPT M/C, SPT Quad
9 a.m. – Opening Ceremony, Honor Guard, Salute to the Flag, start/finish line area, Blvd. Costero
10:30 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, 2, HTUnl, 10, 8, 1/2-1600, SL, 5, HM, 3000, TL, 7, Pro UTV FI, Pro UTV, Pro UTV Unl, PT, 5-1600, 3, BC, SF, 7SX, 3700, 1700, SM, 9, 11, SPTUnl Truck, SPT Buggy, SPTLtd Truck, SPT UTV
TIME LIMIT: All cars/trucks will have a 36-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. 19–(All Times PST)
12 a.m. – course close – BFG Tires/Baja California Secretary of Tourism/SCORE Media Center—Red Room, Riviera CC
Race in Progress — Posting of Unofficial Results — SCORE Media Center, Red Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
SUNDAY, Nov. 20–(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—Red Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
10 a.m. — Awards Celebration-Cathedral Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center
WEBSITE: www.score-international.com
SANCTION: Sanctioned/produced by SCORE International SRL:
President—Roger Norman
Race Director–Abelardo Grijalva
Tech Director—Art Savedra
Assistant Race Director—Marco Durazo
Course Worker Coordinator—Hector Ponce
MARKETING: Marketing by Promote Mexico LLC
President–Roger Norman
Vice President–Elise Norman
Director of Sales and Marketing–Jim RyanRegistration Director—Krista Anderson
Semi Transporter–Carlos Coral
Attorney–John Alessio
Media Operations Director—Dominic Clark
BLACK BOXES: ORE requires that special ‘black boxes’ ARE mandatory on all entries. As well as Anube Stella3 tracking devices
SCORE LIVE: Live pre-race and race days internet coverage produced by the SCORE Live team will be airing on www.score-international.com. SCORE’s tracking system may be accessed through the SCORE website as well. On-site in the start/finish line area, the live coverage of the race will be displayed on SCOREvision (provided by Tecnovision), SCORE’s huge, double-sided LED screen.
TOP RACERS: Pro Moto Unlimited: Colton Udall, Francisco Arredondo; Pro Moto 30: Chris Schultz; Pro Moto 40: Colie Potter, Jano Montoya, Mike Johnson; Pro Moto Limited: Mark Winkelman, Fernando Beltran; Pro Moto 50: Mark Winkelman; Pro Moto 60: Mark Hawley, Pro Quad: Javier Robles Jr.
HISTORY OF START/FINISH: In the 48-year history of the SCORE Baja 1000, this will be the 42nd time the race has started in Ensenada and the 24th time it has finished in Ensenada. The last time this race ended in Ensenada was last year.
MOTORCYCLE WINNERS: In motorcycle competition, Honda leads with 25 overall victories, followed by Husqvarna with 11, Kawasaki with 10 and Yamaha with 2.
UNITED NATIONS: Entries in the internationally-showcased race have come from 32 U.S. states and 17 countries. In addition to the 32 U.S. States, racers have entered from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Costa Rica, England, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand Thailand and the US Territory of Guam.
OVERALL POINTS SHOWDOWNS: In the motorcycle category, Colton Udall leads the Pro Moto Unlimited class as well as the overall motorcycle points with 221 while Pro Moto 40 (riders over 50 years old) class point leader Mark Winkelman is second with 215 points. Pro Moto 40 (riders over 40 years old) class point leader Jano Montoya is third with 208 points, fourth is Mike Johnson with 204 points (second in Pro Motor 40) and fifth is Francisco Arredondowith 203 points (Pro Moto Unlimited). The closest point’s race in the motorcycle classes is in Pro Moto 40 for riders over 40 years old. Jano Montoya, Winter Garden, Fla. (208, No. 404x KTM 450XCW) has a four-point lead over Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas (204, No. 455x Honda CRF450X) and an eight point lead over Colie Potter, Las Vegas (200, No. 400x Honda CRF450X).
SCORE LEGENDS: This year’s race will also commemorate the achievements of legendary desert racers like Rod Hall, Ron Bishop, Johnny Johnson, and Larry Roeseler. Hall, who will turn 79 on Nov. 22, has a record 23 class wins (including one overall win in 1972), and is the only racer who has competed in all 48 SCORE Baja 1000 races. Bishop, who died in 2014, is the only racer who competed in the first 40 SCORE Baja 1000 races.
Hall will be racing this year in the Stock Full class where he will split the driving with his son Chad Hall. Johnson, now retired, had 15 class wins, amazingly in eight different classes. Roeseler, has 17 class wins in this race, including a record 13 overall wins (10 on a motorcycle). Roeseler will share driving duties this year in SCORE Trophy Truck with Andy McMillin in the No. 31 NexGen Fuels Ford F-150.
CROSSOVERS/CELEBRITY RACERS: Among the crossover/celebrity racers officially entered in this year’s race are (as of 11/14/16):
–Robby Gordon, former NASCAR Team Owner/Driver, owner of stadium off-road truck series, three-time SCORE Baja 1000 Overall Winner, No. 200 SCORE Trophy Truck (vehicle number in memory of his late father ‘Baja’ Bob Gordon, a five-time class winner in the SCORE Baja 1000)
–Cameron Steele, action sports TV announcer, No. 16 SCORE Trophy Truck
–Armin Schwarz, of Germany who lives in Austria, seven-time World Rally Championship race winner, No. 48, SCORE Trophy Truck
–Francisco Arredondo, a champion motorcycle international rally racer from Guatemala, No. 45x, Pro Moto Unlimited
–Ricky Johnson, legendary supercross/motocross motorcycle star, short-course off-road champion, No. 4, SCORE Trophy Truck
–Jeremy McGrath, legendary seven-time AMA supercross champion, stadium off-road truck racer, No. 20, SCORE Trophy Truck
–John Langley, Producer of the award-winning COPS TV series, also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, No. 250, Trophy Truck Spec
–Toby Price, champion factory motorcycle rally racer, Dakar champion, No. 76 SCORE Trophy Truck
–Rhys Millen, champion Formula Drift racer, 3-time Pikes Peak Hill Climb Champion, precision-stunt-car driver, No. 1967, Pro UTV
–Ryan Millen, accomplished Formula Drift racer, No. 244, Trophy Truck Spec
–Tyler McQuarrie, Formula Drift racing star, veteran of numerous racing disciplines, driving instructor, No. 20, SCORE Trophy Truck
–Kyle LeDuc, four-time Pro-4 short-course off-road champion, No. 3 SCORE Trophy Truck
–Javier Quiros, champion international sports car and rally racer, No. 244, Trophy Truck Spec
–Rich Minga, 1987 SCORE Overall Point Champion who has become a prominent Hollywood stunt driver and Wide Open Excursions Baja tour guide, BC2, Baja Challenge
–Larry Connor, prominent Ohio businessman, two-time national sports car racing champion, No. 6, SCORE Trophy Truck
–Gary Magness, Film Producer and international businessman (No. 45, SCORE Trophy Truck)
–Kyle Tucker, Autocross champion, BC1, Baja Challenge
–Ikuo Hanawa, Pike’s Peak Hill Climb record-setting champion in electric race car, No. 712, Class 7
–Brad Lovell, six-time rock-crawling season championships, and 2012 TORC short course class title, BC1, Baja Challenge
–Jamie Galles, former Trans Am and Toyota Atlantic racer whose family was a long-time IndyCar team owner, No. 172, Class 1
-Shannon Campbell, Hall of Fame rock crawling racer, No. 4405, Hammer Truck Unlimited
-Carlin Dunne, three-time Pike’s Peak Hill Climb motorcycle champion, No. 705x, Pro Moto Ironman; star of motorcycle documentary On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter
–Bill Weber, legendary long-time motorsports television announcer, professional illusionist, No. BC2, Baja Challenge
BAJA CHAMPS-OVERALL:
Entered in this year’s event are 12 racers who have combined for 29 overall wins in either the 4-wheel or motorycle divisions. The leaders are: Larry Roeseler, 13, (10 on a motorcycles, two years in a car, one in a truck), Andy McMillin, five, (SCORE Trophy Truck), with three each are Robby Gordon (SCORE Trophy Truck), Rob MacCachren (SCORE Trophy Truck) and Colton Udall (Pro Moto Unlimited). With two each are Gus Vildosola Sr (SCORE Trophy Truck), Troy Herbst (Class 1), B.J. Baldwin (SCORE Trophy Truck). With one overall win each are Rod Hall (Class 4), Gus Vildosola Jr (SCORE Trophy Truck), Jason Voss (SCORE Trophy Truck), Mark Post (SCORE Trophy Truck) and Mark Samuels (Open M/C).
CHAMPS-BY CLASS: Entered in this year’s event are 82 racers who have combined for an amazing 292 class wins in the SCORE Baja 1000. The leaders in multiple class wins entered this year are: Rod Hall with 23 (first overall), Larry Roeseler with 17 (second overall), Jim O’Neal with 12 (tied for seventh) and Donald Moss with 11 (tied for eighth).
LAST YEAR’S TOP FINISHERS
48th Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000, Final round of five-race 2015 SCORE World Desert Championship
Nov. 18-22, 2015— Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico—821.38 miles
Total Starters: 239; Total Finishers 124 (51.18 percent)
Pro Motorcycles
1. 5x Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif./Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif./Justin Jones, Murrieta, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 16:29:08 (49.82 mph) (Open MC)
2. 1x Ricky Brabec, Hesperia, Calif./Max Eddy Jr, Barstow, Calif./Justin Morgan, El Cajon, Calif./Dave Pearson, Panaca, Nev., Kawasaki KX450F, 16:54:28 (48.58 mph) (Open MC)
3. 45x Francisco Arredondo, Guatemala/Ryan Penhall, Corona, Calif./Shane Esposito, Menifee, Calif./Roberto Villalobos, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 17:08:18 (47.93 mph) (Open MC)
4. 3x Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif./Ray Dal Soglio, Scottsdale, Ariz./Brian Adams/Daymon Stokie, Australia, Honda CRF450X, 18:34:49 (44.21 mph) (Open MC)
5. 21 Dustin McCarthy, El Cajon, Calif./Gavin McCarthy/Lance Lewis, Honda CRF450X, 19:53:47 (41.28 mph) (Open MC)
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