Ricky Brabec, Shane Esposito and Max Eddy Jr. capture a rain-shortened Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 motorcycle victory on a Kawasaki KX450F.
The Monster Energy THR Motorsports Kawasaki team headed by Ricky Brabec claimed the overall win in a rain-shortened and rain-delayed Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 held on the eastern side of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula Saturday.
The race, round one of the five-race SCORE World Desert Championship, was originally scheduled to cover 274 miles, but score SCORE was forced after the race had started early Saturday morning to significantly re-route the course because the famous area known as The Summit was impassable after torrential rain pummeled the northern section of the race course Friday and during the night on Saturday.
SCORE CEO/President Roger Norman made the decision to re-route the course and shorten the race distance to 219 miles after the motorcycle and ATV classes had left the start line Saturday morning starting at 6 a.m. He and his staff re-routed the motorcycle and ATV classes from race mile 120 on the original course to a spot along Mexico highway 3. The motorcycles and ATVs were stopped at 8:42 a.m. Saturday and did not restart until Noon. The new section rejoined the original course near El Chinero.
Brabec of Oak Hills, California, Shane Esposito of Menifee, California and Max Eddy Jr., of Barstow, California split riding duties on the number 4x Monster Energy THR Motorsports Kawasaki KX450F, the trio the number 1X Honda CRF450x of Colton Udall for over half the race to finish first overall with a time of 3 hours, 53 minutes and 33 seconds to give Kawasaki its first overall motorcycle victory in the San Felipe race since 1996.
“The first 40 miles of the race was good with Colton Udall and I going back and forth,” Brabec said. “I’ve never started a Mexico race, and I’ve never finished a Mexico race before, so it was pretty awesome. These guys (my teammates) are all good partners. We delivered the bike all in one piece.”
In the first 28 years of the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, Honda has earned 17 overall motorcycle victories (including 15 of the last 18 years), Kawasaki has seven wins, KTM has three wins and Husqvarna has one win.
Francisco Septien of Ensenada, Mexico teamed with Gerardo Rojas and Vicente Guerrero to win Class 30 on a Kawasaki KX450F. Richard Jackson of Acton, California won class 60 on a Honda CRF450X. Jackson has earned 12 career SCORE season class point championships.
The five-race 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship series will host three special events held in Baja California, Mexico, and two in the United States. Starting and finishing in Ensenada, the 46th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held June 5-8 and the third SCORE Baja race, starting in Ensenada and finishing in La Paz, the 47th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, will be held November 12-16.
The two U.S. races on 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship calendar are the inaugural SCORE Imperial Valley 250 in Plaster City, California (April 25-27), and the two-day, single-race Inaugural SCORE Desert Challenge. The location for this event has yet to be announced, but the race is scheduled to take place September 25-28.
Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250
San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
Results: March 1, 2014
Open M/C (450cc or more)
1. Ricky Brabec/Shane Esposito/Max Eddy Jr,-Kaw/3 hrs., 53 mins. 33 secs. (30.52 mph)
2. Colton Udall/Mark Samuels-Hon 4:15:42
3. Michel Valenzuela/Manuel Gomez/Carlos Silva-Hon/4:46:34
Limited M/C (449cc or less)
1. Fernando Beltran/Emanuel Verdugo/Ricardo Munoz-Yam/5:32:43 (27.76 mph)
Class 30 (Riders over 30 years old)
1. Francisco Septien/Gerardo Roja/Tyler Renshaw-Kaw/4:21:27 (29.78 mph)
2. Mark Winkelman/Jim O’Neal/Steve Garnett-Hon/4:24:32
3. Fred Sobke/Alan Melisi/Robert Muzzy/David Starrett-Hon/5:21:50
4. Brad Baker/Jeremy Baker/Robert Allen-Hon/5:32:20
5. Miguel Caro/Scot Riezinger/Art Molina/Cory Mooers-Hon/6:30:45;
6. Todd York/Nate Scott/Bud Carmen-KTM/8:31:32
Class 40 (Riders over 40 years old)
1. Giovanni Spinali/Paul Thomas/Mike Carter/John Griffin-Hon/4:46:45 (28.72 mph)
2. Jack McCormick/Michael Rasp/Mike Kay./Jeff Dalton-Hon/4:57:217
3. Joel Leal/Mario Acosta/David Hammers-Hon/5:17:18
4. Oscar Fazz/Mike Langley/Augustine Maduena-Kaw/5:37:51;
5. Rob Huggins/Daniel Robinson/Luis Lobel-Hon/7:37:08. (
Class 50 (Riders over 50 years old)
1. Earl Roberts/Karl Holmberg/Donald Connelly-Hon/8:52:37 (18.82 mph)
Class 60 (Riders over 60 years old)
1. Richard Jackson/Gregg Hawks/Mark Force-Hon/5:17:25 (27.60 mph)
2. Jim Dizney/Jim O’Neal/Will Rogers/Mike Castro/Robert Koch-Hon/5:19:12
3. Donald Lewis/Ron Dugan-Hon/8:03:47
SCORE Ironman (Solo Riders)
1. Tony Gera/Hon-5:53:40 (26.54 mph)
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