Udall was able to capitalize on an unusual race format that split the overall distance into two legs of two laps each on the 32.1-mile course, making for an unusually brief race distance that totaled 128.4 miles. Thanks to the fact that the trophy trucks and buggies had chewed the course to shreds, it was anything but a road race as evidenced by Udall’s winning time of 3 hours, 2 minutes and 44 seconds, which calculates to an average speed of 42.16 mph, but Udall made it look fairly easy.
“I just rode the race course and tried to pass as many guys as I could,” Udall said. “I crashed twice throughout the day. Everything is difficult on this race course. We will start prepping and getting our pits ready for the SCORE Baja 1000. The plan is to ironman the Baja 1000, and Mark (Samuels) will be my backup if I have any issues. It has been a goal of mine since I started racing in Baja, and I’ve won four championships with my teammates on two different teams. I want to Ironman because it is a goal of mine, and I feel like it’s my time.”
Udall led the race after the first leg, finishing with a time of 1 hour, 29 minutes and 56 seconds before taking the mandatory one-hour break. Once the race resumed, he took less than three minutes more than his first time to finish the race, carding a time of 1:32:48. Udall’s margin was nearly eight minutes over the runner-up team of Kevin Murphy.
“I lapped three of the people that started after me which surprised me,” Udall said. “I expected to lap more but I’m glad that it didn’t happen. I was actually equipped with a horn so I could try and get guys out of the way. The course is much worse than during pre-running because huge horsepower trucks and buggies have been racing on the course. The stuff where it is hard pack isn’t a problem but there are some nasty square edges where if you’re not careful you can crash pretty hard. All the stuff in the back where it is already broken down and soft is now really is soft. There are big silt ruts and super gnarly rocks. The bike is constantly working and being abused by the rocks. It isn’t easy, and a lot of guys underestimate the difficulty.”
Udall also took a moment to voice his awareness of a sentiment about him that has hounded him during his career.
“They [Udall’s competition and pundits] think I’m a cheater when it comes to racing the long miles,” he said. “I just hammered that run, and it comes down to knowing where you’re going and what you are comfortable with on the bike. I’m one with that motorcycle, and I’ve been racing it for eight years now, so it’s like we gel quite well. People doubt, but I think this short course will prove that I’m not taking some crazy line. I’m out there hammering the throttle and making sure I don’t crash.”
Joining Udall and Murphy on the podium was the team of Shane Esposito, which finished third with a time of 3:10:32. The Kawasaki team of Max Eddy finished fourth with a time of 3:12:40, and the team of Larry Serna finished third with a time of 3:13:00.
2016 SCORE World Desert Championship
20th SCORE Rosarito Desert Challenge
Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico
Results: September 18, 2016
PRO MOTO UNLIMITED (450cc or more)
1. 1x Colton Udall, Yucca Valley, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:02:44 (42.16 mph)
2. 37x Kevin Murphy, Fresno, Calif./Morgan Crawford, Fresno, Calif./Jordan Brandt, Fresno, Calif., Husqvarna FE501, 3:03:53
3. 45x Shane Esposito, Menifee, Calif. (ROR-Francisco Arredondo, Guatemala), Honda CRF450X, 3:10:31
4.. 46x Max Eddy, Barstow, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 3:12:40
5. 15x Larry Serna, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM XCW450, 3:13:00
6. 47x Trey Vansourt, Valencia, Calif./Jeremy Newton, Honda CRF450X, 3:13:48
7. 3x Ray Dal Soglio, Scottsdale, Ariz./Nic Garvin, Ladera Ranch, Calif., Honda CRF450X., 3:20:17.
PRO MOTO 30 (Riders over 30 years old)
1. 301x Christopher Schultz, Kamuela, Hawaii/Geoff Hill/Ryan Leibelt/Greg Bardonnex, Yamaha YZ450FX, 3:45:18 (34.20 mph)
2. 371x Gerardo Buelna, Ensenada, Mexico/Roy Buelna, Ensenada, Mexico, Husaberg 350, 4:33:32
PRO MOTO 40 (Riders over 40 years old)
1. 400x Colie Potter, Las Vegas/Sterlyn Rigsby, Temecula, Calif./Dave Glass, Menifee, Calif./Rick Pratt/Lendon Smith/Robert Lightfeldt, Hemet, Calif./Steve Herstad, Honda CRF450X, 3:28:21 (36.98 mph)
2. 404x Jano Montoya, Winter Garden, Fla./Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico/Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico Kirk Russell, KTM 450XCW, 3:29:28
3. 455x Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Rex Cameron, Albuquerque, N.M./Jason Trubey/Tim Morton, Honda CRF450X, 3:36:48; 4. 437x Craig Thompson, Fresno, Calif./Jeff Vogt, Fresno, Calif./Jeff Evans, San Jose, Calif., Husqvarna FE501, 3:49:02
5. 403x Oscar Fazz, Yuma Ariz./Paul Lopez, Kawasaki LX450F, 4:31:15
PRO MOTO LIMITED (449cc or less)
1. 100x Emanuel Verdugo, Ensenada, Mexico (ROR-Fernando Beltran, Ensenada, Mexico), Yamaha YZ250F, 3:44:31 (34.31 mph)
2. 106x Garrett Poucher, Valencia, Calif./Michel Valenzuela, Tijuana, Mexico, KTM 350XCF, 3:49:59
PRO MOTO 50 (Riders over 50 years old)
1. 507x Mark Winkelman, Cedar Hill, Texas/Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Rene Magana, Husqvarna 350, 3:54:50 (32.81 mph)
2. 540x Michael Garvin, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Bill Sekkers, Agua Dulce, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 4:45:23
PRO MOTO IRONMAN (Solo Riders)
1. 729x Michael Skurkis, Henderson, Nev., KTM 450XCW, 4:31:56 (29.99 mph)
SPORTSMAN M/C
1. 230x Kristopher Harvey, Yuma, Ariz./Eric Saltzer, Somerton, Ariz., Honda CRF450X, 4:05:39 (31.36 mph)
2. 235x Fernando Barbosa, Miami/Fernando Ferreyra/Alberto Ruiz, Honda CRF450X, 4:12:17
3. 283x Miguel Pena, Tijuana, Mexico/Jose Luevano/Manuel Perez/Misael Barrios, Honda CRF450X, 4:26:08
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