Baja Racing News is LIVE in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico!
Friday in Ensenada!
The biggest CF in Mexico, Baja Race Contingency in Ensenada. Story and pics loading through race day...
Here are the ODDS!
Thursday's Headline!
TROPHY-TRUCK (41)
1 62 Mike Voyles An "Ivan" draw? 5 to 1
2 39 Ron Whitton Not this time 5 to 1
3 27 David Scaroni Pits trained? 6 to 1
4 7 Scott Steinberger Unimpressive lately 6 to 1
5 76 Jesse Jones Needs a "manual"! 5 to 1
6 86 Josh Baldwin Ever-strong 4 to 1
7 88 Ryan Arciero Dakar mental advantage 2 to 1
8 83 Andy McMillin See car #31 4 to 1
9 2 Pete Sohren Looked great in "5" =;oD 99 to 1
10 38 Garron Cadiente Threepeats rare 5 to 1
11 53 Jeff Stowers TRIPLE "D" rings! 99 to 1
12 3 Mark Post Due; way overdue 3 to 1
13 26 Chris Robinson A clean run a goal 7 to 1
14 17 Carl Renezeder Car control counts 3 to 1
15 20 Mike Julson Promises 6 to 1
16 41 Roger Norman Not the SuperHummer, I hope! 99 to 1
17 97 B.J. Baldwin Racing for win or points? 3 to 1
18 1 Bob Shepard Bob doesn't do "jack" 3 to 1
19 32 Juan C. Ibarra Not the Juan 99 to 1
20 80 Chad Ragland Can run clean 6 to 1
81 Mark Miller W/D W/D
21 21 Roger Gray Still in the ashes 99 to 1
22 4 Gus Vildosola Team lost flash? 5 to 1
23 52 John Herder Tucson Juan too fast 4 to 1
24 25 Enrique Legaspy Will break 99 to 1
25 58 Frank Thing Aloha, Alan! 181 to 1
26 28 Alan Pflueger Hawaii 5-Oh-No! 5 to 1
27 12 Brian Collins TOP TIP 5 to 1
28 31 Robby Gordon Overall or not at all 5 to 1
29 11 Dale Dondel Unfulfilled 9 to 1
30 16 Cameron Steele Needs to back off 7 to 1
31 5 Marty Coyne In the hunt 4 to 1
72 Matt Scaroni W/D W/D
32 40 Chet Huffman TOO fast? 6 to 1
33 55 Luis Wallace Last ten 99 to 1
34 96 Bobby Baldwin Top Ten 5 to 1
35 51 Kory Scheeler DARK HORSE 4 to 1
36 15 Jim Beaver Gunnin' for a finish 99 to 1
37 19 Ed Herbst AWD a key to success 3 to 1
38 31 Scott McMillin Abdicating open-wheel? 5 to 1
39 50 Jerry Larimore Needs luck 13 to 1
40 10 Mike Jakobson "Break a leg!" 6 to 1
41 75 Jerry Zaiden-1st RS Rodd Fantelli revisited 1450 to 1
CLASS 1 (42)
1 101 Damen Jefferies Does'nt have to chase Herder … but "#75 to 1"
2 102 Luis Ramirez, Jr. Not today -- nor tomorrow 99 to 1
3 103 Josh Rigsby No joshin' 6 to 1
4 104 Dale Ebberts Man, it's either this or that 6 to 1
5 105 Jim Birmingham Needs an angel 7 to 1
6 106 Rick Wilson Resurgent 3 to 1
7 107 Pat Dean TOP TIP 4 to 1
8 108 Richard Boyle May "Ron" fast 4 to 1
9 109 Danny Anderson King o Cabo! 4 to 1
10 110 Lee Patten Needs to smooth out 6 to 1
11 111 Dan Myers Will surprise 4 to 1
12 112 Troy Herbst Well, who else? 2 to 1
13 100 Mark McMillin Obvious choice 2 to 1
14 114 Kash Vessels "Alpha Dog" 4 to 1
15 115 Brian Kirby Will not clean up 9 to 1
16 116 John Herder Makes for a great race 3 to 1
17 117 Vincent DeJong Will not Dominate 99 to 1
118 Eli Yee W/D W/D
18 119 Buddy Feldkamp Cholla harvester! 5 to 1
19 120 Steve Melton The Man Who Made Herder Famous! 4 to 1
20 121 Gary Weyhrich Overall 2 to 1
21 122 Erick Murillo Back-marker 99 to 1
22 123 Steve Sullivan Lastrack? 99 to 1
23 124 Dino Marquez In the dust 99 to 1
24 125 Joe Myers No Manx! 6 to 1
25 126 Brian Parkhouse Improving 4 to 1
26 127 Martin Christensen Ach, du Lieber 7 to 2
128 Steve Sourapas W/D W/D
27 129 Raymond Potter Could sneak it, if careful 6 to 1
28 130 B.J. Richardson I always expect more! 6 to 1
29 131 Billy Robertson Finish-minded 5 to 1
30 132 Harley Letner Glory days gone? 5 to 1
31 133 Cam Thieriot Solid finisher 5 to 1
32 134 Danny Ebberts Not enough asphalt 6 to 1
33 135 Randy Wilson New esprit de corps? 3 to 1
34 136 Chuck Hovey Needs that new car! 5 to 1
35 137 Jamie Campbell Knows the car! 5 to 1
36 138 Rick Thomas No "Moore"? 6 to 1
37 139 John Harrah Cheers! 8 to 1
38 140 Scott Sellers The lone Chenowth! 7 to 1
145 William Akrawi-5th RS W/D W/D
39 146 Gonzalo Pirron-4th RS Too gonzo 99 to 1
40 147 Jarrett Lemley-3rd RS Benefit of the doubt 73 to 1
41 148 Todd Romano-2nd RS Cheesy effort? 99 to 1
42 149 Dan Moore-1st RS Or less 99 to 1
CLASS 10 (17)
1 1001 Brian Etter Etter better get better 9 to 2
2 1002 Mark Weger RPS working well 4 to 1
3 1003 Mark Hutchins Will run hard 4 to 1
4 1004 Ron Dalke "Donkey" stubborn 3 to 1
5 1005 Todd Elam Elam spelled backwards is ... 7 to 1
6 1006 Carlos Cortez Wants the upper hand 4 to 1
7 1007 Will Higman Needs a win1 4 to 1
8 1008 Darren Hardesty Bounces back 3 to 1
9 1009 Trevor Scherrer School Daze 9 to 1
10 1010 Lobsam Yee Top Twenty OA 3 to 1
11 1000 John Cooley Ah so! Ah yes! 3 to 1
12 1012 Andy Grider Riders get my vote 6 to 1
13 1013 Edgar Avalos Journeyman 6 to 1
14 1014 Rick Ellison "Moves" 3 to 1
15 1015 Jose Lopez A. Experienced 6 to 1
16 1048 Eli Yee-2nd RS Wild man 3 to 1
17 1049 Billy Gasper Porter might "bag" it! 4 to 1
SCORE LITE (33)
1 1201 Jason Batulis Well-prepped! 2 to 1
2 1202 Mike Belk Waiting his chance 5 to 1
3 1203 Matt Drever Drever a driver 5 to 1
4 1204 Red Burgin Advantage: No Skippy! 5 to 1
5 1205 Rich Roberts Rich in experience 4 to 1
6 1206 Craig Brabant Uneven 5 to 1
7 1207 Vic Bruckmann Off pace lately 4 to 1
8 1208 David Callaway Will place 4 to 1
9 1209 Hector Garcia Middle runner 6 to 1
10 1210 Ken Stroud Revved up 3 to 1
11 1211 John Kawell Always a factor 4 to 1
12 1212 Rick St. John Geared up 3 to 1
13 1213 Mitch Mitchell No "Singalong" 99 to 1
14 1214 Jim Greenway Ty up those loose ends! 5 to 1
15 1215 Greg Gustin "Con mucho Gustin!" 99 to 1
16 1216 David Willey No coyote 99 to 1
17 1217 Dwayne Reinert Often ragged 11 to 1
18 1218 Bob Bingham Better Off Bowling? 99 to 1
19 1219 Stan Potter Stan n Dan Dah Men 3 to 1
20 1220 Greg Foster "Oil Can" man? 5 to 1
21 1221 Chuck Sacks Good bet 4 to 1
22 1222 Richard Cassey A "Pro", now 4 to 1
23 1223 Mike Halliday Avoiding Sportsmen? 5 to 1
24 1224 Tito Tapia Does well - sometimes 5 to 1
25 1225 Matt Cullen On the (F&L) gas 4 to 1
26 1200 Tim Noe Tim 'n' Tom Road Show rolls on 2 to 1
27 1227 Cameron Steele Demasiado hierros 4 to 1
28 1228 Randy Ross Needs to "Oso" down! 5 to 1
29 1229 Ricardo Malo Bad enough 3 to 1
30 1230 Victor Cesena A. Busy guy 5 to 1
31 1247 Ruben Gutierrez Strong local 5 to 1
32 1248 Michael Deardoff Oh, dear! Oh, no! 99 to 1
33 1249 James Marquez Getting better 7 to 1
CLASS 8 (8)
1 801 Nick Vanderwey No Buckeye bull 3 to 1
2 802 Glen Greer Waiting for Porter T-T 4 to 1
3 803 Dave Raimonde Can find starter, not finish 5 to 1
4 800 Todd Wyllie Should win 3 to 1
805 Jamie Galles W/D W/D
5 806 Juan Carlos Lopez Will PIN it! 3 to 1
6 807 Lowell Arnold Odds improving 5 to 1
7 838 Noah Ostanik Has an ark welder 5 to 1
8 839 Kurtis Kupiec-1st RS Rough field 5 to 1
PROTRUCK (15)
1 245 Chris Lucas Not a course for newbies 5 to 1
2 203 James Wasson " A bipolar person has racing thoughts" 6 to 1
3 222 J.R. Stanley Coming along 3 to 1
260 Darren York W/D W/D
4 230 Robbie Pierce Field too tough 9 to 1
5 234 Rob Reinertson One to beat 3 to 1
6 215 Cody Swanty Well-versed in trucks 4 to 1
7 235 Jason Voss Plenty of stick time 4 to 1
8 226 Al Hogan On a good day, look out! 3 to 1
9 240 Rob Kittleson Tres Robos?! 5 to 1
236 Rick L. Johnson W/D W/D
10 204 Gus Vildosola, Jr. Superior logisstics 2 to 1
11 299 Joe Bednar Class 12 will look better 7 to 1
12 229 Tom Koch Won’t get tuckered out! 4 to 1
12 221 Charley McDowell Digs winning 3 to 1
14 236 Rick L. Johnson Toying with class 3 to 1
15 250 Gary Magness-1st RS "Mango" peachy 5 to 1
CLASS 1-2/1600 (26)
1 1601 Mario Gastelum Does "OK" 4 to 1
1602 Brett Maurer W/D W/D
2 1603 Brian Burgess On a mission 2 to 1
3 1604 Max Hanberg Unclogged 4 to 1
4 1605 Sammy Ehrenberg Blythe spirit 3 to 1
5 1606 Carlos Bernaldez Underfoot 99 to 1
6 1607 Adam Pfankuch Who else? 2 to 1
7 1608 Max Thieriot "Min" 5 to 1
8 1609 Craig Forrest Up a tree? 4 to 1
9 1610 Mike Sandoval Always "close" 5 to 1
10 1611 Joe Barboa ------ 69 to 1
11 1612 Ed Bonanni Class too tough? 6 to 1
1613 John Manring W/D W/D
12 1614 Rodrigo Ampudia, Jr. Papa's Boy 3 to 1
13 1615 Ray Files SHORT SHOT 4 to 1
14 1616 Daniel McMillin Look for break-through 3 to 1
15 1617 Brent Parkhouse Perhaps … 6 to 1
16 1618 Arturo Velazco Riders rough 4 to 1
17 1619 David Caspino L O N G SHOT 3 to 1
18 1600 Caleb Gaddis Racing for points 3 to 1
1621 Art Navarro W/D W/D
19 1622 Carlos Escobedo Top 50% 5 to 1
1623 David Hendrickson W/D W/D
20 John Krempp 5 to 1
21 1645 Gerardo Iribe Nudillos de la Piedra 3 to 1
22 1646 Edgar Alvarez Accomplished, at times 6 to 1
23 1647 Daniel Lopez Caballo Oscuro 4 to 1
24 1648 Eric Duran Always in the hunt 4 to 1
25 1649 Rick Battey Not giving up 8 to 1
CLASS 5 (5)
1 501 David Bonner "Halcón"-ish 3 to 1
2 502 George Seeley "Chicken NOT Eating Ice Cream" 5 to 1
503 Drew Belk W/D W/D
3 504 Scott Hewitt Cuts brush? 4 to 1
4 518 Luivan Volker-2nd RS Low buckers produces 4 to 1
5 519 Kevin Carr-1st RS Will keep Geo honest 3 to 1
CLASS 7 (6)
1 701 Dan Chamlee Unheralded 3 to 1
702 Andy Grider W/D W/D
2 703 Victor Herrera, Jr. Strong "equipo" 3 to 1
3 704 Scott Brady Cool as an"echinoderm" 3 to 1
4 705 Geoff Milke Might get creamed 7 to 1
5 706 Joshua Lynn Dixonian Instituted 1 to 1
6 717 A.J. Rodriguez-3rd RS
7 718 David Binns
8 719 Dennis Standrod-1st RS Bent tierod, maybe 7 to 1
CLASS 7S (4)
1 721 Javier Avila Hoping for 2nd 99 to 1
2 722 Mike Horner Good season 3 to 1
723 Steve Kovach W/D W/D
3 724 Tyler Fox 5 to 1
4 739 Nick Moncure-1st RS EZ day? 3 to 1
CLASS 7SX (8)
1 741 Danny Street, Jr. Needs perfect day 4 to 1
2 742 Heidi Steele Might beat mate! 5 to 1
3 743 Jesse Rodriguez Might do it 4 to 1
744 Eduardo Gonzalez W/D W/D
4 745 Doug Siewert
5 746 Ricardo Castanon R.
6 757 John Holmes-3rd RS Ruining it for eveyone 3 to 1
7 758 Noe Sierra-2nd RS Ready -- enough? 4 to 1
8 759 Jeff Lloyd-1st RS Over the horizon 5 to 1
CLASS 5/1600 (15)
1 551 Chad Mayernick Might be his day … & night 4 to 1
2 552 Danny Ledezma Will muffle competitors 2 to 1
3 553 James Tedford Can finish 6 to 1
4 554 Brent Shermak Fast but overshadowed 3 to 1
5 555 Richard Garavito Has credentials 6 to 1
6 556 Ruben Garcia Sandwiched in Bosque? 7 to 1
7 557 Rogelio Valenzuela C. Local might have advantage 7 to 1
8 558 Gregorio Villarino Villari-NO 9 to 1
9 559 John Hsu On his own? 15 to 1
10 573 Jesse Lopez 7 to 1
11 574 Hector Sarabia-6th RS Not "Fishing"!! 4 to 1
12 575 Chris Andrus-5th RS Will need "Associates" 11 to 1
13 576 Pedro Athie-4th RS Support is everything 9 to 1
14 577 Ernesto Arambula-3rd RS Tito too tough 2 to 1
15 550 Marcos Nunez-2nd RS Hard to beat 2 to 1
579 Mark McAnelly-1st RS W/D W/D
STOCK FULL (4)
1 861 Josh Hall Almost unfair! Even
2 860 John Griffin Steady 4 to 1
3 863 Bob Graham Picking up crumbs 4 to 1
4 864 Chris Kasper Not a ghost of a chance? 4 to 1
STOCK MINI (3)
1 761 Steve Kovach Changed his mind! 4 to 1
2 778 Gavin Skilton Debugging 5 to 1
3 779 Rod Hall Debugged Even
CLASS 9 (7)
1 901 David Boss Employee, actually 99 to 1
2 902 Sigal Greenberg Ever-improving 3 to 1
3 945 Tony Modica-5th RS Game competitor 4 to 1
4 946 Joe Castrey-4th RS Joe? No! 99 to 1
5 900 Eric Fisher-3rd RS A shoe-in Even
6 948 Ramon Castro-2nd RS Experienced 3 to 1
7 949 John Scharf-1st RS Sharp enough? 5 to 1
CLASS 3 (2)
1 300 Donald Moss Unbeatable Even
2 30X "All Others" Self-abuse 99 to 1
CLASS 17 (2)
1 1701 Bob Land Sentimental fav 53 to 1
2 1702 Bill Zolg Tough slog 99 to 1
CLASS 11 (5)
1 1101 Raul Ojeda Oh, MAN! 99 to 1
2 1102 Jake Mueller Game, I guess 99 to 1
3 1103 David Hendrickson Wants to be crowned 4 to 1
4 1100 Eric Solorzano Unbeatable Even
5 1148 Shelby Stahler Long day 99 to 1
6 1149 Jason Gutzmer Short day 99 to 1
SPT CAR (5)
1 1401 Heather Bonnani Lady's Day 9 to 1
2 1402 Peter Lang May languish 99 to 1
3 1403 Rob Caveney Chewed up course 99 to 1
4 1404 Aldolfo Aguilar Will not soar! 99 to 1
5 1449 William Akrawi Changed his mind! 9 to 1
SPT TRUCK
1 1500 Mark Growe Had tough luck 6 to 1
2 1501 Ray Schooley Educated 99 to 1
3 1502 Marshall Madruga "8 Mile" 99 to 1
4 1503 Luke Gibson Needs to be cool 99 to 1
5 1504 Steven Looney Will beat #75! 6 to 1
6 1546 Brandon Walsh-4th RS Not MDR! 99 to 1
7 1547 Scott Tannahill-3rd RS Bring a winch 99 to 1
8 1548 Karl Wong-2nd RS Not " Wight" 99 to 1
9 1549 Matt Torian-1st RS Bring a wench 6 to 1
RHINO
1 1801 Lonnie Banks Rhi-NO! 1801 to 1
2 1802 Francisco Quiroz Rhi-NOT! !!!!
2 1803 Jeffrey Sonn A cruel trick ????
Wednesdays Headlines:
::So Carl wants the 500?
From the press release: ""Team Renezeder hopes to bring it all together for a win a the first big endurance test of the season: the Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Starting and finishing in Ensenada, Mexico, its 500 miles consist of everything the unforgiving Baja desert can throw at you. Teams will be tested with tight, rocky climbs, sand washes, forested passes, high speed sections and shock pounding whoops.
“The team that sticks to a good game plan, stays focused, endures the heat and has a little bit of luck will come out on top this year,” explained Carl Renezeder, solo pilot of the #17 BFGoodrich Trophy Truck.
Carl and his navigator and lead mechanic, Mike Seat, have been prerunning the course all week, finding the best lines through tough sections, marking hazards on the GPS, and memorizing as much as they can before Saturday’s event. One of the chase team and full time crew members, Shawn Walters, has been doing the same thing on his chase routes. If there’s a problem during the event, it’s pertinent that the crew be able to get to the race truck as quick as possible if needed. “Endless hours of preparation go into a race of this magnitude,” concluded Renezeder. “We want all the obstacles we can control out of the way before we get to the start line. That way it’s up to Baja as to whether or not this is our year.”"
::MISSING PRE-RUNNERS!!!
At approx. race mile 131 of the 2006 SCORE Baja 500 course a black Stewart's Raceworks Truggy was found in bad shape after an apparent accident of some sort probably having taken place Monday May 29, 2006. Gino Camarena, his Co-Driver Gil and Gil's younger Son were all occupants in the vehicle. At this point, no one has confirmation of their whereabouts and or condition. No one is certain if they were injured in an accident and or where they are at this time. If you have any knowledge of the drivers of the vehicle, condition their in, and or any information regarding the accident you're urged to call
This Just In!!! Just got word that Gino, Gil and son are home in El Centro and fine. A little bruised and had to spend the night in the desert but will live. Car still in Mexico.
::MEMORIAL DAY TRAFFIC, GONE! PRE-RUNS!
Tuesday's Headline
2006 SCORE “Baja 500” Pine Forest Prerun
Well, just finding the course from downtown Ojos was “fun”: farm roads, Sanborn’s Packing, onion fields, schools, alambre de pau, dead ends … etc.
We shoulda run west at the old turnoff and picked the course up west o’ town.
Like next Thursday coming over to Ensenada.
I used my hand-held Lowrance “iFinder” with an external antenna and a 12-vdc-power jumper to the car’s battery’s terminal. (iFinders are battery hogs … probably sponsored by DuraCell!) Worked great, although I was cross-eyed by the end-o-the-day.
We could “see” the course but not the route to reach it; shades of “Dakar”!
Dean Watkins generously provided one of his “San Felipe Off Road” buggies for this venture: a venerable Chenowth two-seater “9” car once owned by the McMillins and Martin Gill! Amazing as it might seem to the rank-and-filers, it turned out to be a perfect unit: comfortable at prerun speeds, reliable, intercom head sets, stowage space, tractable, and easily able to traverse any part of the course that we ran – Ojos to Catarina -- with ease and grace. Any day I’ll be “All Ways” racing “Dunaway” with Trey and Wally!
Or not.
We had my “Z” along the highway with “Mean Dean” Moore who caught some Zzzs and some toothsome tamales from an itinerant vendor.
We left Ojos at noon and were at the Independencia Pemex at 1830 – only one real stop: a “pee” break above the Independencia plain.
Much of the course was familiar to me from the early ‘90s: ridgelines and canyons, up and down, left and right, one after another. We reached well over 5,000 feet by SCORE’s Checkpoint 1.
The new section, trumpeted with much hand-wringing and tooth-gnashing, was, OK, “tight” and “close” but would require care, patience, and wisdom. The turn by the granite boulder (WHICH one?) needed the painted arrow pointed “up”: now there is a well-burned-in turn-around at the rock wall dead end past it!
Running move over 15 mph would be on the ragged edge though much of it; if one wished to continue on four aligned, round wheels. Rocks n roots. Who YOU gonna root for on the route?
We heard Cameron Steele’s trouble radio calls and saw the ”97” prerun “Geiser”, also troubled: fuel pump issues = hood up. They did not ask us for assistance. Good call, as I was certain that we did not have any high-pressure, in-tank electric fuel pumps stowed in the buggy.
We found a stranded sweep “Wide Open Baja” car with two guys who were going to spend the night in the Los Barrancas wash. Obviously a long day lay ahead of them: “Our ‘Baja” guys have an EZ-Up (at El Rayo?) with food”. Uh, huh. Maybe three hours ago, amigo. They said that the (Subaru) “blew a head”. “Hmmm”, I thought, wisely to myself.
The course is very technical, easy to overload your ass, blind hills, LOTS of foliage, so scenic that it makes your teeth hurt. And mucho big trees, cut logs, stumps, and leftover planks nudging the course. And Peter Peter punkin eaters for the truck class.
Baja Prerunnerz Prerun
The Prerunnerz Crew arrived to the seaside city of Ensenada, Baja California under the cover of darkness mid-evening Tuesday night and immediately found race fiestas in full swing in downtown Ensenada. We caught up with the Jimco Race Team roaming the streets in search of wild fun and that was only the beginning. Leading the charge was “Hammer,” who was in full stride upon our arrival and sporting the latest Prerunnerz apparel. He was subsequently rewarded the following day when he found us with the Prerunnerz at Hwy 3 & KM 54.
However, the prerun stories continue to develop here on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Turbo Tom Geviss reported a fatal tractor-trailer accident on Hwy 3 at the Goat Trail late Sunday night that involved some 3000 gallons of fish guts laden for fertilizer supplied to the Valle Trinidad farming community. The fish guts were over 8’ inches deep at the Goat Trail exit to Hwy 3 providing enough stench that Caleb Gaddis and his crew at the Valle Trinidad taco stand called out on the radio to inquire where the smell was coming from. Geviss reported the day after that the truck he was driving was a problem in his Alpine, California neighborhood cuz the stench was sickening.
Nonetheless, Round 3 of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, featuring a race-record lineup of over 440 entries competing in 25 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held this weekend in Ensenada, Mexico.
An entire contingent of officials has arrived here to Ensenada as they ready for this epic event. A variety of celebrations is already underway including the incredible Baja Safari Race Party.
Early this morning a fleet of official trucks were readying the area for what is expected to be an incredible event featuring a RECORD amount of racers ever entered in the Baja 500. It’s been reported that will reach the 440 entry mark by Thursday afternoon once late entries arrive to Ensenada. Already, the official entry is listed at 437 racers.
“I just can’t properly put into words how huge this year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 race is going to be this week,” said Sal Fish, who has been since it produced its first 500 on June 26, 1974. “It is mind blowing to think that we already have 53 more entries than the race record and 92 more than last year’s race that had 345 starters.”
“We have a field this year full of talented veterans as well as a large number of rookies, many of whom haven’t even been to Mexico prior to this event, let alone compete in a Baja race. While the race itself promises to be one for the ages, we exhort all the racers, chase crews and the more than 150,000 spectators we are expecting to be patient, cautious, and safe. We all want to return from Mexico with nothing but wonderful stories from an incredible racing extravaganza.”
Starting and finishing in Ensenada on the majestic Baja California peninsula, this year’s tight and technical 424.29-mile course will run in a clockwise direction, running East into the middle of the peninsula, then South, followed by a West travel section, turning north, then East, North and back West to the finish in Ensenada.
Wednesday’s prerun activities included the Prerunnerz prerunner crew in two different prerunners running the first 150 miles, which some have said will make or break the race. And although it was earlier reported very tight and technical, there is no doubt that the infamous Las Vegas racers have arrived to “burn” in the course.
That includes one of the nation’s top teams, Danny Anderson, who for this race has teamed up with 2004 SCORE Class 1 Champion – John Marking, for a run to victory in Anderson’s single-seat Class 1. Anderson won the CABO 500, just last month!
Although, a late-breaking news story comes from the SMD Motorsports camp, as it was told to Prerunnerz that the #27 Trophy Truck suffered a blown-motor in testing at Plaster City, California only yesterday. Word is that Team Owner Steve Scaroni and the his crew are seeking out a replacement motor and will be ready for Saturday’s epic race.
The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 9 a.m. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race, and while the fastest vehicles are expected to finish in approximately nine hours, all will have an 18-hour time limit to become official finishers in the summer classic.
Today’s prerun action saw the #230 Pro Truck, to be piloted by MasterCraft CEO Robbie Pierce, prerunning in his MasterCraft Bronco with young gun co-driver, Joey Westhoff. Of course, Westhoff is the owner of Zip-Tie Productions, an innovative leading edge film production company specializing in desert racing, CORR racing and professional rockcrawling.
Also seeing action today was the cagey VORRA veteran, Steve Sullivan, in his new Class 1 led by crew chief, Bob Wiederhold. Their crew is here prerunning the first section and as they say in Nascar, “Gettin’ R’ Dun.”
The Prerunnerz has set up Satellite Communications at Hwy 3 and KM 54 where a small city of race support teams has formed. Temperatures are 96 degrees as most everyone is hiding in the slim shade.
Just arriving at 3:00 p.m. to Hwy 3 @ KM 54 is Mike Sixbery and Andy Kirker prerunning for their Baja 500 race on the 500X bike. Sixbery said, “The course is great and challenging, we’re looking forward to the race. Special thanks to Jim Oneil of Oneil Racing for his continued support.” Their chase crew consisted of Dawn Sixbery, of Bullhead City, Arizona, who entertained the crowd of prerunner crews in her bikini.
Waiting for Big Chuck riding the 266X motorcycle from Houston, Texas was Princess Deana and Chris. Big Chuck is the team owner of Looters Desert Racing Team.
Over 25 teams are assembled here at Hwy 3 and KM 54 awaiting their drivers to arrive to this access road. Prerunnerzz is on the scene and will continue to bring you the action from the Baja 500 prerun and evening parties from Ensenada.Monday's Headline
1) The Driver/Rider Meeting will be held Friday, June 2 at 7:00pm in the Cathedral Room at the Riviera Convention Center.
2) All competitors are reminded that off road racing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or even death. YOU MUST BEAR THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY.
3) It is important to remember that SCORE cannot regulate the conduct of spectators. Be advised that spectators may engage in malicious activity by building ramps, digging ditches and placing objects onto the course. When approaching a group of spectators - SLOW DOWN & BE ALERT!!
4) The roads used for this race course are open to the public. You must expect at all times to encounter oncoming traffic. You must also expect to encounter cattle roaming freely on and around the race course.
5) All racers MUST possess a valid driver license while operating the race vehicle.
6) The speed limit for all race vehicles on all highway sections is 60 mph. This speed limit will be enforced with the rally logger device. The Mexican Federal Preventative Police continue to have jurisdiction to enforce the 60 mph speed limit at their sole discretion independent of SCORE's post-race analysis of the rally logger data.
7) Passing on the highway sections must be made on the left-hand side only, within the 60 MPH speed limit, and by obeying the highway markings. The Mexican Federal Preventative Police will enforce the highway passing laws at their sole discretion.
8) There are six paved highway sections subject to the 60 mph speed limit:
ON HWY 3 @ KM 12 MILE 15.1 to OFF HWY 3 @ KM 19 MILE 19.4
ON HWY 3 @ KM 118 MILE 161.5 to OFF HWY 3 @ KM 138 MILE 173.8
ON HWY 1 @ KM 102 MILE 285.7 to OFF HWY 1 @ KM 96 MILE 289.8
ON HWY 1 @ KM 51 MILE 344.4 to OFF HWY 1 @ KM 42 MILE 350.3
CROSS HWY 3 @ KM 39 MILE 391.0 to OFF OJOS PAVEMENT MILE 392.0
ON HWY 3 @ KM 19 MILE 406.2 to OFF HWY 3 @ KM 12 MILE 410.4
9) The speed limit for pit support vehicles on pavement is the posted limit.
The speed limit on dirt access roads is 35 mph.
10) All competitors must do their part to protect and preserve the Baja ecological environment. Please instruct your team that it is very important to properly dispose of all solid and liquid waste. Do not litter, start fires, or deviate from the marked course.
11) The race course is marked with orange/white ribbon, yellow reflective tape, orange arrows, green wrong ways, and mile markers every five miles. SCORE cannot guarantee that course markings will be in place on race day. It is the responsibility of each driver/rider to race in a controlled manner and be able to slow down to avoid danger spots.
12) Four-Wheel vehicles that are in a position to pass a motorcycle or atv MUST NOT ATTEMPT TO PASS UNTIL THE RIDER HAS MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE COURSE. Motorcycles and ATVs must remain aware of approaching traffic and move over as quickly as possible. Four-Wheel vehicles are ultimately responsible for the safety of passing. USE YOUR HORN!!!
13) SCORE will use 151.625 (Weatherman Relay) for the main race operations radio frequency. Please use this frequency to report an emergency or ask for help.
14) Stub Cans will be used at this race. You are required to enter all checkpoints in a single file manner and come to a complete stop at the stop sign. The checkpoint corridor is not considered part of the race. Entering and exiting all checkpoints must be done in a safe and prudent manner in order to guarantee the safety of all checkpoint workers. Checkpoint signage will be placed on the right side of the course as follows - CHCKPNT 1/4 MILE / CHCKPNT 200 YARDS / CHCKPNT.
15) Passing is not permitted 300 feet before a checkpoint. Pitting is not permitted within 300 feet before and 100 feet after a checkpoint. Pitting is not permitted within 100 feet before or 100 feet after a paved highway crossing. No towing, pushing or pulling through a checkpoint or greater than 1% of the course, which is 4.3 miles.
16) No towing, pushing or pulling of Four-Wheel vehicles within 1 mile of the finish line. SCORE has created an exception to this rule in the past and allowed pushing by wristbanded vehicle occupants only. Vehicle occupants will be allowed to push a disabled race vehicle across the finish line, but only if the vehicle becomes disabled after exiting the wash and is situated on the pavement or dirt hardpack which exists just prior to the finish line area. No towing, pushing or pulling in the Ensenada wash.
17) The race will start in front of the Riviera Convention Center on Boulevard Costero and finish at the Campo de Softball Jose Negro Soto Stadium, which is located at the intersection of 11th Street and Espinoza Avenue. The Softball Stadium is adjacent to the traditional finish at the baseball stadium.
18) A competitor who is late for his assigned start time will start at the back of the class that is currently starting. The elapsed time of a late starter begins with his DESIGNATED START TIME, not the late start time.
19) All classes have 18 hours to complete the race provided that each checkpoint is cleared within the scheduled closing time.
20) Checkpoint locations and closing times are as follows:
- CHECKPOINT 1 - ABOVE CASA VERDE - MILE 88.3 / SATURDAY @ 8:00PM
- CHECKPOINT 2 - SANTA CATARINA - MILE 141.2 / SATURDAY @ 10:00PM
- CHECKPOINT 3 - RANCHO COYOTE - MILE 210.8 / SUNDAY @ 1:00AM
- CHECKPOINT 4 - SAN VICENTE - MILE 290.7 / SUNDAY @ 3:00AM
- CHECKPOINT 5 - OJOS NEGROS - MILE 397.2 / SUNDAY @ 5:00AM
- FINISH LINE - SOFTBALL STADIUM - MILE 425.0 / SUNDAY 5:30AM (APPROX)
21) Motorcycles and ATV classes will report to staging at 5:30AM for a 6:00AM start. These classes will start one every 30 seconds in the following order:
22, 30, 40, 21, 20, 50, SptMoto>, SptMoto<, 25, 24, SptAtv. 22) There will be a full two-hour gap between the last ATV starter and the first Trophy Truck starter. 23) Four-Wheel vehicles will start at approximately 9:15AM start. The exact start time of the first Trophy Truck is two hours after the last ATV starter. 24) Four-Wheel vehicles will start one every 30 seconds in the following order: TT, 1, 10, 8, PT, SL, 1/2-1600, 5, 7, 5-1600, 7S, 7SX, SF, SM, 9, 3, 17, SptTrk, SptBug, 11, SptUtv. 25) FOUR WHEEL CLASS STAGING TIMES - TT(8:30AM), 1(8:45AM), 10(9:15AM), 8(9:20AM), PT(9:30AM), SL(9:40AM), 1/2-1600(9:50AM), 5(10:05AM), 7(10:10AM), 5-1600(10:15AM), 7S(10:20AM), 7SX(10:25AM), SF(10:30AM), SM(10:35AM), 9(10:40AM), 3(10:45AM), 17(10:50AM), SPTRK(10:55AM), SPTBUG(11:00AM), 11(11:05AM), SPUTV(11:10AM). 26) Late registration will open on Saturday morning at 5:00AM at the Start Line in front of the Riviera Convention Center. 27) A technical protest MUST be filed no later than 30 minutes after the first finisher out of the money in your class. 28) The posting of Unofficial Results will be at 8:00AM Sunday in the lobby of the San Nicolas Hotel. 29) The Competition Review Board will meet at 9:00AM Sunday at the San Nicolas Hotel. 30) The Awards Presentation will be held 10:00AM Sunday at the San Nicolas Hotel. RACE REGISTRATION AT SAN NICOLAS HOTEL - EXPANDED HOURS
Race Registration at the San Nicolas Hotel has been expanded and will be open on Thursday, June 1 from 2:00PM to 6:00PM. Registration will also be open on Friday, June 2 from 9:00AM to 4:30PM.
BAJA PITS & BAJA HUSKYS
PIT 1 Between RM 33-35
PIT 2 Between RM 60-62
PIT 3 RM 99
PIT 4 RM 142
PIT 5 RM 172
PIT 6 RM 212
PIT 7 RM 257
PIT 8 RM 303 LOCOS MOCOS
PIT 9 RM 352 (IN TOWN)
PIT 10 RM 392
With Baja Pits in mind, you can buy 1 pit, 2 pits, 3 pits or all 10 pits. Go to www.bajapits.com and click on Baja 500 race application for pit prices. Baja Pits and Baja Huskys will be operating a Pre Runners Pit Stop two weekends in a row at RM 162, across from the Valle T Pemex Station. Dates are May 20-21 and May 27-28 from approx. 9 am to 5 pm both weekends. Park your trucks/trailers and pre run from there. Stephen "Steny" Stenberg will be running the pit on May 20-21st. Carlos Orozco will be running the pit on May 27-28. See you there. Baja Pits, in association with Baja Huskys, is operating their free pre-run location around race mile 162-164 on Hwy. 3 in the Valle de Trinidad area of Baja California. The pit stop will be on the Highway and will open from approximately 11:00 am to 6 pm Saturday the 21st and from 9 am to 5 pm Sunday the 22nd. It will open again from 9 am to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday, May 27-28 th as well.
All Racers, members and non members alike of Baja Pits/Baja Huskys are welcome to stop by. Look for the Orange and black Baja Pits triangle pit signs, Husqvarna Race Banners and Husqvarna EZ-Up to mark the pit location each day. We will have limited tools, jacks, water, some food, race radio set to Baja Pits freq, emergency motorcycle tires and tubes, lubricants and a place to stop and unload your vehicles and hub out of during your pre running the lower section of the course.
Contact Stephen Stenberg at Stenberg@Bajapits.com or Stenberg@Bajahuskys.com for any further information. See you there!
Locos Mocos Pit News:
Locos Mocos pit has changed from RM 303 to Just before El Rayo Jct. RM 99. Baja Pits Pit # 3.
ENTRY LIST & RACE DETAILS
Not only is the entry list of nearly 440 vehicles the largest in the long and storied three-decade-plus history of this weekend’s 38th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race, it is also filled with the most former class winners ever in a SCORE race with 88 competitors who have combined for 227 class wins.Included in that illustrious group of former class winners are nine SCORE desert racing daredevils who have combined for 22 Overall 4-wheel vehicle titles and five riders who have combined for 21 Overall motorcycle crowns in the world’s second oldest desert race. The pacemakers in the huge field are Rod Hall and Larry Roeseler, who each have 15 career class wins in this race--the most among active racers.Round 3 of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, featuring a race-record lineup of over 440 entries competing in 25 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held this weekend in Ensenada, Mexico.
While the race itself promises to be one for the ages, we exhort all the racers, chase crews and the more than 150,000 spectators we are expecting to be patient, cautious, and safe. We all want to return from Mexico with nothing but wonderful stories from an incredible racing extravaganza.”Starting and finishing in Ensenada on the majestic Baja California peninsula, this year’s tight and technical 424.29-mile course will run in a clockwise direction, running East into the middle of the peninsula, then South, followed by a West travel section, turning north, then East, North and back West to the finish in Ensenada. The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 9 a.m. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race, and while the fastest vehicles are expected to finish in approximately nine hours, all will have an 18-hour time limit to become official finishers in the summer classic.The starting line area will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center on Boulevard Costero in downtown Ensenada, Mexico. For the first time, the finish line will be at the Campo de Softball Jose Negro Soto Stadium at 11th Street (Calle Once) and Espinoza Avenue in Ensenada. It is located approximately 1.7 miles east of the start line area. NASCAR team owner/driver Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., will defend his overall 4-wheel vehicle and SCORE Trophy-Truck crown as will last year’s overall motorcycle and Class 22 winner Mike Childress, Wrightwood, Calif., who is racing this year on the American Honda A team with Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., and Josh Frederick, Moapa, Nev., the defending Overall ATV champion. Gordon, the 1996 SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion with five career race wins in the marquee SCORE racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks, has announced his plans for his triple-duty week of NASCAR and SCORE racing. Gordon will be commuting this week to and from Dover, Dela., where he will be competing in this week’s NASCAR Nextel Cup race.Gordon, who has four class wins and three overall titles in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, has finalized his plans for the two SCORE Trophy-Trucks he has entered.
Third generation SCORE desert racer Andy McMillin, Poway, Calif., is driver of record this season in the No. 83 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500 that Gordon drove solo in last year to victory in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and Gordon himself is driver of record in the No. 89 Team Gordon Hummer H3. Gordon announced plans last week to drive the No. 83 SCORE Trophy-Truck for the first half of the race before turning the vehicle over to McMillin, who will ride shotgun during the first half. Robby Gordon’s dad Bob Gordon, Orange, Calif., who himself has three class wins and two overalls in this race, will drive the first half, before turning the wheel over to his son to drive the second half. The No. 83 SCORE Trophy-Truck will be the eighth vehicle to leave the line while the No. 89 will start in the 28th slot, 10 minutes later.A total of 16 of the 18 defending 2005 Pro class winners (six classes had no finishers) are entered, although four of them have switched classes. Besides Gordon, Childress and Frederick, other racers who will be back to defend their class titles are George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Danny Ledezma, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 5/1600, 1600cc VW Baja Bug), Todd Wyllie, New River, Ariz. (Class 8, Chevy C1500), Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 9, Garibay-VW) Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 10, Jimco-Honda), Ricardo Malo, Mexicali, Mexico/Arturo Honold, Calexico, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Curry-VW), Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico (Class 30, Honda XR650R), Jim O’Neal, Chatsworth, Calif. (Class 40, Honda XR650R) and Eizaburo Karasawa, Japan (Class 50, Honda XR650R).The four class winners from last year who have switched classes are: Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif. (from Class 1 to separate SCORE Trophy-Trucks), Rob MacCachren/Bryan Freeman (MacCachren from Class 1-2/1600 to SCORE Trophy-Truck and Freeman to Protruck), John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif. (from Class 7S to Class 7SX) and Kirk Schreier, Phoenix (from Class 24 to Class 25).The venerable Hall, 67, Reno, Nev., who earned his first Tecate SCORE Baja 500 class win in 1970 and his most recent in 1994, returns after a 12-year absence as a favorite in the Stock Mini class in his Hummer H3. Hall is the only person who has raced in all 38 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races, where he has the most class wins of anyone with 18.Roeseler, 49, Canyon Lake, Calif., has 11 overall wins in this race including nine on a motorcycle, earning his frist class win 1972 and his most recent in 2004. This year Roeseler will again be the co-driver for Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, in the unlimited Class 1 in a Smithbuilt-Ford open wheel desert race car. Together Herbst and Roeseler earned three straight Class 1 wins in 2002, 2003 and 2004.Two of the other former Overall winners who are entered again this year in Class 1 are SCORE veterans Malcolm Smith and Bud Feldkamp. The two classic desert racers won the overall together in 1978 and 1979, Smith won it again in 1981 with Bill Newbury and Feldkamp won again in 1985 with Ron Gardner.This year, Smith, 65, will be a second driver for Cam Thieriot in the No. 133 RPS-Chevy while Feldkamp, 61, will be the second driver for his son Buddy Feldkamp, 28, in the No. 119 Penhall-Chevy.Marcos Nunez, Ensenada, Mexico, has seven class wins in this race and is entered in Class 5/1600 in a 1600cc VW Baja Bug while racers entered this year with six career class wins are George Erl, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Class 20), Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif. (Class 22), Troy Herbst (Class 1), Jim O’Neal, Chatsworth, Calif. (Class 40) and Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11).Racers entered with five class wins are Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif. (Class 22), Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif. (Class 1), Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif. (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz. (SCORE Trophy-Truck), George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5) and Malcolm Smith.With four class wins each are: Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 9), Robby Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Rick D. Johnson (Protruck), Jerry Penhall, Costa Mesa, Calif. (Class 1), Dean Sundahl, Santee, Calif. (Class 25) and Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix (Class 8).The eight racers with three class wins entered this year are: Mike Cafro, Carlsbad, Calif. (Class 25), Bud Feldkamp (Class 1), Bob Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Eizaburo Karasawa, Japan (Class 50), Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif. (Class 3), J. David Ruvalcaba, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 30), Hector Sarabia, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 5/1600) and Kirk Schreier, Phoenix (Class 25).
BAJARACINGNEWS.COM will be webcasting formatted audio webcasts from the event, starting on Thursday. Additionally, they will have a live webcast from Friday’s pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway from Noon to 2 p.m. PDT.Entries have come from every state in the Western U.S., Hawaii, and Texas, from across the Midwest including South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as New York, Ohio and Massachusetts in the East and Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama in the South. Late registration will be accepted up until race morning, and the current total of 437 entries guarantees a final starting grid of over 400 for this first time in the 38-year history of the race. The current record for number of starters is 384, set in 1976 and tied in 1977. The current record for number of finishers is 202, set in 1988 (332 starters), when the race started in Ensenada and finished in Santo Tomas. Both marks are expected to be eclipsed by this year’s totals. Amazingly, there is actually one 1976 class winner entered this year and two class winners from 1977. Larry Roeseler won Class 21 in 1976 and Class 22 in 1977 while Rod Hall won Class 4 in 1977.To date, entries have been received from 28 U.S. States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan and New Zealand.
The Pro classes with the most entries are: Class 1 (42), SCORE Trophy-Truck, with a class-record 41, SCORE Lite, with a class-record 33, Class 1-2/1600 (30) and Class 22 and Class 30 (each with 17). Leading the Sportsman classes is SPT Motorcycles over 250cc with a class-record 51 for the relatively new class and SPT ATV with a class-record 28 all-terrain vehicles entered.Pre-race festivities for the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held in Ensenada on Friday. Traditionally drawing nearly 50,000 spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and display of every race vehicle will be held behind the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. The post-race awards celebration will be held at the San Nicolas Hotel on Sunday at 10 a.m. Racer and media registration will be held on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Nicolas Hotel. The 2006 SCORE Desert Series includes the chase for the $50,000 Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several qualified 2006 SCORE Class point champions.The 2006 SCORE Desert Series also includes the hunt for the annual Toyota Milestone and $12,000 Toyota True Grit Awards. The prestigious Toyota Milestone Awards are presented to every racer who completes every required mile of every race in the 2006 SCORE Desert Series. The $12,000 Toyota True Grit purse is split among the SCORE season point champions who are also Toyota Milestone award winners in several non-factory-backed classes.
Tecate SCORE Baja 500A l l - T i m e O v e r a l l C h a m p i o n sYear, Cars & Trucks/Motorcycles (second line)1969--Bud Ekins/Guy JonesDoug Douglas/Jim McClurg1970--Parnelli JonesBill Silverthorn/Gene Fetty1971--Bobby FerroMalcolm Smith/J.N. Roberts1972--Bobby FerroGene Fetty/Bill Silverthorn1973--Parnelli JonesHoward Utsey/Mickey Quade1974--Ivan Stewart/Bill HrynkoAl Baker/Steve Holladay1975--Ivan StewartLarry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie1976--Bobby Ferro/Ivan StewartLarry Roeseler/A.C. Bakken1977--Ivan StewartLarry Roeseler/Jack Johnson1978--Bud Feldkamp/Malcolm SmithBrent Wallingsford/Scot Harden1979--Malcolm Smith/Bud FeldkampJack Johnson1980--Bob GordonBruce Ogilvie/Chuck Miller1981--Malcolm Smith/Bill NewburyLarry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie1982--Larry RaglandLarry Roeseler/Chuck Miller1983--Corky & Scott McMillinDan Ashcraft1984--Larry RaglandDan Smith/Dan Ashcraft1985--Ron Gardner/Bud FeldkampKurt Pfeiffer/Scot Harden1986--Corky & Scott McMillinGarth Sweetland/Scot Harden1987--Bob Gordon/Tim CrabtreeLarry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr.1988--Mark McMillinDan Ashcraft/Kurt Pfeiffer1989--Robby Gordon(no motorcycles)1990--Robby GordonLarry Roeseler/Danny LaPorte1991--Ivan StewartGarth Sweetland/Paul Krause1992--Ivan StewartLarry Roeseler/T. Hunnicutt Jr./P. Krause1993--Ivan StewartDanny Hamel/L. Roeseler/T. Hunnicutt Jr.1994--Ivan StewartPaul Krause/Ted Hunnicutt Jr.1995--Curt LeDucPaul Krause/Craig Smith1996--Rob MacCachrenPaul Krause/Ty Davis1997--Ivan StewartJohnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie1998--Ivan StewartJohnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie1999--Ivan StewartJonah Street/Torsten Borstrom2000--Larry RaglandJonah Street/Steve Hengeveld2001--Mark McMillinSteve Hengeveld/Jonah Street2002--Troy Herbst/Larry RoeselerSteve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell2003--Troy Herbst/Larry RoeselerSteve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell 2004--Alan PfluegerSteve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell2005—Robby GordonMike Childress/Mouse McCoyTecate SCORE Baja 500----- Multiple Overall Champions -----Cars & Trucks11 Ivan StewartLarry Roeseler*4 Malcolm Smith**3 Larry RaglandBud FeldkampBobby FerroRobby Gordon2 Bob GordonTroy HerbstParnelli JonesCorky McMillinMark McMillinScott McMillin*Nine on motorcycle**One on motorcycleMotorcycles5 Paul KrauseBruce OgilvieSteve HengeveldJohnny Campbell4 Ted Hunnicutt Jr.3 Jonah StreetScot Harden2 Gene FettyJack JohnsonChuck MillerKurt PfeifferBil Silverthorn
Here is the current story:
2006 is a big-offroad year, with over 400 entries already listed, the Baja 500 is on its way to being the biggest Baja race ever seen. Although it often has more entry than the more infamous Baja 1000, the mere mention of its name doesn’t generate the excitement that the Baja 1000 does. This year may change that.
With the huge starting field, including 44 unlimited Class 1 cars and 40 thundering Trophy Trucks, the competition for the overall win will be hot and heavy. Actually, just getting to the finish line is always tough at a Baja race, and in the 37 year history of the Baja 500, the finish rate has been less than 50% in 19 of the races. It reached its lowest point in 1978, when only 34% of the 282 entrants got back around to the finish line. Malcolm Smith and Bud Feldkamp were the winners that year, and as it happens, both are entered in this year’s race. The best finish rate ever at a 500 was in 1995, when the race started in Ensenada but finished in Santo Tomas. 68% of the 251 starters made it all the way.
This year some of the sport’s most experienced and talented drivers will be racing in the two premier classes, and topping the list is Robby Gordon, who, teamed with Andy McMillin in his number 83 Chevrolet, is scheduled to be the eighth truck to take the green flag. Gordon was last year’s overall winner at the 500, and he’ll be trying for a repeat win.
Ryan Arciero and Mark Miller, in the #88 Chevrolet, and Trophy Truck winners here in the recent past, will also be charging hard, and Trophy Truck fans should also keep an eye on some teams that have had recent wins, like the #2 Ford of Pete Sohren, and the #38 Ford of Garron Cadiente. They’re starting close enough to the front of the class that they’ll be battling hard to get the dust-free point position.
In the Class 1 ranks you can expect to see Damen Jefferies, in his #101 Herman Motorsports chassis, up near the front at the finish, but he has Dale Ebberts and Ernie Castro Jr. starting just a few positions back in their #104 Jimco Toyota. Rick Wilson, #106, has also been running right up front recently in his Chevy Jimco, and Troy Herbst and Larry Roeseler, #112, will be the 12 th Class 1 car off the line in their Truggy and working hard to get through the traffic. Hot on their heels will be Mark McMillin and Brian Ewalt, #100, and Kash Vessels, #114, starts right behind them in his very fast new Alpha-Chevy. But you can’t count out any of the others starting near the front of the Class 1 pack. There’s a ton of talent and good equipment. Anyone who travels out to Ojos Negros to watch the early leaders would certainly get a good show.
Another aspect of this race that may make a difference is the course. Once past the little town of Ojos, the course will turn northward, and head into the trees on a trail never before raced in a SCORE event. It’s tight and technical, and some of the racers who’ve been pre-running think it could possibly turn into a jam-up. SCORE has tried to prevent a recurrence of the race-stopping traffic jams that happened at this race last year over near Simpson’s and in the vicinity of El Coyote. This year the course has been turned back to its “normal” direction in the neighborhood of Simpson’s, and since they’ll be traveling down hill at that point, there’s less likelihood of a traffic jam. Things can still happen in the river crossing, and cars have been known to float down stream, so there’s always a chance for disaster.
Once the cars have made it past the difficult terrain near Mike’s Sky Rancho, El Coyote, and Simpson’s, there’s a long familiar run down past the outskirts of Valle de Trinidad and then out to the shore. Once across Highway 1 the racers will be treated to sea breezes, ocean views and an old familiar trail.
Weary drivers tend to hit the twisty road near Santo Tomas too fast and they slide off the embankments, overshoot the turns, or tangle with the fences. Once past that point they get a short stretch of highway, where they have to watch their speed, or risk disqualification. Then there’s a right turn off the pavement and into Uruapan, where the unwary have been known to run into the inhabitants’ walls. A narrow, winding road beyond Uruapan is often the end of the drive. There are washouts to fall into and embankments to slide off, as well as big rocks and boulders to avoid.
For some racers the hardest part of the trip comes in the 30 miles west of Ojos on the return trip. Even though the same road is used for both the out and inbound ends of the race, many racers get lost when they’re coming in. The markers are usually gone, taken home as souvenirs, and often a damp fog settles into that area and makes it hard to see the road. Tight races are often won or lost in the final few miles.
The exciting races won’t all be in the Trophy Trucks or Class 1 ranks. The tightest battles are often in the 1-2/1600 class, where limited motors and suspension make the cars so equal that smarts, talent and luck play a huge part in determining the finish position. There are nearly 30 of the 1600s in this event, and in the SCORE Lite class, which is also limited, there will be another 30, fighting a tight battle for the win.
Some interesting people will be driving in this race, including Indy 500 “spin and win” racer, Danny Sullivan, who’s entered in the #96 Chevrolet Trophy Truck as co-driver with Bobby Baldwin. Roberto Guerrero, 1984 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, will also be driving, in the #245 Ford Protruck of Eric Place and Chris Lucas. Rhys Millen, champion “drifter” as well as a winning rally driver, will share the driving with Chet Huffman in the #40 Chevy Trophy Truck. Cameron Steele, long time off-road racer, and also Pit Reporter for the Champ Car series on TV, will be trying to be the first driver ever to race (and finish) in three classes. He’s entered in Class 22 on a motorcycle, in the SCORE Lite class, and in his #16 Ford Trophy Truck.
Spectators who go out of town to watch the race will find good viewing near Santa Catarina, and Jamau, each a short distance off Highway 3, near Independencia. There’s also some good spectating down around San Vicente on Highway 1, and at Uruapan, or where the course crosses Highway 3 as it nears the finish, in the neighborhood of Ojos Negros.
While it's likely that the race-record 41 SCORE Trophy-Trucks will grab much of the spotlight, the unlimited Class 1 cars and Class 22 motorcycle division will provide their own special fireworks during next weekend's 38th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the second-oldest desert race in the world.Round 3 of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series, featuring a race-record lineup of over 420 entries competing in 25 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held June 2-4 in Ensenada, Mexico. The race will be filmed for television by Aura360, SCORE'S TV production partner, to air in December as a one-hour special on NBC.With a race-record field of over 420 already guaranteed, 42 unlimited Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars will attempt to capture the overall 4-wheel vehicle title, unseating the marquee SCORE Trophy-Trucks, those high-tech, high-budget, 800-horsepower, unlimited production trucks who have won the overall in nine times in their 12-year history.And while the thundering herd of SCORE Trophy-Trucks and Class 1 race cars blast their way around the Northern part of the Baja peninsula, the growing field of motorcycles and ATVs, now at 159, will be waging their own special challenge against the elements, the competitors and their own mental and physical strength and stamina.Led by last year's overall motorcycle winner Mike Childress and his new co-rider Steve Hengeveld, who has won five of the last six years with different co-riders, Team Honda is nearly invincible, having won nine consecutive Class 22 and Overall motorcycle titles in this race. Class 22 has 16 entries so far this year.
Traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule, over 150,000 spectators are expected to enjoy the world's best desert racers in action around the foreboding deserts, rugged mountains, pristine beaches and inspiring forests of Baja California at this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500.And, if anyone is able to cover the rough and tumble, serenely majestic 429.24-mile course faster than one of the galaxy of SCORE Trophy-Trucks, their family name will probably be Herbst or McMillin, two of the winningest Class 1 families in all of SCORE Baja racing.Both with SCORE Baja racing histories dating back to the 1970, the Herbst family, of Las Vegas, has compiled eight class wins in this race since family patriarch Jerry Herbst won Category 3 in 1970 while the McMillin family, SCORE's first three-generation race team based in San Diego, has notched 13 class wins since second-generation racer Scott McMillin picked the first for his family in 1981 in Class 10.In the hunt for the coveted Overall 4-wheel vehicle title, the Herbsts have two (Troy Herbst-2002, 2003) and the McMillins have four (family patriarch Corky McMillin and his second son Scott-1983, 1986 and Corky's oldest son Mark McMillin-1988-2001)."I guess you could say that both the Herbst family and the McMillin family know a thing or two about SCORE racing in Baja," said Troy Herbst, a six-time SCORE Class 1 season point champ who has 18 Class 1 race wins since 1997. "I can say without a doubt that the key word here is family. Both the Herbsts and the McMillins have been at this for 30 years or more and we both have great family support, dads who brought us out to the desert when we were still in diapers and dedicated crews that give us great equipment to drive. "As many great racers as there are in SCORE racing, anyone can win at any time, but the Herbsts and McMillins have sure had our share. As for beating the SCORE Trophy-Trucks, who cares? Seriously, you can't beat them unless you beat all the Class 1 cars first and with 42 Class 1s in Mexico that is a huge tamale to consider before even looking at the trucks. Either way, I'm sure the Herbsts and the McMillins will go out and give it our all, have a whole lot of fun, and you we'll just have to stay tuned and see what happens.
"When it comes to Class 1 in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, either a Herbst or a McMillin has won it in 10 of the last 12 years, and nine of the last 10.In that incredible string of Class 1 victories, Troy Herbst has captured the checkered flag six times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004).Starting this stretch for the McMillins was Corky McMillin, who passed away last September 22 at age 76 still a SCORE regular, and his son Mark in 1994. Mark McMillin picked up two more Class 1 wins in 1997 and 2001. Last year, Scott McMillin and his son Andy McMillin won Class 1.This year, both Scott McMillin and Andy McMillin will be driving separate vehicles in the SCORE Trophy-Truck division, but Mark McMillin, the defending SCORE point series Class 1 season champion, will carry the McMillin colors in the No. 100 McMillin Racing Chevy-powered Jimco.Daniel McMillin, 18, Mark's son, will be the fourth McMillin competing this year, racing in Class 1-2/1600.For the Herbst family, Troy Herbst and his older brothers Ed and Tim, will all be competing. Troy, the youngest at 39, will split driving with Larry Roeseler, who has an amazing 15 class wins including 11 overall titles in this race. Herbst and Roeseler have teamed up for a rare triple, winning Class 1 in 2002, 2003 and 2004, including the overall the first two years. The will drive the No. 112 Terrible Herbst Motorsports Smithbuilt-Ford.Ed Herbst, 45, and Tim Herbst, 43, the winningest team in SCORE Trophy-Truck history with 11 class wins and four season point crowns, will split driving in the No. 19 Terrible Herbst Motorsports Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck. Ironically, they are still looking for their first win in SCORE Trophy-Truck in this race.At the top of the list of talented challengers to knock off Troy Herbst and Mark McMillin are brothers Gary and Mark Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore. After racing in separate vehicles the first two races, they have joined forces to drive the No. 121 Jimco-Chevy. Gary Weyhrich, 38, is the current Class 1 and overall point leader in the SCORE Desert Series, starting the year with a victory at the season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in January and following that up with a second to Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler in the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 in March.Two other former Overall winners from Class 1 who are entered again this year in Class 1 are SCORE veterans Malcolm Smith and Bud Feldkamp.
The two classic desert racers won the overall together in 1978 and 1979, Smith won it again in 1981 with Bill Newbury and Feldkamp won again in 1985 with Ron Gardner.This year, Smith, 65, will be a second driver for Cam Thieriot in the No. 133 RPS-Chevy while Feldkamp, 61, will be the second driver for his son Buddy Feldkamp, 28, in the No. 119 Penhall-Chevy.Including Childress, defending class champions in four of the five motorcycle classes are back this year as well as Josh Frederick, Moapa, Nev., the returning Class 25 open ATV overall champion. Returning motorcycle class winners are Gerardo Rojas, Class 30, Jim O'Neal, Class 40, and Eizaburo Karasawa, Class 50. Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico, has two straight wins in Class 30, for riders over 30 years old. O'Neal, Chatsworth, Calif., has put together talented teams to win Class 40 for five consecutive years and his Class 30 win in 2002 give him six class wins for his career in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Japan's Karasawa has three class wins, two in Class 40 prior to Class 50 last year.Starting and finishing in Ensenada on the majestic Baja California peninsula, this year's tight and technical course will run in a clockwise direction, running East into the middle of the peninsula, then South, followed by a West travel section, turning north, then East, North and back West for the final charge back into Ensenada.
The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday (June 3) for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 9 a.m. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race, with an 18-hour time limit to become official finishers.Entries have come from every state in the Western U.S., Hawaii, and Texas, from across the Midwest including South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as New York, Ohio and Massachusetts in the East and Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama in the South. A race-record total of 420 official entries have been received to date, an increase of 93 more entries since the April 22 drawing for start positions.With late entries accepted up until race morning, entries have been received from 28 U.S. States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan and New Zealand, all preparing to challenge the very technical and rugged 424.29-mile course. As of today, the Pro classes with the most entries are: Class 1 (42), SCORE Trophy-Truck, with a class-record 41, SCORE Lite, with a class-record 33, Class 1-2/1600 (27) and Class 22 and Class 30 (each with 16). Leading the Sportsman classes is SPT Motorcycles over 250cc with a class-record 50 for the relatively new class and SPT ATV with a class-record 25 all-terrain vehicles entered.The starting line area will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in downtown Ensenada, Mexico. The finish line will be at the softball and soccer field complex at 11th Street near Guadalupe Avenue in Ensenada.
It is located approximately 1.7 miles east of the start line area. Pre-race festivities for the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held in Ensenada on Friday (June 2). Traditionally drawing approximately 50,000 spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer's Midway and display of every race vehicle will be held adjacent to the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday (June 2). The post-race awards celebration will be held at the San Nicolas Hotel on Sunday (June 4) at 10 a.m. Racer and media registration will be held on Thursday (June 1) from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday (June 2) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Nicolas Hotel.The 2006 SCORE Desert Series includes the chase for the $50,000 Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several qualified 2006 SCORE Class point champions.The 2006 SCORE Desert Series also includes the hunt for the annual Toyota Milestone and $12,000 Toyota True Grit Awards. The prestigious Toyota Milestone Awards are presented to every racer who completes every required mile of every race in the 2006 SCORE Desert Series. The $12,000 Toyota True Grit purse is split among the SCORE season point champions who are also Toyota Milestone award winners in several non-factory-backed classes.
2006 “Baja 500” Real-Time Status Test Program
Great idea. The bane of the Weatherman Relay is the requests for status. Status wouldn't be a problem if that were all I had to do. With your volunteers calling the relay on another channel we already monitor, we could keep our records up to date and keep the Weatherman channel open for emergencies, SCORE business, and relays. We monitor the following channels: 151.625 Weatherman, 154.515 PCI customer relay, and from time- to- time the SCORE private channel … and channels we are accomplishing relays on. I would make the following suggestions: 1) Use a standardized form to log the passing vehicles and their times (e.g., TOP TIPS). It may not be possible, time wise, for the Weatherman Relay to take times, however, it would be helpful if we could go back to the reporter and subsequently get the time. 2) Instead of the Pete’s Camp frequency, use 154.515. This is because no race team or the Weatherman Relay can realistically monitor another frequency. Let me know what your thoughts are so I have time to implement them if possible.
Bob “Weatherman” Steinberger
At the 2006 “San Felipe 250” Bob Steinberger, aka “The Weatherman”, was totally swamped by “Code Red” calls, on-course issues, and, most important, a never-ceasing onslaught from crew members and spectators asking about “their car”. The workload quickly became an overload, so much so that an increasingly-irritated Bob had to curtail all “status” calls. As Bob noted, everyone has a radio now and many use The Weatherman channel for chit-chat!
In an effort to provide useful, real-time “status” a group of San Felipe-ians have been given permission by Sr. Rafael Navarro – the owner of “Pete’s Campo” -- to use his frequency to broadcast car status during the “500”.