CLICK HERE NOW! LIVE ! WEBCAST BAJA 250
Truck Jumps Crazy Fan During Baja Race - Watch more Race Videos
CLICK HERE SATURDAY, MARCH 13, LIVE RACE
CLICK HERE FOR SAN FELIPE 250 FACT SHEET!
SCHEDULE - NOTICES -
WEBCAST TIMES HEREBaja Racing News.com EXCLUSIVE LIVE EVENT
MARCH 12-14 LIVE WEBCAST HERE
CLICK HERE FOR 2009 RACE
CLICK HERE FOR 2008 RACE
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEOS
FROM PAST RACES
CLICK HERE FOR THE
RACE BETTIN' ODDS
CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL SAN FELIPE 250 BAJA FACT SHEET!
Rumors, Trash Talk and Daily San Felipe Reports...
REPORTED DAILY!
TO FRIDAY, March 12
SPY PICS
Race List includes 67 desert racers with 151 combined class victories
In Saturday’s 24th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250
Entries from 25 U.S. States, Nine countries with 31 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, 20 in Class 1, 16 in SCORE Lite;
Entered with most class wins: O’Neal-10, Solorzano-9, Campbell-8, MacCachren and Roeseler-6,
LeDuc-5, Hengeveld, Tim Herbst, Morton and Rojas-4
LIVE photos, text/audio/video: Pre-race, START & FINISH
LIVE vehicle Tracking: Baja Racing News.com
""SAN FELIPE, Mexico—Racers always seem to return to places of past success and this weekend’s
24th Annual MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 will certainly be no exception as 67 desert racers who have combined for 151 class wins are all part of the ferocious field of nearly 275 entries in this popular spring race on Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula.
Attracting entries from 25 states and nine countries, the lineup includes 31 entries in SCORE Trophy-Truck, the marquee racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks. Round 2 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will be held this weekend in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe, located 120 miles south of the U.S. border on the East side of the Baja California peninsula along the azure waters of the tranquil Sea of Cortez.
With nearly 275 entries expected, which would be among the top five totals in race history, competition will be held in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes in the 248-mile race. The green flag will drop at 6 a.m. Pacific Time Saturday, for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed three hours later by the car and truck classes at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific Time. The start and finish line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. One vehicle will start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with an 11-hour time limit to become an official finisher.
The field includes racers from the last 11 overall motorcycle winners as well as 10 of the last 14 overall 4-wheel vehicle winners. Also entered are 25 class winners from last year’s race.
Arizona’s Ron Whitton and Southern California’s Robby Bell received the first starts for four-wheel and two-wheel vehicles in the computerized drawing for starting positions. Whitton races in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division while Bell competes in Class 22 for open motorcycles where he has three class and overall wins in this event.
The pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and tech inspection of the vehicles in the race will be held on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the picturesque Malecon, flanked by the Sea of Cortez on one side and the popular restaurants and night clubs of San Felipe on the other.
Racer registration will be held Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Bandidos Cantina. At 10 a.m. on Sunday, the awards celebration will be held in front of The Beachcomber Night Club on the Malecon.
SCORE Trophy-Trucks have won 14 overalls in San Felipe in the first 16 years of its history.
In the first 23 years of this race, Honda has earned 14 overall motorcycle victories (including the last four years), Kawasaki has six, KTM has two and Husqvarna has one.
This year’s race will use a 248-mile race course that is very similar to the past two years with a few major modifications beyond those caused by normal weather conditions. It runs in a counter clockwise direction out of San Felipe up to and then parallel to Highway 3 (south side). It then heads south back down through three of the most picturesque, challenging washes and magnificent canyons in all of Baja.
The rugged course has four physical checkpoints and 12 virtual checkpoints as each vehicle is required to use a tracking device obtained through International Racing Consultants for vehicle safety and tracking purposes.
Leading the gregarious group of 31 racers with at least two class wins in this race entered this year are: Jim O’Neal (Classes 30, 50 and 60) with 10 age group motorcycle wins--all in the last nine years, Eric Solorzano with nine class wins in Class 11 for stock VW Sedans, Johnny Campbell (Class 22) who has eight motorcycle class wins, Rob MacCachren (SCORE Trophy-Truck) and Larry Roeseler (SCORE Trophy-Truck, who each have six and Curt LeDuc (SCORE Trophy-Truck) who has five career class wins in San Felipe. O’Neal has raced in all 23 previous SCORE San Felipe 250 races.
Also entered this year are four racers who each have four class wins here: SCORE Trophy-Truck racer Tim Herbst (SCORE Trophy-Truck) along with motorcycle racers Steve Hengeveld (Class 22), Tim Morton (Class 40) and Gerardo Rojas (Class 30).
San Diego’s son/father team of Andy and Scott McMillin, the last overall winners in this race from Class 1 (2005, Jimco-Chevy) are racing in SCORE Trophy-Truck in the No. 31 McMillin Homes Ford F-150, which has won the last two SCORE races--last year’s season-ending Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 and this year’s season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge. Scott McMillin has three class wins in San Felipe.
Drawing the first starting slot for the unlimited Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars was Germany’s Armin Schwarz and teammate Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif. Riding the first ATV off the line will be Class 25 team led by Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif. Schwarz has one class win, Christensen two and Matlock has three class victories in this race.
NASCAR Cup team owner/driver Robby Gordon, the reigning SCORE Overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion who finished second in San Felipe last year in the No. 1 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500, is taking his ‘spring break’ from his day job as NASCAR is off this week. Normally, he has to pull double duty with SCORE and NASCAR. Gordon has two class wins in this race.
At the 24th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, MasterCraft Racing has entered not only company owner Robbie Pierce’s No. 30 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck, but also the No. 20 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck to be driven by eight-time SCORE season class point champion Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas and the No. 42 Chevy Silverado driven by Will Staats, Valencia, Calif. All three trucks were built by prominent chassis builder Mike Julson’s Jimco Racing Products of Santee, Calif. Julson is listed as a co-driver for both Pierce and MacCachren for this race, if needed.
The MasterCraft racers will not be eligible to win any part of the special $10,000 MasterCraft Safety cash contingency bonus purse MasterCraft Safety has offered for this year’s San Felipe race.
In San Felipe, Pierce will start fourth, MacCachren 19th and Staats 23rd in the massive SCORE Trophy-Truck field.
Following January’s season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series is visiting Mexico for the first of three races in 2010.
As of today, SCORE Trophy-Truck has the most entries with 31, followed by the unlimited Class 1
with 20, SCORE Lite and Class 1-2/1600 with 16 each. While 256 official entries have been received to date, late registration will be accepted up until race morning.
Among the motorcycle classes, the open Class 22 has the most vehicles entered to date with 11.
Class 24 has the most ATVs entered so far with 17.
BAJA RACING NEWS.com Provides Exclusive Race Coverage and LIVE! Racing!
Live internet coverage, with photos, text, audio and video, can be found on Friday and Saturday through www.bajaracingnews.com with live vehicle tracking on Saturday.
In addition to season class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing for part of the nearly $400,000 in cash purse and contingency postings as well as earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 25th consecutive year, a total of 59 drivers remain eligible after Round 1 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series. Racers are also competing for the annual SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year awards, including the MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Year award.""
*
""Rob MacCachren Teams With Rockstar Energy and MasterCraft Safety For
2010 SCORE International Season
With a career filled with 167 event victories and 19 series championships piloting everything from limited class buggies and stock Ford pickups to Trophy Trucks and the Pro 2 Unlimited trucks, Rob MacCachren is able to pick and choose exactly who he works with. In a tough economy where every racer is fighting for sponsorship dollars, it is an enviable position to say the least. So who exactly does the off-road racing legend choose to endorse? “The choice to align myself with MasterCraft Safety and Rockstar Energy was an easy one,” explains the multiple Baja 1000 and Borg Warner Cup champion. “These companies share my commitment to winning, regardless of whether the venue is desert or short course racing.”
To that end, MacCachren will be piloting the No. 20 Rockstar Energy/MasterCraft Safety Trophy Truck for the entire 2010 SCORE International season, adding to a busy schedule that also includes the Lucas Oil Off Road Series races. MacCachren’s all black Jimco-built Rockstar Energy/MasterCraft Safety Trophy Truck will be 21st off the starting line in the upcoming San Felipe 250, while teammate, Robbie Pierce will be the fourth Trophy Truck to leave the line in his own No. 30 Jimco-built MasterCraft Safety/Rockstar Energy Trophy Truck. MacCachren finished seventh at the first SCORE event of the season in Laughlin, Nevada, where only 28% of the premiere Trophy Trucks completed the course. “Jimco builds such a fast and reliable machine, and now that Rockstar Energy and MasterCraft Safety are providing me a chance to campaign my own truck for the entire SCORE desert racing season, I think that we are a real threat for the season points championship,” MacCachren stated following the race.""
*JCR/Honda's Kendall Norman wins round 3 of the the AMA Racing National H&H, Head To San Felipe 250
 | ||
| JCR/Honda's Kendall Norman puts his Honda CRF450X to work and comes away with a big win at round 3 of the the AMA Racing National Hare & Hound Championship Series In the worst conditions imaginable Kendall Norman took the lead right out the gate and led from start to finish. It was like a Last Man Standing race and Kendall was unstoppable. |
*
CANIDAE Sponsored RPO Motorsports Trophy Truck Heads to Baja for San Felipe 250
Team CANIDAE and the CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods RPO Motorsports Trophy Truck are ready to take on the harsh conditions of the Baja peninsula as well as the top drivers from around the world in the 2010 SCORE San Felipe 250.As the pieces fall into place for the 23rd running of the San Felipe 250, the CANIDAE Racing team finds itself ahead of schedule with the preparation of the race truck. To race at this level the CANIDAE Trophy Truck, driven by Scott Whipple and Scott Gailey, is being stripped all the way down to the bare frame and rebuilt from the ground up. This process takes hundreds of man hours to disassemble, inspect, rebuild or replace and reassemble every component of the truck. None of this would be possible without a great working relationship with parts suppliers and sponsors.
With competitors from 24 states and eight countries, the highlight will be the 34 entries in SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks. Held in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe, located 120 miles south of the U.S. border, 275 vehicles will compete in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes in the 248 mile race.The green flag will drop at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific time, Saturday the 13th of March. The start and finish line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. One vehicle will start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with an 11-hour time limit to become an official finisher. This course will prove to be one of the toughest races of the year with endless miles of huge holes and hidden rocks challenging the racers.
Race fans can also follow the team progress in real-time by visiting www.bajaracingnews.com. By clicking on the “Race Tracking” tab on the main page one can then click directly onto the CANIDAE Racing tracking page where fans will see the speed of the race truck during the race as well as other competitors in the field. Don’t miss a second of the action.
*The Matlock Racing team is prepared to head south to Baja once again and will be riding to defend its San Felipe Overall win title for the third consecutive year on March 13.
Fresh off an Overall win at the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the team is eager to get the 2010 SCORE season started off right. This year’s team will consist of Wayne Matlock, Josh Caster and Wes Miller aboard the Matlock Racing Honda TRX700XX. Matlock and Caster are part of last year’s San Felipe winning team while this will be Miller’s first San Felipe race.
With the #1A race prep by Rich Morel racing motors and the Matlock Racing team, the race quad is ready for the extremely rough deserts of San Felipe, Baja. Each member of the team is excited to begin prerunning their sections of the course and ready themselves for the tough competition and course conditions they will face on race day.
Matlock Racing's race-prepped Honda TRX700XX.
With over 275 entries at this year’s race the competition should be fierce. The race course’s 248 miles will cover some of the roughest terrain Baja has to offer including some very infamous Baja racing locations, names like Matomi, Huatamote and Chanate washes, Zoo Road, Old Puertecitos Road and Diablo Dry Lake. These locations will test the racers as they work to lead the pack and cross the finish line first under the famous arches in San Felipe.
The #1A Matlock Racing quad will start first off the line and will be working hard to gain time on the competition from the drop of the green flag all the way to the crossing of the finish line and the checkered flag.
*As pre-running over the rugged race course heats up for next week’s 24th Annual MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, NASCAR Cup team owner/driver and ""Baja Racing News.com named KING OF BAJA 2009, Robby Gordon, 2009 SCORE Desert Racing Series & TROPHY TRUCK CHAMPION"", leads 25 defending SCORE Desert Series season point champions among a veteran field that includes many of the world’s best desert racers who have entered this crazy-popular desert off-road race.Baja Racing News.com will closely follow the huge field of Trophy Trucks with our coverage named, "San Felipe - Blood and Sand". Exclusive insider coverage of the "Monsters of the Midway", the unlimited power desert off-road racing trucks, begins March 7. Stay Tuned>>>
"Nearly 275 cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs from 24 U.S. States, Nine countries Including 34 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, 20 in Class 1 expected for March 13 desert race"
Attracting entries from 24 states and eight countries, the lineup includes a race-record 34 entries in SCORE Trophy-Truck, the marquee racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks. Round 2 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will be held next weekend in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe, located 120 miles south of the U.S. border on the East side of the Baja California peninsula along the azure waters of the tranquil Sea of Cortez.
With nearly 275 entries expected, which would be among the top five totals in race history, competition will be held in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes in the 248-mile race. The green flag will drop at 6 a.m. Pacific time next Saturday, for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed three hours later by the car and truck classes at approximately 10 a.m. local time. The start and finish line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. One vehicle will start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with an 11-hour time limit to become an official finisher.
An added attraction this year during the pre-running window is this weekend’s San Felipe Tequila Festival. More info on this event LOADING NOW>>>
Gordon, 41, Charlotte, N.C., who won the 2009 SCORE Trophy-Truck and SCORE Overall season point title in his No. 1 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500, is one of eight 2009 SCORE class season crown winners who did not win their respective classes in this race. Gordon finished second in his class and overall in San Felipe last year. Originally from Orange, Calif., Gordon had two firsts, one second, one fifth and one seventh to earn his second career SCORE Trophy-Truck point championship in 2009. He has nine career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins in the 16-plus year history of the marquee racing division.
The seven other 2009 SCORE season champs entered who didn’t win their respective classes in last year’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 are Randy Wilson, Lakewood, Calif. (Class 1, Jimco-Chevy), Eric Duran, Tecate, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600, Neth-VW), Brent Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Moulton-VW), Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif. (Class 6 Ford Ranger), Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger), Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va. (Class 8, Chevy Silverado) and his RPM Off-Road teammate Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn. (Stock Full, Dodge Ram2500).
The defending SCORE season point titlists entered this year who did win their respective classes include four in SCORE Pro four-wheel vehicle classes and eight more in Pro motorcycle and ATV classes.
Returning four-wheel class drivers of record are: Mike Lawrence, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Class 10, Lothringer-VW), Kevin Carr, San Diego (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11, VW Sedan) and Gavin Skilton, Anaheim, Calif. (England) (Stock Mini, Honda Ridgeline).
At the top of the defending 2009 SCORE Pro motorcycle and ATV class point champions entered this year in San Felipe who also won their classes in this race last year are the Overall motorcycle and Overall ATV race winners. Last year’s overall motorcycle champion was the Johnny Campbell Racing Honda team of Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Tim Weigand, Santa Clarita, Calif. on the No. 1x Honda CRF450X and the Overall ATV winners were the team of Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Harold Goodman Jr., Brownstown, Mich./Josh Caster, El Cajon, Calif., on the No. 1a Honda TRX700X.
The four other defending 2009 SCORE motorcycle season point champions entered this year are: Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Rex Cameron, Albuquerque, N.M., last year’s SCORE Overall motorcycle point champions (Class 30, Honda CRF450X), Carlos Casas, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 21, KTM 450XCF), Brian Campbell, Bakersfield, Calif. (Class 40, KTM 450XCF) and Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif. (Class 50, Honda CRF450X).
Casas and Campbell are both listed as second riders this year while O’Neal is the only racer who has competed in all 23 previous SCORE San Felipe races and has the most all-time class wins in this race with 10 entering this year, all consecutive class wins since 2001 with two wins in 2005 (Classes 30 and 40 for riders over 30 and 40 years old).
Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif., is the defending SCORE Overall ATV and Class 24 season point champion including a San Felipe win on a Honda TRX450R. Reid Rutherford, Montrose, Calif., won the Class 26 season crown last year and the San Felipe race on an Arctic Cat but has switched to a trucks this year and is entered in Class 7-2 in a BajaLite-Chevy.
Five of the 2009 SCORE Sportsman class season point champions are also entered in this year’s San Felipe race as well although Manuel Jimenez of San Felipe, who won last season’s SPT ATV point title, has moved up this year to the Pro Class 24. Returning to race in Sportsman classes are 2009 season point champions Peter Lang, Santa Rosa, Calif. (SPT Car, Homebuilt-Chevy), Joe Aguayo, San Jacinto, Calif. (SPT Truck, Ford F-150), Thomas Graves, El Cajon, Calif. (SPT UTV, Yamaha Rhino) and Jeff Leonard, Bakersfield, Calif. (SPT M/C>250cc, Honda CRF450X).
Lang and Leonard both won their classes in last year’s San Felipe race.
SCORE Trophy-Trucks have won 14 overalls in San Felipe in their 16-plus-year history.
In the first 23 years of this race, Honda has earned 14 overall motorcycle victories (including the last four years), Kawasaki has six, KTM has two and Husqvarna has one.
This year’s race will use a 248-mile race course that is very similar to the past two years with a few modifications beyond those caused by normal weather conditions. Running in a counter clockwise direction out of San Felipe up to and then parallel to Highway 3 (south side). Racers will then head south, back down through three of the most picturesque, challenging washes and magnificent canyons in all of Baja Mexico.
As of today, SCORE Trophy-Truck had the most entries with 34, followed by the unlimited Class 1's,
with 19 and Class 1-2/1600 with 14. While 231 entries have been received to date, late registration will be accepted up until race morning.
Among the motorcycle classes, the open Class 22 has the most vehicles entered to date with 12.
Class 24 has the most ATVs entered so far with 16.
""Contingency on the "Malecon", the seaside walkway on the white sands of San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez, is where the pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and technical inspection of the 'monsters of the desert' will be held on Friday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. The picturesque Malecon, flanked by the Sea of Cortez on one side and the popular restaurants and night clubs of San Felipe on the other, is where fans from around the globe meet and greet their fellow fanatics and enjoy the best that Baja Mexico, has to offer.""
At 10 a.m. on Sunday morning (March 14), the awards celebration will be held in front of The Beachcomber Night Club on the Malecon.
At the 24th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, MasterCraft Racing has entered not only company owner Robbie Pierce’s No. 30 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck, but also the No. 20 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck to be driven by eight-time SCORE season class point champion Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas and the No. 42 Chevy Silverado driven by Will Staats, Valencia, Calif. All three trucks were built by prominent chassis builder Mike Julson’s Jimco Racing Products of Santee, Calif. Julson is listed as a co-driver for both Pierce and MacCachren for this race, if needed.
In San Felipe, the Mastercraft crew, Pierce will start fourth, MacCachren 21st and Staats 25th in the massive SCORE Trophy-Truck field.""
*On the first weekend of open prerunning, not many teams here in San Felipe. The throng of teams are due down this week!*This San Felipe Baja 250 has transformed over time to a flat out desert drag race. Since it started, the desert 250, in the southern desert area around the sleepy coastal hamlet of San Felipe is now turning out to be one of the most exciting desert fights among the country club, more-money-than-brains teams of off-road desert racing.
Now that technology and mechanical know-how has caught up with the lunatic fringe of desert racing, some teams are now running flat out over the nasty race course in San Felipe.
A 250 mile desert off-road drag race.
Stay out of the racers way, they could rip your leg off!
*Jamie Campbell, brother of famous Honda rider Johnny Campbell all of the San Clemente area, has started spilling the beans on why Scam Steele and his baby Trophy Truck program is now famous for blowing trannies and motors. He's also the driver/truck chief of the #16 truck. "Culhane/Stonie does our transmissions and Dougans for our motors. #16 did have a converter and transmission failure at Laughlin and a motor and several transmission failures at Primm, already!"
*From inside the McMillin racing team: "Andy McMillin has the Kroyer package, motor and transmission, his uncle Mark McMillin has the Patton motor and RDE transmission. It's about how much money you can spend in a season and how new your truck is. Its also about the whole package from the team, equipment, driver and engineering experience". * The jump at Zoo Road has been graded flat! The humanity!!
*"Official" Prerunning begins this weekend for the San Felipe 250 Baja Mexico, desert off-road race.
*Robby Gordon Motorsports report: "We popped one of our $98K engines testing in San Felipe this weekend."
*Team Smack Talk has begun!
Baja Racing News.com quotes from the Racers Today!
LOADING NOW>>>
Whats happening in San Felipe today?
Robby Gordon is down in San Felipe right now for 3 days with David Gilliland testing some new shock cooling stuff... Since he has that whole reduction box thing figured out he can make his shocks better?
Gordon is towing the Trophy Truck behind one of his Dakar Frieghtliners.(Pictured)
From Joe Moore of the Baja Fools:
"Hasn't Andy McMillin won 9 of 12 in his Geiser, or something ridiculous like that. If he doesn't brake, he wins. Andy/Scott + Geiser + Greg Williams + Todd Tenbroek = Unbeatable. If anyone beats them straight up in SF I will be very surprised. We are witnessing the beginning of a new era of domination. Like Ivan, Ashley/Smith, LR, JC, and Uncle Mark. Ya its a desert race and anything can happen, but Andy will probably win."
From the Mastercraft TT Team:
"So who's gonna get hit this race? Last year we had a guy get his leg ripped off and died and the cops cameraman that was hit by a class one car and air lifted out. Mayhem!
No matter what happens it's gonna be entertaining that's for sure! 34 Trophy Trucks getting after it on one of the roughest courses possible. We can't wait!!! This one can't be won in the first 40 miles but it sure can be lost in the first 40..."
From Shannon Dierkop:
"Cameraman? If you call a drunk arse local thats been up all night drinking in the middle of the coarse with his CAMERA PHONE then , Yeah cameraman stay off the coarse! Zoo road is like parting a sea of idiots."
From Andy McMillin:
"I am not lifting my foot off the right pedal until I cross the finish line.
If Scam puts an RDE transmission in his truck before the race in San Felipe, he should be good to go. If not, I may see him at mile 19 where I found myself sitting doing a tranny drill in 2006.
Racing, at least for me, is about having fun. Not how many rear bumpers I can hit before the finish line (Although, that is pretty damn fun!). The only truck I have my sights on nerfing is the #1 truck."
From Mark Weyhrich
"The reduction idea is not a secret. There are simply not that many people out there willing to give it a try in the desert. Everyone will be watching you and Tavo Vildosola to see how well they hold up.
This will be a great test. If it works, the reduction box can literally change the cost structure of Trophy Truck racing.
Oh, and it is my belief that the Robby Gordon Trophy Truck is at a distinct disadvantage on the extreme rough sections of this race course. However, half of this race is run in the washes and Rob's truck is crazy nimble in those situations.
Incredible town, incredible race course and incredible field of competitors. Whatever happens, this will be an EPIC San Felipe race.Pete Sohren is running with one (a reduction box) in this race. It is good to see someone putting some miles on this package. I truly believe it is the next step in TT. It has the potential to lead to dramatic cost savings throughout the entire drivetrain. I only wish it had been more proven before we decided to spend $120,000 on the engine/transmission package for our new Jimco TT (Trophy Truck). The reduction box (conceptually) changes the final drive ratio and is used regularly in short course racing.
Look at the quickness and speed Pete was able to achieve with a $10,000 motor (albeit used) versus many other teams out there. I also hear it runs on pump gas?
Necessity is the mother of invention my friends. Pete has a need? to race Trophy Truck class and an additional need to do so as economically as possible. It leads to progress. Props to him for being the guinea pig on this one.
While I do not pretend to know exactly what Pete is spending, here are some additional numbers we are looking at:
No reduction box: Engine w/Electronics $96,000; Transmission $18,500; Rear Gear $5,000; Total $119,500. Approximate costs to maintain these for a year (6 races) are: Engine $50,000; Transmission $30,000; Rear Gear $30,000; Total $110,000.
With reduction box: Engine w/Electronics $74,000; Transmission $7,500; Rear Gear $2,200; Total $83,700. Maintenance costs: Engine $30,000; Transmission $18,000; Rear Gear $6,600; Total $56,600.
I will save all of you some time by telling you up front that there is no point in questioning my first set of numbers. If anyone would know it would be me, as I am the one writing the checks. Having said that, remember the second numbers are estimates and I believe many of the numbers are still quite high. "
From Pete Sohren:
"1. Andy McMillin never passes the donkey (My Truck, while he's moving)...2. They both blast to the front and pass andy's hero before rm35.......3. I plan to be close behind to watch the carnage...4. Superior equipment and tire management will prevail...Yes I win in the end..............with the pump-gas engine package and secret weapon reduction box..
900+ miles so far...and not only more reliable but qualified first trophy truck at parker due to only having it...r and p still looks perfect as well and it is not a high dollar one...free advise for you this time Mark W. Word on the street is that the Chet Huffman Motorsports machine will be running in the San Felipe race with Welchel at the wheel, he will be charging hard from the back as well."From Scam Steele:
"We have been passed one time while under power since starting the TT thing in 2004(5?). Strangely enough it was in San Felipe by a Geiser truck that started behind us...we were staying on program and had passed 4 trucks already and Garron went nuts and caught us. We caught him back while he was waiting for a tranny and we expressed that we thought he was #1 as we passed with the standard DA salute.
I will take the bet and press it up. Me + Rick Geiser (partner in racing) + Jeff Geiser (builder of said truck in late '07, except cab which is older) + Todd Tenbroek and John Marking at FOX + Cody Stuart right seat + Jamie Campbell (in charge of truck) + Yokohama's newest tire + a little secret + what I call superior data.
If I were to be passed by Andy/Scott McMillin I would feel some shame but less than had I been passed by most other Trophy Trucks of our day. If you have a Geiser on FOX with a solid drive train (duh Kroyer is GNARLY) then you are a force to be reckoned with. I will say that I believe the podium will be all Geiser and even though Pete has limited funding I respect him as a challenger for this race and all others. "
From Clyde Stout:
"Will I do have to say Scam can drive and he know how to prerun and that from being his partner for a few years. Andy is fast as well and when Cam's team works out the problems there having Andy will not pass him! Oh and I'm about 10 minutes behind you guys if I don't crash."
The trash talk begins, Scam Steele and his fully sponsored rig "won't be passed", Pete Sohren has his new reduction box with old u-joints and "is going to win with fresh tires", Clyde Stout will "crash but finish", Andy McMillin is "undefeated since he came from the womb" and the #1 Robby Gordon rig is going to take his #1 plate, trick shock cooling and take it all.
*San Felipe Notes..Be prepared for the changes!
Team 71 Reports:
"Road construction from the army checkpoint at 3 poles towards SF for a few miles. The bypass road was in good condition and we had no problems pulling our trailer. No delays. Crossing the border, MX customs wanted to see all the vehilce registrations and was careful to check them against the VINs...... They also wanted us to start the trailered vehicle for them, not sure why.
Going south the road work starts a mile or 2 before 3 poles (check point) and continues for (I'm guessing) 10 miles. They have traffic diverted to the side of the road for the whole distance. The side road is not bad but it will definitely add 5 or 10 minutes to your travel time and could make race day interesting as well.
We also saw that there is a new fence all along the hwy once south of the checkpoint. It looks to run mostly unbroken all the way from the checkpoint to zoo road - chase access from the hwy is going to be more difficult this year.
Teams should take note of this... UNBROKEN means there are almost no entry points into this portion (that we saw)... from 3 poles to darn-near zoo road!! Access isn't gunna be what it used to be in this section (meaning further clumping of spectators and chase teams). The old baja is slowly slipping away. Plan your chasing accordingly.
We ran the Huatamote yesterday with 9 desert vehicles. We spend a lot of time out there and have never seen the Huatamote this bad. The heavy rain really did a number."
*Course change announced today:
Baja 250 at San Felipe now has 248 running miles. Course change at RM 188 in west Huatamote Wash, course now heads south on 2009 course and swings back north, adding 16 miles. Lots of places to dual-pit.
Official start of pre-running starts Saturday, February 27, though, many teams started weeks ago. Growing Field of Competitors Preparing As Prerunning Starts Saturday For MasterCraft Safety Tecate San Felipe 250. Nearly 275 cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs from 22 U.S. States and eight countries, including 34 SCORE Trophy-Trucks expected for March 13 desert race in San Felipe, Baja Norte, Mexico.
Baja Racing News.com LIVE! Webcast coverage starts on March 7. DAILY UPDATES UNTIL THEN!
*The Military checkpoints are in full swing at San Felipe. The El Chinero checkpoint has been the center of gravity for many drug takedowns in recent months.CLICK HERE FOR THE DETAILS
Teams heading to the Baja 250, will be inspected on their way in and on their way out. Racers may notice greater inspections this time around. Baja Racing News.com has learned inspections are on the increase.
*Giant Croc loose at Baja 250!
This Giant Croc was caught recently in the Mexicali valley, on the loose, threatening the locals and any Baja racers who got too close to those giant "snappers"!
*On Rob Mac:
"He should have won Primm in the JIMCO Trophy Truck, but really got cheated out of it. And like all the other desert off-road race fans have said over and over again, whatever MacCachren drives he WILL BE A THREAT! In San Felipe, he's won overall there with the Vildosola Racing Team and the Great Riviera Racing! If he were to solo the race, I think Rob Mac would put minutes on the field."
*Andy McMillin blabs more on the San Felipe course and Class 1's: "With the size the whoops are now, Class 1's can not hang with the fast TT's in San Felipe terrain. Armin, (who is starting first in the field of Calss 1's in this years race) in the All-German car was 5 minutes physically behind me at mile 200 when I got out of the car at the Baja 1000. When they came back around to mile 400, he was about 30 +/- minutes behind. That shows you how much Class 1's do not get along with San Felipe course."
*Damen Jefferies and Scott Whippie have signed up with their Trophy Trucks to race in this years San Felipe Baja 250 race.
*Jesse Jones sold his new Geiser he just built to Riot Racing. Riot has another Geiser on order, and Jesse Jones has two more Geisers on order, on top of the Robby Gordon truck he currently has.
*And the latest is Curt LeDuc is getting a roller from Geiser and the Menzies team is also getting a Geiser truck built. Rick and Jeff Geiser must be stoked.
*The other new Herbst Trophy Truck should be done in time for the San Felipe "Blood & Sand", but that is not confirmed.
*More on Curt LaDuc and his great racing family. They are teaming up with Team Vanderway for the Baja 250 San Felipe. Before their Geiser trophy truck is done, the off-road family is re-teaming with Nick Vanderway for this years "Blood and Sand" Special with all the TT's in San Felipe for this years Baja 250.
*BJ 'Baja Pussy' Baldwin, the clown of SCORE Baja Mexico and Robby Gordons "hit stick", remember Norman Motorsports getting hit at last years Baja 1000 (?), his dad won't be running the San Felipe race. Maybe because he doesn't want to waste his time for blowing another race.
BJ also recently commented, he's 'choked out' several Baja racing fans in Mexico and is looking forward to doing it again soon.
Who was the skank, BJ was seen with at the Parker race finish line, with the little 'mistake' in his arms? Pictured with Grand Daddy Baldwin and BJ Baja Pussy Baldwin.
Did BJ believe her when she said she was on birth control?
Previous UPDATES on Baja Racing News.com
Baja Racing News Exposes SCORE circulates course map to its "Special Friends List", while the rank and file teams are forced to wait for a fake 'first' public release.
*Since 2006, the Monsters of the midway, Trophy Trucks, the unlimited trucks are pushing desert off-road racing into its natural progression. Andy/ Scott McMillin won in San Felipe in a Class 1, the last time a Class 1 racer won a 'Baja' race. That Class 1, won overall in 2005 over Jason Baldwin in a Trophy Truck, they also set a new mph San Felipe desert race average. Andy McMillin recently commented on course differences and the battles between the Class 1 buggies and the Trophy Trucks.
*Andy McMillin, "The wholes in (San) Felipe are twice as big as they were in 2005 when we won O/A in the Class 1. Before that, Mark Post was the last BUGGY to O/A Felipe in 1998 in his Nye Frank Air Shock car. That shows you how much the wheel travel of TT's dominate this race nowadays. There is no way a buggy can win O/A in Felipe unless every single TT has a problem. Back in 2005, there would be 2 or 3 TT's that would have a shot at winning because the transmission was the weakest link on these trucks. Now there's at least 5 or 6 who can go and put it all together to win overall. Starting positions don't matter for this race either. in 2005 our # was 120. Ouch!"
*Roger Normans Trophy Truck team was in San Felipe last week pre-running and testing.
MORE STUFF LOADING NOW>>>
Today's Course Announcement new for desert racers
Top 10 in SCORE Trophy-Truck & Class 1 from 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to have special draw
A few comments on the course.
*The San Felipe 250 will not be using East Valley Road this year. The course goes across the road at Morelia Junction instead of the big sweeper onto the road. The first mile is a narrow uphill sand wash. Continues on to Huatomi wash. This is around 10 miles of new race course.
*This years race course the second fastest section out of the race and replaces it with good old desert off road track. Some is brand new, other places it hooks up to real old tracks. Lots of deep sand at first, then moves into rocky wash areas. Some good bumps and jumps in this area.
Then the course moves back close to EV road after about 4 or 5 miles. When you get to badlands area, long fingers of eroded powdery rock just east of EV road, you can see the course on the other side of the badlands. There are good chase access points for most of this section. Several existing tracks all ready connect the course and road.
*Baja Racing News.com has seen right after you cross EV road, shows new blade work. Second is going through a cactus garden. Check out the giant cactus just off the course.
Of course, in San Felo (local lingo for San Felipe) lots of typical rocky desert wash areas. The new line, the Ejido cut this new route because off all the damage done to EV road. Ensenada was supposed to regrade the road after the Baja 1000 but they lied, like they always do. Hopefully this will be a win win situation for everybody. Tell all your friends that are prerunning not to go down EV road. The course needs packing.
CLICK HERE FOR THE Baja Racing News.com SAN FELIPE PRE-RUN!
Many of the west's top desert racers are expected to be entered in time for Saturday’s computerized start draw for next month’s 24th Annual Baja 250 desert race. With the drawing being held at the SCORE International headquarters in Los Angeles, the race itself will be held March 12-14 along the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.
With entries accepted up to race morning, nearly 250 entries from over 20 US States and 10 countries expected to enter the race and competition will be held in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes in the 232-mile race. The green flag will drop at 6 a.m. on Saturday, March 13, for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed three hours after the last Sportsman ATV later by the car and truck classes at approximately 10 a.m. The start line and finish line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. One vehicle will start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with a 10-hour time limit to become an official finisher.
“I just returned from finalizing the course and other details for the race and I can’t tell you how enthusiastic my reception was along with the interest and support I received from the community, officials and ejidos--it was really overwhelming,” said Sal Fish, SCORE CEO/President since soon after SCORE was founded in 1973. “The course is very similar as last year, with a few exceptions and our pre and post-race festivities will once again be held or centered on and near the picturesque Malecon beachfront and we are excepting a great entry field so this year’s event should be something very spectacular. Some of the course changes will actually help making vehicle support chasing easier. The new highway over the last section entering town from the Highway 3 junction is four lanes, nearly finished and there are more hotels and condos then we have ever seen before in San Felipe.”
A unique part of Saturday’s drawing will be the special drawing for the top 10 finishers from the nearest previous SCORE Baja race entered in the current race in both SCORE Trophy-Truck and the unlimited Class 1. For this race it will be the top 10 finishers in each class from last November’s 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
The top 10 finishers in SCORE Trophy-Truck from the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 were: Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Roger Norman/Larry Roeseler, Rick D. Johnson/Brian Sallee, Gus Vildosola Jr./Gus Vildosola Sr., Robby Gordon, Robbie Pierce/Mike Julson, Mark McMillin/Brian Ewalt, Cameron Steele/Rick Geiser, Tim Herbst/Troy Herbst and Ron Whitton/Chas Danna.
In the unlimited Class 1, the top 10 finishers from the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 were: Jerry Penhall/Dan Martin, Armin Schwarz/Martin Christensen, Randy Wilson/Ronny Wilson, Chuck Dempsey/John Marking, Richard Boyle/Ron Brant, Dale Lenk/Brett Lenk/Grant Lenk, Todd Welling/Chad Cummings, Brian Parkhouse/Tom Ridings, Chuck Sacks/Gerald Longo and T.J. Flores/Pat Dean.
The start draw for Round 2 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will determine the starting order within each of the various classes in the race. With a cash purse and contingency of nearly $400,000, this year’s race will also include the special $10,000 MasterCraft Safety bonus cash contingency purse offered to several classes.
Last year’s top overall motorcycle and ATV finishers are already entered this year. Last year’s overall motorcycle champion was the JCR Honda team of Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Tim Weigand, Santa Clarita, Calif. on a Honda CRF450X and the Overall ATV winners were the team of Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Harold Goodman Jr., Brownstown, Mich./Josh Caster, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700X.
Las Vegas’ Brian Collins, the two-time defending Overall 4-Wheel and SCORE Trophy-Truck winner, has not entered this year’s race as of today.
Among the other 2009 class winners already entered is the unlimited Class 1 winning Wilson Motorsports team of Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif. in their Chevy-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race car, Mike Lawrence, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Class 10, Lothringer-VW), Kevin Carr, San Diego (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas (Class 30, Honda CRF450X), Brian Campbell, Bakersfield, Calif. (Class 40, KTM 450XCF and Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif. (Class 24, Honda TRX450R).
Race Course Details
This year’s race will use a similar 232-mile race course as the past two years with a few modifications other than those caused by weather conditions. Running in a counter clockwise direction out of San Felipe up to and then parallel to Highway 3 (southside) and south back down through three of the most picturesque and challenging washes in all of Baja.
After the start at the landmark San Felipe Arches, the race will proceed north towards Zoo Road. The area approaching the Zoo Road crossing has been bladed again, which makes it a safer approach to the popular spectator area. That area will again be fenced, have grandstands and a jump and will be patrolled so that spectators can watch the action but not put themselves in way of the action.
For the first time the course will travel east of instead of on the graded Morelia Road (after the Zoo Road junction) to the entrance to Matomi Wash. This will be one of the few times that SCORE will run through the majestic Matomi Wash in the early part of the race instead of near the end. After Matomi, the challenging course will run through two more of the infamous Baja canyons—Huatomote and Chanate before heading back Northwest for the final sprint to the finish line.
The pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and tech inspection of the vehicles in the race will be held on Friday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the picturesque Malecon, flanked by the Sea of Cortez on one side and the popular restaurants and night clubs of San Felipe on the other.
Following his dominating season-opening victory at the 16th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, third-generation desert racer Andy McMillin, who was recently honored as the 2009 Dirt Sports Magazine Driver of the Year, finds himself at the top of a very crowded Overall leaderboard in the 2010 SCORE Desert Series point standings. With 63 points, McMillin, who will split driving the rest of the season with his father Scott McMillin, also leads the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck class for high-tech, 800-horsepower, unlimited production trucks in his No. 31 McMillin Realty Ford F-150.
With just 22 points separating the top 21 in 2010 SCORE Overall points after Laughlin’s season-opener, SCORE racers are now preparing to begin official pre-running which opens on Saturday, Feb. 27. A new attraction this year during the pre-running window will be the San Felipe Tequila Festival March 5-7.
Just this week, February 10, SCORE released the map to the masses (included in this story with the 2009 race map). For over a month, the course was circulated to the 'special friends of score', but not the rank and file. Earlier last month, the McMillin team was testing in San Felipe and exposed to the racing world, it had prior knowledge of the 2010 race course, which has not been released to the public.
The "official" course map still has not been released to the general public and the majority of the race teams that pay high fees to race in events with SCORE.
This discovery made known, that the sanctioning body, SCORE, handles its internal information differently, for different teams. Clearly, teams with enough prior knowledge can gain critical tactical advantages with early map disclosures and rule adjustments.
The recent rains have changed the western canyons of the San Felipe region, so pre-running this year will be critical to race success.
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 25th consecutive year, a total of 59 drivers remain eligible after Round 1 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series. Racers are also competing for the annual SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year awards, including the MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Year award.
Starting Field Chosen
By computer, give us a break! With Schwarz getting to launch first, its obvious his start position is "payout" for the German SCORE promotions from last year.
Schwarz receives first Class 1 start as nearly 275 entries expected in March 13 desert race in Mexico. Desert racers Ron Whitton of Arizona and Southern California’s Robby Bell received the pole positions for four-wheel and two-wheel vehicles in the computerized drawing for starting positions held Saturday for the upcoming 24th Annual MasterCraft SafetyTecate SCORE San Felipe 250. Whitton races in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division while Bell competes in Class 22 for open motorcycles.
Round 2 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will be held March 12-14 in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe, located 120 miles south of the U.S. borer on the East side of the Baja California peninsula along the azure waters of the tranquil Sea of Cortez.
With nearly 275 entries expected to compete in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes in the 232-mile race, the green flag will drop at 6 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday, March 13, for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed three hours later by the car and truck classes at approximately 10 a.m. local time. The start and finish line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. One vehicle will start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with a 10-hour time limit to become an official finisher.
Following January’s season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series will visit Mexico for the first of three races in 2010.
Drawing the first starting slot for the unlimited Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars was Germany’s Armin Schwarz and teammate Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif. Riding the first ATV off the line will be Class 25 team led by Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif.
With a race-record 32 entries so far in the marquee SCORE racing division for 800 horsepower, unlimited production trucks, Whitton, 66, owner of one of the largest plumbing contractor companies in Arizona, will lead a strong field in SCORE Trophy-Truck that features many of the world’s top desert racers in the No. 39 Whitton Companies Ford F-150. Whitton, Mesa, Ariz., and his co-driver Chas Dana were fifth and 10th respectively in last year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Last year’s overall motorcycle and ATV winners are entered this year. Last year’s overall motorcycle champion was the JCR Honda team of Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Tim Weigand, Santa Clarita, Calif. on the No. 1x Honda CRF450X and the Overall ATV winners were the team of Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Harold Goodman Jr., Brownstown, Mich./Josh Caster, El Cajon, Calif., on the No. 1a Honda TRX700X. Norman’s team will start seventh in Motorcycles while Matlock’s squad will be the first ATV off the line.
Bell, 24, of Sun City, Calif., who left the factory Honda team at the end of 2008 after winning the two-wheel overall title in San Felipe three straight years (2006, 2007, 2008), returns to San Felipe for the first time since on a Kawasaki, leading a two-motorcycle Bruce Penhall Motorsports charge to Baja on the No. 2x Kawasaki KX450F. His co-rider, also a former Honda champion, is legendary SCORE Baja racer Steve Hengeveld, 34, Oak Hills, Calif., who was the overall San Felipe motorcycle winner for four straight year’s with Honda icon Johnny Campbell (2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004).
Kawasaki will have factory-supported entries in San Felipe for this first time since 1996 and will attempt to break the JCR Racing Honda dynasty which has won 12 of the last 13 SCORE San Felipe 250 races.
In the first 23 years of this race, Honda has earned 14 overall motorcycle victories (including the last four years), Kawasaki has six, KTM has two and Husqvarna has one.
In Saturday’s computerized drawing, SCORE Trophy-Truck had the most entries with 32, followed by the unlimited Class 1 with 18 and Class 1-2/1600 with 12. While 192 entries were received in time for the start draw, late registration will be accepted up until race morning and as many as 100 additional entries are expected.
Among the motorcycle classes, the open Class 22 had the most vehicles entered in the drawing with 11.
Besides the K. Norman and Matlock teams, the other defending class winners entered so far this year are: Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif. (Class 1), Mike Lawrence, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Class 10), Marc Burnett, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 6), Jose Canchola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico (Class 7 but has switched to Class 6), Dave Crinklaw, Reedley, Calif. (Class 8), Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11), Gavin Skilton, Anaheim, Calif. (Stock Mini), Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas (Class 30), Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif. (Class 50), Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif. (Class 24), Reid Rutherford, Montrose, Colo. (Class 26 but has switched to Class 7-2) and returning with SCORE Trophy-Truck regular Cameron Steele as rider of record is Brian Campbell, Bakersfield, Calif. (Class 40).
Christy, last season’s SCORE Overall and Class 24 ATV season point champion, has also entered a team that he will lead this year in Class 25 as well, seeking a pair of class wins in San Felipe.
Also returning this year to defend his Sportsman class race victory for the third straight year among those entered so far is Sportsman Car winner Peter Lang, Santa Rosa, Calif.
This year’s race will use a similar 232-mile race course as the past two years with a few modifications other than those caused by weather conditions. Running in a counter clockwise direction out of San Felipe up to and then parallel to Highway 3 (southside) and south back down through three of the most picturesque and challenging washes in all of Baja.
After the start at the landmark San Felipe Arches, the race will proceed north towards Zoo Road. The area approaching the Zoo Road crossing has been bladed again, which makes it a safer approach to the popular spectator area. That area will again be fenced, have grandstands and a jump and will be patrolled so that spectators can watch the action but not put themselves in way of the action.
For the first time the course will travel east of instead of on the graded Morelia Road (after the Zoo Road junction) to the entrance to Matomi Wash. This will be one of the few times that SCORE will run through the majestic Matomi Wash in the early part of the race instead of near the end. After Matomi, the challenging course will run through two more of the infamous Baja canyons—Huatomote and Chanate before heading back Northwest for the final sprint to the finish line.
The pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and tech inspection of the vehicles in the race will be held on Friday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the picturesque Malecon, flanked by the Sea of Cortez on one side and the popular restaurants and night clubs of San Felipe on the other.
At 10 a.m. on Sunday (March 14), the awards celebration will be held in front of The Beachcomber Night Club on the Malecon.
At the 24th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, MasterCraft Racing has entered not only company owner Robbie Pierce’s No. 30 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck, but also the No. 20 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck to be driven by eight-time SCORE season class point champion Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas and the No. 42 Chevy Silverado driven by Will Staats, Valencia, Calif. All three trucks were built by prominent chassis builder Mike Julson’s Jimco Racing Products of Santee, Calif. Julson is listed as a co-driver for both Pierce and MacCachren for this race, if needed.
In San Felipe, Pierce will start fourth, MacCachren 21st and Staats 25th in the massive Trophy-Truck field.
START LIST BAJA 250 2010 San Felipe
Computerized (The biggest Joke in Motorsports)
Pro Cars & Trucks
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (32)
39 Ron Whitton
1 Robby Gordon
19 Tim Herbst
30 Robbie Pierce
21 Gus Vildosola Jr.
23 Mark McMillin
8 Roger Norman
16 Cameron Steele
31 Andy McMillin
40 Chet Huffman
37 Bruce Greer Jr.
76 Jesse Jones
51 Kory Scheeler
2 Pete Sohren
68 Marc Ewing
96 Bobby Baldwin
84 Nick Vanderwey
7 Jimmy Nuckles
10 Greg Nunley
78 Jesse Ashcraft
20 Rob MacCachren
35 Jason Voss
9 Gary Weyhrich
74 Rob Bruce
42 Will Staats
24 Adam Householder
13 Ed Stout
97 B.J. Baldwin
3 Mark Post
49 Troy Herbst
36 Glen Greer
47 James Bult
CLASS 1 (18)
101 Armin Schwarz
100 Randy Wilson
103 Robert Ross
104 Dan Martin
105 Guy Petersen
106 Daniel McMillin
107 Mario Acosta
108 Mike Voyles Sr.
109 Kory Halopoff
110 Ronny Wilson
111 Cody Parkhouse
112 Conan Barker
113 William Eriksen
114 Josh Daniel
115 Paul Keller
116 Armin Kremer
117 Mark Weyhrich
118 Eric Chase
CLASS 1-2/1600 (12)
1601 Jorge Sanchez
1602 Luke McMillin
1603 Rick Steven
1604 Carlos Montalvan
1605 Arnoldo Gutierrez Jr.
1606 Brad Wilson
1607 Rob Archibald
1608 Brian Wilson
1609 Arturo Velazco
1647 Juan Gallo
1648 Arnoldo Ramirez
1600 Hiram Duran
CLASS 5 (2)
500 Kevin Carr
519 Che Corlett
CLASS 5/1600 (2)
551 Trevor Anderson
579 Gustavo Avina
CLASS 6 (4)
601 Jose Canchola Jr.
602 Steve Kovach
603 Marc Burnett
600 Heidi Steele
CLASS 7 (2)
701 Arturo Alvarez
700 Dan Chamlee
CLASS 7SX (2)
741 Elias Hanna
759 Nick Moncure
CLASS 8 (3)
801 Juan C. Lopez
802 Dave Crinklaw
800 Clyde Stacy
CLASS 9 (1)
901 Luke Babb
CLASS 10 (5)
1001 Lars Ferry
1002 Alejandro Navarrete
1000 Mike Lawrence
1004 Sergio Salgado
1005 Jesus Gonzalez
SCORE LITE (15)
1201 Lee Banning
1202 Cody Freeman
1203 Francisco Villagomez
1204 Matthew Kupiec
1205 Samuel Araiza
1200 Brent Parkhouse
1207 Bill Hernquist
1208 David Callaway
1209 Luis Barragan
1210 Mike Williams
1211 Zak Langley
1212 Perry McNeil
1213 Arturo Honold
1214 John Langley
1249 Justin Davis
CLASS 11 (3)
1101 Gustavo Garayzar
1100 Eric Solorzano
1149 Alejandro Rivas
STOCK FULL (3)
861 Pedro Vargas
860 Justin Matney
879 Joe Bacal
STOCK MINI (1)
760 Gavin Skilton
PROTRUCK (0)
CLASS 7-2 (1)
721 Reid Rutherford
PRO MOTORCYCLES
CLASS 22 (11)
2x Robby Bell
3x Colton Udall
4x Ivan Ramirez
6x Bret Freeman
5x Ryan Penhall
7x Cory Evenson
1x Kendall Norman
9x Cameron Corfman
10x A.J. Stewart
11x Chad Hubbard
12x Chuck Neugebauer
CLASS 21 (2)
101x Jesus J. Gonzalez
102x David Gonzalez Jr.
CLASS 20 (4)
150x Jesus Rios
151x Manuel Reyes
152x Joey Black
169x Anna Cody
CLASS 30 (5)
301x Javier Hernandez
302x Jim O’Neal
300x Mike Johnson
304x William Peel
305x Sol Saltzman
CLASS 40 (7)
401x Peter Hardy
402x Louie Franco
403x Duane Dickinson
404x Tom Vogt
405x Henrik Andersen
406x Cameron Steele
449x Terry Peregoodoff
CLASS 50 (3)
501x Ryan Armitage
502x Charlie Marshall
500x Jim O’Neal
CLASS 60 (2)
Donald Lewis
William Rogers
PRO ATVs
CLASS 25 (5)
1a Wayne Matlock
2a Javier Robles
3a Fernando Huerta
4a Craig Christy
5a Josh Edwards
CLASS 24 (10)
101a Abraham Romero
102a Roberto Ruiz
103a Victor Lopez
100a Craig Christy
105a Alonso Ruiz
106a Brandon Brown
107a Luis Berumen
108a Adrian Valdez
109a Marco Marrujo
110a Heriberto Marquez
SPORTSMAN
SPT CAR (4)
1400 Peter Lang
1401 Wendell Mortensen
1402 Shawn Hamlin
1403 George Jackson
SPT TRUCK (2)
1500 Joe Aguayo
1501 Nick Tonelli
SPT UTV (6)
1801 Robert Viau Sr.
1800 Thomas Graves
1803 Dave Roberts
1804 Sergio Castillo
1805 Michael McCulley
1806 Peter Hajas
SPT M/C< (8)
201x Fred Sobke
202x Greg Willitts
203x Carlos Becerril
204x Carlos Valdez
205x Conrad Batham
206x Ricky de la Pena
248x Matt Ladendorf
249x Kelley DeLoach
SPT M/C> (9)
251x Salvador Sainz
252x Jimmy Boutwell
253x Tibi Imbuzan
254x Craig Anstine
255x Ty McPherson
256x Oscar Fazz
257x Joel Blocksom
258x Paul Lopez
299x Jose Chavez
SPT ATV (8)
51a Daniel Montano
52a Samuel Garcia
53a Brad McLean
54a Juan Dominguez
55a Efren Carrasco
56a Ciro Calderon
57a Roger Fastring
58a Jeff Sanca
Baja 250 History and Glory
All-Time Overall Champions
Pro Cars & Trucks
Year--Driver(s), Vehicle (Class)
1982--Dan Cornwell, Chenowth-VW (Class 1)
1983--Corky McMillin/Scott McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche (Class 2)
1984--Scott McMillin/Corky McMillin, Chenowth-Porsche (Class 2)
1990--Brian Collins/Jack Johnson, Chenowth-VW (Class 1)
1991--Larry Ragland, Chevy C1500 (Class 8)
1992--Bob Richey/Boyd Cox, Raceco-Porsche (Class 1)
1993--Scott Douglas, Ford Ranger (Class 7)
1994--Ivan Stewart, Toyota SR5 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
1995--Larry Ragland, Chevy C1500 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
1996--Robby Gordon, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
1997--Curt LeDuc, Jeep Grand Cherokee (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
1998--Mark Post/Jerry Whelchel, Riviera-Chevy (Class 1)
1999--Ed Herbst/Tim Herbst, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2000--Tim Herbst/Ed Herbst, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2001--Tim Herbst/Ed Herbst, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2002--Dan Smith/David Ashley, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2003--Gus Vildosola/Rob MacCachren, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2004--Mark Post/Jerry Whelchel, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2005--Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Jimco-Chevy (Class 1)
2006--Garron Cadiente, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2007--Mark Post/Rob MacCachren, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2008--Brian Collins, Dodge Ram1500 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2009--Brian Collins, Dodge Ram1500 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
Pro Motorcycles
Year--Rider(s), Vehicle
1982--Bob Balentine, Honda XR500 (Class 22)
1983--Jack Johnson, Honda XR500 (Class 22)
1984--Dan Smith/Dan Ashcraft, Husqvarna CR500 (Class 22)
1990--Dan Smith/Danny Hamel, KTM (Class 22)
1991--Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicut Jr, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1992--Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicut Jr, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1993--Danny Hamel, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1994--Danny Hamel, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1995--Danny Hamel, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1996--Paul Krause, Kawasaki KX500 (Class 22)
1997--Tim Staab, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
1998--Johnny Campbell/Tim Staab, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
1999--Johnny Campbell/Cole Marshall, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
2000--Johnny Campbell/Tim Staab, Honda XR650 (Class 22)
2001--Steve Hengeveld/Jonah Street, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2002--Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2003--Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2004--Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell, Honda XR650R (Class 22)
2005--Chris Blais/Andy Grider/Quinn Cody, KTM MXC525 (Class 22)
2006--Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2007--Robby Bell/Kendall Norman, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2008--Robby Bell/Johnny Campbell, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
2009—Kendall Norman/Timmy Weigand, Honda CRF450X (Class 22)
Sportsman Cars & Trucks
Year--Driver(s), Vehicle (Class)
2008--Peter Lang, Homebuilt-Chevy (SPT Car)
2009--Peter Lang, Homebuilt-Chevy (SPT Car)
Sportsman Motorcycles
Year--Rider(s), Vehicle
2008--Bill Gilbert, Honda CRF450X (SPT M/C>250cc)
2009--Jeff Leonard, Bakersfield, Calif., Honda CRF450X (SPT M/C>250cc)
Baja Racing News LIVE! EXCLUSIVE LIVE WEBCASTS