Monday, November 15, 2021
Updated! Wednesday, November 17
Ensenada, Baja California Mexico
By: Sylvia Montes
Numerous racing teams are now panicking after the recent changes by SCORE International in dealing with critical race communications and race information.
Most recent is SCORE completely dropping having local airports available for medical emergencies.
Not only will SCORE not have air resources in their radio relay down the peninsula, they will also not have any air resources available for medical emergencies.
This information has been confirmed by the race director for SCORE, based here in Ensenada.
Jose G. said late yesterday, "if you need a medical emergency evacuation from this race in Baja Mexico, do not call SCORE, you'll have to arrange those services on your own".
Regarding communications, Wild Bill of BFG Race Radio Relay, said, "SCORE does not have any way to communicate by VHF radio south of Cocos Corner during the race".
He continued, "and if a non-BFG team needs emergency help from us, they are not going to relayed by BFGoodrich Tires, radio relay. So, no, SCORE and the rest of the teams are out on their own, even in extreme emergencies".
Wild Bull went on to say, "some teams like Yokohama, call me all the time. They call me drunk on the radio, asking for help. "No!", I tell them back, have them call Yokohama radio relay".
Wild Bill knows full well, Yokohama like other teams do not have race radio relay capabilities. For the past 25 (twenty five) years, teams have relied on a partnership between PCI race radios and SCORE International, called the 'Weatherman Network'.
As of this race event, that partnership is over. SCORE has decided not to pay for critical communication and emergency relay capabilities, like air resources.
These changes are completely unprecedented and were not advised to the racers at the time they applied to race in SCORE.
Clearly, in the event of foreseen deadly risks in desert off-road racing, changing the human race environment in such a callous and unprofessional manner, the courtroom is the next competitive venue for many of these people!
Weatherman, Scott Steinberger, owner of PCI radios said earlier this week, "At past peninsula runs, SCORE and PCI have worked together to fly an airplane for radio relay coverage at 25,000’ in slow circles for almost 40 hours. The upside was we had VHF coverage of most of the peninsula, the downsides were that we had to fuel every 6 hours leaving multiple two-hour lapses in coverage and it was high risk for the crew to fly hundreds of miles without lighted airports. On top of our lapses in coverage and dangerous flying environments, we have recently lost the assistance in keeping the Mexican airports (normally closed after dark) open 24 hours for fueling".
Jose G., the SCORE race director confirmed by phone, the statement to say SCORE refused to pay for those 'traditional services for racers' in the Baja 1000 2021.
Also confirmed late Sunday, was the fact that no traditional racers meeting, virtual or otherwise, would occur with the SCORE Baja 1000 this year.
In a desert off-road racing event, of well over one-thousand miles, it is unprecedented that such a meeting would not be held, in any manner or forum.
Even in the early sixties, holding driver meetings became the norm, it was expected the race organizer and/or race race promoter would fully inform the racers signed up for the competition, the most up-to-date and relative race and safety information.
SCORE is now expecting the internet to stand-in for the responsibilities of the race director and required safety officers.
One common complaint has been Roger Norman has not complied with needed race marshaling. Safety has been declining rapidly since Roger Norman purchased the race operations of the Baja Mexico based, now referred to as the DEATH RACES.
One team said late Sunday in San Diego after a tire manufacturers meeting with teams, "the rest of the teams are S-O-L (shit out of luck) on this one".
SCORE is attempting to cut even more costs from its operating budget to s-q-u-e-e-z-e more profits from the racers.
At the expense of safety and caring for victims of extreme medical emergencies exclusively during Roger Normans - DEATH RACES.
Story LOADING NOW>>>
BREAKING BAJA RACING NEWS
BAJA 1000 2021
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