The Baja Racing Hall Of Fame learned that SCORE International Whistleblower and off-road pioneer, Charlie Engelbart passed into history on December 12, 2025 at age 85.
"Charlie and his wife Linda were two of SCORE’s first Baja volunteers, starting with Sal Fish at SCORE in 1975. He was ex-Navy and a full-time L.A. County Deputy Sheriff at the time. He retired from the Sheriff’s Department in 1995, after 35 years of outstanding service. I don’t think Charlie ever missed a race. He was always at the Start and Finish lines, but his real responsibility at SCORE was to coordinate contingency awards from manufacturers to competitors who used their products or services.
He made sure the drivers filled in the Contingency Declaration forms and verified that their vehicles had the required decals in a prominent spot at the end of each race. It’s impossible to know how many days, weeks, and months Charlie and Linda spent with Baja racers.
The Hall Of Fame celebrates his 'whistleblower status' and years of volunteer work for our off-road community. Charlie was perpetually smiling and never took anything too seriously. He always threatened to tell other drivers the location of the Secret Red Button that launched the Iceberg Prow in one of our early high-tech buggies, and in later years complained that The Great Candy Cane buggy leaked sugar water from several different spots on its frame. This, he claimed, attracted ants and honey bees who followed us around the race course and interfered with competitors in our buggy class. For those of us old enough to remember the off-road pioneers, Charlie and Linda were biggies. Vaya con dios, Amigo." Walter “Candy Cane” Prince"
Charlie will be forever remembered as the source who blew the whistle on Roger Norman (SCORE President) and Johnny Campbell (HONDA Motorcycles), in the murder of world renowned KTM moto champ, Kurt Caselli.
SCORE International Whistleblower Charlie Engelbart to be named Memorial Member of Baja Racing Hall Of Fame, Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at the planned "Sunset Strip TakeOver".
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