|
|
December 13,
2007
Sal Fish finalizes Agreement
Returning to San Felipe, Baja California, for March race finalizes
six-race 2008 SCORE Desert Series Schedule
22nd Annual Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 to be held March 14-15, 2008.
Along the picturesque azure waters of the Sea of Cortez
LOS ANGELES—Following lengthy negotiations, SCORE International has
officially announced that the location for the popular ‘Spring Break’
desert race held annually in March in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula
will return to San Felipe for 2008. The 22nd Annual Tecate SCORE San
Felipe 250 will be held March 14-15 in the quaint fishing village on the
East coast of Baja California along the tranquil Sea of Cortez.
Because of significant political situations beyond its control, SCORE was
forced at the last minute to move the 2007 event to the West coast of the
peninsula, where it started in Ensenada and finished in Santo Tomas.
With the location finalized for the March race, SCORE International is
ready to launch its six-race 2008 SCORE Desert Series.
Keeping the same venues and all but one of the same race weekends for its
five open desert races and one stadium-style short-course event as the
past three years, the 2008 SCORE Desert Series will again feature three
races in Southern Nevada and three in Mexico.
“We were forced to move the 2007 spring race on less than 10 days notice
and we are confident that the issues that affected us have all been
resolved,” said Sal Fish, CEO/President of SCORE, which is based in Los
Angeles. “We never wanted to leave San Felipe in the first place so we are
obviously very excited to return to San Felipe where we have had such
great races over the years. We are finalizing details with Mexican
authorities that will enhance some of the spectator areas for the race.”
In confirming the commitment of the Mexican authorities to bring this
popular race back to San Felipe, Rodolfo Valdez, Mayor of the city of
Mexicali that has jurisdiction over San Felipe, expressed complete
cooperation from all parties involved to execute the final permits for the
event.
“We want this race to return to our area where it has grown to be one of
our very best special events and the economic impact of the race speaks
for itself,” said Valdez. “We have the full support of state and federal
authorities. We are committed to have this spectacular event in San Felipe
for the full three years of our term in office and into the future beyond
that.”
In 2006, the last time the race was held in San Felipe, there were a
race-record 341 starters. That number was topped in 2007 in Ensenada when
a new record of 394 starters took the green flag in the race.
The SCORE Desert Series, which features 28 Pro and six Sportsman classes
for cars, trucks, motorcycle and ATVs, will kick off Jan. 24-27 with the
popular 14th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in the Southern Nevada
resort city of Laughlin on the banks of the Colorado River. The season
will conclude Nov. 19-22 with the 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the
granddaddy of all desert racing, in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
“The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is the most unique and increasingly
popular desert race in the U.S. and the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
is the best known desert race in the world,” added Fish, who has been at
the head of SCORE since 1974. “These two races provide wonderful ways to
start and finish our SCORE racing season.”
SCORE also announced the SCORE Las Vegas Terrible’s Cup IV, will be held
July 17-19 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It is a special fan-friendly
short-course point’s race for select classes on the Dirt Track at LVMS.
Since its debut in 1995, the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge has helped
establish Laughlin as a viable host for special events. Thousands of
spectators join over 200 racers and their crews in converging on the city
each year to watch the best of the best desert racers compete in a
unique-format, two-day race that includes a temporary stadium surrounding
the start/finish line area and the main pits.
A total of 18 different Pro and two Sportsman classes for cars and trucks
are split into seven groups in Laughlin, each running as part of one of
seven races of three to six laps each over the much-abbreviated course
each day. The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge also includes a pre-race
activity that is not part of any other race on the schedule—the $25,000
Laughlin Leap. The Laughlin Leap is held under the lights on Thursday
evening of race week at the Laughlin Events Park.
Contingency in Laughlin, held for the first time in an area in the heart
of the Laughlin resort area. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25,
2008, the colorful contingency and manufacturer’s midway will be located
on Bruce Woodbury Drive at the intersection of Casino Drive.
Round 2 and 3 of the 2008 SCORE Desert Series will both be held in Mexico.
The 22nd Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 is set for March 14-15, followed by
the 40th anniversary of the vastly popular Tecate SCORE Baja 500, May
30-June 1, in Ensenada, Baja California.
The season-ending 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will be a loop race,
starting and finishing in Ensenada, Baja California.
The series returns to Southern Nevada for Round 4 and Round 5. Round 4
will be the special SCORE Las Vegas Terrible’s Cup IV short-course event
at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Round 5 will be the 13th Annual SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300 which will be
held Sept. 5-6 in Primm, Nev., 45 miles south of Las Vegas.
SCORE International, founded in 1973 by the late Mickey Thompson and
headed by Sal Fish since 1974, continues today as the premier sanctioning
body in the sport of desert racing. SCORE races feature 18 Pro and three
Sportsman classes for cars and trucks in the U.S. with 10 additional Pro
and three more Sportsman classes for motorcycles and ATVs competing in the
races in Mexico. SCORE races in the U.S. average 200 entries while the
average in Mexico, with motorcycle and ATV classes running as well as the
cars and trucks is 350.
Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official
tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/Bryant Petroleum-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official
shock, Volkswagen-official vehicle, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official
Mexican auto insurance, American Racing ATX Series-official wheel,
Slime-official tire sealant, Red Bull--official energy drink and Bosch
Power Tools-official power tool. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer,
Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C
Enthusiast Advertising, Kartek Off-Road, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bendix,
American Suzuki, NAPA Chassis, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s
Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is sponsored by the Laughlin Tourism
Committee, the Laughlin Visitors Bureau, the Las Vegas Convention and
Visitors Authority and Las Vegas Events.
The SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300 is sponsored by Terrible Herbst Inc., Las
Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Additional associate sponsors for races in Mexico are, Fideicomiso Publio
para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, the government of Baja
California, the State Tourism Department of Baja California and the
Tourism Department of Mexicali.
For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters
818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2008 SCORE Desert Series
at www.score-international.com.
2008 SCORE Desert Series
Schedule of Events
Date, Event/Location
Jan. 24-27 14th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge
Laughlin, Nevada
March 14-15 22nd Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250
San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
May 30-June 1 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
July 17-19* SCORE Las Vegas Terrible’s Cup IV*
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sept. 5-6 13th SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300
Primm, Nevada
Nov. 19-22 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
|
