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- SCORE
MEDIA
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October 29, 2007
- Nov.
11-16 in Mexico
40th anniversary of Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to include
Nearly 450 entries from 41 U.S. States and 15 Countries
Internationally-televised Granddaddy of all desert races
1,296.39-mile adventure down Mexico’s Baja California peninsula
LOS ANGELES—From Alaska to Florida and Maine to Hawaii in the U.S, and
from Canada to Japan, adventuresome racers from around the world will be
part of the massive starting grid for next month’s 40th Annual Tecate
SCORE Baja 1000 desert race, the granddaddy of all desert races.
To be held Nov. 11-16, this year’s historic 40th anniversary odyssey of
the world’s longest non-stop and most famous desert race will be a
grueling and memorable 1,296-39 mile adventure down Mexico’s mysterious
Baja California peninsula starting in Ensenada, Baja California and
finishing in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Sur.
The season-finale of the six-race 2007 SCORE Desert Series will feature
nearly 450 entries from 41 U.S. States and 15 countries. From weekend
warriors to Hollywood actors and producers, the famous and not-so-famous
will compete in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks,
motorcycles and ATVs. Among the entries are 22 class winners from last
year’s race.
While all the rugged regulars in the world’s foremost desert racing
series will be in Mexico, the lure of this amazing race also attracts
crossover racers as well as adventurers from all walks of life.
The talented field of desert-racing veterans includes 134 racers who
have combined for 343 class wins in this race. In that group are 11
racers who have combined for a total of 20 overall 4-wheel vehicle wins
and 12 more riders have combined for 26 overall motorcycle victories.
“SCORE is on the brink of another historic desert racing milestone and
we are awed and humbled by the unbelievable field for this year’s 40th
anniversary of the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000,” said Sal Fish,
SCORE CEO and President since soon after the Los Angeles-based SCORE
International was founded in 1973. “The stage has clearly been set for
another star-studded, record-breaking memorable event in the storied
history of this magnificent motorsports spectacle. We can’t wait for the
green flag to drop. It will be like watching 40 Super Bowls all at
once.”
The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m.
(PST) (Tuesday, Nov. 13) with the car and truck classes starting at
approximately 11 a.m. (PST), or three hours after the last ATV leaves
the line. The starting line will be on Blvd. Costero in front of the
Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in Ensenada. Vehicles will leave in
30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest
finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 23 hours.
The finish line area in Cabo San Lucas will be inside the Campos de
Futbol “Yenecamu” soccer fields next to the Villa del Palmar Resort, the
official SCORE race headquarters. The SCORE Media Center and SCORE Race
Operations will both be located at the adjacent Villa del Palmar.
Passing times from all BFGoodrich Tires pit locations, of all vehicles,
will be posted there as well to assist in monitoring the race progress.
With massive crowds reaching over 300,000 anticipated to again be spread
out along the point-to-point course, the race will start for the 33rd
time in Ensenada and will finish for only the second time in Cabo San
Lucas.
NASCAR Nextel Cup team owner/driver Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., whose
roots are in SCORE desert racing, returns as defending overall 4-wheel
winner in the Team Gordon No. 71 Chevy CK1500 in SCORE Trophy-Truck.
Gordon will pull double-duty, driving the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 before
flying to Homestead, Fla., to race in the NASCAR Nextel Cup season
finale.
Also returning to their racing roots are NASCAR Truck Series regular
Brendan Gaughan, Las Vegas, and NASCAR Grand National West Series
regular Brian Ickler, Poway, Calif.
Among the other cross-over racers who are entered to date include World
Rally champion Armin Schwarz of Germany, NASCAR Nextel Cup racer Boris
Said, 2007 Dakar Rally overall motorcycle champion Cyril Despres of
France, former IndyCar star Danny Sullivan, former NASCAR and open-wheel
racer turned TV commentator Wally Dallenbach, actor/racer Patrick
Dempsey, star of the ABC TV hit show ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, former IndyCar
racer Scott Atchison, Supercross motorcycle legends Jeremy McGrath and
Ricky Johnson, Freestyle Motorcross superstar Mike Metzger, father and
son Pike’s Peak Hill Climb champions Rod and Rhys Millen (who is also a
Drifting point champ) along with fellow PPHC champion Gay Smith, former
Sprint Car turned stock car racer Erin Crocker, Indy Pro Series team
owner/driver Ken Losch, Rock Crawling star Tracy Jordan, Snowmobile
racers Paul Thacker and Chris Burandt, Snowboarder Luke Trembath, Rally
racers Ken Block and Tanner Faust, TV show creator/producer Bud Brutsman,
and BMX racer/TV personality Dave Mirra.
In his first full season in the SCORE Desert Series, TV personality
Jesse James, of Monster Garage fame, will drive his new No. 54 Chevy
Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck.
Among the other very notable entries are Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., and Ron
Bishop, Escondido, the only two individuals who have raced in all 39
previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races.
The legendary Hall, of Reno, Nev., who will turn 70 on Nov. 22, has a
race-record 18 career class wins in this race (including the 1969
overall 4-wheel vehicle title) and is the only driver to have competed
every year in a car or truck class. Hall returns this year as the
defending season point champion in a Hummer H3 in the Stock Mini class.
His son’s Chad and Josh will complete the Team Hummer entry, each
driving different Hummers in the Stock Full Class.
Bishop, 64, who will lead a five-rider team as rider of record this year
in Class 22, is the only racer who has competed every year on a
motorcycle. He will be racing on a KTM 525XC motorcycle.
Garron Cadiente in SCORE Trophy-Truck and Richard Lancaster in Class 22
for open motorcycles drew the pole positions for the 40th anniversary of
the desert racing classic at a ‘live’ drawing for starting positions at
the Lake Elsinore (Calif.) Casino on Sept. 22.
Cadiente, 31, of Mesa, Ariz., was the 2006 SCORE Rookie of the year and
is third in this year’s SCORE Trophy-Truck season point standings after
winning September’s SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300 in the No. 38 G&R Racing
Ford F-150. There are 31 entries so far in the SCORE Trophy-Truck, the
marquee SCORE racing division for 800-horsepower, high-tech, unlimited
production trucks.
Lancaster, 29, Santa Margarita, Calif., will lead 24 entries (to date)
in Class 22 for open motorcycles on the No. 2x Honda XR650R. His
additional riders are Peter Hardy, Pozo, Calif., John Kaisersatt, Los
Osos, Calif., Fred Jowett, Atascadero, Calif., and Chris Whalley,
Topanga, Calif.
Drawing the first start in the ATV classes was the championship team led
by Danny Prather, 27, Ramona, Calif., who will ride the No. 1a Honda
TRX450R in Class 25. His teammates are Mike Cafro, Bonsall, Calif., Levi
Marana, Ramona, Calif., and Marc Speath, Warner Springs, Calif.
Among the other racers entered with significant class wins in the Tecate
SCORE Baja 1000 are: Larry Roeseler, Hesperia, Calif., Class 1 (15),
Chris Haines, Dana Point, Calif. Class 50 (12), Haines’ teammate Jack
Johnson, Boulder City, Calif. Class 50 (11), Johnny Campbell, San
Clemente, Calif., Class 22 (9), Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico, Class
11 (9), Mark McMillin, Chula Vista, Calif., Class 1 (8), Malcolm Smith,
Riverside, Calif., Stock Full (8), Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif.,
Class 22 (7, five straight motorcycle overalls), and Ted Hunnicutt Jr.,
Temecula, Calif., SCORE Trophy-Truck (7).
In what has shaped up as a movie-script duel between the ‘veterans’ Mark
Post and Rob MacCachren and young gun B.J. Baldwin, the showdown in
Mexico will decide the overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck point
championships of the 2007 SCORE Desert Series. With a single point
separating the top two SCORE Trophy-Truck teams of 2007 an epic showdown
is expected.
After five of six events in the 2007 SCORE Desert Series, Post, 50, of
San Juan Capistrano, Calif.,
and MacCachren, 42, of Las Vegas, have two wins, one second and two
fourths to compile 359 points to date in the No. 3 Riviera Racing
Ford-F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck.
Baldwin, 28, of Las Vegas, is the reigning SCORE Trophy-Truck season
point champion in the No. 1 Baldwin Motorsports Chevy Silverado. Just
one point behind Post/MacCachren, Baldwin has one race win this year,
one second, two thirds and one fourth to remain in position to become
the first back-to-back SCORE Trophy-Truck point champion since Ed and
Tim Herbst of Las Vegas did it in 1999 and 2000 and again in 2002 and
2003.
A total of just 33 points separate the top 10 overall point leaders
after September’s 12th SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300.
Third in SCORE Trophy-Truck points and third overall is Garron Cadiente
with 338 points after his SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300 victory.
Leading Class 1-2/1600 and fourth overall with 334 points is Dave
Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., in a VW-powered Lothringer open-wheel
desert race car.
Tied for fifth overall with 332 points each are the team of Larry
Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz./Brian Collins, Las Vegas and brothers Bill
Gasper, Chino Hills, Calif./Bill Gasper, Santa Barbara, Calif..
Ragland/Collins are fourth in SCORE Trophy-Truck points in the No. 12
Collins Motorsports Chevy Silverado while the Gaspers lead the unlimited
Class 1 in their Porter-Chevy.
SCORE points are determined both on final finishing position and number
of vehicles that started the race within the individual class.
Seventh overall and second in Class 1-2/1600 with 331 points is the team
of L.J. Kennedy, Orange, Calif./Sammy Ehrenberg, Las Vegas in a
ChenoSPF-VW.
In a three-way tie for eighth overall and tied for second in Class 1
with 316 points heading to Mexico’s massive season finale are Larry
Roeseler/Troy Herbst, Ronny Wilson and Eric Chase and his father Stuart
Chase. Roeseler/Herbst, who have two race wins this year and have won
Class 1 for three straight years at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, drive
the No. 100 Smithbuilt-Ford, Wilson drives a Jimco-Chevy while the
Chases pilot a Penhall-Chevy.
Pre-race festivities on Monday, Nov. 12, for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000,
including tech and contingency and the SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway will
be held from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (PST) adjacent to Nico Saad’s San
Nicolas Hotel, the official SCORE race headquarters in Ensenada. The
pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
(PST) at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer registration
will be held at the San Nicolas from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (PST) on
Sunday, Nov. 11 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (PST) on Monday, Nov. 12.
The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Award’s Celebration will be held
during the SCORE Fiesta at the Playa Cascadas (adjacent to the Villa del
Palmar) at noon on Friday, Nov. 16.
The four-wheel vehicle classes with the most entries to date are Class 1
(33), SCORE Trophy-Truck (31), Class 1-2/1600 (25), Class 5/1600 (23),
SCORE Lite (19), Baja Challenge (18), Class 8 (14), Protruck (13), Stock
Full (12) and Class 5 (11).
The motorcycle classes with the most entries so far are: Class 22 (24),
Class 40 (16) and Class 30 (11).
Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle
over 250cc which has 53 and Sportsman ATV with 17 entries to date.
It’s the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains
as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the
mother of all desert races has been run over Mexico’s mysterious Baja
California peninsula.
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a
delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special for the fourth
consecutive year, airing on Dec. 30 on the NBC Television Network. It
will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN
International.
The 2007 SCORE Desert Series also includes the chase for the $75,000
Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several 2007 SCORE
Class point champions along with the run for the $12,000 Toyota True
Grit and Toyota Milestone Awards.
The race will also include the special $40,000 cash contingency purse
provided by Volkswagen of America. Top finishers in all classes where VW
engines are required or allowed will be eligible.
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 Communications, 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.
Additional associate sponsors, for the 2007 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are:
Cotuco de Ensenada, Fideicomiso Publio para la Promocion Turistica de
Ensenada, the government of Baja California Sur, the State Tourism
Department of Baja California Sur the city tourism fund of Loreto and
the city tourism fund of Los Cabos.
For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los
Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the
SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.
40th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Final Round of six-race 2007 SCORE Desert Series
Nov. 11-16--Ensenada, Baja California to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California
Sur, Mexico
Schedule of Events (Subject to Change—as of 10/29/2007)
PRE/POST RACE SHEDULE
SUNDAY, Nov. 11, 2007-Ensenada--(All times PST)
1 p.m. – 6 p.m.--Media Registration, Grand Ballroom, San Nicolas Hotel
1 p.m. – 6 p.m.--Racer Registration, Grand Ballroom, San Nicolas Hotel
1 p.m.- 10 p.m.—El Vigia Autograph Fiesta, La Ventana al Mar
MONDAY, Nov. 12, 2007-Ensenada--(All Times PST)
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.--Racer Registration, Grand Ballroom, San Nicolas Hotel
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.--Media Registration, Grand Ballroom, San Nicolas Hotel
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.--Contingency Row, adjacent to San Nicolas Hotel
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.--Technical Inspection, End of Contingency Row
11 a.m. – SCORE pre-race Media Conference, Cathedral Room, Riviera del
Pacifico Cultural Center
7 p.m. --Mandatory Racer Meeting-Cathedral Room, Riviera del Pacifico
Cultural Center
MONDAY, Nov. 12, 2007-Cabo San Lucas--(All Times PST)
12 Noon – 5 p.m.--Media Registration, Convention Area, Villa del Palmar
Resort
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, Nov. 13-16, 2007-Cabo San
Lucas--(all times PST)
9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 – Noon, Friday, Nov. 16—BFGoodrich Tires/SCORE
Media Center open, Villa del Palmar Resort
Posting of Passing Times/Unofficial Results—Race in Progress, Villa del
Palmar Resort
THURSDAY, Nov. 15, 2007-Cabo San Lucas--(all times PST)
7 p.m.--Posting of FINAL UNOFFICIAL Results—Villa del Palmar Resort
8 p.m.--Competition Review Board—Villa del Palmar Resort
FRIDAY, Nov. 16, 2007-Cabo San Lucas--(all times PST)
Noon-- Awards Celebration-Playa Cascadas
RACE DAYS SCHEDULE TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY, Nov. 13-16,2007--(all
times PST)
(1,296.39-mile course)
START: Adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center, Blvd.
Costero-Ensenada
FINISH: Campos de Futbol “Yenecamu” soccer fields-Cabo San Lucas
TUESDAY, Nov. 13, 2007-Ensenada—(all times PST)
5:30 a.m.--Late Registration, Red Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural
Center
5:30 a.m.--Late Tech, Start Line
6 a.m.--Media Registration, Red Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural
Center
RACE STARTS: (Tuesday, Nov. 13-Ensenada):
6:30 a.m.--Motorcycles and ATVs
10:30 a.m. (approx.)--Cars and Trucks
STARTING ORDER (Subject to change): (One vehicle every 30 seconds)
Motorcycles and ATVs--22, 30, 40, 21, 20, 50, 60, 25, 24, Sportsman
M/C>, Sportsman M/C<, Sportsman ATV
Cars and Trucks--TT, 1, 10, SL, 8, PT, 1-2/1600, 5, 7, BC, 5/1600, 7S,
7SX, SF, SM, 9, 3, 17, JS, Sportsman Truck, Sportsman Car, 11, Sportsman
UTV
TIME LIMIT: All vehicles will have a 53-hour time limit from the time
they start.
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 14, 2007-Cabo San Lucas—(all times PST)
3: a.m. (approx)—Finish Line opens-Campos de Futbol “Yenecamu” soccer
fields
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