SCORE Journal

SCORE Journal - August 2018

SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing

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BaJa Racing On The Border By Dan Sanchez Photography By Get Some Photo The Lucerna Hotels & Resorts Tijuana 22nd SCORE Desert Challenge will once again take place close to the U.S. border in Tijuana, Mexico, providing SCORE fans from the United States, easier access to view the third race of the SCORE World Desert Championship season. The race is scheduled for September 19-23rd and will be a split format, a multi-lap race that will provide an exciting two days of action. For SCORE fans, this is a full weekend of non-stop action that begins with Contingency in front of the Hotel Lucerna Tijuana on the historic Avenida Paseo de los Heroes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, September 22nd. In addition, the Hotel Lucerna Tijuana is offering special rates for participants and fans for the September race week. Ask for the SCORE Desert Challenge rate, calls from Mexico should be made to 01.800.02 66 300 and from the U.S.A. should be made to 1.800.582.3762. Another great perk for SCORE fans is the Tijuana Discount Card. The Tijuana Tourism and Convention Committee, in association with SCORE and participating hotels, restaurants and retail stores in Tijuana are developing a special Tijuana Discount Card for participants and fans will receive the card free. It will offer special prices and promotions that will include discounts up to 15 percent of the participating hospitality industry companies. TiJuana’s History With SCORE Tijuana is one of the five largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in all of Mexico that has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, attracting investments by electronics, aerospace and medical tourism firms. It is also regarded as one of the top culinary destinations in the world, including craft beer production. As a tourist destination, Tijuana has also recorded its best hotel occupancy rate in the last 15 years and has attracted additional hotel chains like City Express, Holiday Inn, and the Hyatt Hotels among others. This is the second time the SCORE Desert Challenge has been held in the city of Tijuana, thanks to the Lucerna Hotels & Resorts who are sponsoring the event. Since 1966, the group has owned and operated locations throughout Mexico that include the Hotel Lucerna Mexicali, Hotel Lucerna Ciudad Juarez, Hotel Lucerna Culiacan, Hotel Lucerna Hermosillo. The group’s newest property, the Hotel Torre Lucerna Ensenada, is located on Highway 1 on the Northern outskirts of Ensenada and will be the SCORE headquarters hotel for all SCORE Baja races in Ensenada starting with this November’s 51st SCORE Baja 1000. The first SCORE Baja 1000 (then called the Mexican 1000) began in Tijuana in 1967, starting the legendary race that is now in its 51st year. The race moved to Ensenada, but in 1995, the SCORE Baja 1000 was once again held in Tijuana, starting in the wash near the Hotel Lucerna. The SCORE Desert Challenge race has been held in a variety of cities in the U.S. and Mexico over its 21-years. It was held in Laughlin, Nevada, U.S.A., from 1995 through 2012, Plaster City, California, the U.S.A. in 2014, and in Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico in 2016. The Course and Sessions The course is a 68-mile loop from which each class will run a total of four laps, totaling 136-miles to complete the race. This will be done in two, two-lap sessions for each division, beginning on Saturday, September 22nd for motorcycles, quads and specific four-wheel classes. Truck, car and UTV classes will race two laps on Sunday, September 23rd and finish their last two laps on Sunday, September 23rd. At last year’s Tijuana 21st Annual SCORE Desert Challenge, racers ran two sessions totaling 140.0 miles. SCORE Fans were ecstatic with the fast pace and door-to-door action, most of which was visible from a centralized location in town. This year the pace will be just as fast and because of the format, some SCORE racers with short-course experience may have an advantage. Last year, the RPM Off-Road team dominated the race, with Josh Daniel driving Justin Matney’s 4WD RPM Off-Road Chevrolet that took the race overall with the fastest time. The four-wheel drive Geiser built Trophy Truck ran three minutes faster than teammate Apdaly Lopez, who finished second in this race last year but still managed to win the Overall and SCORE Trophy Truck 2017 championship. Finishing third overall at last year’s race was Lalo Laguna, who filled in for Armin Schwarz Predictions Although Apdaly Lopez finished second last year, he has not had a win during the 2018 SCORE season. With a vehicle problem at the SCORE San Felipe 250, and starting too far back at the SCORE Baja 500 to finish first, Lopez is still one of the favored racers to take this race if his vehicle is up to it. Within the Class 1 division, Justin Davis has won the last two races and could be on to having a perfect season if he can pull out another win in Tijuana. His toughest competition will be team Wilson with Brad and Brian Wilson, who are tough competitors and are willing to earn as many points necessary to make for another championship season. Hanna won in Tijuana last year but will be challenged with a growing pack of TT Spec racers this year. One of the racers fans will also be watching is in the SCORE Trophy Truck Spec division, where RPM’s Sara Price is a short-course champion. While this race may be in her area of expertise, she will still have to pass other drivers like Bryce Swaim, William Hedrick Jr., and Elias Hanna who are not going to make it easy, and who are also battling for championship points. In the UTV divisions, last year’s winner Marc Burnett will be battling against Wayne Matlock, who is the current points leader in the Pro UTV FI division. Also in the mix is Brandon Sims who won the class at the SCORE Baja 500 and who could earn some valuable points towards competing for a championship season if he can win in Tijuana. While SCORE fans are always excited to see head-to-head motorcycle action, they can expect the 7x team of Justin Morgan battle it out with the 1x team of Shane Esposito and the 55 x team of Santiago Creel in Tijuana. Not wanting to stay away from competition, SCORE officials reported that Colton Udall has registered for the race. This will be Udall’s first time back on the rider’s seat since he started off the line at the 50th BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja 1000. While all these three teams have incredible riders who are fast and capable, it’s anyone’s race, leaving it entirely up to which team makes the fewest mistakes as the overall class winners. Lodging Information: The President of Tijuana's Hotel Association, Jose Antonio Rico Cacillas, has graciously arranged for many hotels in the area to provide teams with discounted group rates and room availability: LUCERNA RESERVATION INFORMATION: México 01 800 0266 300 USA: 1 800 LUCERNA Hotel Fiesta Inn Hotel Velario Hotel City Express Rio Hotel City Jr Otay Hotel City Express Insurgentes Hotel City Express Suites Tijuana Hotel Marriott HOTEL LA MESA RESERVATION INFORMATION: Contact Martha Dominguez at reservaciones@bajainn.com for rates as low as $75 USD HOTEL HACIENDA DEL RIO RESERVATION INFORMATION: Contact Martha Dominguez at reservaciones@bajainn.com for rates as low as $90 USD GRAN HOTEL TIJUANA Contact Jorge Rubio at reservaciones@grandhoteltj.com HOTEL PUEBLO AMIGO Contact reservaciones@hotelpuebloamigo.com HOTEL PALACIO AZTECA Contact Bárbara Blousman at reservaciones@hotelpalacioazteca.com HOTEL HOLIDAY INN TIJ Contact Jhoana Rico at gerente.banquetes@tijzr.com HOTEL REAL DEL RIO Contact: Ricardo Arellano at director@realdelrio.com HOTEL GAMMA Contact Adilene Ceja at adileneceja@posadas.com HOTEL HYATT TIJUANA Contact Angelica Contreras at angelica.contreras@hyatt.com REAL INN TIJUANA (GARMIN CALLS IT CAMINO REAL) RESERVATION & LOCATION INFORMATION: Paseo de los Héroes 9902, Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico Phone: +52 664 633 4000 Race Registration, Media Registration, Tech & Contingency, Driver’s Meeting, Pilot’s Meeting, and Awards Ceremony in the ball room area or outside of this hotel.

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