SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1119475
Race Week A guide to the 51st SCORE BaJa 500 By Dan Sanchez Photos By Get Some Photo During race week, May 30 through June 2nd, a variety of activities will allow fans and participants to mingle. While this has always taken place on the streets of downtown Ensenada, this year’s SCORE Baja 500 will start and finish in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium, located on the grounds of the Estero Beach Hotel & Resort located 12.2 miles south of downtown Ensenada. Spectators will be able to safely witness one of the greatest motorsports races without an admission charge at this facility, which will also help the estimated 200,000 people coming into the city to view the race. The move of the start and finish line into the stadium will also help keep the streets of Ensenada open for the state elections taking place in Ensenada at the same time. “These state elections are very important to all of Mexico,” commented Jose A. Grijalva, SCORE President/Race Director. “This alternative site is ideal and very popular among fans from both sides of the border. The race track provides a stadium atmosphere with a very safe start/finish line for everyone involved.” MUST SEE EVENTS The week starts with SCORE Tech on Thursday May 30th where fans will be able to see how SCORE officials inspect each race vehicle for safety, happening on Avenida Lopez Mateos. Friday May 31st is a day-long Contingency festival (9am to 5pm) will take place in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium, where fans can meet and see all of the various classes of race vehicles up close. Manufacturers of race gear and off-road products will be displaying on the Manufacturer’s Midway, also located within the stadium area. Friday evening ends with the Monster Energy Papas Y Beer SCORE Street Party that takes place on Avenida Ruiz which is a big celebration of the race and lasts until Midnight. Race day is early on the morning of Saturday June 1st at 4:00 am when the Motorcycle and Quad classes rev-up to start the race at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium. At 7:15 am, the opening ceremonies take place which include the Mexican Honor Guard and salute to the flags. At 8:00 am the SCORE Trophy Trucks, cars, and UTVs, will begin taking off from the starting line and begin their journey through the Baja desert. According to race officials, all Sportsman, Vintage and Class 11 vehicles will run an abbreviated course but all vehicles in the race will have a 20-hour time limit to complete it. On Sunday, June 2nd, at Noon, SCORE will have its award celebration honoring the winners in each class at the Estero Beach Resort Concert Court, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean’s beautiful Bahia de Todos Santos. Racers and teams will get their trophies and plaques for their efforts, and will look forward to the third race in the SCORE World Desert Championship, the inaugural Lucerna SCORE Baja 400. The SCORE Baja 500 Course According to SCORE President and Race Director Jose Grijalva, this year’s SCORE Baja 500 will be challenging, and stretches across 487.11 miles. Starting at the Lucas Oil Off-Road stadium, the course runs in a clockwise direction, allowing racers to experience all of Baja’s scenery but with technical sections that will make it difficult. “Racers will experience a scenic but also a demanding and technical SCORE Baja desert race course that includes some of the best Northern Baja racing,” said Grijalva. “The course even runs on several areas seldom or never used before by SCORE.” According to Grijalva, racers will have to pass four physical checkpoints located at or near Nuevo Junction, San Matias, Col. Vicente Guerrero, and Santo Tomas. It will run up the infamous Summit, over Mike’s Sky Rancho road, as well as through legendary washes that include San Carlos, Santo Domingo and Erendira. SJ