SCORE Journal

SCORE Journal - June 2019

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

Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1131793

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 7 of 114

BaJa Shakes Up The Competition By Dan Sanchez Photos by Get Some Photo From A Stadium Short Course To The Long Haul, The 51st SCORE BaJa 500 Had Everything For SCORE Racers To Endure After 50-years of legendary drivers and vehicles, the 51st SCORE Baja 500 entered into a new decade with a generation of drivers that are extremely talented, faster, and using vehicles that are more capable than ever. Yet for all the modernization and technological improvements within the off-road motorsports industry, the challenge of the SCORE Baja 500 has not changed as the 51st year of the race got underway on June 1st. The race attracted drivers from across the globe who attempted to add their names as conquerors of what is considered the toughest 500-mile race in history. Their journey, however, started long before the green flag dropped at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium, the location of the start and finish line at the Estero Beach Resort in Ensenada, Mexico. Most came two weeks before the start of the race to pre-run the 485.02-mile course, allowing drivers to map and familiarize themselves with it. The course for this year’s race ran from the Lucas Oil Off-Road Stadium included 146 virtual checkpoints and 11 speed-zones, all which play an important factor in determining who finishes the race first, and without any penalties. According to SCORE President and Race Director Jose Grijalva, this year’s course included various areas that SCORE has not used in the past and was one of the most spectacular in its scenery. The course ran near the San Carlos Wash, Uruapan, Santa Catarina, the Summit, Borrego, Mike’s Sky Rancho, Rancho El Coyote, San Telmo, Rancho Montes, the Santo Domingo wash, Camalu, Colonet, San Vicente and the wash at Erendira. Spectators got a great view of the racers at these locations, but some of the best views of the vehicles were during SCORE’s Contingency Day held on Friday, May 31st at the Lucas Oil Stadium in the Estero Beach Resort. The area was packed with fans who wanted to see and meet with SCORE racers, teams and the vehicles that were prepped for the race. Pre-Race Media Event Before the start of the race, SCORE also conducted a Media event, where several racers were interviewed, including 2018 SCORE Baja 500 winner Rob MacCachren, Pro UTV champs Wayne and Kristen Matlock, legendary racer and champion Larry Roeseler, Cameron Steele, Sara Price, Marc Burnett, the 1X team of Justin Morgan and Mark Samuels, and NASCAR’s Brandon Gaughan who is now back to his roots in SCORE A New Start Part of the race’s celebratory events was the pre-start opening ceremonies that included SCORE and Mexican officials including Oscar J. Escobedo Carignan Secretary of Tourism, Mayor of Ensenada Marco Antonio Novelo Osuna, Victor Celis, President of the Ensenada Hotel Association and local law enforcement representatives. Those that lined up to drive up to the SCORE staring line, were interviewed by SCORE host and announcers Rat Sult and Dave Arnold. The quick interviews and were broadcast on the SCOREVision screen at the starting line, during the SCORE Live Stream, allowing fans to watch and listen in from the stadium. SJ

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of SCORE Journal - SCORE Journal - June 2019