SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1280123
THE IRON-RIDERS Riding alone in Baja is the only way some Pro Moto racers prefer to challenge the world’s toughest off-road races By Dan Sanchez Riding for 36+ hours on a dirt bike is the hardest way to win a SCORE race, but just ask any SCORE Pro Moto Ironman competitor, and they’ll tell you they do it for the challenge. Perhaps it’s the greatest challenge in all of SCORE racing, as it requires a huge amount of courage, endurance, and fortitude not to give up than any other class. After completing a race, SCORE Pro Moto Ironman racers get a lot of respect for simply attempting the challenge. It’s the “marathon” of every SCORE race, one that draws admiration that continues to inspire motorcycle racers in every other class and form of desert racing. Although not many are cut out for it, there are only a small handful of riders that have the mental and physical capability to ultimately persevere. The class started in 2004 and was originally called the SCORE IronRider class, which was only open at the SCORE Baja 1000. It remained this way until 2013 when the name was changed to the SCORE Ironman class. In 2014 the class was open for all SCORE races during the season, allowing riders to earn points for a championship. It wasn’t long before riders began taking on the challenge and names like Francisco Septien, Carlin Dunne, Tony Gera, Josear Carrasco, and many others crossed the finish line for a win. Others followed suit to prove they could challenge Baja on their own terms, and in the process, are able to take off-road motorcycle racing to a new height. But this type of challenge isn’t for everyone. Racers approach riding Pro Moto Ironman in their own way and their stories on how they met that challenge and won, are as different as the riders themselves.