SCORE Journal

A VIEW FROM ABROAD Pro Moto Ironman Racer Eddie Meek, Comes From The UK To Race BaJa By Dan Sanchez Photos Jack Wright NMEDIA3 At this year’s 55th BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja 1000 Presented by 4 Wheel Parts, racers from nearly 40 countries will participate in a variety of classes. Eddie Meek is one of them. Coming from the UK, Meek is a SCORE Pro Moto Ironman racer who has a unique perspective on SCORE’s moto classes. “After racing in the UK in Enduro and Hair and Hound competitions, I had always heard about the SCORE Baja 1000 and it has always been an ambition to compete,” he says. “The very first time I raced it in 2017, it was the 50th-anniversary race and although I finished sixth in 42 hours, I immediately got hooked!” What is amazing about Meek, is that he didn’t get into riding dirt bikes until five years ago. “I was traveling in Australia and heard about a famous race called the Fink Desert Race in 2015, and learned how to ride. As with many racers, he had heard about the SCORE Baja 1000 and the allure of racing it. “Knowing it was the pinnacle of skill and the thrill of finishing the race became the goal,” said Meek. “After the first race in 2017, I wanted to race the SCORE Baja 1000 again and do a whole season to try for a championship. That’s when I began preparing for the 2020 season. Unfortunately, I lost my fiancé who was going to go with me as support and it took all the desire of racing out of me.” “It took me two years to wrap my head around it to do it again,” says Meek. “I realized that she wanted me to race the SCORE Baja 1000 and it inspired me to compete in the 2022 season in her honor. She always told me that you only live once, and that’s when I decided to go for the SCORE Pro Moto Ironman Championship.” Racing an entire season brings new challenges that Meek has had to face. Logistics, costs, and safety while racing is always on his mind. “One of the difficulties that moto racers face is the overall cost,” he says. “I would like to know where the fees go. In the case of all Ironman racers, there is only one rider so there’s no splitting the cost. That’s what keeps many from competing in this class. For me and other international racers, the cost is even greater. I have to bring my bike in from Canada and store it in Las Vegas, Nevada. The logistical side of all that is challenging as I come in from the UK to race and my bike has to be prepared and ready in Ensenada, Mexico. But all that is what I consider part of the adventure.” Meek is one of the lucky ones in that he has a group of sponsors that help offset some of the cost, but realizes not all moto racers have that advantage. “Once the cost hurdle is made, there’s the safety part of it too,” he says. “I believe it’s difficult for Ironman racers with the early morning start. Most of us are already tired from pre-running and none of us can sleep before the race, so we’re already awake for 24 hours. It’s hard to stay focused but I like the moto-only sections. That worked well at the SCORE San Felipe 250 and kept us out of the nasty course sections beat up by prerunning.” While some moto racers have suggested that the moto and quad classes run on an entirely different day than the four-wheel classes, Meeks believes that would take away from the idea of racing Baja. “Some people have different views about the SCORE Trophy Trucks catching up to us, and it is dangerous,” he says. “But that’s what attracts riders like me to Baja. It seems like a race within a race and if the motos and 4-wheel vehicles were separated, I don’t think the race would appeal to me.” Meek has had his share of close calls, including a time when a SCORE Trophy Truck caught up to him in the dust. “I had to do a full-send into the bushes, but I survived,” said Meek. “The adrenaline kept me going but it’s part of racing.” One of the important things Meek takes into account for each race is knowing what the rules are. “It sounds simple enough but you’ve got to follow the rules correctly or you’ll get penalized,” says Meek. “At one race, a Pro Moto Ironman racer missed two VCPs around a corner and got heavily penalized. I made sure I took that corner tight and didn’t get any penalties. It’s important to know the rules before the race and follow them or it’s on you if you don’t win.” SJ Meek and team after finishing 3rd at the 2022 SCORE BaJa 500

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