SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1503989
VOICES FROM THE PIT Pit Crews Are A Vital Part Of SCORE Racing For Many Teams By SCORE Journal Staff Since the beginning of SCORE Baja racing, the logistics of running across vast amounts of desert required pit services along the way. Most teams don’t have the resources or people to have a pit crew in key areas to refuel and make repairs along the course. This is why volunteer pit crews were created and why they offer a vital role for many teams. Racers sign up for pit service for each race through the pit crew team’s website or via the SCORE International website. The services can range from simple refueling to taking care of any mechanical issues, tire changes, and more. For the most part, even if you didn’t sign up for a pit and needed help, any of the crews along the course will help racers in need. Along with one of the BFG Relay Teams and the Mag 7 Pit crew we spoke to, there are several other pit teams that offer their services and deserve to be highlighted. One of the most popular pit services in SCORE racing is the BFGoodrich Tires Pits which was started in 1982 by Bob Bower and then run by Frank De Angelo. The pit services are key to many SCORE racers needing fueling, tire changes, repairs, and full mechanical needs for UTV, truck, and moto teams. What makes the BFG pits so successful are the volunteers that provide a variety of talents. “These are hardcore enthusiasts who love the BFG brand and support off-road racing,” says Nate Hunt, Off-Road Racing Program Manager at Jackson Marketing Group (JMG). “Races like the SCORE Baja 500 and SCORE Baja 1000 are the most recognized in motorsports. It drives people to want to be a part of it. Some have been on our crews for 20 years to be a part of the reputation of BFG pits and being a part of the race.” BFGoodrich Tires Pits are also providing services to moto racers and are determined to improve safety and lessen their impact on the environment using improved fuel mats and better safety protection for refueling personnel. The BFG Pits have also given people an opportunity to experience SCORE races for the first time. “We brought some tire dealers from Ireland one time to work in one of the pits,” said Hunt. “Now they fly themselves from Ireland to Baja and come every year to be a part of the BFG Pits.” For nearly 40 years Baja Pits and its founder and president Carlos Orozco, have been supporting racers with essential services. “Baja Pits started with a casual conversation I had with Jim Julson, the founder of Jimco in the late 1980s,” said Orozco. “He and I talked about easier ways of transporting equipment from stage to stage, and how difficult it was to do at the time. That’s when Julson suggested that maybe I should create a pit service, and so the name Baja Pits stuck.” Organizing as many as 200 people across the Baja desert, the Baja Pit crews are primarily made of volunteers that do it for the love of racing and being able to help racers get to the finish. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction that some of our crew members are gaining positive life experiences,” says Orozco. “Some of these guys struggle in Mexico to just eat three meals a day, and I think Baja Pits makes a difference.” One of the added benefits of Baja Pits is their ability to communicate in both Spanish and English, allowing any racer to use their services and explain completely what they need. One thing, however, that speaks across all language barriers is food. During the event, the long days and sleep-deprived nights are quelled somewhat by the friendships that develop and the food that’s mostly barbecued at each pit. Food is the big motivator, according to Orozco. “Each person is fed very well, and my guys don’t eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” he laughed. “Specific people volunteer to do the cooking, whether it’s carne asada, barbecued shrimp, or tacos because a well-fed pit crew will want to do the job.”