SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/602700
O ne of the most synonymous names associated with off-road racing is BJ Baldwin, a man who has created renewed excitement into the sport with wild stunts and love for the sport that can't help but be recognized. While many racers attribute their love for desert racing from exposure to it from their fathers or other relatives, Baldwin's first exposure to the sport began with a Sega Genesis video game called Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart's Super Off-Road. It didn't take long for Baldwin to save some money and get involved in real racing when he turned 17. But it wasn't until 2003, that Baldwin's dad, Bobby, a prominent Las Vegas Casino Resort executive, officially started Baldwin Motorsports. "The truth is that I introduced my father to off-road racing," says Baldwin. "My sister Staci let me borrow some money when I was 17 years old to buy a buggy. My Dad and I started racing the buggy and he didn't start driving an off-road car until several years later. He took a massive interest in the motorsports program in 2001 and has been an integral and irreplaceable asset since then." At that time, BJ Baldwin was driving in Class 10, and when Baldwin Motorsports began, he moved up to a Class 1 vehicle. Shortly thereafter, both were driving in the SCORE Unlimited Trophy Truck Division, which allowed BJ to hone his skills enough to win four SCORE Trophy Truck season point championships; 2006, 2008, 2012 and in 2013. "My most memorable moment in racing was leading 250 miles of the SCORE Baja 500 in 2007 only to crash in the last four miles of the race, and lose to one my mentors Larry Ragland," says Baldwin. "We ended up finishing third, but the most fun part of that race was racing with Larry Ragland for 200 miles." With increasing competition and the fact that Trophy Trucks that are at their peak of performance, remaining on top of a race circuit like SCORE can take their toll on any driver and team. "I have been racing SCORE Unlimited Trophy Truck since 2003 and as long as I can remember, it has been very hard to win races," says Baldwin. "I compete in a series in which I believe contains the most talented 053 SCORE JOURNAL