SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/618747
SCORE BUD LIGHT BAJA 1000 RACE RECAP CARLOS (APDALY) LOPEZ IN THE NUMBER 5 RPM OFF- ROAD TRUCK WAS FIRST TO THE PODIUM BUT FINISHED SECOND AFTER PENALTIES. NEVERTHELESS, LOPEZ HAD A GREAT RUN AND 2015 SEASON. 012 SCORE JOURNAL some time on him as well," said McMillin. "I was pushing really hard and the truck gave more than I really could ask from it. I was giving it my all with every gear hitting the rev limiter and really driving as hard as I could." McMillin's efforts paid off as he was able to catch up to Lopez and were in the right position to take the win, once it was discovered that Lopez had time penalties for missing some checkpoints. After posting a time of 15 hours, 58 minutes and 33 seconds, averaging 51.41 miles per hour, the Rockstar Energy team celebrated their victory. "Winning the Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 is like no other feeling in the world," said MacCachren. "When you win this race you know that you've accomplished something. We've got a very powerful team between the two of us and we both know how to win the race and the guys who work on the truck do what it takes." "I think Rob and I are complementary drivers and have similar styles," said McMillin. "Rob has a tremendous team of professionals that work on his truck and prepare for the races and it makes all the difference. When I get in this truck I feel next to invincible. Up until the very last corner I told myself that anything can happen out here. You have to stay mentally focused because there are so many things happening so quickly that if you lose one second of concentration, it could end your race." Despite the mishap with the checkpoints, the RPM Off- Road team of Apdaly (Carlos), and Juan C. Lopez still finished far enough ahead of the rest of the Unlimited Trophy Truck pack to finish in second place. "It was a very hard day and the competition in the SCORE Trophy Truck class is amazing," said Apdaly Lopez. "I started the race and battled with Robby Gordon, and then with Rob MacCachren in the final miles. We had a front flat but, other than that we had a clean day. The race course was really rough and the weather conditions changed in different sections of the course." Finishing behind Lopez was RPM Off-Road teammate Edwardo Laguna, who also had a great Baja 1000 race. "The silt beds were bad and the dust was hanging right above the hood making it hard for us to see," said Laguna. "We had to babysit it and feel our way through. We also hit fog near race mile 110. It was hard because there is no light that will cut through that." Laguna and co-driver Josh Daniel also had some difficulties with some of the vehicle's components. "We