SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/656980
T he first race of the 2016 SCORE season proved the irony that comes with racing in Baja, which is you can always count on the events to be unpredictable. A total of 169 teams from nine countries participated in the SCORE San Felipe 250, which took place the weekend of February 26-29th in the town of San Felipe, Mexico. With the announcement of a four race season, participation in the San Felipe 250 became essential for teams to earn points towards a 2016 SCORE Championship. Within the SCORE Trophy Truck division, no one wants a championship more than Gus Vildosola Jr., especially after losing the 2015 season to Carlos Apdaly Lopez by a narrow margin. SCORE fans were rooting for Vildosola, knowing he has won the SCORE San Felipe 250 three times in a row. But expecting the unexpected is the only sure thing when racing in Baja, and this ultimately proved to hold true in this race. Shake Up In The Trophy Truck Division With a total of 14 SCORE Trophy Truck entries for the race, the battle in SCORE's premier racing division began with Vildosola starting in the sixth position, behind veteran racers such as Chris Miller, Cory Keysar, BJ Baldwin, Cameron Steele, and Damen Jefferies. The course would prove to be difficult for the Trophy Trucks, as well as other classes, as the challenging 249.5-mile single loop course crossed through a variety of the area's difficult terrain and washes, including the Matomi Wash which is considered by many as one of the most difficult. The Matomi Wash, however, was not the only area that racers were dreading. The course also passed through three other Baja washes including, the Huatomote, Chanate, and the Amarillas. With three physical checkpoints along the beginning, mid and towards the end of the course, racers could concentrate on maneuvering around the obstacles while trying to maintain a steady 013 SCORE JOURNAL