SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1430846
THE SEMA SHOW SCORE BAJA 1000 EXPERIENCE SCORE International Returns To The Largest Automotive Industry Event With Its Largest Exhibit Ever By Dan Sanchez With one of the largest display areas within the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience returned to the 2021 SEMA Show. During the week of November 2nd -5th, the entire automotive OE, aftermarket, and business community gathered again to meet face-to-face after COVID had canceled the in-person event in 2020. SCORE International’s previous SEMA Show exhibit was in 2018, where tens of thousands of attendees could experience what the SCORE Baja 1000 was like, and witness qualifying for the race on the grounds of the Las Vegas Speedway. This year, the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience was indoors, taking up approximately one-third of the North Hall Pavilion area of the Las Vegas Convention Center. On display were more than 40 past and historical race vehicles that showcased Baja’s racing history and legendary heritage that has made it the most iconic off-road race in the world. Among some of the legendary vehicles on display was the Big Oly Bronco raced by Parnelli Jones. This was one of the only times the vehicle was seen since it went up for auction last May, selling for more than 2-Million dollars. The 1994 PPI Toyota Trophy Truck, driven by Ivan Stewart and Larry Roeseler was also in the SCORE display area. The single-seat race truck was one of many iconic vehicles Stewart drove during his long Baja racing career, but this particular truck was one of the only times he shared driving duties with Roeseler to race the SCORE Baja 2000. Another legendary Baja race vehicle was the original Meyers Manx “Big Red'' buggy which was on display and accompanied by several other Meyers Manx vehicles. Big Red was the original four-wheel vehicle that won the first Baja 1000 race, known back then as the Mexican 1000, in 1967. DIVERSITY OF RACING CLASSES SHOWCASED Among the many other vehicles within the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience were actual race vehicles from a variety of classes. Some of these included SCORE Trophy Trucks and Trophy Truck Spec vehicles from Herbst/Smith racing, Oligies Racing, Brenthel Racing, Brad Lovell Racing, and others. Dennis Hollenbeck’s Class 11 Bug and those owned by Ruth Penner and Robert Johnson were also present, as well as Polaris UTV race vehicles from Alonzo Lopez and Katie Vernola. Brandon Walsh brought his Class 7F Toyota Tundra that is painted to look like Ivan Stewarts’ old SCORE Trophy Truck. In addition to these, the motorcycle classes were also represented in the exhibit, with Mark Samuels’ 1x SLR Honda and Scott McIntosh’s Class 60 motorcycle on display. Some racers and teams brought out their vintage and new pre-runners to the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience, to demonstrate how racing components and appearances are adapted to these high-performance off-road vehicles that originally started as factory-built automobiles. These ranged from full-tube chassis vehicles such as Steve Menzies’ luxury pre-runner built by Stewart Raceworks (the feature story is in this issue) to Michael Gaughan’s Walker Evans-built Dodge Ramcharger and Steve Oligies’ Zorro vintage pre-runner. Representing how SCORE racing influences off-road enthusiasts’ vehicles, the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience also had an assortment of modified trucks from Galpin Motors, including several of their Ford Broncos from a vintage race car to a 2021 model outfitted with the latest aftermarket parts. Other trucks were on display, outfitted with Overlanding gear, and performance trucks like the F-100 built by RJ Fab, that had the body of an older Ford pickup, but the inner workings and chassis of a pre-runner. START DRAW FOR CLASSES While the SCORE Baja 1000 Experience kept attracting hundreds of attendees every day, there was also some SCORE Baja 1000 business to attend to on Thursday, November 4th of the show. With Rat Sult and Dave Arnold as hosts, SCORE International live-streamed its Start Draw for several of the classes in the 54th BFGoodrich Tires SCORE Baja 1000 Presented by 4 Wheel Parts, directly from the floor of the SEMA Show. Racers who finished the 2nd SCORE Baja 400 Presented by VP Racing Fuels would start in the same position they finished, but those who did not attend the race, or wanted a chance for a better starting position, could participate in the Start Draw. With Sult giving the results of those starting positions drawn at random, the field of starters for the race began to take shape. Sult was also able to interview several SCORE sponsors and aftermarket manufacturers who stopped by the SCORE exhibit. Those racers in attendance were also interviewed and were available to sign autographs for any attendee who wanted one. “The SCORE Baja 1000 Experience was a huge success in giving the automotive industry a glimpse of what SCORE Baja racing is all about, but also showcased how off-road motorsports uniquely influences what the aftermarket creates for popular make and model trucks and SUVs,” said Jim Ryan, SCORE Marketing Director. “Off-road enthusiasts continue to drive our market and with our social media and with our SCORE Journal digital magazine alone, we are reaching nearly 2-million people monthly, and more than double that during any of our four races throughout the year.” THE SHOW OUTSIDE More Off-Road Vehicles Were Spread Out Beyond The SCORE Area During The 2021 SEMA Show The SCORE Baja 1000 Experience was the largest area offering attendees a look into the off-road and off-road motorsports industries, but additional vehicles and aftermarket manufacturers were in other locations of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Many of these reflected new products, customized vehicles optimized for Overlanding, as well as those vehicles outfitted with the latest racing inspired products that improve the capabilities of the latest model trucks and SUVs.