SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1528094
11 Wins in a Row! Vildosola Sr. Continues His Winning Streak Story by Stuart Bourdon Photos by Get Some Photo Winning a few races in a row is one thing, but Gustavo Vildosola has done considerably better than that. With his most recent SCORE Trophy Truck Legends class victory at the 2024 5th SCORE Baja 400 Presented by VP Racing, Vildosola has now racked up 11 consecutive wins. His ninth win in a row at the 2024 San Felipe 250 clinched a record for Vildosola. Now he is shooting for another at the 2024 Baja 1000 to make it 12 race wins and three season championships in a row. Vildosola told us, “Starting seventh off the line, Ricky Johnson did a great job of moving up quickly. He had one flat, but then later while chasing MacCachren, he hit a deep rut in the course and the sector shaft in the steering box got bent out of shape. He handed me the truck with everything else in perfect shape. It was kind of interesting to maneuver the truck from that point on.” “Our truck has paddle shifters on the steering wheel and after the hit, the front wheels were pointing straight ahead, but the upshift paddle, normally at the three o’clock position, was at almost 12 o’clock. The downshift paddle was at almost six o’clock. It took a little while to get used to, and when I would come hot into a corner and wanted to go down the gear, I had to hunt for it and remember where the paddles were.” “Overall, the race was a lot of fun and more competitive than ever because we had Tim Herbst and Pat Dean in the mix this time, as they had decided to start running in Legends. They had been running in the SCORE Trophy Truck class for years and have always been keen competitors. This race, the 2024 Baja 400, was the most competitive Legends class we’ve had, and it’s only going to get better. I think that that’s the way it should be. That’s what makes it fun and challenging, and at the end of the day, makes it more rewarding.” Vildosola added, “I want to thank everyone on the team that supports us, from my son-in-law Steve Lewis, who manages the team, to all the guys in the shop, the chase crews, and the pit crews. They are as committed as the drivers are to winning races and are a big part of why we continue to be successful.” SJ Co-Driver Ricky Johnson with team navigator Victor Valenzuela at the finish of the race