SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
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SURVIVING THE GAUNTLET Four-Wheel Classes Take A Baja Beatdown By Dan Sanchez, Paul Hanson, Isaac Flores, Ariana Medrano, Adilene Ponce Photos By Get Some Photo Dust, rocks, rain, and mud across a 832.67-mile course took its toll on many of the four-wheel classes. But while many racers were not able to finish, there were the few that survived the gauntlet Baja brought down on them. One was Class 7 Champion Dan Chamlee, in the No. 700 Ford Ranger, who earned his second class win of the season at this SCORE Baja 1000. He battled with the No. 711 team of Rhys Millen and Richard Fant all season for the class championship, but with a DNF at the SCORE San Felipe 250 and a second place finish at the SCORE Baja 400, Chamlee’s record of 19 Class 7 championships could end this season. “It was a long, bumpy day and the truck performed really well,” he said. “We are unofficially first so we are happy. We are probably not going to get the Championship because I think Reese got it, so congratulations to him.” SCORE Lites racers Scott and Jacob Wisdom in the No. 1221 car, didn’t compete all season, but entered the SCORE Baja 1000 for a chance at winning. “ It was great and a lot with a rough course,” said Jacob Wisdom after crossing the finish line first for the class win. “We had one flat tire but other than that it was just beating our way to the finish.” In Class 1/2-1600 only half of the six competitors finished the race, with the No. 1656 car of Raul Ojeda and team finishing first approximately two hours ahead of the second place finishers, Daniel Goodrich in the No. 1606 car. “ The course was very difficult and very competitive,” said Ojeda. “It was competitive all night. We had brake and suspension issues, so that held us back a little, but we were able to recover and recuperate. Everyone did a great job and we are happy.” Class 8 had Spencer Morgan compete in his first race of the season in his No. 852 Ford truck, beating Josh Klenske in the No. 809 Ford for the class win. In the Heavy Metal Limited Class, the Ford Performance team led by veteran racer Brad Lovell, and team advisor ORMHOF Inductee Curt LeDuc. Driving the No. 8050 Ford Bronco DR, the team had no issues to get to the finish line and win the class in a time of 30:30:06. “We saw it all today. It was fun and amazing,” said co-driver and Ultra-4 Champion Jason Scherer. “We watched a sunrise, a sunset, and a moonrise. We drove through dust, we drove through mud, we drove through snow. We froze our hands off. And it was all worth it. This vehicle is awesome. I really love driving it. This is the Bronco DR and it’s a conjunction vehicle between Ford Performance and Multimatic. They made this thing work. We never got out of it. It was an event you just kind of dream about – just get in the car and race your section and have no issues. We pulled that off today. I have to tip my hat to those guys because they really put in the testing on this truck.” “Honestly this is a truck you can just go buy. And basically six friends just finished the SCORE Baja 1000 in it. It’s a testament to the vehicle. It was fun too. This V-8 sounds awesome in this Bronco. It made it a fun day all the way through. There was silt beds and high-speed sections and rock fields, just everything that Baja can throw at you and it conquered it all. It was great.” Hammer Truck racer Cole Johnson in the No. 4482 SXOR Motorsports truck also survived the tough course to finish and win the class. Winning the Stock Full Size class was Tomonori Noto from Hokkaido, Japan in the No. 8188 KYB/JAOS Lexus SUV. Noto is a popular racer among SCORE fans and completed their plan to win the SCORE Baja 1000 within three years. In 2023, the team was heartbroken after crossing the finish line of the SCORE Baja 1000 shortly after the official finishing time was called, so this win was extra meaningful to Noto, the team, and their sponsors who designed new components for them to test in the race. “It was super rough and there were a lot of rocks,” said Noto. “The snow was no problem. I am from somewhere that has a lot of snow. I started the race and finished 29 hours later. The car was fantastic. We didn’t have anything break that needed to be fixed or replaced. Couldn’t have asked for much better. We punctured a tire twice hitting some hazards but we had spares and swapped those out and got back on the road.” Another happy team to finish the race was that of Trey Hernquist and team in the No. 501 car. It was the first and only race of the season for this Class 5 Unlimited competitor who struggled to stay ahead of Class Champion Eli Yee in the No. 500 car. Hernquist and co-drivers Adam Johnston and Bill Hernquist finished 37 minutes ahead of Yee with penalties, but got the win. “ It was a long day, but here we are,” said Trey Hernquist. “We didn’t really have any major issues. My section was fast, no issues, didn’t get out of the car. Adam got a couple flat tires and maybe bent a tie rod. We battled all day with Eli Yee, which was awesome. We went back and forth a couple times and we just did what we could to just get it here. This is my first SCORE Baja 1000 win. It was cool that my dad [Bill] got in at race mile 600 and drove to the finish for us.” Ford Performance had a second entry in the 57th BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 1000, taking its new U.S. model Raptor Ranger and placing it into the Stock Mid-Size Class headed by Ultra-4 Champion Loren Healy. “The race went well, said co-driver and off-road racer Bailey Campbell. “The guys brought me a great truck. I couldn’t have asked for a better day. My whole section was smooth sailing and here we are at the finish line. My co-driver Brian said he saw ice on the ground but I didn’t think it could be that cold. This windshield helped us. I think John might have hit a rock earlier today but other than that we kept the truck moving pretty quick. Ford did a phenomenal job putting this together. I can’t wait to see what they will put in the race next year.” Justin Park once again, dominated SCORE’s Class 7F with his third race win of the season. Despite a roll-over and other setbacks the No. 700F Bilstein Shocks/Camburg Racing truck completed the course in 22:24:38 to win and take a commanding lead in the class points championship. “ It was a rough one,” he said. “We rolled the truck in the first sixty miles, which was a big set-back for us. But we got it put back over, topped off the fluids and luckily she was in great shape. We were able to bring it to the finish line today, not only for the win but also for the Championship and hopefully for a milestone award. The rain was tough, the excessive pre-running was difficult on the course for our class. We have broken fiberglass and bent metal. But that’s all part of it.” Class 7SX had Armando Duron and his team of family members finished first for a much needed win after two DNFs at the SCORE Baja 500 and SCORE Baja 400. “We are a family here and my sons and brother drove sections,” said Duron. “My brothers and nephews help on this team and that’s why we have been racing for a long time, over 40 years in this class. It was a rough course. Rocks, sand, silt, just like the SCORE Baja 1000 is supposed to be. Its part of the game here…cold…rain. I want to thank God first, then my family for the support, and my nephews, sons, and wife.” Oliver Flemate and the No. 1100 VW bug continued to dominate SCORE Class 11 with another win. This completes the team’s perfect season, which in itself is difficult, but in a Class 11 is almost unheard of. Flemate and his team finished the race in 30:12:29 ahead of second place finisher and ORMHOF Inductee Eric Solorzano, who in the No. 1111 car finished approximately three and a half hours behind Flemate. “Honesty we are grateful to God for allowing us to get here to the finish line,” said Flemate. “Out of all the SCORE Baja 1000’s I’ve run, this has been the most difficult by far. Even more difficult than the peninsula run. The dust, the climate, and the snow that was falling, made it difficult, but it brings us even more joy being able to finish a race like this. I’m really grateful to my whole team and to all the people who help support us. I just really want to thank God and all of Flemate racing. Viva México, Viva Ensenada!” SJ AFTERTHOUGHTS Dan Chamlee Winning Class 7 Matias Arjona IV Winning Class 10 Armando Duron Class 7SX Winner Cole Johnson Score Hammer Truck Class Winner Trey Herquist Team On Winning Class 5 Unlimited Raul Ojeda SCORE Class 1/2-1600 Winner