SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1534592
SCORE JOURNAL 13 BFGOODRICH TIRES 57TH SCORE BAJA 500 PREVIEW A Brief History Of The SCORE Baja 500 The SCORE Baja 500 as we know it today, began as the Baja International. Legal issues prevented the race from being called the Baja 500 after SCORE took over the race in 1974. "The first SCORE Baja International was a real bath of fire for me," said SCORE former owner Sal Fish. "I was in this new role of being the president of SCORE, and it's not like you're sitting in the owner's box at the Indy 500 or standing in the pits of a drag race or NASCAR watching things unfold in front of you. It was hands-on, trying to deal with everything thrown at you all at once." The first race started in Ensenada and had 279 starters and 173 finishers. The team of Mitch Mayes and A.C. Bakken won Overall in the motorcycle category on a Husqvarna. Newcomers to Baja racing at the time were Larry Roeseler with Andy Kirker (SCORE's current moto liaison) raced this event in Class 20. Finishing first in the four-wheel division was the legendary Bobby Ferro. The first SCORE Baja International attracted the biggest names in off-road racing at the time, racers who ultimately became legendary throughout the decades. Among them were Malcolm Smith and Bud Feldkamp racing in Class 1 and finishing second behind Ferro. Walker Evans also raced the first SCORE Baja International and won in Class 8 with Jimmie Baird. Others included Rod Hall and Jim Fricker, who won in Class 3, Parnelli Jones and Bill Stroppe, and Ivan Stewart with Bill Hyrinko who finished first in Class 2.