SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1534592
SCORE JOURNAL 94 38TH SCORE SAN FELIPE 250 UTV CLASSES "The key for me was having good communication with the navigator and myself." While Blurton was gunning for the Overall UTV title against the likes of Brock Heger in the SCORE Pro UTV Open class, he says racing in Mexico is situational. By his account, racing advantages are dependent on many circumstances. Position on the grid, the prevailing wind, and dust are factors. But he won't use that as an excuse for not accomplishing what he set out to do. "You might think you're the only one in the dust, but the truth is everybody's in the dust," he laughed. "With everything factored in and with the Class 10 cars between two of the UTV classes, I managed to pass 56 race cars on the course to get to where I was, after starting 23rd off the line in class. That's what's fun about UTV racing. There were so many fast racers, and Heger was one of them. I'm learning to drive the Can-Am Maverick R harder until I am finding its limits." The win came from hitting all the right lines even against the elements. But Blurton says he had to remind himself that sometimes it works, and sometimes it's a big mistake to pick a particular line. Likewise, the Can-Am Maverick R performed flawlessly. It was the same car he drove for a Class win at the 2024 SCORE Baja 1000. He used more fuel than expected in San Felipe, but he thought it was due to the silt and washes. While Blurton concentrated on driving, Jeff Gallegos, his navigator, had the added pressure of keeping track of every obstacle with pre-running notes, even as the whoops tossed them around like rag dolls. "Jeff and I had the course strategy planned during pre-running and stuck to it," said Blurton. "Any race in Mexico requires a great navigator. I never ask for speed or driving advice. Jeff talks to me about lines, obstacles, and any VCP that needs my attention. He doesn't stop calling out the turns from start to finish, all while keeping an eye on the mechanical data. I don't know how he does it. I couldn't navigate for five minutes." Meanwhile, between races, Blurton says he is ready for the SCORE Baja 500. SCORE fans will see in anticipation if he continues to push the limits of the Maverick R, or settle into an endurance race strategy.SJ