SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1535528
MOTO MENTORS Advice From Veterans Who Teach And Lead Teams In SCORE By Dan Sanchez Photos by Get Some Photo The popular saying among veteran SCORE moto racers, is that with age comes a cage. But trading two-wheels for four is just the next step for some of the best motorcycle champions SCORE International has ever known. Legends such as Malcolm Smith, Jack Johnson, Larry Roeseler, Dan Smith, and others, transitioned their Baja racing careers to succeed and win races and championships in a variety of four-wheel vehicles. Other former moto champions and legends put their racing knowledge and skills to work by teaching, mentoring, and providing wisdom for the next generation of professional SCORE motorcycle riders. Some of these include SCORE champions and legends such as ORMHOF Inductee Tim Morton, Giovanni Spinali, and Justin Morgan. These guys have chosen to mentor and help a new generation of younger racers to raise the bar of achievements in motorcycle off-road racing, and in doing so, deserve a great deal of respect for their contributions to the sport. While there are many moto mentors helping both young and experienced riders how to properly prepare and race in SCORE, their efforts truly help the sport and keep riders safe while participating in the most grueling off-road races in the world. Morton, Spinali, and Morgan offered their thoughts, tips, and wisdom to some of the basic questions they are often asked to respond to. Justin Morgan One of the winningest racers in modern SCORE history, Justin Morgan had ambitions to race in a SCORE Trophy Truck, but because he was so good at riding motorcycles, his racing career took off that way. A six-time SCORE Baja 1000 winner, Morgan is also a four-time Pro Moto Unlimited Champion (2017-2020) and has also navigated with Larry Roeseler in a SCORE Trophy Truck and ran the 2024 7x Pro Moto Unlimited team with newcomer Tyler Lynn, and veteran Brandon Prieto to win the 2024 SCORE Baja 1000 before retiring from two-wheels to four with the SCI Factory Polaris Team. SJ: What was your greatest memory racing in SCORE? JM: I have a lot of great memories racing SCORE on a bike. One that sticks out is the 2018 SCORE San Felipe 250. It’s a special race to me because it was the first time putting together a Baja effort with Mark Samuels, and Bob Youngs (SD Powerhouse) building the bike. We did it with a low budget, minimal support, and an old bike. The race allowed us to showcase what we could do as a team and would lead to years of success. • Morgan and Mark Samuels winning the 2018 SCORE Baja 1000 SJ: What tips would you give new bike racers who are starting in SCORE? JM: First, I would remind them that it’s not a closed course, and that preparation is a big deal. One of the most important things is to be as efficient as possible and not to waste any energy. SJ: What are some of your “must-haves” on a racing bike for competing in Baja? JM: A must-have product is a Dunlop 739 AT rear tire. This is a tested tire in SCORE Baja racing and I have won more SCORE Baja 1000 races on it. SJ: If you were in the market to purchase a new off-road motorcycle, what would it be? JM: If it were to go racing in Baja, without a doubt it would be a Honda CRF450X. It’s an Enduro bike with a lot of nuances Honda has learned from many years of racing in SCORE. SJ: As an experienced veteran, what are some of the mistakes you see some of the new generation of young SCORE Pro Moto riders are making? • Morgan raced and mentored Tyler Lynn on the SLR Honda team during the 2024 season JM: Some of the common mistakes I see new racers make, is choosing to ride multiple short sections instead of a longer one. Unfortunately, I also see many riders not operating their motorcycle correctly. SJ: What kind of changes would you like to see in the SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited class? JM: There are decent number of motivated racers and teams, but I think the Unlimited Class needs to have more entries. A good way to get the numbers up is to not let them race 450cc bikes in the SCORE Limited Class. Having a Limited Class in which you can ride a 450cc makes no sense to me. Pro Moto Limited should be 400cc and under as delivered by manufacturer. Also, I think there should be a cap on number of riders per bike on a pro team. Giovanni Spinali Winning five Class Championships in the SCORE Pro Moto 40 and 50 classes, Giovanni Spinali of H.E.R.O. Racing had a 12-year racing career in SCORE. During that time, he and the team also helped injured veterans and orphanages in Mexico, donating their time and goods they needed. After sustaining injuries which almost ended his career, Spinali returned to win the 2023 SCORE Pro Moto 50 championship with his team. He stepped back and continued the H.E.R.O team, managing the next generation of riders including the current 2024 SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited Champion Arturo Salas Jr. SJ: What was your greatest memory racing in SCORE? GS: Some of my best SCORE Baja Memories or wins is winning the 2014 Overall Motorcycle Championship as a 40 Pro over all classes. Winning our first SCORE Baja 1000 in 2018 was a great accomplishment, getting 6th overall in the SCORE Baja 1000 one year was also great. I think the one that really means a lot, however, is winning the SCORE Baja 1000 in 2023, one year after having a big crash at the 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 where I broke 18 bones and got life flighted out of San Felipe. That was officially my last race in Baja. We decided to hang up our boots and support some young guys to go after the 1x plate. HERO Racing in its first effort did exactly that and we claimed the coveted 1x plate in the SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited Class. • Spinali recovered from serious injuries to race and win the 2023 SCORE Baja 1000 with his 500x team SJ: What tips would you give new bike racers who are starting in SCORE? GS: Spend lots of time pre running, knowing your section and the surrounding areas very well in case of any emergencies. Have dependable people chasing for you, not drinking buddies. The party should start after you cross the finish line and not before. Carry a Spot X or inReach Mini so you can stay in contact with your chase team, anywhere when you break down, run out of gas, etc. SJ: How should a rider prepare their nutrition or hydration before a SCORE Baja race? GS: To take on a SCORE race, you need to make sure you are well hydrated days before the race. I personally have had the most success on a KETO diet and fasting every other day, but I can be a little extreme sometimes. SJ: If you were in the market to purchase a new off-road motorcycle, what would it be? GS: Throughout racing in Baja, we have raced Honda 450x’s and Yamaha 450FX’s. I would consider them equal in performance and reliability. I believe, however, Honda has more support in Baja and that is why we currently race a 2025 Honda CRF 450X built by Colton Udall of Champion Adventures. SJ: As an experienced veteran, what are some of the mistakes you see some of the new generation of young SCORE Pro Moto riders are making? GS: I would say some of the most common mistakes made during the race would be, not getting a full tank of fuel at a pit and running out of gas. Another would be missing a VCP in the dust or in the heat of a battle. The worst, however, is hitting a rock in the shadows that is the same color as the sand and going over the bars. I have made all these mistakes more than once. Once you try it, you are hooked. Baja is the most challenging race in the world and who doesn’t want to win that. I know we did. • Spinali mentored the 2024 1x H.E.R.O. team of Arturo Salas Jr., Carter Klein, and Ciran Naran to win the SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited Championship last year Mark Samuels Starting his career in motocross, Mark Samuels was invited to race Baja with Adam Newerth and Justin Morgan at the 2011 SCORE Baja 500, and was hooked ever since. Racing with the JCR Honda team under the guidance of legendary moto racer Johnny Campbell, Samuels went on to win numerous races and later started his own SLR Honda team where he continued to spawn other championship riders and win SCORE Championships. Considered a modern moto legend, Samuels has earned the title with three SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited Championships (2018, 2019, 2020), and seven SCORE Overall motorcycle victories. In 2018, he and Justin Morgan won the Overall SCORE Race, ahead of SCORE Trophy Truck winner Cameron Steele, the last time a motorcycle would win a SCORE Overall race. Today, Samuels, is one of several team mentors and managers who are sculpting the SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited class, guiding the next generation of racers to strive higher. SJ: What was your greatest memory racing in SCORE? MS: There are several good memories, but I guess the “best” was the 2018 SCORE Baja 1000 when Justin Morgan and I won the SCORE Pro Moto Unlimited Class and won the race Overall. Although now I do enjoy mentoring the guys on the SLR Honda team now too. SJ: What tips would you give new bike racers who are starting in SCORE? MS: The best thing I always advise riders is to do your homework in Baja. The more you pre-run the more you learn about the course and ultimately, the safer it can become. This process helps riders learn to go fast where you can and slow where you need to. SJ: What are some of your “must-haves” on a racing bike for competing in Baja? MS: Essentially, without giving away too many secrets, a good suspension and tires are huge when racing down in Baja. If you can, get a good-sound bike built for you so it can last the entire race. SJ: If you were in the market to purchase a new off-road motorcycle, what would it be? MS: For sure it would be a Honda 450X. The bike was basically developed to go race in Baja. SJ: How should a rider prepare their nutrition or hydration before a SCORE Baja race? MS: Most of our SLR Honda riders already have their own program. It’s a personal thing that works for them. I learned a few things over my career and I share those with the guys, but having good electrolytes and nutrition in your body throughout the day is essential. I leave the rest up to the riders, as they seem to know what their body needs. SJ: As an experienced veteran, what are some of the mistakes you see some of the new generation of young SCORE Pro Moto riders are making? MS: The one I see the most is riders rushing to try and be fast. Riders need to take the time and understand what racing in Baja is all about. It’s dangerous and a lot of people don’t understand how much they need to pre-run and how important that is. SJ: What is your general opinion on this season’s new generation of riders in the Pro Moto Unlimited class? MS: For many of the young racers now, it’s a learning curve. The guys on our 7x team have some speed and skill, but they are still learning and getting more experience racing in Baja. It takes time to learn everything you need to be successful racing there and it’s just a matter of them being patient and developing great relationships with experienced riders who have been racing in Baja for a long time. • Samuels manages the 7x SLR Honda team of Tyler Lyn, Ryan Surrat, and Carter Klein who won at the 2025 SCORE San Felipe 250 Tim Morton The owner and operator of Baja Bound Adventures teaches riders, both experienced and not, how to prepare and race in Baja, with a 100% finishing rate. He was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2021, but his racing career in SCORE began in 1983 when he raced the SCORE Baja 1000 at age 16. In total, Morton believes he’s raced approximately 30 SCORE Baja 1000’s on motorcycles, Class10 and Class 1600 vehicles. He was a factory racer for Honda, BMW, and Kawasaki, winning seven SCORE Baja 1000s, seven SCORE Baja 500s, five SCORE San Felipe 250s, one SCORE Overall Motorcycle Points Championship, and four SCORE Class Championships. • Tim Morton instructed the 2023 Class 50 Championship team of Robert Creemers SJ: What was your greatest memory racing in SCORE? TM: I have several, but my first great experience was racing the SCORE Baja 1000 in 1983. I was 16 years old riding a Yamaha YZ490 with a two-rider team and we finished. My dad introduced me to this, and it was like he was my crack dealer, the first hit was free. Then in 1989 I raced the SCORE Baja 1000 on a Team Green on a Kawasaki KX125. I finished 10th Over All but after an amazing battle for 80% of the race. Then there was the 2007 SCORE Baja 1000 that ran down to Cabo, when I rode with Team Honda. I was 40 years old and finished second Overall. It was a super honor to be asked by Bruce Ogilvie and Johnny Campbell to head-up the B-team for them, and we did our job. SJ: What tips would you give new bike racers who are starting in SCORE? TM: The first is to gain local knowledge and learn about complex race day logistics. Then I would ask riders to slow down, don’t damage the bike, and don’t make navigation or VCP mistakes. Even the slightest tip-over can haunt you miles later. You might be fast but riding mistakes cost time that’s impossible to gain back. The next is that pre-running is a must, but don’t pre-run too hard and too fast. It should be a mellow trail ride to learn the course. By the end of your pre-run, you should never have arm pump, a blister, be dehydrated, sunburned, or have a tip-over. Finally, learn what silt is and never ride through it. • Morton leading a Baja tour to train riders on how to prepare for a SCORE race SJ: What are some of your “must-haves” on a racing bike for competing in Baja? TM: Dunlop tires with Michelin Bib Mousses and an IMS fuel tank. For a tool to have, it should be a big high quality sharp side cutter. Carrying lots of tools isn’t necessary when you can ride a damaged bike to the next pit, support, or ask locals for help. But wire can easily be picked up into your wheels and damage other parts or stop you. As an accessory, a GPS for pre-running. With all the VCPs, speed limits, lack of physical markers (and abundance of other markers from previous races), pre-running with a GPS (and knowing how it works) is imperative these days. SJ: How should a rider prepare their nutrition or hydration before a SCORE Baja race? TM: Zero uncooked seafood during race week. No goo type packs and quick energy things. We’re big into high calorie drinks. We like Ensure protein drinks. They are quick and easy to drink with a helmet on and are easy to digest. Mellow pre-run days and get plenty of sleep. Don’t be worn out come race day. SJ: If you were in the market to purchase a new off-road motorcycle, what would it be? TM: A 2025 Honda CRF450x. I like the Honda reliability in their bikes. It’s very simple to build one into a SCORE Baja winning weapon with very few mods, (completely stock motor and suspension), it’s more performance than most riders need. SJ: As an experienced veteran, what are some of the mistakes you see some of the new generation of young SCORE Pro Moto riders are making? TM: Unfortunately, many new riders don’t understand the logistics for Baja racing. This includes travel times for support trucks vs the bike, support truck fueling, and course access points. Young riders tend to pre-run too hard and too fast. When a truck/buggy is passing them, inexperienced riders don’t realize they need to be away from the course, not just on the edge of it to let them pass. Too many times, I have seen experienced and novice riders underestimate how rough and rugged Baja racing is. They spend money on silly stuff, and you don’t need all the bells and whistles on a race bike. They’d rather have fancy graphics but ignore bringing their own nice pillow for the best possible night’s sleep. SJ