SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1536633
KADEN WELLS COMES ALIVE The Can-Am Factory Racer Gets Back On Top By Larry Saavedra Photos by Get Some Photo Following a podium finish at the SCORE San Felipe 250, Can-Am factory racer Kaden Wells had his sights set on a big win at the BFGoodrich 57th SCORE Baja 500. He didn’t disappoint. Wells and his navigator Emma Cornwell took top honors in the Pro UTV Forced Induction class. “Everything on the island side was dry, but the water crossings became more frequent near Mike’s Sky Ranch,” said Wells. “I tried to stay out of the water as much as possible. If the course was run in the other direction, it would have made for a different race. Starting the race in the technical terrain made it harder to pass. We had a minor glitch with the No. 2935 Can-Am Maverick R, but other than that it was perfect. Never got out of the car once.” Wells said the tighter sections were so lengthy that it led to motion sickness during pre-running. But he and Cornwell luckily avoided any downtime because of the twists and turns during the actual race. Wells started first off the grid in class after Can-Am teammate Phil Blurton Jr. pulled out of the race due to health reasons. Wells battled it out with Can-Am driver Dustin Jones near mile-marker 200 and they went back and forth. Unfortunately, Jones pushed the limit of his Can-Am and pulled off course for repairs. “When Jones broke I thought I might be pushing my Can-Am too hard,” said Wells. “So I backed off and just kept a steady pace from mile-marker 235 on.” Wells said the course was one of the roughest he’s raced at SCORE and that it had a little bit of everything. He is aware that the closer he gets to the end of the season the more the pressure there is to win a class championship. As of the SCORE San Felipe 250 Wells was six points down to the leader Phil Blurton. The win at the SCORE Baja 500 puts him closer to the class championship. “At the SCORE Baja 400 I will be making some strategic changes,” he said. “I definitely realize what’s at stake and the more cautious I become. But I’m still going to be pushing the Can-Am.” SJ • Video: Kaden Wells on Winning The SCORE Pro UTV FI Class