SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
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FIRST OUT AND FIRST IN Teamwork Leads To A Big Win For Cody Parkhouse By Micah Anderson Photos by Get Some Photo Cody Parkhouse of Long Beach, California, drove to victory in the Class 1 Unlimited Buggy division at the 2025 SCORE Baja 400, taking his first win of the season and maintaining the lead from start to finish. Driving the No. 127 Jimco Champion open-wheel buggy with his father and co-driver Brian Parkhouse, the duo completed the 427.64-mile course in nine hours, six minutes, and 57.944 seconds, overcoming a 27-second penalty for speeding. It was a clean, steady performance that showcased the team’s experience and consistency in one of the tightest, most technical Baja 400 courses in recent memory. Parkhouse began the weekend by securing the top spot in Class 1 qualifying, placing within the top 30 overall under SCORE’s new combined qualifying format. “Our strategy was to go pretty hard in qualifying and hope to be near the top overall,” said Parkhouse. “I made a few mistakes that probably cost about fifteen seconds, but it still put us first in class. It definitely helped starting among vehicles that run a similar pace to us. We didn’t have to fight dust or get stuck behind back marker Trophy Trucks like we usually do.” The course proved challenging from the start, with tight, technical terrain and slower-than-usual pre-running conditions. “I only saw my section once since it was so tight,” Parkhouse explained. “Usually, I get a couple of looks at key sections, but this race was a lot slower. It was cool to see some new areas and get back into the pine forest again. It’s been a while since we’ve raced up there.” Despite the rugged terrain, the team’s run remained remarkably clean. “The biggest challenge was how tight and technical it was,” said Parkhouse. “It brought the speeds down and made us really drive the car, instead of relying on long, high-speed sections to stretch out.” The Parkhouses executed a smooth driver change at Race Mile 250, swapping rear tires, adding fuel, and topping off a couple of quarts of transmission fluid. “It went well. We were in and out in about four minutes,” Parkhouse said. “No issues with tires or flats, just the planned change. The converter got a little warm a couple of times, so we kept the RPMs up to take strain off it, but otherwise, everything ran great.” Unlike some larger teams, the Parkhouse crew handled their own pit operations for the entire race. “We did our own pits and didn’t need to team up with anyone this time,” Parkhouse noted. “It’s a solid group of people who’ve been with us for years.” He credits their long-term vehicle development and efficient race planning as key factors in the win. “I feel like we have one of the better suspension setups in Class 1, but that’s always subjective,” he said. “What really helps us, especially in the longer races, is our fuel capacity. We can space our stops out further than most, and if we can have one less fuel stop than the rest of the class, that’s a big advantage.” For Parkhouse, the win was as much about teamwork as performance. “I definitely want to thank all of our team wives for letting us get away for a few days, our crew that works so hard, our sponsors that help make this possible, and the people of Baja who support us and let us race down there,” he said. Looking ahead to the SCORE Baja 1000, the team is already in preparation mode. “We’re making sure the car is 100 percent and the chase trucks and crew are ready to go do battle,” Parkhouse said. “The plan is to win. We will push to get up front and run it all day again like we did at the 400.”SJ