SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1542108
ON POINT Chris Polvoorde And Bryce Menzies Emerge Victorious At The SCORE Baja 1000 By Dan Sanchez Photos By Get Some Photo It had been one of Chris Polvoorde's dreams to win a SCORE Baja race, and at this BFGoodrich Tires 58th SCORE Baja 1000, the dream came true. Teaming up for the second time with SCORE Baja 1000 and SCORE Grand Slam winner Bryce Menzies, Polvoorde had ups and downs throughout the season, and especially in this particular race. "Coming from last year's Baja 1000, where I teamed up with Bryce to only make it 12 miles before breaking down, was extremely disappointing," says Polvoorde. This year, the race was almost the same course, so it made sense for us to team up again this year and try once more." "It's so hard to win these races," said Menzies at the finish. "It takes a village of people. We have 100 people down here pitting for us. And it just shows what goes into this sport, how gnarly it is, and what it takes to win one of these races." The two teams came together and meshed well, setting up pit stops, fuel stops, and several chase teams on the course where it was needed. "We ended up qualifying first, and I took it as a sign that maybe, everything was back on track," said Polvoorde. At the start of the race, both Polvoorde and Menzies knew the pace would be ridiculously fast, simply due to the level of competitors in the SCORE Trophy Truck class. Traditionally, racers like to go at a conservative pace, keeping close enough to the leaders, ready to move past if someone ahead makes a mistake. "All morning the pace was crazy," explained Polvoorde. "We had Ampudia and Price right on us, and I was pushing it to get through to the next pit and hand it over to Bryce. He put a couple of minutes on everyone, and things looked good. With about 150 miles to the finish, the front-wheel drive began to fail. That's not good for AWD trucks as the differentials can sometimes start eating themselves up inside." "Once I jumped in, Oren and I put about four minutes on Alan [Ampudia].” said Menzies. “Coming back down La Ventana, I started feeling a little vibration in the front. When we reached San Matias, it just kept getting worse and worse. And then we finally lost the front drive. Anything over 80 miles an hour, it seemed like something was going to come apart in the front, so we backed it down. Toby was right on us. He actually caught us at one point and I pulled over, and let him go by. I just dove in right behind him and sat like 15 seconds off his bumper." Menzies kept behind Price, until the team heard he had run out of fuel. Menzies moved into first place and kept it there until crossing the finish line. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions for Polvoorde and Menzies, who had seen their opportunity for a win come and go several times before. "I had exciting moments when I was driving, followed by moments of extreme lows," he said. "During my section, around El Rosario, heading towards Catavina, I had the tough stuff with rocky terrain, and I had to balance between driving smart and not being too aggressive. I was exhilarated because it was the first time I had ever been leading in a SCORE race. I was first on the road and learning the pace, and how to control it." In the end, the No. 94 truck held together, allowing Menzies to cross the finish line first in class and first Overall for the team. "This is why we had trained for more than two years," said Polvoorde. "The pressure is gnarly. I'm the young guy and have a lot to prove and a lot to take on. But at the end of the day, I look at myself and see that there's a reason I'm in this spot, and why people are believing in me. I know it's important not to give up, to keep being persistent, and keep pushing because you don't know what's next." "After spending eight hours in a truck, you end up thinking non-stop. We had ups and downs last year, and this year, there were points where I'm having the best day in my life, and 20 minutes later, I want to get out of the truck. Having this SCORE Baja 1000 win under my belt is a pretty good way to start with a first win." At the age of 25, Polvoorde is still at the beginning of his career and is already making his presence known within the sport. For one, he's a great marketer and promotes his sponsors at every opportunity, which is not something that many SCORE Trophy Truck racers do today. It's also obvious he has put in the hard work it takes to win and has proven it. "I'm always learning and evolving," he says. "I'm still in the learning part of my racing career, and I have a lot to process and strengthen myself mentally." SJ