SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1546251
THE SCORE BAJA 400 GRIJALVA’S “BABY” SCORE International President Reflects On Six Years Of Thrilling Adventures In SCORE’s Youngest Race By Gabriel García Photos by Get Some Photo The SCORE Baja 400 was born from the vision of SCORE International President and Ensenada native Jose A. Grijalva as an opportunity to give racers a new challenge featuring a wide variety of terrain, including mountains and beaches. Grijalva knew that after staging the Desert Challenge in Tijuana, Baja California, and Rosarito, Baja California, with a different multi-lap course format, SCORE needed to return to something traditional in the purest Baja style. “The SCORE Baja 400 came from my mind, and in Ensenada we had the ideal opportunity to offer our racers and fans a great experience.” In Grijalva’s opinion, the SCORE Baja 400 has been extremely successful, attracting international racers as well as many Off-Road legends. “This race arrived at a very good time for Ensenada, and it is also normally held during the week of Mexico’s Independence Day anniversary, which makes it even more special.” For the 7th SCORE Baja 400, held on September 9-13 in the ‘Off-Road Racing Capital of the World,’ the race course will cover 420 miles, starting and finishing on Boulevard Costero, while once again incorporating the Ensenada Wash at the beginning of the race. “We are going to continue using the Ensenada Wash sponsored by Rugged Radios for the start of Baja races in Ensenada. It is a great bonus because fans who cannot travel out to the rural areas can watch the racers go by in an area right in the heart of the city. Using it on the return is more complicated because of Ensenada’s growth. We know there is more traffic now, and we do not want to close additional streets and negatively impact local residents,” Grijalva said. A very valuable element of the 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship has been the full support of the City of Ensenada and Mayor Claudia Agaton Muniz. “We have developed an excellent relationship with the Ensenada authorities. Mayor Agaton made a great decision by appointing Ruben Fernandez as a liaison between the government and us, helping us deliver top-quality races together with an outstanding host city for all the visitors we will welcome.” THE MOTORCYCLE LANDSCAPE Jose A. Grijalva said the current state of Off-Road motorcycle racing in the United States and Mexico is facing challenges in terms of entry numbers, not only at SCORE International but also in other racing organizations. “We continue working on racer safety, offering different courses and providing the complete SCORE experience, including additional medical personnel and a helicopter specifically focused on the motorcycle racers.” At most of its races, SCORE International has designated points along the course that separate motorcycle racers from car and truck competitors for safety reasons. “We do not want motorcycles to disappear from SCORE racing,” said Grijalva. “Quite the opposite. We know they are a very important segment of this sport and have been part of the history of Off-Road racing since its earliest days.”