SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
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CO-GRAND MARSHALS • Sal Fish standing next to Francisco Monroy and his family Sal Fish And Francisco “Nacho” Monroy Co-Grand Marshals For BFGoodrich Tires 59th SCORE Baja 1000, Presented by Sylvania Off-Road BY DOMINIC CLARK, SCORE HISTORIAN Sal Fish and the legendary Francisco ‘Nacho’ Monroy, will be the Co-Grand Marshals of the BFGoodrich Tires 59th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by Sylvania Off-Road. Meeting by divine providence in 1977, former SCORE owner Sal Fish and Francisco Monroy, the astute businessman, champion racer, influential politician and respected statesman from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, will be reunited in a very special honorary capacity for this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 “Cabo-to-Cabo” race. Friends for over four decades, Fish and Monroy will be hosting race-week festivities Granddaddy of All Desert Races next month. “This is a special treat for SCORE to have Sal Fish and Francisco Monroy as Co-Grand Marshals for this year’s 59th running of the greatest desert race in the world,” commented Abelardo Grijalva, SCORE President and Race Director. Sal Fish is synonymous with SCORE and Monroy is a key figure in all of Baja California Sur who has been a great friend of Sal’s and SCORE for over four decades.” “While Sal is the foundation of SCORE world-wide, Franciso has been an incredible ally of SCORE International for all of these years. Together, these two ‘brothers’ make superb Co-Grand Marshals for this amazing race behind held for the first time exclusively in Baja California Sur. What a thrill for all of us.” GODFATHER OF SCORE “What an amazing blessing for SCORE to have two best friends as the Co-Grand Marshals of this very special SCORE Baja 1000, being held for the first time entirely in Baja California Sur,” commented Fish. “To be able to share this special recognition with him is a great honor for me as I have been part of the Monroy extended family since 1979 when Francisco’s father (Francisco Monroy Sr) found me stuck on the side of the road in Ciudad Constitucion when he lived there before settling in La Paz”. “It is almost hard to count all of the ways Franciso has helped me and SCORE all of these years. From that first chance meeting when he then joined me as I was attempting to find a race route to La Paz from Ensenada. From helping to identify various sections of race courses over the years, to negotiating with ejidos and other land owners, to working with government and political agencies and helping racers in any way he could for all these years, took what was almost an insurmountable task for the fledgling SCORE to making SCORE a much-loved part of the culture in Baja California Sur.” “Having a home in La Paz has helped me be even further embraced by the Monroy family after all these many, many years. This year’s race will be a memorable honor to stand side-by-side with my special ‘brother’ Francisco ‘Nacho’ Monroy.” Revered all over Baja California, Fish, who turned 87 in May of this year, is a former publisher of Hot Rod Magazine and a 2006 inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. He led SCORE for 38 years, from 1974 until he sold the organization on Dec. 20, 2012. His footprint left an indelible mark on all of desert racing as an extraordinary innovator and visionary for SCORE and the entire world of desert racing. ‘NACHO’ MONROY Francisco ‘Nacho’ Monroy, 63, of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, is truly a legend not only in La Paz and his home state of Baja California Sur. He also shines brightly in the memory of SCORE and SCORE Baja racers. Monroy is a prominent businessman in La Paz through his well-known Monroy automotive repair, maintenance, and tire facility. He is also a champion desert racer, and part of the three-generation Monroy racing family. In addition to capturing numerous major races in Baja Sur, he also raced 14 times in the SCORE Baja 1000, starting when he was 16 years old in 1979. The Monroy automotive facility has always been home to desert racers, not only from Baja Sur, but especially those competing in the legendary Baja Mil, to the point of being open 24-hours a day during race weeks. One of the closest racing relationships was with the late Walker Evans. Monroy ended up purchasing two race trucks from Evans for the Monroy family to compete in over the years. With several second-place class finishes in the SCORE Baja 1000 in his racing career, Monroy’s most memorable was his Class 8 placement in the once-in-a-lifetime SCORE Baja 2000 to start the new millennium. Beyond his racing and automotive influences, Monroy has also been a significant liaison politically in Baja Sur. In 2015 he was named Mayor of La Paz. To many, Francisco ‘Nacho’ Monroy remains today as the honorary mayor as well as lasting friend of SCORE International. “To be able to be recognized like this and to share it with my forever friend Sal is very humbling and will be very memorable,” said Monroy. “My automotive facility is always open to racers and my involvement with my city and my sport remains strong after all of these years.” “After decades of being behind the spotlight of SCORE in Baja California Sur, this is going to be a remarkable experience for me and my family to have his unique SCORE light shine on me. Sal Fish has been a part of my family ever since my father introduced us in 1977, and doing this with my ‘gringo’ brother will be especially memorable for all of us.”SJ