SCORE Journal

THE DUST SETTLES The 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship season began with Carlos “Apdaly” Lopez as the newly crowned champion, sporting the number 1 on the RPM Off-Road Chevy Trophy Truck. Lopez was the first Mexican national to win the SCORE World Desert Championship and had huge momentum going into the 2016 season, but everyone knows that skill alone doesn’t win races. Along with Lopez, however, this season also showcased other top racers whose talents and logistical capabilities allowed them to dominate their individual classes and begin their own legendary journeys into SCORE racing history, including Rob MacCachren who managed to win the SCORE Baja 1000 for a consecutive third time, this time with the help of Jason Voss. While the Trophy Truck racers often take center stage, it was the Pro Moto and Quad classes that showed some of the most spectacular racing this season. In the Pro Moto Unlimited division, Colton Udall proved that his time riding with Johnny Campbell on the Honda racing team paid off in both skill and leadership, which he used all season long to his advantage. With the help of Mark Samuels, Ray Dal Soglio, and other impressive team riders Udall and the 1x team won every race this season. Despite a shoulder injury at the SCORE Baja 1000, Udall used his management skills to re-formulate the 1x and 3x teams and still come out on top. Just as dominating in the Pro Quad division, Javier Robles proved once again, he’s the rider to beat. He made it look easy to turn 2016 into another SCORE championship season by winning every race. Robles also had a team of highly skilled riders that helped him all season, showing it takes more than one skilled rider to dominate a class. Other classes also had dominant forces to contend with. Victor Cesena in Class 5, also earned a class championship against very difficult competition and managed to win all four races this season against tough drivers and vehicles that many consider are “maxed-out” in performance and technology. While some racers easily wrapped up class championships, teams like the Ampudia’s out of Ensenada, Mexico, were moving from their domination in class 1/2-1600 to enter the 2016 season participating in Class 8. With a powerful Ford F-150, the Ampudias won three of the four races of the season. Their decision at the 49th SCORE Baja 1000 to run in the SCORE Trophy Truck division, however, didn’t end up playing into their plan. While they failed to complete the course, the Ampudias still managed to earn enough points in Class 8 to win the overall class championship. The 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship season also had some exciting competition in the buggy classes, including a Class 10 battle between Todd Winslow and Rafael Navaro IV for the class championship. To his frustration, Navarro finished every race in second place, but ultimately earning him the Class 1 championship and the most points earned by any SCORE racer this season. Tight competition in Class 1, had a battle between Jaime Huerta Jr. and the Wilson Team. Huerta Jr fought for every race point against Ronny Wilson and his son Brad Wilson; both driving separate vehicles. In the end, Ronny Wilson’s win at the 49th SCORE Baja 1000 gave him much needed points, but not enough to beat Huerta Jr, who came in second place in the race and earned the 2016 Class 1 championship. While the competition was tough in all SCORE classes this year, UTV racers started the season struggling with the decision to run in either the Forced Induction or Normally Aspirated categories. That didn’t bother Marc Burnett, however, who was focused and came back strong following a devastating 2015 season. He had a tough battle against Mike Cafro and the team of Derek and Jason Murray in Pro UTV FI. Ultimately Burnett posted a DNF at the SCORE Baja 1000, leaving the Murray brothers with the championship in the class. While other competitors in Pro UTV NA struggled to complete their races this season, Alonzo Lopez Jr. showed his Polaris RZR 1000 had what it took to finish and win races. He ended up finishing fourth at the SCORE Baja 1000, but still earned enough points to win the championship in the NA Class. Although there were a few good bets on who would win overall and in particular classes during the 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship season, experienced racers and fans know that anything can happen in Baja. This proved to be the case as in each race, there were upsets, mistakes, as well as fascinating performances in driving, riding and luck, that changed the results by the time the 49th SCORE Baja 1000 came around to finish the season. Here’s a recap of the four races of the 2016 season. SJ

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