Baja 500

Monster Energy's video of the 50th Baja 1000 race

Rod Hall. He turns 80 tomorrow, Nov. 22, and just won the 2017 Baja 1000 Stock Full with his Hummer H1 Alpha.

Rod Hall now has a race record 25 class wins
he has more podium finishes than any American off-road racer
one overall win in 1969
the only overall win in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
and is the only racer who has competed in all 50 SCORE Baja 1000 races.

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/rod-hall-24-time-baja-1000-winner/#1969-ford-bronco-rear-end
https://www.facebook.com/HallRacingUsa/

Baja 1000 update

Mexico’s Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez teamed with his father Juan C. Lopez to become the unofficial overall and SCORE Trophy Truck winners

this is the 3rd time Lopez crossed the finish line 1st, but in 2015 and 2016 he was penalized to 2nd place win

Final official results will be released by SCORE race officials after the course closes and all data-tracking devices have been read and penalties assessed late afternoon on Saturday.

 The Lopez tandem finished second in this race behind Rob MacCachren the last 2 years, but the third time was the charm as the Lopez team finished in 19 hours, 53 minutes, 36 seconds as the 3 year SCORE Baja 1000 overall victory streak of Rob MacCachren ended when he was put out of the race with engine failure at about race mile 550.

MacCachren wasn’t the only top racer who fell, Robby Gordon, Andy McMillin, Luke McMillin and Bryce Menzies who all have had various types of mechanical issues. Also out, with a transmission failure was two-time SCORE Baja 1000 race winner B. J. Baldwin.

It also marked the 29th overall 4-wheel victory in the last 32 years for BFGoodrich Tires

The expanding SCORE safety initiatives were at their highest level, and may possibly be at the minimum level for realistic safety at this year’s Baja 1000. This year a new STELLA tracking system was used, and there were 25 rescue vehicles and ambulances stretched along the race course.

There were only 3 dedicated rescue/ extrication vehicles with tools, medical supplies and professional Fire-Rescue crews monitoring and advancing along with the race.

Two Air Ambulances were staffed with a critical care nurse and paramedic, and the SCORE Medical/Rescue Helicopter was staffed with two advanced life support rescue paramedics and supplies.

Over 50 satellite radios/phones were utilized for direct safety communications along the course. There was full internet capability throughout the command centers and Rescue units that monitored live updates, locations, communications and any race-related emergencies.

BF Goodrich brought a couple cool old vintage Baja race trucks to SEMA

this will be the 50th anniversary of the Baja 1000, and you can get all caught up on the lead up to the race with the free online SCORE digital magazine

With three weeks remaining before the historic 50th anniversary race of the iconic SCORE Baja 1000, several spotlight features shine brightly in the current issue but none brighter than the first preview of the adventure that continues to etch its expanding legend into granite history of motorsports.

 There are also in-depth interviews with SCORE Baja 1000 legendary racer Rod Hall and another with prominent owner of PPI Motorsports Cal Wells III who fielded the Toyota race vehicles driven by Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart.

http://read.uberflip.com/t/183537-score-journal

seen at the Off Road Expo this past weekend, a couple cool old trucks

and this isn't just a convention center showpiece, they rock crawl with it

the 2016 Baja 1000 (skip the first 6 minutes)

Score and BF Goodrich plan to build a monument wall

Found on the digital magazine for SCORE
http://scorejournal.digital/

BFGoodrich started developing the Radial All-Terrain T/A® in 1975 when BFG engineers traveled to Baja to test a new concept ― a radial light-truck tire for off- and on-road use by utilizing the Baja peninsula as a real-life laboratory to develop tires. If the tires could withstand the grueling terrain of Baja, they could survive almost anywhere else.

A year later, BFGoodrich launched its first radial all-terrain tire, in the SCORE Baja 1000 desert race on an Oldsmobile Starfire. Strange, but, you can race anything in Baja... VW bugs, motorcycles, Porsches, whatever.

http://www.off-road.com/blog/2010/11/16/bfgoodrich-score-baja-1000-flashback/

Baja practice with Bryce Menzies

Skip to the one minute 40 mark (1:40) to get started

Score and Baja racing trucks have some damn good storage racks

The inevitable, and obvious occurred at this past weekends Baja 500... spectators too close to the race were run over. That is what used to happen at races 100 years ago (especially the 3rd Vanderbilt Cup), everywhere in the world. Except for Mexico's Baja racing, most other race locations have enacted safe distance and spectator viewing areas to prevent this. Will this death change Baja racing? Will SCORE stop until Mexico gets crowds off the race path?

The boy was one of three spectators struck Saturday within a half-mile of the start by racer Todd Pedersen of Orem, Utah, according to a statement from Score International, which runs the race.

Pedersen was in a race truck, negotiating a turn as he entered a wash, when he struck the three spectators. The boy was taken to an Ensenada hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the statement.

The boy’s mother was also struck and was hospitalized with head and leg injuries.

The vehicle that lost control was Trophy Truck No. 75, a rig resembling a Chevy Silverado by an outfit called Space Monkey and owned by Mike Cook out of Provo, Utah.

Cook’s team had qualified 23rd out of a 45-vehicle class at this year’s race, ahead of a few extremely competitive drivers including Mark Post and Troy Herbst.

Pedersen posted bail and was released.

http://fox5sandiego.com/2016/06/06/o-c-boy-8-killed-while-watching-baja-500-race/
http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/three-deaths-confirmed-at-2016-baja-500-include-8-year-1780670922

At the 3rd Vanderbilt Cup race, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/lesson-learned-from-3rd-vanderbilt-cup.html , many spectators crowded the race area, and one was killed. Many tore down the barb wire fences and fenceposts designed to keep them away from the road.

Update June 10th 2016: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/06/09/family-of-oc-boy-killed-in-baja-500-offers-forgiveness-to-driver/

the father of the dead boy is a pastor at Pacific Coast Church in San Clemente. He says he embraced the driver at a hospital after the accident. “I wrapped my arm around him,” said Hendriks. “I said ‘I’ve been forgiven of things that I’ve done on purpose. You didn’t do this with malice or ill-intent.'


This #75 was the same crew that hit Poole and Hancock from behind at mile 32, after they had rolled over, in the Mint 400 2015 http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/threads/two-racers-injured-mint-400-off-road-race-temporarily-stopped.121475/

https://www.facebook.com/Baja.Roads/photos/a.1309522322410757.1073741916.190049614358039/1321101254586197/?type=3&theater

Just last year there was a near miss in the Baja race, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2015/06/stupid-sob-darts-in-front-of-baja-race.html  because spectators won't move back from the racing path / area.

Steve reminded me, the spectators are still stupid in Europe on rally car race courses

Land Shark

Full story at http://scorejournal.digital/  an online magazine, and it has a cool feature. In some stories or ads, there are embedded videos that auto start when you turn to that page

Baja 1000 results, disappointment, but podium finishes for Lopez, and Laguna, at 2nd and 3rd

1st place was USA’s MacCachren/A. McMillin

Physically crossing the finish line in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultrual Center first for a possible victory, Mexico’s Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez of Tecate, just 20 who won this year’s SCORE Baja 500, finished second in the No. 5 RPM Racing Chevy Rally Truck in a time of 16:14:55 with an average speed of 50.55 mph.

Third overall and in SCORE Trophy Truck in the No. 17 RPM Racing was Mexico’s Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Laguna in 16:17:23 at 50.44 mph.

The reason for the time vs podium place was due to penalities, Lopez received time penalties from SCORE race officials Saturday morning for two course violations. Lopez, just 20 and one of the talented young guns received a total time penalty of 20 minutes for missing two virtual checkpoints. The penalty moved him from an unofficial victory in the iconic race to second place overall and in his class in the legendary Granddaddy of all Desert Races.

the results became official after review of the data loggers in each finishing vehicle by SCORE officials on Sunday morning, the MacCachren/A. McMillin duo had finished in Ensenada in 15 hours, 58 minutes and 33 seconds.

For the second straight year, Mexico’s Gus Vildosola Jr of Mexicali, entered the race leading the SCORE Trophy Truck season points in the No. 21 Vildosola Racing Ford Raptor. Last year his hopes of being the first Mexican National to win the SCORE Overall points title were stopped with a mechanical issue that forced him out early in the race. This year he finished sixth overall and sixth in SCORE Trophy Truck in the SCORE Baja 1000 after mechanical issues slowed him down again, costing him the season championship for the second straight year.

http://www.score-international.com/


OFFICIAL FINISHERS (Following data tracking review)

SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (Unlimited Production Trucks)—
1. 11 Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas/Andy McMillin, San Diego, Ford F-150, 15:58:32 (51.41 miles per hour);
2. 5 Carlos Lopez, Tecate, Mexico/Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va./Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Chevy Rally Truck, 16:14:55 ;
3. 17 Eduardo Laguna, Mexicali, Mexico/Josh Daniel, Canyon Country, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 16:17:03;

Mexico’s Vildosola Jr, Laguna, and Lopez are leading 31 drivers in the 48th Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000

The top three point leaders, all from the host country, are hoping to become the first SCORE overall season point champions from their native land as Mexico’s Gus Vidosola Jr, Eduardo Laguna and Carlos Lopez will be leading a field of 31 SCORE Trophy Trucks into next week’s 48th Annual Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000

This year’s race, starting and finishing in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, will be held Nov. 18-22.

 The iconic race is the season-finale of the five-race 2015 SCORE World Desert Championship.

Motorcycle and Quad classes will leave the start line, one vehicle at a time in the elapsed-time race, starting at 6 a.m. PT next Friday (Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes beginning their odyssey starting at 11 a.m. PT in a similar single-file procession into the Baja California Peninsula.

Mexico’s three amigos of Baja are on the verge of becoming the first Mexican nationals to win the featured SCORE Trophy Truck class season point championship in the 21-year history of the featured class, as well as being the first racers from their country to win the SCORE Overall point championship in SCORE’s history of more than four decades.

This year’s race will start for the 41st time and finish for the 23rd time in Ensenada. The race will start and finish on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the historic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada.

Two special Monster Energy parties, open to the public will be held before the race starts. On Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. PT at the start/finish line area will be the SCORE Baja 1000 Goes Green Monster Energy Party. On Thursday, the night before the start of the race, the Monster Energy SCORE Papas & Beer Street Party on Avenida Ruiz in front of Papas & Beer will start at 7 p.m. PT. A special Bud Light racer welcome party will be held at the Riviera del Pacifico CC on Wednesday evening (Nov. 18)

http://score-international.com/

Smoking tires, and press play on the video for appropriate tire burning music

either



or



and enjoy the photos