impressive close quarters donuts...

but was there really a helicopter in the courtyard? Because I would suppose not many people are going to risk hitting a helicopter. 

too many people, no seperation between spectators and the pits, and someone in the Bueller Motorsport of Missouri trophy truck stomped on the accelerator and 2 people died, 4 run over, in the inspection lane at the Baja 1000

 

Stand and raise a beer to toast the retirement of Dominic Clark, and begine the slow clapping that crescendos

Dominic Clark has spent over 50 years in sports marketing, and is officially retiring from the industry and Media Operations Director for SCORE International

 Born in 1949 in Reno, Clark started his 41st year this year working in Media Operations with SCORE. 

Reflecting on his 40-plus years with SCORE, and nearly 60 years working special events, Clark, who just turned 75, commented, “What a truly amazing life and career I have had in sports journalism and sports media relations and SCORE has been the biggest part of it with over four decades of doing what I have been blessed to do since I started out as the Sports Editor of both my high school newspaper, high school yearbook in the 1960s, and my college yearbook in the early 1970s.”

“Like most boys in Southern Nevada at the time, I grew up playing and enjoying ‘stick and ball’ sports, but I was able to transfer the skills that I learned in journalism and sports marketing to relate in the world of motorsports, even though I can barely change a tire, let alone tell anyone what’s under the hood of the vehicle. I have worked with SCORE for more years than any of the other exciting events that I have been fortunate to be a part of for my awesome career. It’s time to hang up ‘the keyboard’ and relax with my family for the final years of my journey. It truly has been a wonderful life.

SCORE said “Dominic has been a huge part of SCORE for a very long time and we appreciate all of the passion, professionalism and insight he has given to us for all of these years,” reflected Abelardo Grijalva, President/Race Director of SCORE International. “I have only worked with him directly for the last 10 years, but I was a racer before that when Sal Fish owned SCORE and Dominic was always a very large part of whatever SCORE was doing during that time as well. To say that his contributions to SCORE will be missed is a huge understatement and all of us wish him nothing but the best in the years ahead. We also want everyone to know that his wisdom and insight into our operation will always be very welcome.”

Motorsports

 Clark was introduced to motorsports and in particular desert racing through the original Mint 400 desert race in Las Vegas and his motorsports consulting career was launched from there. While Clark worked continuously for over four decades with SCORE, he also had great experiences working with:

- the old High Desert Racing Association (HDRA) in Las Vegas,

- the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Championship Gran Prix stadium series,

- Roger Mears Racing in the desert, stadium racing and the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb,

- Rod Millen Racing at Pike’s Peak,

- media operations, advertising and sponsorships for the old Las Vegas Speedway Park,

- Gloy/Rahal Racing media relations with the NASCAR Truck Series,

- and with Unlimited Hydroplane racing media operations at Lake Mead in Las Vegas and Mission Bay in San Diego.”

SCORE will retain Clark as a consultant at least through Dec. 31, 2024 as the SCORE Historian, maintaining all the SCORE race results and other statistical data related to the races and to the series as he has for the past 40-plus years.

Background

Clark moved to Las Vegas in 1959 with his family, and began his journalism career working on the school newspaper and school yearbook.  He attended college on a scholarship from the Las Vegas Press Club, attending UNLV and the University of Nevada in Reno, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 1971.

Clark was the Sports Information Director at the Wolf Pack for two years while completing work on his journalism bachelor's degree. At UNLV, he was also sports editor of the Rebel Yell student newspaper as well as the sports editor of the UNLV student yearbook. After graduating from Nevada, he accepted a position as the Prep Sports Editor at the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper.

Clark left the R-J after six months to accept a position as Sports Information Director in the Athletics Department at UNLV, where he remained for 10 years, then became a partner in TUCA Productions sports marketing firm in Las Vegas where he stayed for another 10 years before leaving in 1991 to start his own sports marketing company in Las Vegas that he named Image Media.

While at UNLV, Clark was also the ghost-writer for legendary basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian’s weekly column in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper and after leaving UNLV, Clark wrote a weekly running column called ‘Strides’ than ran for over five years in the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper. He also coined the nickname of the UNLV basketball team still used today ‘Runnin’ Rebels’.

When he first left UNLV he published a coffee-table book entitled ‘Dynasty In The Desert’ celebrating the first 25 years of Runnin’ Rebel basketball and the opening of the iconic Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas. He also was the host of a weekly Sports Talk Radio Show in Las Vegas for over a year called ‘Landmark Sports Tower Review’

The Olympics and more

With a two-decade mentorship from a media operations guru, Clark worked media relations for the Coors Brewing Company rodeo program that included 17 years at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Then in 1995 was introduced to the world of professional beach volleyball, a relationship that lasted over two decades as a Media Operations Delegate for the Federation Internationale de Volleyball that included working both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Clark also worked for several years on the media operations team for the Wooden Legacy College basketball tournament, as well as a decade on the the Armed Forces Bowl and the First Responders Bowl college football bowl game

Among his numerous special events were both the 1991 and 1993 Miss Universe pageants held in Las Vegas, a decade with the Las Vegas Bowl college football game, 17 years with the United States National Wrestling Championships, three years with the United States National Table Tennis Championships, one year with the U.S. Cycling Federation Olympic Trials, one year with the U.S. Olympic Trials for Karate, Judo and Taekwondo, one year with the U.S. Firefighters National Championship, and one year with the U.S. Triathlon Series National Championship.

Clark also was the local media director and published both the event souvenir program for the 1991 and 1993 Miss Universe Pageant. 

Under the direction of founder Larry McKay, Clark was also the Media Director for 17 of the 25 years of the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic boy's high school in-season basketball tournament that saw as many as 100 teams. He was also the Media Director for two Boy's high school summer basketball tournaments

Clark is one of only five people to be recognized with the SCORE Legacy Award, joining Jerry Herbst, Rod Hall, Oscar Kawanishi, and Sal Fish.

After the 2023 season, Clark was honored with a special SCORE Lifetime Achievement award.

https://score-international.com/score-news-story.php?newsID=2160

water hazard in Caliente Nevada, some hit it full throttle, some pussy foot across... but it's a coffee and donuts video to me. At 1:15 it's clear that a lot of that water went into the carb, as it even lifted the hood...

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/race/modern/2023/1/video-treacherous-water-crossing-causes-rally-chaos

the same videographer made a terrific video of trophy truck racing and wrecking, and at minute 3, it's super impressive

The 55th SCORE Baja 1000 one-hour special will be on ESPN2 this Sunday (Dec. 11)

 the admired G.O.A.T. in desert racing, Rob MacCachren teamed with Luke McMillin to rise above the rest in a field of 276 starters to win the overall and SCORE Trophy Truck title of the 55th SCORE Baja 1000, though starting second physically on the road and splitting the driving in McMillin’s Big Blue M racing machine all-wheel drive 4 Wheel Parts/BFGoodrich Tires No. 83.

SCORE baja racing Dodge Ramcharger

what a great looking baja truck

 

Baja racing / SCORE vehicles will be at SEMA

60 vehicles will be on display in the SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience, three featured vehicles will be displayed on their own special stages. The three spotlighted vehicles will be the legendary Big Oly Bronco, Meyers Manx ‘Old Red’, and Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart’s legendary multi-championship Toyota truck.

Different from the first five years (2014-2018) that it was part of the massive automotive industry trade show, this year’s SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience will be held indoors in a 50,000-square foot area of the North Hall N4 Pavilion and the displays will feature much wider variety and vintage of vehicles from several classes of trucks, motorcycles, UTVs, Baja Bugs, open wheelers, pre-runners and chase trucks that compete in the world-renown SCORE World Desert Championship.

Also a part of this year’s colorful Experience will be classic race vehicles and SCORE lifestyle exhibits that will include Overlanding, Chase and state-of-the-art desert racing pre-runners.

Another of the elements in the dynamic Experience will be the official SCORE Transporter, a stage, racer interviews, and two SCOREvision double-sided LED screens showing highlights of SCORE races, interviews and up close and personal looks of the nearly 60 vehicles expected to be part of the special area of the SEMA Show.

http://score-international.com/

I learned of Randall Jeep because of the special Gremlin XR 401, but hadn't learned until now they were racing Jeep Wagoneers in SCORE in 1974

Stan Cusomano shot this image while attending the 1974 SCORE AC/Delco Off-Road Championship Races in Riverside, California.

This was shot for Image International, a Petersen Publishing Company subsidiary that furnished photos to other media and business entities.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/9b/85/fe9b85c06fe86989130a24497803eda5.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/427208714645953429/&h=720&w=960&tbnid=GEY3WYmzQRzmsM&tbnh=194&tbnw=259&usg=AI4_-kR_SJ2A1O1IUVQZ_U_tudES5cDd8w&vet=1&docid=-FwEvzm9zq0K8M&itg=1

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