LaTijereta - 4-24-2006 at 05:21 AM
April 23, 2006
Over 400 entries expected
Voyles--SCORE Trophy-Truck, Jefferies--Class 1, Jensen--M/C
Draw pole positions for 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race
330 already entered for June 2-4 race in Ensenada, Mexico,
Round 3 of six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series
LOS ANGELES?Veteran desert racers Mike Voyles and Damen Jefferies along with newcomer Johnny Jensen (open motorcycles) all drew pole positions in
their respective classes during Saturday?s live drawing for starting positions in the upcoming 38th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
Round 3 of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, the World?s Foremost Desert Racing Series, will feature over 400 entries, competing in 24 Pro
and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held June 2-4 in Ensenada, Mexico. Traditionally one of the most popular
events on the SCORE schedule, over 150,000 spectators are expected to enjoy the world?s best desert racers in action at this year?s Tecate SCORE Baja
500.
Voyles lined up all the proverbial ?7s? as he nervously drew the names during the special live drawing his race team hosted at the Pechanga
Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. Ironically, Pechanga is the title sponsor of the No. 62 Mike Voyles Racing Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck and Voyles
lives in Temecula.
Jefferies, Oak Hills, Calif., was the 1997 SCORE Overall point champion and will lead the unlimited Class 1
In his Chevy-powered HMS open-wheel desert race car while Jensen, a rookie SCORE racer from San Diego, will lead the motorcycle classes in his Class
22 four-stroke Honda CRF450X.
?I was standing right next to Mike (Voyles) and his hand was shaking so hard when he drew the first card out of the barrel, I thought he might
not get it out,? said Sal Fish, SCORE President/CEO. ?After he looked at the card with his name on it, I thought he was going to faint and almost
couldn?t even announce his name. I think it?s very safe to say that excited would be an understatement. Even if he hadn?t drawn the first start, he
and his race team and his sponsor Pechanga Resort hosted a wonderful live drawing party for the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500. I am truly speechless
regarding the huge number of entries we already have for the race and, if you know me, you know I?ve always got something to say.?
Voyles, 43, a general contractor who has raced in several different classes and returned to desert racing in 2002 after a 14-year sabbatical to
start a family and build his business, is looking forward to starting first with mixed emotions.
?I don?t think all be able to sleep from now until the race is over,? said Voyles. ?You only dream for the opportunity to lead the field into the
desert and we want to make the most of it. I?m in absolute total shock.?
The busy evening included a raffle for the Malcolm Smith Foundation in the name of Chase Feldkamp, the 10-month old son of second-generation
SCORE racer Buddy Feldkamp, who died tragically last month. After the raffle, SCORE?s Sal Fish led a one-man plea that more than doubled the proceeds
to nearly $10,000 for Smith?s orphanage near Valle de Trinidad, Mexico.
The evening will also featured a special showing of trailers for two upcoming films that showcase SCORE desert racing, ?Dezert People DP4?, and
the new documentary film, ?Chasing the Horizon?.
With late entries excepted up to race morning, over 400 entries are expected from 23 U.S. States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan and New
Zealand, the green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday (June 3) for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500,
followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 9 a.m. The race-record 327 that entered in time for Saturday?s drawing
represent 65 more than the previous record set last year with 262.
NASCAR team owner/driver Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., will defend his overall 4-wheel vehicle and SCORE Trophy-Truck crown as will last year?s
overall motorcycle and Class 22 winner Mike Childress, Wrightwood, Calif., who is racing this year for the American Honda A team with Steve Hengeveld,
Oak Hills, Calif., and Josh Frederick, Moapa, Nev., the defending Overall ATV champion.
Gordon, who will pull double duty by racing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup race the same weekend in Dover, Dela., has entered two trucks in the class.
He will drive the No. 31 SCORE Trophy-Truck and Andy McMillin, a third-generation SCORE desert racer, is running the entire 2006 SCORE Desert Series
schedule in the No. 83 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500.
As of today, the classes with the most entries are: Class 1 (41), SCORE Trophy-Truck, with a class-record 40, SCORE Lite, with a class record 32,
and Class 1-2/1600 (26).
Drawing the first start in SCORE Lite was Jason Batulis, San Clemente, Calif., in a PrepByJake-VW, while on the pole in Class 1-2/1600 is Mario
Gastelum, El Centro, Calif., in a Jorman-VW.
A total of 12 class winners from last year are entered so far, although three of them have switched classes. Besides Gordon, Childress and
Frederick, other racers who will be back to defend the class titles are George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Danny
Ledezma, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 5/1600, 1600cc VW Baja Bug), Todd Wyllie, New River, Ariz. (Class 8, Chevy C1500), Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico
(Class 9, Garibay-VW) Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 10, Jimco-Honda) and Jim O?Neal, Chatsworth, Calif. (Class 40, Honda XR650R).
The three class winners from last year who have switched classes are: Andy McMillin, Poway, Calif. (from Class 1 to SCORE Trophy-Truck), Rob
MacCachren/Bryan Freeman (MacCachren from Class 1-2/1600 to SCORE Trophy-Truck and Freeman to Protruck), and John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif. (from
Class 7S to Class 7SX).
O?Neal has won Class 40 for motorcycle riders over 40 years old for five straight years and Fisher has won Class 9 for three straight years in
this summer classic.
Among the other early entries is venerable veteran Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., who has entered the Stock Mini class in a Hummer H3. Hall, 67, has 15
class wins in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and this will be his first appearance since he won his class in 1994. Hall?s oldest son Josh, 44, will drive a
Hummer H2 in the Stock Full class.
The starting line area will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Convention Center in downtown Ensenada, Mexico. The finish line
will again be inside the Deportivo Antonio Palacios baseball stadium at 9th Street and Guadalupe Avenue in Ensenada. It is located approximately 1.5
miles east of the start line area. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race.
Pre-race festivities for the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will center around the Riviera del Pacifico convention center in downtown Ensenada on
Friday (June 2). Traditionally drawing approximately 50,000 spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer?s Midway and display of every race vehicle will be
held adjacent to the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday (June 2). The post-race awards celebration will be held at the San Nicolas Hotel
on Sunday (June 4) at 10 a.m.
The 2006 SCORE Desert Series includes the chase for the $50,000 Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several qualified 2006 SCORE
Class point champions.
The 2006 SCORE Desert Series also includes the hunt for the annual Toyota Milestone and $12,000 Toyota True Grit Awards. The prestigious Toyota
Milestone Awards are presented to every racer who completes every required mile of every race in the 2006 SCORE Desert Series. The $12,000 Toyota True
Grit purse is split among the SCORE season point champions who are also Toyota Milestone award winners in several non-factory-backed classes.
Current SCORE official 2006 sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/C.L. Bryant-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official
shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Airstar America-official space lighting provider. Associate sponsors are: Tecate
Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Kartek Off-Road, Centrix Financial, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Suzuki, SignPros,
Cotuco, Fideicomiso Publico para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie?s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2006 SCORE Desert Series
at www.score-international.com.
38th Annual TECATE SCORE BAJA 500
June 2-4, 2006--Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
DRAWING RESULTS (Held April 22)
Pechanga Resort/Casino-Temecula, California
Total Entries: 330
(from 23 States, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan, New Zealand & Mexico) (as of 4/23/06)
(By starting order within each class)
Pro Cars & Trucks
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (40)
62 Mike Voyles
39 Ron Whitton
27 David Scaroni
7 Scott Steinberger
76 Jesse Jones
86 Josh Baldwin
88 Ryan Arciero
83 Andy McMillin
2 Pete Sohren
38 Garron Cadiente
53 Jeff Stowers
3 Mark Post
26 Chris Robinson
17 Carl Renezeder
20 Mike Julson
41 Roger Norman
97 B.J. Baldwin
1 Bob Shepard
32 Juan C. Ibarra
80 Chad Ragland
81 Mark Miller
21 Roger Gray
4 Gus Vildosola
52 John Herder
25 Enrique Legaspy
58 Frank Thing
28 Alan Pflueger
12 Brian Collins
31 Robby Gordon
11 Dale Dondel
16 Cameron Steele
5 Marty Coyne
72 Matt Scaroni
40 Chet Huffman
55 Luis Wallace
96 Bobby Baldwin
51 Kory Scheeler
15 Jim Beaver
19 Ed Herbst
75 Jerry Zaiden
TMW - 4-24-2006 at 07:05 AM
This is going to be a good one. I've missed two Baja races this year so I can't wait to get down for this one. I would like to see a close up of Rod
Hall's H3. There's a lot of really good racers in the TT and class 1 group. In the MCs I find it interesting that some open racers (class 22) going
back to last years 1000 are opting for the motorcross version of the 450 which is also legal in class 21.
surfer jim - 4-24-2006 at 07:07 AM
Looking forward to this race as usual.....and doing a pre-run....
Did they give out any general info on the course? I know the map isn't out but many times the names of the towns are known so pit planning can be
done.....anybody?....
bajaandy - 4-24-2006 at 08:54 AM
Missed the 250, looking forward to this one. Depending on course and possible pits, will try to camp it on the coast somewhere.
TMW - 4-24-2006 at 05:52 PM
Sal usually doesn't change much on the 500 race year to year except direction. I don't think he'll run up the hill at Simpson ranch or probably the
other hill where so many got stuck. Although on the second hill I now know a shortcut to get to the top to help out if needed.
tunaeater - 4-24-2006 at 08:09 PM
We will be racing the 103X bike in class 21 along with our sister bike 105X. We will have 2 bikes racing the same class. We are going with a new Honda
450X for the 500 and 1,000. TW are you up for some prerunning like last year ?
Paul
Drawing
LaTijereta - 4-24-2006 at 09:37 PM
The drawing was a good time, and the movie Chasing the Horizon looked very interesting on how a small class 7s team can put a truck together to run in
Baja. Kind of like Dust to Gory theme..only in a truck instead of a bike.
Look for the course to run clockwise this year (so the hill at Simpson's will not be a problem)
TMW - 4-25-2006 at 06:55 AM
Tunaeater I am ready. My new XR250 is ready. Baja is ready for me I hope.
I put a lowering link on the bike and the suspension needs a little dialing in. The rear is softer than before.
tim40 - 4-27-2006 at 08:16 PM
#s are starting to look like the 'good old days'. I recall in the 70's we had over 400. Now, always raced then and more recently in 2/1600....they
have not changed that much (relatively), but class 1 and TT certainly are another matter.
Now the question is will we start seeing some of the 'special' vehicles from the past... motorhome, converted station wagons, raised vette, do you
recall?
TMW - 4-28-2006 at 06:45 AM
I never saw the motorhome but heard about it. I did see the big diesel truck, I think it was a Kenworth??? It had sensors that went back to the
factory or some monitoring station by satellite. As I recall it only went about 180 miles in the 1000. I think it was 1994. It was hugh.
Geronimo - 4-28-2006 at 07:12 PM
It was a International with a cummins M11 I6. It was built by T-mag (Bill Savage, SCORE tech director). I heard it was in the lobby of cummins HQ.
The shocks cooked very quickly. Might have been a little heavy?
Geronimo
surfer jim - 4-28-2006 at 09:58 PM
What class was that in?.....