Race-record 400+ entries expected
Race-record 36 SCORE Trophy-Trucks set to make history
At next month’s 39th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in Mexico
7 of 12 SCORE Trophy-Truck season champs and 17 drivers with 61 of 77 class race wins entered in granddaddy of all desert races;
Nationally-televised peninsula run Nov. 15-18 in Mexico from Ensenada, Baja California to La Paz, Baja California Sur
LOS ANGELES—When it comes to the SCORE Trophy-Truck division in next month’s 39th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race, the favorites list
continues to be led by defending race and season point champion Bob Shepard, along with the veteran teams of Brian Collins/Larry Ragland, Ryan
Arciero/Mark Miller/Rick Johnson, brothers Ed and Tim Herbst and current class point leader B.J. Baldwin. The growing list of serious contenders also
includes Alan Pflueger, Andy McMillin/Robby Gordon, Mark Post/Curt LeDuc, Carl Renezeder, Gus Vildosola/Rob MacCachren, Cameron Steele, and rookie
Garron Cadiente.
Now, SCORE Trophy-Truck, the high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks that are finishing their 13th season as the premier SCORE
racing division, will have a record field of nearly 40 of these monsters of the desert attempting to permanently etch their own names in the granite
records of the legendary granddaddy of all desert races. This year’s odyssey of over 1,000 miles will be a grueling adventure down Mexico’s mysterious
Baja California peninsula starting in Ensenada, Baja California and finishing in La Paz, Baja California, Sur. It will be held Nov. 15-18.
An amazing race-record total of 393 vehicles have officially entered to date and over 400 are expected by the time late registration closes on
race morning.
This year’s memorable adventure will cover 1,047.83 miles of the rugged and tortuous Baja California peninsula, starting on the Pacific Ocean
side and stretching across and down the majestic peninsula to the Sea of Cortez side, back to the Pacific before winding back again to the Sea of
Cortez and the finish line.
Over 400 entries from 35 U.S. States and 11 countries, competing in 26 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs will be
part of this year’s tribute to the sport of desert racing. The race is the season-finale of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, the world’s
foremost desert racing series.
“The concept of the SCORE Trophy-Truck division that we launched in 1994 was extremely innovating for our sport, but I am literally awestruck to
observe the development of it over these past 12-plus years,” said Sal Fish, CEO and President of Los Angeles-based SCORE International. “They come
from all walks of life and their investment in their teams and their unbelievable race trucks rivals any other form of motorsports. Staging and the
start line in Ensenada will be one of the most memorable times in my 34-year tenure in the sport.”
The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (Thursday, Nov. 16) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately
10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the
fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 16 hours. The all-time race-record for starters, 346, was set 29 years ago in
1977 (Ensenada to Ensenada), and the race-record for starters when the race runs the length of the peninsula to La Paz, 307, was set in 1992.
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special for the third consecutive
year, airing at 2:30 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 10 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN
International.
The competition is so fierce this year that there have been five different winners in as many races and only 29 points separate the top four
point leaders in the hunt for the 2006 SCORE Trophy-Truck season title.
In all, this year’s SCORE Trophy-Truck entry list features 7 of the 12 SCORE Baja 1000 winners in this marquee division, 17 racers who have
combined for 39 various class victories in this fabled race, 17 drivers who have combined to win 61 of the 77 SCORE Trophy-Truck races ever held, and
8 of the 12 All-Time SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champions. A race-record 36 SCORE Trophy-Trucks have entered so far.
With massive crowds reaching over 300,000 anticipated to again be spread out along the point-to-point race course, the race will start for the
32nd time in Ensenada and will finish for the 17th time in La Paz.
Shepard, 49, of Phoenix, who is coming off his second career SCORE Trophy-Truck class win in September at the SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, is the
defending SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion and 2005 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 winner in his class. He is also currently in second place in this
year’s class point standings, by just six points, in the No. 1 Shepard Racing Chevy CK1500.
Brian Collins, 44, of Las Vegas with three and Larry Ragland, 62, of Phoenix with nine have a combined 12 career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins and
will split driving in the No. 12 Collins Motorsports Chevy Silverado. The legendary Ragland has a record four SCORE Trophy-Truck wins in the Tecate
SCORE Baja 1000 (1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999). Ragland also won Class 8 in this race in 1991.
The inventive team of Ryan Arciero, 33, Foothill Ranch, Calif./Mark Miller, 44, Carefree, Ariz., class winners in this race both in 2003 and
2004, added a third key driver this year in Supercross legend Rick Johnson, 42, Trabucco Canyon, Calif., in their No. 81 Arciero/Miller Racing Chevy
Silverado.
Las Vegas brothers Ed Herbst, 45, and Tim Herbst, 43, are the all-time winningest SCORE Trophy-Truck drivers with 11 career race wins and the
season point titles in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003, but are still looking for their first win in this marquee racing division in the Tecate SCORE Baja
1000 in their Terrible Herbst Motorsports No. 19 Ford F-150. With a third and two fifths this year, the brothers are in third place in the current
SCORE Trophy-Truck point standings, 28 behind B.J. Baldwin. The brothers finished third in this race last year, fourth in 2004 and second in both 2003
and 2002.
B.J. Baldwin, 27, of Las Vegas, is the current SCORE Trophy-Truck point leader and won this year’s season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge
in January in his No. 97 Chevy Silverado. He also has a second, two fourths and a sixth this year in the featured SCORE racing division. He also drew
the coveted first starting position for this year’s race.
Hawaii’s Alan Pflueger, 39, has two career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins in his Pflueger Racing No. 28 Monster Energy Chevy Silverado and in the
SCORE Baja 1000 he won the Protruck class in 2002. He was second in last year’s race to Bob Shepard. This year he is fourth in class points, one
behind the Herbsts.
NASCAR Nextel Cup team owner/driver Robby Gordon, 37, Charlotte, N.C., whose roots are in SCORE desert racing and is a two-time overall winner in
this race, drew the 31st starting position in SCORE Trophy-Truck in the Team Gordon No. 83 Red Bull Chevy CK1500. Gordon, will again pull double-duty,
driving the the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 before flying to Homestead, Fla., to race in the NASCAR Nextel Cup season finale. Driver of record for the team
this season is Andy McMillin, 19, Poway, Calif.
With four career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins each, the team of Mark Post, 49, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. and Curt LeDuc, 51, Cherry Valley,
Calif., are always in the hunt in the No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150. With Post recovering from extensive knee surgery, the team did not race in
September’s SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, but the pair finished fourth in this race last year and third two years ago. Their best finish so far this
season was a fifth in SCORE Trophy-Truck in March’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250.
Carl Renezeder, 42, Laguna Beach, Calif., who keeps in shape for racing as a successful triathelete, is seventh in class points this year, won
Class 1 in this race in 1994, and has a second and a third this season in his No. 17 Chevy Silverado. He is also a champion short-course racer in the
CORR series.
Always a local favorite, Vildosola Racing with team owner Gus Vildosola, 53, Mexicali, Mexico and three-time AARWBA All-America Rob MacCachren,
41, Las Vegas, has struggled this year with three straight did not finishes after opening the season with a fourth place in Laughlin. MacCachren has
four career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins, including one in 2003 with Vildosola, and was the 1994 SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion.
Known world-wide as an action sports and Champ Car racing television sports commentator, Cameron Steele, 38, San Clemente, Calif., is a proven
desert racer with a 2003 Class 1-2/1600 win in this race, but hasn’t cracked the podium yet in SCORE Trophy-Truck. With Steele’s race savvy and team
owner Ed Stout’s driving patience, the No. 16 Desert Assassins Ford F-150 is always colorful as it continues to climb the podium ladder. The
high-adrenaline Steele will once again attempt a triple, racing not only in SCORE Trophy-Truck, but the unlimited Class 22 on the No. 19x Honda XR650R
motorcycle and on the No. 1147 charity team in Class 11 in a stock VW Sedan. Needless to say, he has a lot of good driving partners who help him in
his unique quest for the desert trifecta.
The SCORE Trophy-Truck surprise driver of the season has been rookie Garron Cadiente, 31, Mesa, Ariz., who won this year’s Tecate SCORE San
Felipe 250, finished fifth in the No. 38 G&R Racing Ford F-150 in June’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and is sixth in season points. Cadiente’s
father-in-law, Ron Whitton, 62, Mesa, Ariz., is the R in G&R Racing. Whitton, the oldest SCORE rookie, was fourth in San Felipe, 11th at the
Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and is currently 11th in SCORE Trophy-Truck points in the No. 39 G&R Racing Ford F-150.
Besides Gordon, the other cross-over racers who are entered so far include NASCAR’s Boris Said and World Rally champion Armin Schwarz, 2004 Indy
500 champion Buddy Rice, XGames legend Travis Pastrana, former IndyCar star Roberto Guerrero, CORR short-course champion Johnny Greaves and
actor/racer Patrick Dempsey, star of the ABC TV hit show ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’
Besides the lengthy favorites list, other entries in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division include Pete Sohren, Glendale, Ariz. (No. 2-Ford F-150),
Josh Baldwin, Newport Beach, Calif. (86-Ford F-150), Chad Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz./Danny Anderson, Las Vegas (80-Chevy Silverado), Jesse Jones,
Phoenix (76-Ford F-150), Japan's Ikuo Hanawa (14-Toyota FJ Land Cruiser), Marty Coyne, El Centro, Calif. (5-Ford F-150), Bobby Baldwin, Las Vegas
(96-Chevy Silverado), Mike Julson, Descanso, Calif./Bob Lofton, Westmorland, Calif. (20-Chevy Silverado), Todd Wyllie, New River, Ariz. (85-Chevy
Silverado), Juan C. Ibarra, Ensenada, Mexico (32-Ford F-150) and Kory Sheeler, Las Vegas (51-Chevy Silverado).
In just his fourth SCORE race, TV personality Jesse James, of Monster Garage fame, will debut his new No. 54 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck.
As compared to the truck he raced in his SCORE debut last, this year’s truck the popular James will drive will not be last year’s made-for-TV
overnight special.
The Pro 4-Wheel classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (36), Class 1 (26), Class 1-2/1600 (28), SCORE Lite (20), Micron
Technology Baja Challenge and Protruck (19 each), Class 5/1600 (16), Class 10 (12).
In the Pro Motorcycle classes, the unlimited Class 22 has 23 entries so far while Class 30 (riders over 30 years old) has 16 and Class 40 (riders
over 40), has 11.
Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which has a race-record 41 entries to date.
It’s the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the
mother of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula. Pre-race festivities on Wednesday, Nov. 15, for the Tecate
SCORE Baja 1000, including tech and contingency and the SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. across from the San Nicolas
Hotel. The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer registration
will be held at the San Nicolas from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15.
While entries will be accepted up to race morning (Nov. 16), late entries will be assigned the next available number and starting position within
each class.
The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Survivor’s Celebration will be held during the SCORE Fiesta on the Malecon beachwalk in La Paz, which starts
at noon on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The 2006 SCORE Desert Series includes 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 involves 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.
SCORE official 2006 sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/Bryant Petroleum-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official
shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, American Racing-official wheel, 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, NAPA
Chassis, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bendix, American Suzuki, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
Additional associate sponsors, for the 2006 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are Micron Technology, Red Bull North America, Cotuco de Ensenada, Fideicomiso
Publio para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, the government of Baja California Sur, the State Tourism Department of Baja California Sur and the
city tourism fund of Loreto.
For more information on the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, 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.
OFFICIAL ENTRIES
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK
(Unlimited Production Trucks)
(By Class Starting Order-as of 10/19/06)
97 B.J. Baldwin, 27, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
62 Mike Voyles, 43, Temecula, Calif., Ford F-150
12 Brian Collins, 44, Las Vegas/Larry Ragland, 62, Cave Creek, Ariz., Chevy Silverado
3 Mark Post, 49, Laguna Beach, Calif./Curt LeDuc, 51, Cherry Valley, Calif., Ford F-150
49 Valerio Gonzalez, 39/Jose Cota, 38, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, Ford F-150
2 Pete Sohren, 43, Glendale, Ariz., Ford F-150
54 Jesse James, 37, Long Beach, Calif./Tom Geviss, 45, Alpine, Calif., Chevy CK1500
76 Jesse Jones, 40, Litchfield Park, Ariz./Jeff Quinn, Anaheim, Calif., Ford F-150
96 Bobby Baldwin, 56, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
16 Cameron Steele, 38, San Clemente, Calif./Ed Stout, 40, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150
32 Juan C. Ibarra, 30/Victor Valdez, 24, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford F-150
38 Garron Cadiente, 31, Mesa, Ariz./Jeff Geiser, Phoenix, Ford F-150
86 Josh Baldwin, 30, Newport Beach, Calif., Ford F-150
30 Todd Clement, 44, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Roger Norman, 44, Reno, Nev./Jerry Whelchel, 46, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Ford F-150
53 Jeff Stowers, 46/Jeff Broughton, 46, Mission Viejo, Calif., Chevy C1500
69 Francisco Cervantes, 40/Marco Robles, 36, Ensenada, Mexico, Chevy El Camino
99 Nick Baldwin, 52, Laguna Hills, Calif., Ford F-150
1 Bob Shepard, 49, Phoenix, Chevy CK1500
20 Mike Julson, 48, Descanso, Calif./Bob Lofton, 48, Westmorland, Calif., Chevy Silverado
17 Carl Renezeder, 42, Laguna Beach, Calif., Chevy Silverado
14 Ikuo Hanawa, 46, Japan, Toyota Land Cruiser
81 Ryan Arciero, 33, Foothill Ranch, Calif./Rick Johnson, 42, Trabucco Canyon, Calif./Mark Miller, 44, Carefree, Ariz., Chevy Silverado
5 Marty Coyne, 50/Travis Coyne, 27, El Centro, Calif., Ford F-150
4 Gus Vildosola, 53, Mexicali, Mexico/Rob MacCachren, 41, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
7 Scott Steinberger, 39, Signal Hill, Calif./, Ford F-150
73 Jose Flores, 43/Valente Vega-Lausas, 44, Culiacan, Mexico, Chevy Silverado
80 Chad Ragland, 36, Phoenix/Danny Anderson, 46, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
28 Alan Pflueger, 39, Honolulu, Chevy Silverado
39 Ron Whitton, 62, Maricopa, Ariz., Ford F-150
83 Andy McMillin, 19, Poway, Calif./Robby Gordon, 37, Charlotte, N.C., Chevy CK1500
85 Todd Wyllie, 40, New River, Ariz., Chevy Silverado
50 Jerry Larimore, 30, Escondido, Calif./Buff Harmon, 32, Raniba, Calif., Ford F-150
51 Kory Scheeler, 44/Mike Costello, 41, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
35 Robbie Pierce, 47, Santee, Calif./Bill Varnes, 50, Santee, Calif., Ford F-150
19 Ed Herbst, 45/Tim Herbst, 43, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
34 Jeff Haneline, 42/Joey Russo, 24, Murrieta, Chevy CK1500surfer jim - 10-19-2006 at 09:06 PM
Thats a lot of trucks....I remember when there would be less than 10.....bufeo - 10-20-2006 at 07:45 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by surfer jim
Thats a lot of trucks....
Isn't that the truth. I'm glad our bleachers are at RM 266 ±. Taco de Baja - 10-25-2006 at 12:29 PM
For the Trophy-Trucks: All Chebys and Fords...and one lone Toyota from Japan....
Go Toyota!
14 Ikuo Hanawa, 46, Japan, Toyota Land Cruiser
[Edited on 10-25-2006 by Taco de Baja]capt. mike - 10-25-2006 at 01:48 PM
bufeo - are you going to be at punta bufeo for the race? will it go thru there??bufeo - 10-25-2006 at 02:19 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
bufeo - are you going to be at punta bufeo for the race? will it go thru there??
Yes and yes. Geronimo - 10-25-2006 at 07:55 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Taco de Baja
For the Trophy-Trucks: All Chebys and Fords...and one lone Toyota from Japan....
Go Toyota!
14 Ikuo Hanawa, 46, Japan, Toyota Land Cruiser
[Edited on 10-25-2006 by Taco de Baja]
I think that Ikuo would be glad to make it to halfway without getiing nerfed by a Rhino. I no nothing of the effort but I have never been close
enough to the start to see that truck go by.capt. mike - 10-26-2006 at 04:55 AM
ok Bufeo - a Q, you are going to be at RM 250 something 1st? then what - haul arse to PTA. Bufeo and hang?
cool, may have to see you there.vandenberg - 10-26-2006 at 06:24 AM
What is a good place in the Loreto area to watch the race ?bufeo - 10-26-2006 at 08:53 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
ok Bufeo - a Q, you are going to be at RM 250 something 1st? then what - haul arse to PTA. Bufeo and hang?
cool, may have to see you there.
I believe that the only 'hauling' we'll be doing is food and adult beverages from the beach over to the Course.
According to the "Course Notes" from SCORE, the sign for Punta Bufeo is at RM 268.93. A bunch of us like to set up our viewing area on a little rise
which is a couple of miles north of the above-mentioned RM.
That's why I said RM 266 màs o menos.
Why don't you drop in from the sky and have a hot dog with us? After some of the bikes go by--maybe even a TT or two--you can be back in the air and
on your way south with lots of daylight left.capt. mike - 10-26-2006 at 11:43 AM
ok, good by me - depends on a lot of variables hinging until race weekend.
maintenance planned, work load - the usual stuff that cramps my style........
also waiting on some confirmations from some possible pax.
