LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Motorsports superstar Parnelli Jones, whose racing talent landed him in four different halls of fame, has been named Grand
Marshall for the upcoming Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 by event organizer Sal Fish and SCORE International. A veteran desert racer himself, Jones will
preside over the festivities of the granddaddy of all desert races.
The season finale of the five-race 2004 SCORE Desert Series--the world?s foremost desert racing series, the 37th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will be held
Nov. 16-20 as a rugged peninsula odyssey of 1,016.3 miles from Ensenada in Baja California to La Paz, in Baja California Sur.
To date, an impressive total of 281 vehicles have officially entered this year?s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. When registration is complete, nearly 300
vehicles competing in 26 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs are expected to compete in Mexico.
As much a dominant personality as he ever was driving a race vehicle, Jones won the 1963 Indianapolis 500 as well as back-to-back SCORE Baja 1000
races in 1971 and 1972.
?Having Parnelli back with us is a great honor as well as being a family reunion,? said Sal Fish, who joined SCORE shortly after it was founded in
1973. ?Parnelli is one of those rare individuals who had tremendous success in several forms of motorsports, both as a driver and as a team owner.
With his great history in SCORE racing, the hardest thing for us will be to keep him from strapping on a race helmet and hopping into one of our SCORE
Trophy-Trucks.?
Thanks to the largest entry of celebrity and crossover racers since the event began in 1967, Jones will feel right at home with motorsports luminaries
from around the globe.
From La Paz, at the southern tip of Baja, to Indianapolis, from the top of Pike?s Peak to Green Valley Raceway, from the dirt of Eldoro to board rooms
around the world, Parnelli Jones is a legend.
Jones, 70, of Palos Verde, Calif., was also a prominent Indy Car team owner for a number of years and has earned inclusion in the following groups:
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Inernational Motorsports Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall
of Fame.
?It?s great that SCORE would remember me in this way, but I did remind Sal (Fish) that I have never said that I was retired from racing,? said Jones,
whose son P.J. (NASCAR racer) also races occasionally in SCORE races. ?Bill Stroppe built great vehicles that I drove, but these new SCORE
Trophy-Trucks are truly amazing machinery. It?s been four years since I went to Mexico for the SCORE Baja 1000 and going down there in this capacity
will be very special for me, especially because I will always be a desert racer at heart.?
Jones becomes just the second Grand Marshall in the storied history of the event, joining Mario Andretti, who served last year in honor of the 30th
anniversary of SCORE International.
Pre-race festivities will be held around the Riviera del Pacifico Convention Center in Ensenada and the San Nicolas Hotel, on Tuesday and Wednesday,
Nov. 16-17. The race will start on Thursday, Nov. 18, in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Convention Center with motorcycles and ATVs getting the
green flag at approximately 6:30 a.m., followed by the car and truck classes at approximately 9:30 a.m. Vehicles will start one every 30 seconds in
the elapsed-time race. The finish line will be on the outskirts of La Paz adjacent to the tourism office. While the fastest finishers will complete
the rugged route in just over 16 hours, each vehicle will have a 40-hour time limit to become official finishers in the historic event.
?Crossover drivers include Paul Newman, R. Gordon, Vasser, Bourdais, Meira, Jordain Jr., Goodyear, Guerrero, Forbes-Robinson?
As always, several crossover racers test their skills in the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race and this year will see the largest number in
the 37-year history of the granddaddy of all desert races.
Leading the group of crossover drivers this year are film legend, accomplished race-car driver and Champ Car team owner Paul Newman (Centrix Financial
Baja Challenge Class) and NASCAR?s Robby Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck).
Also entered are Champ Car?s Jimmy Vasser with Indy Car veteran Mike Groff (Class 1), SCCA sports car racing legend Elliott Forbes Robinson, who will
drive with Jay Culbertson (Class 10) and legendary supercross/motocross rider Ricky Johnson will drive with Chad Ragland (SCORE Trophy-Truck).
Scheduled to race in the special Centrix Financial Baja Challenge class (Baja touring cars) are Champ Car regulars Sebastien Bourdais, of France
(current series point leader heading into this weekend?s finale in Mexico City) and Michel Jourdain Jr., of Mexico, Indy Racing League regular Vitor
Meira, of Brazil (2004 IRL Rising Star Award for Rahal Letterman Racing), 1985 Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan, former Indy Car drivers Scott Goodyear
and Roberto Guerrero and Pikes Peak Hill Climb record setters Rod Millen, Rhys Millen and Jeff Zwart.
It will be the first time in the SCORE Baja 1000 for Newman, Bourdais (who drives for the Newman-Haas Champ Car racing team), Meira, Sullivan and
Goodyear.
Racing in two vehicles in SCORE Trophy-Truck and one in Class 1-2/1600 will be ESPN sportscaster Cameron Steele, while Riding in the motorcycle Class
30 will be Jimmy Lewis, Editor of Dirt Rider, who also won the overall motorcycle title of this race in 1998 with Johnny Campbell.
Driving in one of five Centrix cars in the special Centrix Financial Baja Challenge class (Baja touring cars) will be: Centrix CEO Robert Sutton (who
has won this special class each of the last two years),1996 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 overall 4-wheel vehicle winner and 4-time class winner Ryan Thomas,
noted Hollywood stuntman Rich Minga, the 1987 SCORE Overall point champion who has one Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 class win, five seconds and eight
thirds, noted ABC sportscaster Paul Page and former SCORE racer Brian Coats who has one career SCORE Trophy-Truck race win.
?NBC Sports will bring Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to the world?
For the first time in over two decades, this year?s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on network television in the United States.
NBC Sports, in association with Aura360, is producing a one-hour special to air in December on the NBC Television Network. The telecast will air on
Saturday, Dec. 11 at 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
Anchor for NBC will be emmy-award winner sportscaster Al Trautwig. Joining Trautwig as producer will be veteran Billy Matthews and a talented veteran
crew that includes several of the NBC team that covered this summer?s Olympics in Greece.
Matthews intends to present the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in a unique way that will not only cover the race, but will tell the human interest stories of
the many people involved in the race. It will tell the stories of the racers and members of their crews as well as the impact the Tecate SCORE Baja
1000 has economically and socially on Baja California.
A special pre-run preview segment, which will include NASCAR?s Robby Gordon, will air during the Jeep World of Adventure Sports on Saturday, Dec. 4.
(2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST).
?Centrix Financial, special SCORE sponsor?
Denver-based Centrix Financial has increased its role with this month?s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race, it was announced officially today by SCORE
International.
Returning for the second year as a special SCORE race sponsor, Centrix also sponsors the Centrix Financial Baja Challenge class. The Centrix Financial
Baja Challenge class features 12 identically-equipped, Porsche-powered Baja Touring cars shod with BFGoodrich Tires.
?Centrix has been a wonderful partner for SCORE desert racing and it always significantly enhances our events when they participate,? said Sal Fish,
SCORE CEO/President. ?Bob Sutton (Centrix CEO) is one of the classiest people I know and he has a passion for SCORE desert racing that is growing
stronger every year.?
Founded in 1990, Centrix first made its presence felt seven years later when Robert Sutton, current Chairman and CEO, purchased the company and began
his quest to build the nation?s most innovative player in the multi-billion dollar world of auto finance.
That energy is what has brought Centrix back to this race for the third consecutive year. In addition to the special race sponsorship with SCORE,
Centrix is also fielding five cars in the Centrix Financial Baja Challenge Class, where Sutton will be looking for his third consecutive class win in
the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
?I could not be more excited about returning to the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 for the third consecutive year,? said Sutton. ?It is an iconic event in the
world of motorsports, presenting more challenges in terms of scope, difficulty and logistics than any other event in the world. I salute Sal Fish and
his SCORE team for being able to step up to the challenge and pull off a world class event year after year.?
?It?s especially fitting for Centrix to be so heavily involved in the event because it presents a perfect metaphor for our business. At the foundation
of the race?and of our business?is planning, risk-management and teamwork. We have learned how to translate these attributes into success at Centrix,
whether we are talking about making auto loans or finding success on the race course.?
The Centrix Financial Baja Challenge class this year will include several family members competing, many in different vehicles. Sutton is driver of
record in the BC 9 car while is son David Sutton is at the lead driver in the BC2 car and his daughter Kate Sutton is leading the BC 8 team to Mexico.
Pike?s Peak Hill Climb record holder Rod Millen, of New Zealand, is part of Sutton?s BC 9 team while Millen?s son Rhys (BC8) and Ryan (BC2) are also
competing.
The BC4 car will be filled with member?s of the Jourdain family of Mexico City. Champ Car racer Michel Jourdain Jr., is driver of record and will be
joined on the team by his father Michel Jourdain Sr., and his uncles Bernard Jourdain and Jean Pierre Jourdain.
Celebrating its 31st anniversary this year as the World?s Foremost Desert Racing Series, the SCORE Desert Series is returning to Mexico for the last
of three races held annually in Baja California. Bruce R Leech - 11-6-2004 at 08:16 AM
If any one is going to La Paz to see the finish, make hotel reservations now. Most hotels are booked already.
Bruce R Leech
Mulege Bajabufeo - 11-6-2004 at 10:16 AM
We'll be there at RM 266.9 cheering on the KTM team on 8X for an upset victory. We are prejudiced, however, since son-in-law, Andy Grider, will be on
the pegs of that bike for the first leg down to Coco's Corners.
What's fun too is that Andy's wife and daughter (our daughter and g-daughter) will be there with us.
On that stretch of the course Andy will be going all out so he won't have much time to see his major fans.
Parnelli Jones
David K - 11-6-2004 at 12:35 PM
Here is a photo I took in Nov. 1973 of Parnelli pulling onto his trailer after 'warming his tires' on the Big Oly Bronco the day before the Baja
1000...
David K - 11-6-2004 at 12:42 PM
Here's a photo I took of Parnelli in the 1975 Baja 1000 at his Valle Trinidad pit stop. PJ changed the Bronco to a 'funny car' Blazer for this first
SCORE Baja 1000.
Am I Blind , Dumb, or both.
Bruce R Leech - 11-6-2004 at 01:24 PM
David I cant see the Photos they wont download
BruceDavid K - 11-6-2004 at 01:33 PM
Bruce, I am on a dial up which doesn't load photos very well, and I see them. Not to worry, these photos are in my web page 'Baja Album': http://community-2.webtv.net/baja4me/album so you can see them and other Baja photos from my past, there.BajaNomad - 11-6-2004 at 05:11 PM
Looks like WebTV might be blocking hotlinks, which is easy for them to do.
Apparently you'll need to copy these URLs into the browser, as if you follow the link WebTV will deny
access as well.
--
Doug TMW - 11-7-2004 at 09:47 AM
Bufeo wave to 306x when he goes thru. It's a big 1100cc 500 lb BMW. Jimmy Lewis is ROR and Tim Morton is one of the riders on the team. Tim is a
friend of mine. Tim says the bike handles really good and is super fast, you just have to be careful hitting the ruff stuff too fast. I guess all that
weight soaks up the forks/shocks fast.bufeo - 11-7-2004 at 11:44 AM
TW,
Glad to do so. We won't have any trouble ID-ing the moto--long before we can see its plate.
I don't see it on the Entry List. Is it in Class 30? Therefore about 15th off the line?
Allen TMW - 11-7-2004 at 01:59 PM
Yes class 30#1 - 11-7-2004 at 10:41 PM
Quote:
The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see."
The tourist changes his sky, the traveler changes his soul.
hey TW - is that a "dual sport" model?
capt. mike - 11-8-2004 at 06:36 AM
i didn't know there was a class for those - cool, my friend rides one and wants me to get one to replace my trusty "hog"
seems like they'd have to pit a lot with 1100ccs drinking it up?
i hope to check him out in la paz next fri.BajaNomad - 11-8-2004 at 07:06 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by TW
...Tim Morton is one of the riders on the team. Tim is a friend of mine.
..and one of the nicer guys around.
I believe he still conducts rides for individuals/groups as well:
[Edited on 11-8-2004 by BajaNomad]TMW - 11-8-2004 at 08:31 AM
Capt. Mike I don't know the specs on the bike other than it's near 500 lbs and 1100cc. Class 30 can be any size bike but all the riders have to be
over 30 years old. I'll be in Ensenada before the race starts and I hope to check it out. They will be using Mag 7 pits. I don't know the size of gas
tank. I just hope nobody falls down because it would be a bear to pick up.
hummmmm.......me thinks a class 30 gig
capt. mike - 11-8-2004 at 12:30 PM
to be in my future, not to ride but to help sponsor a team and do support. My buddy would do it and he is in shape for it, at least more than i ever
could. i'm going to research this!elgatoloco - 11-8-2004 at 12:34 PM
capt. mike
Mark me down for pit work!! tim40 - 11-8-2004 at 10:43 PM
Started on desert bikes (baja, barstow to vegas, few others), moved to class 1 and 5 with father, on my own to 2/1600, and now I am am salivating to
do the 1K back on a bike (point to point) solo...this year just got away from me....How does it go...something like 'time and money rarely date'....
Tim
David K - 11-8-2004 at 11:35 PM
We either have time or money, rarely both in sufficient quantities!
How long ago were you racing Class 5?
Mark Hanson was a friend who was one of the people that got me involved in pitting for Los Campeones. He and his dad (Leroy) were F.A.S.T. Company
(Father And Son Team) and sure into it!
time and money are hugely related
capt. mike - 11-9-2004 at 04:56 AM
they can always come together if you apply some conservative management techniques: Let them date, they WILL mate...and soon propagate!!
they do not haave to be mutually exclusive...
1. when loaded with extra time - use it to plan how to make more money.
2. when flush with extra $$$s - spend some to create more time for yourself.tim40 - 11-9-2004 at 10:39 AM
Last in 5 in 77. Out of racing in from early 80s to mid 90's and last 2/1600 in 2002 Score series.
I like your thinking Mike.....I too a year off to travel the world and was even more busy than when I was working...
i know what you mean...
capt. mike - 11-9-2004 at 10:55 AM
i went to Munich the summer out of high school alone and worked at a hotel getting ready for the olympics. came home after 3 months 'cause i was
supposed to go to college, but was pretty fluent after that plus 2 years in school language. Big mistake!! i should have stayed a year plus!! got
better education than the 1st stupid school i wasted a year at! I'd be in the foreign service or something..... experiences RULE!!!wornout - 11-9-2004 at 04:24 PM
Sure glad I read the first post in this thread, some of us here in San Felipe thought the race started Friday. TMW - 11-9-2004 at 07:29 PM
Rule of thumb to remember is the 1000 to La Paz (full 1000 miles) always start on Thursday with usually a 40 hour time limit. Awards are on Saturday.
The loop 1000 race (Ensenada to Ensenada) (around 700 miles) starts on Friday with a 28-30 hour time limit and awards on Sunday. Doesn't mean they
won't change in the future however.bajalou - 11-9-2004 at 07:44 PM
Do you think any will be disqualified for their heilicopter operations??
October 26, 2004
ATTENTION: Trophy Truck, Class 1, Class 10 and ProTruck Competitors,
Please make yourself familiar with G28 on pages 13 and 14 in the SCORE International Official 2003-2006 Off-Road Racing Rules and Regulations book.
It will be your responsibility to adhere to the letter of these rules.
Unfortunately in the past, these rules have been flagrantly abused; especially ?all rotary aircraft must maintain a minimum altitude of 500? AGL and
500? of the edgeline of the race course when traveling near pit and/or spectator areas. All rotary aircraft below 1200? AGL must travel with the race
course located on the left side of the aircraft, i.e. traveling with race traffic, aircraft will be on the racer?s RIGHT side. All rotary aircraft
cannot land within 1/4 mile of the race course in any area?. (Page 14, 2nd paragraph, Official Rule and Regulations)
SCORE will have two (2) event helicopters in the air. If you are observed violating any of the official rules and regulations your entry will be
disqualified.
Please conduct yourselves in a safe and proper manner.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Sal Fish, CEO
TMW - 11-10-2004 at 08:24 AM
Probably not. Most if not all the helos are used by the top teams like Hersbt. And they use them in all the races so I think they know what they can
get away with. I can't recall there ever being anyone disqualified. I do remember a few years ago a case were I think it was Walker Evans taking a
part to a Herbst truck in a Nevada race (not allowed) but I don't remember the out come and I may have the names etc wrong.
ha !!!! this memo by Sal is laughable
capt. mike - 11-10-2004 at 01:15 PM
none of these rules were followed from what i observed pitting with DP Racing at RM 205 last years 1000. I'll see what they do this year.....2 weeks,
i can hardly stand it!tim40 - 11-11-2004 at 10:43 PM
I would like to see the enforced, but it would be a first. I have literally been blasted by blade wash in my race vehicle from a heli landing to pit
(another major no no) TT. The best is story of all was back in the 2K race. It was about 5 in the morning and while we were waiting for our car
to come to do a driver switch we heard a heli crank up (pre dawn) within a 100 feet of course and about 30 ft from us. Just as the left ground the
pilot lost vision from the dirt wash and in a panic tried to set it down.....crashed on the main rotar and tore it appart with pieces flying
everywhere....gets better....the pilot and 2 of the passengers took off. I jumped out of my truck to see a smoking carcus of a heli with a screaming
voice coming from inside. Without thinking (do not think if I would have been thinking I would of taken the same actions...you just never know) I
ran with a knife to the smoking crushed mess and ultimately cut a camera crew person from the was wedged and stuck in the wreck. I still have a
couple of parts of the craft hanging in my garage. Never learned the final of what happened. Within 10 minutes the place had a # of police like
officials wanting to know whos it was, where the pilot, etc....at one point those that saw me from a distance getting the camera person out suggested
it might be mine....thanks to a very clear wife...that did not go far...The camera guy was taken away in an ambulance.David K - 11-11-2004 at 10:51 PM
I am guessing that was near El Arco...?
A photo was posted on Amigos de Baja (where most of us hung out) of the crashed helicopter during the Baja 2000.
tim40 - 11-13-2004 at 09:19 PM
Correct David. Did you ever hear if the caught the pilot? I know for a couple of hours that we were still in the area I would have liked to of
caught him....to this day I can not believe they ran and left a person behind.David K - 11-14-2004 at 01:24 AM
No I did not know the nitty-gritty details of what happened. I think I recall the story as they were blinded by so much dust, didn't know exactly
where 'up' was. I do not recall ever hearing it happened in the dark of pre-dawn morning... Thank you.
