SAN DIEGO — Following Tuesday’s night live drawing for starting positions, Southern California’s Ricky Brabec, will be the first motorcycle off the starting line in the upcoming 46th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race. Entries from around the world continue to arrive for Round 3 of the 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship, to be held June 5-8 in Mexico’s Baja California Norte, starting and finishing in Ensenada, the seaside port on the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of San Diego.
With SCORE Trophy Trucks and unlimited Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars qualifying for starting positions, Brabec is certain of his starting position on race day. The start draw was broadcast live worldwide during a special edition of the SCORE Dirt LiveHD Internet show.
SCORE is celebrating its 41st year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2014 and this race is traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule. Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s 46th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the original desert race produced by SCORE on July 26, 1974.
It is an elapsed-time race with staggered starts as the green flag on Saturday (June 7) will drop first for the motorcycles and ATVs at 6 a.m. and approximately 10:30 a.m. for the cars, trucks and UTVs.
With over 250 entries competing in 35 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and ATVs expected at the start line on Saturday, June 7, entries to date have come from 20 U.S. States along with Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan and Mexico. A total of 144 entries were received in time for Tuesday’s drawing.
ON CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR
The race will be televised on a delayed basis in the USA and Canada as a one-hour special on the CBS Sports Network. The show, being produced by SoCal’s acclaimed BCII TV, will air twice on the CBS Sports Spectacular show with the initial airing at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 20, 2014. Following the CBS Sports Network telecasts, the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 show will air worldwide in over 100 countries through international distribution.
BRABEC TEAMMATES
Riding on the factory-supported No. 4x THR Motorsports Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450F along with Brabec, Oak Hills, Calif., will be David Pearson, Panaca, Nev. and Max Eddy Jr, Barstow, Calif.
QUALIFYING
On Thursday, June 5 qualifying for starting positions will be held. Qualifying will be for both the SCORE Trophy Truck and the unlimited Class 1 and will be held over a special course near Ensenada and is not open to the public. Tuesday’s live drawing for these two classes determined their qualifying order, by class, for June 5. Drawing the first qualifying position in SCORE Trophy Truck was Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va., driver of record for the No. 5 RPM Racing Chevy Silverado while the first qualifying position in Class 1 was drawn by female driver of record Shelby Reid in the No. 168 RPI Racing Chevy-powered Custom built open wheel desert race car.
While most entries in these two top classes are expected to qualify, those who elect not to will be given the remaining start positions in the elapsed-time race based on the original drawing or entry into the race.
Qualifying is closed to the public because of safety concerns.Taped highlights of qualifying will be shown starting Thursday evening (June 5) on the SCORE website.
ENTERING HISTORY
Online registration, with classes grouped into four Pro and two Sportsman levels is ongoing through the SCORE website. Questions regarding SCORE racer registration should be directed to Brianne Tengwall at 775.852.8900.
Official entries received after the drawing will be given the next available starting position within their respective classes. Late entries received after June 2 or registering on-site will be assessed a $200 late fee.
ENTRY LEADERS
While SCORE Trophy Truck with 32 has the most entries of any class in the race including 4-wheel vehicles, other car/truck classes with double figure entries so far are Class 10 with 25, Class 1 with 15 and Class 19 with 11.
Leading the Pro motorcycle classes is the Pro M/C Unlimited class with four entries in the start drawing.
Leading the Sportsman classes is SPT M/C> with eight so far.
MAIN COURSE
The race will feature a course of approximately 500 miles that includes some new or seldom-used areas.
SCORE has also announced the pre-running on the race course will begin officially on Saturday, May 24, except for the portion from the start to Ojos Negros (approximately 40 miles), which will be used in both directions during the race. After Ojos Negros, the course will run in a counterclockwise direction.
When finalized by Norman and SCORE Race Director Jose Grijalva, the historic race course will be another memorable example of all that Mexico’s Baja California has to offer, including high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky and silty natural terrain, majestic Baja washes and canyons, stretches along the seashore with elevations from sea level to over 4,000 feet. The course will be another jewel reflecting the stark beauty of Baja California. The course will be presented for the first time on the SCORE Dirt LiveHD Internet show on Tuesday as well.
A BAJA FIESTA
Colorful race week festivities will include several first-time events for SCORE, starting with qualifying for SCORE Trophy Truck and Class 1 followed by the Monster Energy SCORE Kick Off Party on Thursday, June 5 from 7 p.m. until Midnight at the start/finish line area in the heart of Ensenada. With donations for La Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexico’s Red Cross), the event will be include a racer’s autograph party and vehicle display
Friday, June 6 will see the day-long, pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and contingency festival in the start finish line area in Ensenada.
On Friday evening (June 6), the Monster Energy Papas Y Beer SCORE Street Party will be held from 7 p.m. to Midnight on Avenida Ruiz in downtown Ensenada.
During the race on Saturday, June 7 the Monster Energy SCORE VIP hospitality area, will be part of the start/finish line compound. The area will also include the massive SCOREvision LED screen broadcasting race festivities and start and finish line interviews.
All of the week’s festivities will be aired both live and same-day including the race, on the SCORE Dirt LiveHD race week shows, airing via the internet on the SCORE website.
AT THE RIVIERA
The Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center, in the heart of Ensenada, will again be the site of many of the activities surrounding the Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Racer registration and Media registration will be held in the Red room at the Riviera on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (May 30-31, June 1) and the SCORE Media Center will be in the Red room during the race with internet access and live race updates including unofficial elapsed times.
In the Cathedral Room at the Riviera will be pre-race media conference as well as the mandatory pre-race racer’s meeting on Friday (June 6). The post-race awards celebration will be in the outdoor Riviera amphitheater at noon on Sunday (June 8).
The start/finish line for the race will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center as well.
SCORE DIRT LIVEHD GLOBAL
With viewers in over 100 countries, SCORE Dirt LiveHD will present live internet streaming from the event from pre-green to post-checker. Coverage will include live start and finish line interviews as well as live coverage from the many ancillary events tied to the race. On race day, live satellite tracking of all vehicles in the race will also be broadcast through the SCORE International website.
DAKAR CHALLENGE 2014
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 has been identified as a qualifying race for special entry packages into the 2015 Dakar Rally in South America. Winners in car and truck classes will come from SCORE Trophy Truck, Class 1 and Class 10 along with another winning entry from Pro motorcycles (all with time adjustments). Complete regulations and other information on Dakar Challenge 2014 are available at http://score-international.com/2014-dakar-challenge/.
GRAN HISTORIA
The Tecate SCORE Baja 500 is one of the top motorsports events in the world. It was started originally in 1969 by the NORRA organization. Mickey Thompson and his SCORE International organization were asked by Mexican government to take over the event in 1974. Sal Fish ran and later owned and produced the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 for 39 years until he sold SCORE to Roger Norman in December of 2012.
Ensenada has been the heart and soul of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 as the popular summertime race. This year will mark the 41st time it has started and 37th time it has finished in Ensenada.
ON THE SCOREscope
In its 41st year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2014, the five-race 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship series, with three special events held in Baja California, Mexico, and two in the United States, started with the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 on March 1. Starting and finishing in Ensenada, the 46th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held June 5-8 and the third SCORE Baja race, starting in Ensenada and finishing in La Paz, the 47th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will be held Nov. 12-16.
The two U.S. races on 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship calendar was the inaugural SCORE Imperial Valley 250 in Plaster City, Calif. (April 25-27) and the two-day, single-race Inaugural SCORE Desert Challenge, location TBA (Sept. 25-28).
CBS SPORTS NETWORK
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com. CBS Sports Network will run a one-hour special on all five 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship races as well as a sixth show on the special qualifying for select classes for the 2014 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 that will be held Nov. 1-4 in Las Vegas during the annual SEMA automotive industry trade show. All shows are scheduled to air in the next month following the event.
WEEKLY SCORE DIRT LIVEHD
SCORE Dirt LiveHD, SCORE’s weekly Tuesday night internet studio show from El Cajon, Calif., also goes on-site live with expanded event coverage during SCORE events. Live event coverage in 2014 will include week-long live coverage of the entire five-race 2014 SCORE World Desert Championship which includes two races in the United States and three in Baja California, Mexico. The second Mexico event of the inaugural SCORE World Desert Championship will be the upcoming 46th Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
DIRT LIVEHD CREW
Desert racing public address announcer and former racer George Antill is the executive producer and host of the popular show. A special segment most weeks is SCORE Tech Tips with SCORE Tech co-directors Jake Velasco or Art Savedra or SCORE Trophy Truck racer and prep-shop owner T.J. Flores.
Shaun Sauer, SCORE Media Production Manager, is the coordinating producer of the show. The program is hosted on ustream.com, the world’s largest streaming internet site.
SCORE SPONSORS
Official Sponsors: Tecate Beer-Official Beer/Official Race Sponsor, Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink, BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, Rigid Industries LED Lighting-Official Lights, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Polaris-Official UTV, Volaris Airlines-Official Airline, CBS Sports Network-Official Television Partner, Wide Open Excursions- Official Arrive and Drive Company, Coca-Cola-Official Soft Drink, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino, Hotel Coral and Marina-Official Hotel.
Associate Sponsors: Graham Watchmakers, SatellitePhoneStore.com, Symons Ambulance Company.
Additional SCORE Partners: Proturismo Ensenada, Visit Baja California Sur, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Baja California Sur State Government, Mexicali Ayuntamineto, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Cruz Roja Mexicana, Corporate Helicopters, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, GoPro, PCI Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
For more information, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship series at www.score-international.com.
46th Tecate SCORE Baja 500
June 5-8, 2014—Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Total Entries: 144 (as of 5/14/14)
(from 17 U.S. States; Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Mexico)
(By entry order within class)
Pro Cars & Trucks
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (32)
(Qualifying Order)
5 Clyde Stacy
57 Mike Palmer
98 Gary Weyhrich
3 Mark Post
35 Jason Voss
77 Robby Gordon
50 Zak Langley
85 Justin Davis
53 Jose de Jesus Flores
30 Robbie Pierce
15 Armin Schwarz
33 Todd Romano
45 Gary Magness
91 Troy Herbst
76 Jesse Jones
11 Rob MacCachren
16 Cameron Steele
7 Steven Eugenio
1 B.J. Baldwin
9 Mark Weyhrich
26 Jay Reichert
21 Gus Vildosola Jr
34 Ken Losch
19 Tim Herbst
23 Dan McMillin
72 Robert Acer
39 Ron Whitton
70 Bryce Menzies
18 Juan C. Lopez
83 Luke McMillin
14 Heidi Steele
37 Thomas Greer-1st RS
CLASS 1 (15)
(Qualifying Order)
168 Shelby Reid
100 Cody Parkhouse
101 Justin Matney
156 Richard Boyle
128 Chuck Sacks
153 Ronny Wilson
163 Paul Keller
111 John Langley
169 Nick Mills
187 Ryan Sharman
188 Jon Walker
144 Andrew Myers
138 Brian Wilson
114 Lyle Bask-2nd RS
121 Damen Jefferies-1st RS
CLASS 1/2-1600 (7)
1685 Edson Cruz
1615 Jesus Velez
1636 Christian Celaya
1605 Miguel Cortez
1606 Ruben Sanudo
1691 David Jones
1630 Kevin Smith-1st RS
CLASS 5 (2)
511 Wendy Belk
509 Jose Lopez
CLASS 7 (2)
717 Pat Sims
724 Matt Lovell
CLASS 7SX (3)
747 Justin Park
759 Oscar Solaiza-2nd RS
750 Javier Avila-1st RS
CLASS 8 (2)
807 Noah Ostanik
808 Rick Sanchez
CLASS 10 (25)
1066 Mike Shaffer
1031 Mike Johnson
1068 Cody Reid
1045 Patrick Dailey
1033 Miaguel Tornel
1006 Mike Lawrence
1081 Todd Winslow
1029 Thomas Bjorstrom
1062 J.J. Schnarr
1023 Lee Banning
1016 Cody Robinson
1009 Rafael Navarro IV
1015 Jeremiah Watson
1041 Todd Stemmerman
1089 Arnoldo Gutierrez Jr
1000 Brad Wilson
1074 Derek Ahern
1011 Morgan Langley
1098 Shane Scully
1032 Tim Pangborn
1088 Luis Salgado
1002 Mark Lawrence
1048 Carey Chrisman
1099 Adam Pfankuch-2nd RS
1097 Rick St. John-1st RS
SCORE LITES (2)
1249 Hector Garcia
1216 Luis Martinez
CLASS 11 (2)
1113 Mario Vazquez
1162 Greg Piraino
PROTRUCK (1)
1350 Chelsea Magness
TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (7)
842 Taylor Mills
846 Jose Gomez
872 Jonathan Brenthel
858 David Kleiman
844 Eduardo Laguna
871 Larry Connor
854 Brian Shaleen
CLASS 19 (11)
1904 Cory Sappington
1949 Alonso Lopez
1944 Scott Estes
1917 Derek Murray
1937 Marc Behnke
1920 John Angal
1905 Marc Burnett
1907 Eric Pucelik
1930 Sean Cook
1942 Scott McFarland
1932 Matt Parks-1st RS
Pro Motorcycles
OPEN M/C (4)
4x Ricky Brabec
1x Colton Udall
77x Ray Dal Soglio
19x Rodrigo Valenzuela
LIMITED M/C (1)
134x Dane Ward
CLASS 30 (3)
310x Mark Winkelman
306x Fred Sobke
349x Francisco Arredondo
CLASS 40 (3)
449x Ezure Tadao
410x Giovanni Spinali
403x Oscar Fazz
CLASS 50 (1)
510x Earl Roberts
SCORE IRONMAN (2)
706x Kevin Daniels
728x Daniel Stinson
Pro ATVs
Pro ATV (1)
1a Adolfo Arellano
Sportsman
SPT BUGGY (1)
1515 Derek Fletcher-1st RS
SPT UNLIMITED TRUCK (1)
1444 Jim Bunn-1st RS
SPT LIMITED TRUCK (1)
2002 Walter Prince
SPT M/C (8)
283x Nicola Dutto
290x Stuart Gordon
272x Hisazumi Fukumura
247x Raul Hernandez
271x Akihiro Saito
270x Eizaburo Karasawa
275x Masayuki Kudo
297x Carlos Sanchez-1st RS
SPT ATV (6)
121a Zachary Hayward
123a Waldemar Ortiz
140a Don Higbee
112a Oscar Ruiz
109a Juan Dominguez
107a Richard Epperson