ROSARITO BEACH, Mexico — Steadiness to the finish line earned Mexico’s veteran Juan Carlos Lopez the overall and SCORE Trophy Truck division victory Saturday at the internationally-televised Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge in Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
With a special race format, Round 3 of the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship is being held through Sunday in Mexico’s Baja California. Starting and finishing just south of Rosarito Beach, the colorful resort area on the Pacific Ocean located just 19 miles from the U.S. Border south of San Diego. The actual start/finish area, hot pits and primary spectator area is located at Los Manantiales off of old Highway 1 south of central Rosarito.
On Sunday, the motorcycle and quad classes will run their dual, two-lap sessions to conclude the event.
Juan C. Lopez, 42, of Tecate, Mexico completed his four laps of rugged 32.1-mile loop course in a combined total winning time of two hours, 57 minutes, and 32 seconds over the complete 128.4 miles with an average speed of 43.39 miles per hour in the No. 18 RPM Ford F-150.
Juan C. Lopez covered the final two laps on Saturday in 1:30:05 and his first two on Friday in 1:27:27. After having the fastest time in the first two laps, he was second fastest in the second two laps on Saturday.
Photo: Colton Udall Wins Pro Motorcycle Class at Rosarito Desert Challenge
Finishing third overall and second in SCORE Trophy Truck after running third after Friday’s first two laps SCORE Trophy Truck heading into the final day of the race is current SCORE Trophy Truck point leader Billy Wilson, Corpus Christi, Texas who deftly cruised into the finish line Saturday in a total time of 2:59.18 with an average speed of 42.97 mph, one minute, 46 seconds behind the winning Juan C. Lopez.
What was expected to be a close finish, had an ironic twist as Lopez’s son Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez crossed the finish line first Saturday as the possible race winner but SCORE race officials assessed a post-race 15-minute time penalty for a course infraction.
The young Lopez, just 21 of Tecate, Mexico finished third in SCORE Trophy Truck and sixth overall. The reigning SCORE Trophy Truck season point champion was given a final adjusted time of in 3:10.58 with an average speed of 40.34 mph in the No. 1 RPM Racing Chevy Rally Truck.
CLASS 1 SUPERLATIVE
Winning Class 1 and finishing second overall was Jaime Huerta Jr, Calexico, Calif., who finished with a combined total time of 2:58:52 with an average speed of 43.07 mph.
LOPEZ REMARKS
In earning his first career SCORE Trophy Truck and SCORE overall race victory, Juan C. Lopez commented afterwards, “We had one flat today that cost us some time. (On racing with his son Carlos “Apdaly” Lopez.) We’ve been fortunate that we’ve been able to spend so much time racing together and this race just adds to Apdaly’s experience. We went to dinner last night and we got a chance to talk about today and I told him to try and avoid flats and take care of the truck.”
“When we are competing we try to keep track of each other because I always want to know how he is doing. He started out in quads and I was afraid that he might get hurt so right now his focus is on the trucks.”
WILSON COMMENTS
Reflecting on his podium run, Wilson, who won this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 said, “I don’t think this run got us up to the top. We were just wanting to finish the race and not push too hard because going into the SCORE Baja 1000 we wanted to still be up in points. It would be nice to go in leading but it is kind of an agonizing race knowing that you have to do well but yet you have to finish.”
“We ran a really clean race today and there was nothing too crazy. We were smart about our lines. We maintained and eased our way through all of the rocks and it got us here. Having two-minute starting splits let us run more on a time trial basis which was really needed in the mountains because of cliff edges and zero visibility. After the first lap we had caught him (Carlos “Apdaly” Lopez #1) but we were both trying to be careful so it was like a slow-motion race. He was going a moderate speed and we were trying to go a little bit faster without making a mistake but we weren’t able to pass him.”
TOP FIVE FINISHERS
Following Juan C. Lopez, Huerta Jr and Wilson to complete the top five finisher group were: fourth overall and second in Class 1 was Brad Wilson, Long Beach, Calif.with a time of Fourth and winning Trophy Truck Spec was Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico with a time of 3:000:06 in a Jimco-Chevy and fifth overall in winning Trophy Truck Spec was Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico in a time of 3:09:02 in the No. 274 Chevy 1500.
OTHER CLASS WINNERS
Among the other class winners were Todd Winslow, Covis, Calif./Matt Winslow, Clovis, Calif. (Class10, Alumi Craft-Chevy), Gustavo Pinuelas, Calexico, Calif. (SCORE Lites, Jimco-VW), Cesar Fiscal, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 1/2-1600, Romo VW), Marc Burnett, Lakeside, Calif. (Pro UTV FI, No. 2905 Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo), Victor Cesena, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico/Gerardo Iribe, Santa Ana, Calif. (Class 5, No. 500 unlimited VW Baja Bug), Greg Row, Alpine, Calif. (Pro UTV, No. 1901 Polaris RZR XP1000), JT Holmes/JT Holmes Jr, Reno, Nev. (Class 7, No. 725 Ford Ranger), Hector Hurtado, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 5-1600, No. 599 1600cc VW Baja Bug), Aaron Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 8, No. 836 Ford F-150) and Mauro Diaz, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11, No. 1109 VW Sedan).
LIVE STREAMING
All of the week’s festivities are airing live, including race days and vehicle tracking via the internet on the SCORE website and the new SCORE App.
SPECIAL FORMAT
Unique for SCORE, the 20th time using this race format is seeing all classes racing a total of four laps over a surprisingly rugged 32.1-mile race course (128.4 total miles) split into two, two-lap sessions.
Nearly140 total entries have come from 17 U.S. States and three countries. Classes for cars, trucks and UTVs were divided into four groups, running their first two laps on Friday and their final two laps on Saturday.
The motorcycle and quad classes will run as one large group, running all of their laps on Sunday, their first two in the morning and the final two in the afternoon following a break.
On Sunday in the elapsed-time race with vehicles starting in 30-second intervals, motorcycles and quads will start their first two laps at 10:30 a.m. PT and their final two laps starting at 2 p.m. PT with their course closing at 3:55 p.m.
SPECTATORS
Local organizations sponsoring and supporting the Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge have developed a special and gradually-elevated spectator area at Los Manantiales with line-of-sight viewing of the start line, finish line, hot pits and first and last portions of the race course. The spectator area will also include food and beverage stands and novelty vendors. The spectator area will also have its own access road with ample directional signage to the area.
The rest of the course will include limited access to spectators in specific locations that will be under police supervision as much of the challenging course winds through several private ranches in the area that are entirely fenced in.
HISTORIC COURSE
The race features a colorful course, finalized by SCORE CEO/President Roger Norman along with Race Director Jose A. Grijalva of 32.1 miles through the foothills and around a mountain to the south and east of central Rosarito Beach. It will start and finish at the Los Manantiales area.
This landmark race course is another memorable example of Baja California diversity in terrain starting near sea-level and climbing up twice to around 2,000 feet. The course will be another unique jewel reflecting the majestic beauty of Baja California going through more ranches than most SCORE race courses.
Traveling in a clockwise direction, the race course weaves its way through washes, on existing trails, up and over a ridgeline trail at the top of two hills and back down into the start/finish line area off of the old Highway 1 south of Rosarito Beach at Los Manantiales.
Filled with farms and ranches, the race course goes through areas like Piedra Azul, Panchos, Loma Del Gato and Loma Bonita while racing around the famous El Cerro del Coronel mountain in areas where SCORE has never before held a race.
The race course will include three physical, full-stop checkpoints, checkpoint No. 1 at race-mile 9.4, CP No. 2 at race-mile 18.6 and CP No. 3 at race-mile 26.7.
HISTRIONICS
While this will be the first time in Rosarito, the SCORE Desert Challenge has been held 19 previous times since it first began in 1995. It was held in Laughlin, Nev., USA, from 1995 through 2012 and in Plaster City, Calif., USA, in 2014.
CBS SPORTS NETWORK COVERAGE
All races in the four-race 2016 SCORE World Desert Championship, along with the special SEMA SCORE Baja 1000 Experience and qualifying for the SCORE Baja 1000 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway are once again airing in the USA and Canada on the CBS Sports Network. The spectacular shows feature not only SCORE Trophy Truck coverage, but also top action and highlights from many other classes of trucks, cars, UTVs, motorcycles and quads – making sure that the most exciting footage and most compelling stories continue as part of each race event broadcast.
Capping off the 2016 broadcast season, the SCORE Baja 1000 broadcast on CBS Sports Network will air as a full two-hour special for the second straight year.
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCORE-International.com.
Rosarito Beach 20th SCORE Desert Challenge Results
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (Unlimited Production Trucks)—1. 18 Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Ford F-150, 2:57:32 (43.39 miles per hour); 2. 15 Billy Wilson, Corpus Christi, Texas, Chevy Silverado, 2:59:18; 3. 1 Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Chevy Rally Truck, 3:10:58; 4. Gary Magness, Denver/Devin Housh, Desert Hot Springs, Calif., Ford F-150, 3:36:37. (Starters 5, Finishers 4)
CLASS 1 (Unlimited single or two-seaters)—1. 175 Jaime Huerta Jr, Calexico, Calif./Chetin Saldana, TagHuer-Chevy, 2:58:52 (43.07 mph); 2. 153 Brad Wilson, Long Beach, Calif./Ray Griffith, Downey, Calif, Jimco-Chevy, 3:00:07. (Starters 7, Finishers 2)
TROPHY TRUCK SPEC (unlimted Truck/SUV, stock, sealed V8s)—1. 274 Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico, Chevy 1500, 3:09:02 (40.76 mph); 2. 252 Gonzalo Pirron, Lancaster, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 3:19:03; 3. 202 Chad Broughton, Scotts Valley, Calif./Paul Broughton, Scotts Valley, Calif., BajaLite-Chevy, 3:28:42; 4. 201 Russell Buehler, Liberty, Mo./Neil Buehler, Liberty, Mo., 3:33:30; 5. 273 Joran Brenthel, Newport Beach, Calif., Brenthel-Chevy, 3:47:16. (Starters 8, Finishers 5)
CLASS 10 (Single or two-seaters to 1650cc)—1. 1081 Todd Winslow, Clovis, Calif./Matt Winslow, Clovis, Calif., Alumi Craft-Chevy, 3:17:43 (38.97 mph); 2. 1009 Rafael Navarro IV, Temecula, Calif., Alumi Craft-Chevy, 3:19:55; 3. 1058 Mike Lawrence, Murrieta, Calif./Louis Meyers, LMS-Chevy, 3:28:00; 4. 1060 Armando Boehme, Royce City, Texas/Kai Boehme, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico/Juan Cota, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, Jimco-Chevy, 3:36:24; 5. 1088 Sergio Salgado, Mexicali, Mexico/Joel Serna, Mexicali, Mexico, Jimco-Honda, 3:36:47; 6. 1091 David Jones, Clovis, Calif., Curry-Chevy, 3:53:20; 7. 1002 Clay Lawrence, Murrieta, Calif./Sal Pelayo, LMS-Chevy, 3:54:16. (Starters 9, Finishers 7)
CLASS 8 (Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks)—1. 836 Aaron Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico/Alan Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford F-150, 3:10:24 (40.46 mph). (Starters 2, Finishers 1)
CLASS 1/2-1600 (VW-powered, single or two-seaters to 1600cc)—1. 1644 Cesar Fiscal, Tijuana, Mexico, Romo, 3:18:46 (38.76 mph); 2. 1616 Ramon Bio, Spring Valley, Calif./Cisco Bio, Spring Valley, Calif./Pancho Bio, Spring Valley, Calif., TubularDesign, 3:34:17; 3. 1603 Oscar Alvarez, McAllen, Texas/Fernando Alvarez, Romo, 3:39:45; 4. 1632 Fernie Padilla, Henderson, Nev., Romo, 3:40:48; 5. 1606 Ruben Sanudo, Mexicali, Mexico/Roberto Romo, Mexicali, Mexico, Romo, 3:41:31; 6. 1605 Miguel Cortez, San Diego/Cesar Quirarte, Romo, 3:59:30.(Starters 9, Finishers 6)
SCORE LITES (VW-powered, Limited single-1776cc-or two-seaters-1835cc)—1. 1204 Gustavo Pinuelas, Calexico, Calif./Cesar Dela Torre, Jimco, 3:30:54 (36.53 mph); 2. 1274 Mike Aguilar, San Diego/Adolfo Aguilar Jr, San Diego, Curry, 3:36:35; 3. 1244 Eric Palacios, Las Vegas, Nev./Neri Sanchez, Chenowth, 3:41:27; 4. 1240 Miguel Bonilla, Hermosillo, Mexico/Fernando Mayoral, Jimco, 3:42:46; 5.1218 Miguel Tornel Jr, Chula Vista, Calif., Penhall, 3:49:21; 6. 1210 Luis Barragan, Mexicali, Mexico/Luis Barragan Jr, Mexicali, Mexico, Seagrove, 3:58:41; 7. 1229 Raul Rodriguez, Ensenada, Mexico, Custom, 4:32:25. (Starters 9, Finishers 7)
CLASS 5 (Unlimited VW Baja Bugs)—1. 500 Victor Cesena, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico/Gerardo Iribe, Santa Ana, Calif., 3:48:52 (33.66 mph); 2. 549 Ruben Hernandez, Tijuana, Mexico/Ivan Vega, Tijuana, Mexico, 4:11:27. (Starters 3, Finishers 2)
CLASS 7 (Open, production mini trucks)—1. 725 JT Holmes/JT Holmes, Jr., Reno, Nev., Ford Ranger, 3:24:13 (37.73 mph); 2. 704 Aaron Celiceo, San Diego/Gustavo Vargas, Chula Vista, Calif., Toyota Tacoma, 3:33:38; 3. 701 Brandon Walsh, Encinitas, Calif./Travis Freedman, Toyota Tacoma, 4:03:25; (Starters 5, Finishers 3)
PRO UTV FI (Forced Induction, 4-wheel Utility Vehicle)—1. 2905 Marc Burnett, Lakeside, Calif., Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo, 3:14:31 (39.61 mph); 2. 2975 Mike Cafro, Fallbrook, Calif./Jamie Kirkpatrick, Olympia, Wash., Polaris RZR XP1000, 3:19:14; 3. 2916 Cody Rahders, Alpine, Calif./Kevin Sullivan/Fernando Ramirez, Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo, 3:24:40; 4. 2919 Brandon Schueler, Phoenix,/Chad Hummer, Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo, 3:28:56; 5. 2917 Derek Murray/Jason Murray, Eastvale, Calif., Can-Am Maverick X3-1000, 3:33:04. (Starters 8, Finishers 5)
PRO UTV (Naturally Aspirated, Stock 4-wheel Utility Vehicle)—1. 1901 Greg Row, Alpine, Calif./Josh Row, El Cajon, Calif./Brad Meyer, Polaris RZR XP1000, 3:22:01 (38.14 mph); 2. 1949 Alonzo Lopez, Murrieta, Calif., Polaris RZR XP1000, 3:47:29. (Starters 6, Finishers 2)
CLASS 5-1600 (1600cc VW Baja Bugs)—1. 599 Hector Hurtado, Tijuana, Mexico/Sergio Lopez, Tijuana, Mexico, 4:08:05 (31.06 mph); 2. 595 Stu Hersey, San Diego/Rick Ponce/Eric Dollente, 4:15:43; 3. Antonio Ramirez, Rosarito Beach, Mexico, 4:17:54; (Starters 6, Finishers 3)
CLASS 7SX (Modified stock mini trucks)—1. 747 Nathan Edelstein, Ramona, Calif./Brittany Tagg, Ford Ranger, 4:08:13 (31.04 mph). (Starters 1, Finishers 1)
CLASS 11 (stock VW sedan)—1. 1109 Mauro Diaz, Ensenada, Mexico/Armando Ventura/Mauro Diaz, Ensenada, Mexico, 4:28:00 (28.75 mph) (Starters 5, Finishers 1)
SPORTSMAN
SPT BUGGY—(Starters 1, Finishers 0)
TOP OVERALL FINISHERS
Rank, Vehicle Number, Driver(s), Manufacturer, 4 laps, 128.4-miles, elapsed time (miles per hour), Class
1. 18 Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Ford F-150, 2:57:32 (43.39 mph) (SCORE Trophy Truck)
2. 175 Jaime Huerta Jr, Calexico, Calif./Chetin Saldana, TagHuer-Chevy, 2:58:52 (43.07 mph) (Class 1)
3. 15 Billy Wilson, Corpus Christi, Texas, Chevy Silverado, 2:59:18 (42.97 mph) (SCORE Trophy Truck)
4. 153 Brad Wilson, Long Beach, Calif./Kyle Quinn, Irvine, Calif./Ray Griffith, Downey, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 3:00:07 (42.77 mph) (Class 1)
5. 274 Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico, Chevy 1500, 3:09:02 (40.76) (Trophy Truck Spec)
6. 836 Aaron Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico/Alan Ampudia, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford F-150, 3:10:24 (40.04 mph) (Class 8)
7. 1 Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Chevy Rally Truck, 3:10:58 (40.34 mph) (SCORE Trophy Truck)
8. 2905 Marc Burnett, Lakeside, Calif., Polaris RZR XP4 Turbo, 3:14:31 (39.61 mph) (Pro UTV FI)
9. 1081 Todd Winslow, Clovis, Calif./Matt Winslow, Clovis, Calif., Alumi Craft-Chevy, 3:17:43 (38.97 mph) (Class 10)
10. 1644 Cesar Fiscal, Tijuana, Mexico, Romo, 3:18:46 (38.76 mph) (1/2-1600)
11. 252 Gonzalo Pirron, Lancaster, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 3:19:03 (38.71 mph) (Trophy Truck Spec)
12. 2975 Mike Cafro, Fallbrook, Calif./Jamie Kirkpatrick, Olympia, Wash., Polaris RZR XP1000, 3:19:14 (38.67 mph) (Pro UTV FI)
13. 1009 Rafael Navarro IV, Temecula, Calif., Alumi Craft-Chevy, 3:19:55 (38.54 mph) (Class 10)
14. 1901 Greg Row, Alpine, Calif./Josh Row, El Cajon, Calif./Brad Meyer, Polaris RZR XP1000, 3:22:01 (38.14 mph) (Pro UTV)
15. 725 JT Holmes/JT Holmes, Jr., Reno, Nev., Ford Ranger, 3:24:13 (37.73 mph) (Class 7)