Ensenada, Baja California – The Shaffer Motorsports team heads south to the Baja Peninsula for the 45th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 May 31-June 2. The team will rely on strategy as opposed to pure speed as the draw for starting order has placed them 19th off the line out of 22 cars.

Starting in the back takes a few options off the table but for the Shaffer Motorsports team, it plays into their championship plans. The team is currently in the number two spot for the World Championship of Desert Racing in their Transfer Case Express class 10. Their emphasis all season has been to get to the finish and build consistent points towards the championship. If they find themselves racing for the win they will take it but their plan is to go as hard as they can without using up the car. When it comes to championships, consistency is vital.

“I will start the car and then John Cantrell will get in at Borrego,” says Mike Shaffer, “John will turn the car over to John Bowers who is making his driving debut with the team. Usually Daniel Alberli would drive the last leg but business demands have him tied up during the 500. John has been co-riding and knows the car. We are planning to run a smart pace so John should do fine his first time behind the wheel but of course, it’s Mexico, anything can happen once the green flag drops.”

If it weren’t for a bent skid plate that packed dirt into the air filter and choked off the air supply to the engine, they would have placed on the podium in Ridgecrest. They are hungry for a top finish. A solid race at the 500 will put them where they want to be in the championship hunt.

Photography By Brian Binkert
Bink Designs / www.binkdesigns.com