When the official results were updated, Harley Letner finished first place overall at this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500 just ahead of Rick Johnson. Photo: Art Eugenio/Trackside Photo

After reviewing the IRC Tracker’s data, the official tracking system used by SCORE International, SCORE posted the official race results for the Tecate Baja 500 race on its site today, and there’s a pretty big shakeup at the top of the list.

As is the case with most racing, results just after the race are unofficial pending review of the tracking data and any potential protest filed. The fact that SCORE took five days to release the official results did ruffle some feathers, but SCORE officials did tell us during the race that Thursday, June 11, is when official results would be announced. SCORE has not yet issued a formal press release explaining the matter, but it did post some of the official results on its site on the 11th, ending days of speculation that there were infractions made by a number of top teams at this year’s race.

The unofficial winner of the race was Robby Gordon, with BJ Baldwin finishing close behind in second place. When the results were posted today, Rick D. Johnson (unofficially finishing seventh) took the win in Trophy Trucks, as he received a 5-minute penalty for highway speed and ended up being ahead of the class after infractions were taken into account. Nick Vanderwey and Curt LeDuc (unofficially finishing eighth) finished in second place, and the team of Roger Norman and Larry Roeseler remained in third place despite getting a course deviation penalty.

“It’s bittersweet,” Johnson said of the victory. “I’m happy we were awarded the win, but obviously I didn’t want it to happen this way.”

When asked about the enforcement of the rules and the changes made, Johnson said it is probably the most major move by an organization he’s ever seen.

“It’s unprecedented," he said of the sweeping rule enforcements. "In my over 20 years of racing, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I will say though that we won’t have any highway speeding at the 1000, and that’s a good thing.”

Johnson was not free of error in the race either, and his 5-minute penalty for highway speeding ultimately cost him the overall win. He said he is aware of the mistake and felt it was fair, and if anything he said it shows that the GPS units they use are accurate. The idea that there will be more accountability is a good thing in his eyes, and he said SCORE was very clear in saying they would enforce the rules prior to the race.

“They definitely made it clear before the race they would enforce the rules,” Johnson said. “It’s not like this all comes as a surprise.”

Robby Gordon sent out a press release regarding SCORE's decision, and the team is very upset about it and plans to appeal the decision. The team has even gone to the trouble to provide in-truck video footage that the team says shows Gordon did not speed in the section for which he is accused of breaking the 60 mph speed limit.

The release states: My win at Baja was made possible by the hard work of my team and the support of my fans and sponsors. I want to assure all of these people that I will do whatever it takes to rebut these charges, clear my name and have my first-place finish restored.

Many of the top 10 finishers in Trophy Truck were adjusted as a result of the penalities. Moving up from 10th place unofficially into fourth officially is “Pistol” Pete Sohren, while Tim Herbst and Brian Collins finished in fifth and sixth, respectively, which is the same order they crossed the finish line though they remained in those spots due to course deviation and highway speed infractions.

Rick Johnson earned first place in Trophy Truck at the 500 after penalties and infractions were sorted at by SCORE officials. Photo: Josh Burns

One of the biggest changes is that unofficial race winner Robby Gordon moved back into seventh place overall for an illegal pit and a highway speed infraction. BJ Baldwin, who crossed the finish line in second, was penalized for course deviation and a highway speed infraction.

With so many penalties being enforced, this also meant there was a new overall winner for this year’s 500, as the Class 1 team of Harley Letner and Kory Halopoff ended up finishing with the fastest time to earn the overall win. Letner and Halopoff were one of the few teams to not receive any penalties during the race.

“I’m just excited, I don’t even know what to think,” Letner told us after the official results were released. “I just think it’s cool that we didn’t do anything wrong to cheat, and then ended up winning, which is awesome"

Letner was candid about his feelings regrading the rule enforcement, and overall he feels it's the right move for the sport.

“Although it turned out in my favor, but either way I think it’s about time he [SCORE President and CEO Sal Fish] enforces it. He makes us spend 300, 400 dollar every race on these things. It never fails, every race someone is bitching about someone cheating, and finally he enforces it and now they are going to bitch that he enforced it. If they are going to make us run it, you might as well enforce the rules. That’s the way I look at it, you know. Look how many people cheated – only six out of like 40 didn’t cheat. I think it’s a good thing. Either that or don’t make us run ‘em. He’s going to have a big battle on his hands right now, but he made it very clear at the drivers meeting and everything that he was going to enforce it, strongly.”

Though the All German Auto team of Armin Schwarz and Martin Christensen were unofficially second after the race, a highway speeding infraction moved them back to ninth. This meant Jose Arzate finished in second place, as his team had no infractions and therefore jumped up from eighth place. Armin Kremer and teammate Andreas Aigner remained in third place despite a highway speed infraction.

SCORE is still sorting through the data, so we’ll post any updates regarding changes in results as they become available.

Overall Trophy Trucks Results
1. Rick D. Johnson
2. Nick Vanderwey
3. Roger Norman
4. Pete Sohren
5. Tim Herbst
6. Brian Collins
7. Robby Gordon
8. BJ Baldwin
9. Scott Steinberger
10 . Bobby Baldwin
11. Robbie Pierce
12. Jason Voss
13. Ed “Clyde” Stout
14. Cameron Steele
15. Alan Pflueger
16. Rob Bruce
17. Gustavo Vildosola
18. Adam Householder
19. Greg Nunley
20. Mark Post - DNF
21. James Bult - DNF

Class 1 Official Results
1. Harley Letner
2. Jose Arzate
3. Armin Kremer
4. Brian Parkhouse
5. Jerry Penhall
6. Kyle Conlon
7. Ron Brant
8. Randy Wilson
9. Armin Schwarz
10. Julia Herrera
11. Troy Herbst
12. Josh Daniel

Class 1-2/1600 Official Results
1. Arnoldo Ramirez
2. Eric Duran
3. Cisco Bio
4. Brian Wilson
5. Ramiro Escobedo
6. Arturo Velazco
7. Hector Sarabia
8. Cody Robinson
9. Sergio Galindo
10. Ray Files
11.Kevin Walsh
12. David Caspino
13. Kevin S. Walsh
14. Roman Pereyra
15. Mario Gastelum
16. Justin Smith
17. Samuel Araiza