SCORE International staff will provide extensive live coverage, with Rat Sult serving as the official voice at the Tech Inspection ramp, the start and finish line, and the awards ceremony. Sult is now in his tenth season with the world’s premier off-road racing organization.
Since its debut in 2019, the SCORE Baja 400 was not held in 2020 due to the worldwide health pandemic. However, it resumed in 2021 and has since attracted teams from Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas, who have returned on various occasions to the host city of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, for each edition of the race.
POLVOORDE SET TO CHASE VICTORY
Christopher Polvoorde, 24, Heber City, Utah, is considered one of the most well-rounded talents in recent years within the Off-Road world—a true standout behind the wheel. He is in pursuit of his first victory in the SCORE Trophy Truck division, aiming to put behind him two previous DNFs at the SCORE Baja 1000 and SCORE Baja 500. Polvoorde will be behind the wheel of his No. 94 Ford Raptor Mason AWD, powered by Optima Batteries/Ford/AutoZone.
A former short-course racer in the United States, Polvoorde will tackle the entire 427.64-mile race course solo. He is known for sharing his off-road experiences through social media and most recently won the Method Race Wheels qualifying at the SCORE Baja 500 in June.
SALAS JR., THE AZTEC KING OF MOTORCYCLES
Arturo Salas Jr., 22, Chula Vista, Calif. (Tecate, Mexico), is the face of the Hero Racing team, alongside Ciaran Naran, 24, Huntington Beach, Calif. and Shane Logan, 23, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Together, they’ve earned a pair of second-place finishes during the first half of the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship aboard the No. 1x Honda CRF450X.
As the reigning Pro Moto Unlimited class champions, the team knows the battle for the overall victory at the SCORE Baja 400—and the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship—will come down to a fierce showdown with Slam Life Racing. That team is made up of Tyler Lynn, 24, Mona, Utah; Carter Klein, 20, Agua Dulce, Calif. and Mark Samuels, 35, Yucca Valley, Calif.—who claimed overall wins at both the SCORE San Felipe 250 and the SCORE Baja 500.
Salas Jr. is the new Mexican face of off-road motorcycle racing, following in the footsteps of legendary SCORE riders like Iván Ramirez Jr. Ensenada, Mexico, Brandon Prieto, Ensenada, Mexico, and Roberto Villalobos, Tecate, Mexico, who helped shape some of the most iconic moments in off-road racing history on Mexican soil.
A DOUBLE CHALLENGE FOR SULT
Rat Sult, 53, Temecula, Calif. will not only bring his signature energy and charisma to the live broadcast of the SCORE Baja 400 as the official announcer on Ensenada’s iconic Boulevard Costero—joined by Kevin Johnson and Eva Hernandez throughout race weekend—but he will also return to the driver’s seat, teaming up once again with Mark Winkelman and Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Iribe in the No. 25L Ford Raptor Monkey Business, competing in the SCORE Trophy Truck Legends class.
Sult, a former gold medalist at the 1998 ESPN Summer X Games in the Street Luge discipline, is a fan favorite in Mexico. He will start the race on Saturday, September 13, from the Boulevard Costero in Ensenada and will drive up to race mile 65, near Kilometer 77 on Federal Highway No. 3, before heading back to the finish line ramp to conduct winner interviews as part of the post-race coverage.
EVA STAR, THE NEW SENSATION IN UTV RACING
Off-Road racing is truly a family sport, a reality lived by the Malabanan family. Sean Malabanan, 55, El Cajon, Calif. a former SCORE Class 11 racer, is passing the baton to his daughter, Eva Star Malabanan, 17, El Cajon, Calif. Together, they aim to secure their first victory in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship in Ensenada, following an unexpected retirement at the King Shocks 38th SCORE San Felipe 250 in April and an impressive third-place finish at the BFGoodrich Tires 57th SCORE Baja 500 in June.
Eva Star, who earned the Rookie of the Year award at the 2024 SCORE World Desert Championship, becoming the third woman to win this prestigious honor alongside Bekki Freeman (1998) and Liz Karcz (2018), will be behind the wheel of her No. 1919 Polaris RZR XP1000 Eva Star Racing team across the deserts of the northern part of the magical Baja California peninsula.
Currently, Eva Star Malabanan holds third place in the Pro UTV NA class with 141 points and is determined to claim her first victory in her young career at the SCORE Baja 400, joining a growing group of women who will take the green flag in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
GREATER CONTROL ON PRE-RUNNING
SCORE International reminds all racers and competition teams that course pre-runs are not to be conducted at race speeds. A complete stop must be made at every road crossing along the race route. Participants who fail to respect speed and safety regulations during pre-runs may face time penalties, even before the race begins.
Several SCORE International officials will be stationed at various points along the 427.64-mile route to monitor racers' speeds during pre-runs. Racers are reminded to drive at moderate speeds on the course—not race speeds—to close fences along the race path and respect populated areas by not exceeding speed limits, including on the highways within the state of Baja California.
Pre-runs are permitted until Friday, September 12, between Ensenada and Ojos Negros (mile 0 to mile 36.40) and from mile 387.42 to mile 398.25. The speed limit one mile before any town or road crossing is 30 miles per hour for all racers.
Course pre-runs are a privilege granted to all participating teams, as they allow access through areas where people live in homes or ranches. Racers must show respect and avoid any reckless behavior during pre-runs to prevent accidents.
MORE ENTRIES FOR THE SCORE BAJA 400
A total of 159 race teams have already registered for the 6th edition of the SCORE Baja 400, featuring at least one racer from 23 U.S. states, as well as the host country Mexico, Australia, Ecuador, England, Greece, India, and New Zealand. It is expected that this number will approach nearly 200 teams by race week in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
To date, there are 15 SCORE Trophy Truck, 16 SCORE Trophy Truck 2WD, and 7 SCORE Trophy Truck Legends, in addition to 22 vehicles in the Trophy Truck Spec class. The Pro UTV Open class has 18 teams registered, Pro UTV FI has 17, and Pro UTV Stock counts 13 entries. In the motorcycle categories, there are 5 entrants in the Pro Moto Ironman class and 4 in the Pro Moto Limited class.
Source: Score International
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
