MCMILLINS TAKE PODIUM AT SCORE BAJA 1000
The “Big Blue M” made a powerful statement at the legendary SCORE Baja 1000. Luke “The Luke” McMillin and Rob MacCachren finished second overall, while Dan McMillin and Andy McMillin secured third, honoring the legacy of the family’s patriarch, Corky McMillin.
Luke and MacCachren shared driving duties in the No. 83 Ford Raptor Mason AWD McMillin Racing across the grueling 835.52-mile race course, racing to the checkered flag in northern Baja California and stopping the clock at 15 hours, 59 minutes, and 7 seconds.
Meanwhile, Dan McMillin and his cousin Andy completed the podium in the SCORE Trophy Truck in the No. 23 Ford Raptor Mason McMillin Racing, crossing the finish line in 16 hours, 25 minutes, and 28 seconds—the same strong performance they had delivered at the SCORE Baja 500 in June.
BALDI TRIUMPHS IN BAJA
Sam Baldi achieved one of his lifelong dreams by winning the SCORE Baja 1000, teaming up with Jake Johnson in the SCORE Trophy Truck 2WD. Driving flawlessly in their No. 82T Chevy-Silverado Baldi Racing, they crossed the finish line in 17 hours, 23 minutes, and 9 seconds.
Built in his own workshop, Baldi’s truck helped him secure a remarkable double victory in Mexico, also clinching the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship in the newest class of SCORE Trophy Truck.
Former ESPN X Games and sports commentator Cameron Steele finished second in the SCORE Trophy Truck 2WD, joining forces with Dave Mason Jr. in the No. 16T Ford F-150 Geiser Bros Desert Assasins.
16 AND COUNTING FOR VILDOSOLA
Vildosola Racing once again stood atop the podium in the SCORE Trophy Truck Legend class, thanks to the impeccable driving of Gus Vildosola Sr., Supercross legend Ricky Johnson, and Mike Coleman. The team completed the grueling course in 17 hours, 47 minutes, and 9 seconds in the No. 1L Ford Raptor Mason AWD.
This victory marked the 16th consecutive win for Vildosola Sr. and Johnson. With Coleman joining as a third driver, the trio not only tackled Baja California’s unpredictable terrain but also battled heavy rain in several sections, forcing SCORE officials a last-minute finish at Rancho Nelson due to the adverse weather conditions.
TIME TO CELEBRATE FOR FOX
In the Trophy Truck Spec class, Brent Fox, Brady Fox, and Preston Brigman conquered the SCORE Baja 1000 with a clean, trouble-free race in their No. 282 Ford Raptor 1 Nine Industries, completing the course in 17 hours and 56 seconds to finish sixth overall among all trucks.
This marked the first podium for the Fox brothers in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, with Jack Olliges finishing second in another 1 Nine Industries truck in a competition that spanned three municipalities in Baja California: Ensenada, San Quintín, and San Felipe.
GAUGHAN SMILES AGAIN
Former NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan claimed his first SCORE Baja 1000 victory since 2019, taking the top spot in Class 1 alongside Tim Willson and Buddy Feldkamp Jr., who has deep roots in off-road racing and has focused on the sport to spend quality time with family and friends.
Gaughan, Willson, and Feldkamp celebrated in the “World Capital of Off-Road” by driving their No. 162 HMS-Chevy with patience and intelligence across Baja California’s magical deserts, breaking a streak of two consecutive retirements in SCORE and popping champagne at Ensenada’s Bulevar Costero.
“MINI MAC” RISES TO THE TOP
Cayden “Mini Mac” MacCachren, 23, Las Vegas, and Etham Groom won the Pro UTV Open class, marking their first victory in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, driving the No. 1821 Polaris RZR Pro R Factory Polaris Team.
MacCachren and Groom took 18 hours, 24 minutes, and 5 seconds to complete a clean sweep for Polaris in the Pro UTV Open class at SCORE in 2025, also finishing in the Top 16 overall in this SCORE Baja 1000.
Max Eddy Jr., MacCachren’s teammate on the Factory Polaris team, finished second in the Pro UTV Open class with a time of 19:10:36, while Brandon Sims rounded out the podium in another Polaris RZR Pro R.
A GRAND FORD CELEBRATION IN MEXICO
Ford Performance shined at the SCORE Baja 1000, celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Ford Raptor with two impressive victories. Brad Lovell claimed the Stock Full-Size class, while Vaughn Gittin Jr. dominated the Stock Mid-Size class.
Lovell, alongside Jason Scherer and Austin Robison, mastered the grueling 835.52-mile race course in 25 hours, 10 minutes, and 50 seconds in the Ford F-150 Raptor No. 8135, reinforcing Ford’s legendary winning tradition on the Baja California Peninsula as the official truck and SUV sponsor of SCORE International.
Meanwhile, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Loren Healy, and Bailey Campbell, all renowned rock-crawling champions from the U.S., flawlessly drove the No. 766 Ford Bronco Raptor to victory on Mexican soil in 30 hours, 43 minutes, and 48 seconds.
Four Ford Raptor trucks from Ford Performance competed in the BFGoodrich Tires 58th SCORE Baja 1000, featuring a star-studded lineup that included five-time Pikes Peak Rally winner, French driver Romain Dumas.
FINAL NUMBERS
A total of 229 race teams took the green flag at the BFGoodrich Tires 58th SCORE Baja 1000 on Boulevard Costero, with 131 crossing the finish line within the official time—representing a 75 percent finishing rate at the Round 4 of the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship.
The event featured participants from 36 U.S. states and 20 countries. U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, host Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Switzerland, and Australia.
In this way, at least one team from Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas was part of the Granddaddy of All Desert Races which celebrated its 50th edition with an official start in Ensenada. The city has also hosted the finish line of the legendary and iconic race 31 times.
Source: Score International
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