Alan Ampudia made history by becoming the first Mexican racer to claim the overall victory in SCORE International’s youngest event, the Baja 400. With this triumph, he also becomes the first Mexican driver to achieve three consecutive overall wins in SCORE races; Meanwhile, Gustavo Vildósola Sr. extended his legacy with his 15th consecutive victory in the SCORE Trophy Truck Legends class, further solidifying his dominance in the división; In the Pro UTV Open class, Brock Heger returned to the top of the podium, securing yet another impressive win
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Alan Ampudia, 34, Ensenada, Mexico, is experiencing a spectacular moment in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, having claimed the overall victory at the 6th SCORE Baja 400—just days before Mexico's 215th Independence Day celebration. He also took the checkered flag in the SCORE Trophy Truck division.
Ampudia made history by becoming the first Mexican driver ever to win three consecutive overall races in the 52-year history of SCORE International. He conquered the magical course through the deserts, mountains, and beaches of the Ensenada and San Quintín municipalities, in yet another epic battle against Australia's Team Toby Price and Paul Weel.
Ampudia completed the challenging 427.64-mile race course in 8 hours, 12 minutes, and 29 seconds, driving his No. 10 Ford Raptor Mason AWD Team Papas and Beer at an average speed of 52.10 miles per hour.
After winning the King Shocks 38th SCORE San Felipe 250 in March and the BFGoodrich Tires 57th SCORE Baja 500 in June, Ampudia now claimed victory at the SCORE Baja 400, celebrating with Mexican fans along Ensenada's iconic Boulevard Costero.
“Thank you. That was a blast. I mean, battling once again with Toby (Price) and Paul (Weel). When we reached the coast, we were almost side by side. They had been ahead of me since the last race—the Baja 500. I thought, here we go again. It’s going to be another brutal fight to the finish," said Ampudia after crossing the finish line in the heart of his hometown’s tourist district.
Australia's Toby Price, 38, and Paul Weel, 45, finished second in the SCORE Trophy Truck for the second consecutive race, driving their No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado Mason AWD Team Australia. The duo faced mechanical challenges with their transmission over the final 150 miles of the race.
Former NASCAR Trucks Series driver Justin Lofton, 39, Lockney, Texas (Brawley, Calif.) secured third place in the ‘Desert Monsters’ with a time of 8 hours, 16 minutes, and 46 seconds—his best result so far in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship—behind the wheel of his No. 41 Chevy 1500 Mason AWD.
A total of 177 race teams from 24 U.S. states, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, host country Mexico, as well as Argentina, England, Greece, New Zealand, Australia, India, and Ecuador took the green flag on Ensenada’s Boulevard Costero. Of those, 106 teams reached the finish line, resulting in a 60 percent finishing rate.
STIDHAM: THE NEW VIGILANTE OF BAJA
RJ Stidham, 37, Phoenix, Ariz. took the checkered flag in the SCORE Trophy Truck 2WD class, ending the dominant run of Cameron Steele and Dave Mason Jr. Behind the wheel of the No. 78T Chevrolet Silverado Geiser Vigilante Racing Team, Stidham completed the course with an official time of 8 hours, 56 minutes, and 29 seconds.
This was Stidham and his team's first SCORE race of the season, making a grand return after sitting out the previous two rounds. Their comeback was further highlighted by the absence of Tracy Poole, 53, Bozeman, Mont—the record-holding driver of the No. 78T truck—who is set to return for the BFGoodrich Tires 58th SCORE Baja 1000, scheduled for November 10–16 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Las Vegas Tim Herbst, 62, and Pat Dean, 57, returned to the podium after being forced to withdraw from June’s SCORE Baja 500 due to mechanical issues. Piloting the No. 19T Ford Raptor 1 Nine Industries Terrible Herbst Motorsports, they finished second on the 427.64-mile race course with a time of 9 hours, 10 minutes, and 10 seconds—enjoying every mile through the stunning northern region of the Baja California peninsula.
VILDOSOLA AND JOHNSON EYE ANOTHER CLEAN SWEEP
Gustavo Vildosola Sr., 72, Mexicali, Mexico and Ricky Johnson, 61, El Cajon, Calif. secured their 15th consecutive victory in the SCORE Trophy Truck Legends class—a remarkable record within the organization founded 52 years ago by the late Mickey Thompson. The duo maintained a perfect season driving the No. 1L Ford Raptor Mason AWD Vildosola Racing.
Johnson started the race in Ensenada before handing over the wheel to Vildosola Sr. at race mile 250. Together, they ‘cooked up’ another class win for drivers aged 50 and over competing in Trophy Truck. The Vildosola Racing team posted an official time of 8 hours, 51 minutes, and 45 seconds.
MCNEIL RETURNS TO THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Jason McNeil, 47, El Cajon, Calif. secured his first victory of the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, expertly piloting his No. 234 TSCO Chevy after recovering from a flat tire while navigating ‘The Goat Trail’ in Valley T.
McNeil stopped the clock at 8 hours and 43 minutes, earning his first podium finish of the year in SCORE. He engaged in a titanic battle against Justin Davis, 32, Chino Hills, Calif. throughout the 427.64-mile race course, with his son Conner serving as his navigator for the second half of the race.
POLARIS SWEEPS THE PODIUM
The official Polaris Factory team secured all podium positions for the second consecutive race in the Pro UTV Open class, led by Brock Heger’s fourth consecutive SCORE victory. Heger expertly piloted his No. 1896 Polaris RZR Pro R across the magical and challenging terrains of Baja California.
Heger, 25, El Centro, Calif. was joined on the podium by his teammates Cayden MacCachren, 23, Las Vegas, and Max Eddy Jr., 42, Barstow, Calif. who finished second and third respectively in a highly competitive class featuring 20 racers, with Polaris as the dominant force in the SCORE Baja 400.
A year ago, the official Polaris team ‘swept the board’ in SCORE, with three wins from Cayden MacCachren and one from Brock Heger. In 2025, the story is unfolding in a very similar direction for the official SCORE International UTV, the Polaris RZR.
VERA POWER RETURNS
Brothers Francisco, 34, El Rosario, Mexico, and Alexis Vera, 29, El Rosario, Mexico, achieved their second victory of the year in SCORE competition within the Class 10, crossing the finish line first in their No. 1000 single-seat Alumicraft-Chevy Vera Bros, after an arduous 10 hours, 4 minutes, and 9 seconds.
Born in El Rosario, Baja California, Francisco and Alexis Vera are pursuing a third consecutive championship in Class 10, leaving just one more challenge ahead—the legendary SCORE Baja 1000.
Eliott Watson, 25, El Centro, Calif. finished second with a time of 10 hours, 18 minutes, and 16 seconds, driving his No. 1033 Alumicraft-Chevy.
WELLS NEVER FAILS IN BAJA
In the Pro UTV FI class, Kaden Wells, 26, Hurricane, Utah, emerged victorious among a field of 19 competitors, finishing with a time of 10 hours, 4 minutes, and 51 seconds. This marked his third consecutive podium finish in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, having previously won the SCORE Baja 500 in June.
Source: Score International
Photo: GetSome Photo.
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