BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts
34 ‘Monsters of the Desert’ - SCORE Trophy Trucks Includes 19 racers who have combined for 84 wins
They are big, they are rad and they fly with power, precision, poise, finesse and grace over and through the dusty desert with the greatest of ease. A total of 34 of these ‘Monsters of the Desert’ will lead the field next week into the internationally-televised BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
Their legal name in the sport of desert racing is SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee racing division for high-tech, 950-horsepower unlimited custom trucks.
This unique, jaw-grabbing, awe-inspiring ‘Symphony of the Desert’ will be played once again in the foreboding and majestic desert surrounding the torturous Baja California terrain.
THE SCOOP
Round 2 of the four-race 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship will be held June 10-13 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s celebration of one of the top 10 motorsports events in the entire world. SCORE is celebrating its 48th year as the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Organization.
DETAILS
With over 250 entries expected, there are 51 competition classes are offered for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and quads. Among the 223 total entries to date are racers from 24 U.S. States, host country Mexico, along with Bolivia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Peru.
Domestically, the race will be televised on a delayed basis on the World of X Games show on ESPN2 as co-produced by SCORE International and award-winning BCII TV of Los Angeles.
All four 2021 SCORE races are being held on Mexico’s magnificent Baja California peninsula for the sixth consecutive year.
SCORE Live will be streaming throughout contingency and race days on the SCORE website and on the new SCORE TV app. Colorful Rat Sult is back for his sixth season as the host of SCORE Live.
SCORE TRUCK ANNIVERSARY
Celebrating its 28th anniversary season, SCORE Trophy Truck, developed and launched by former SCORE owner Sal Fish in 1994, is the marquee racing division in the sport—for high-tech, 950 horsepower unlimited custom trucks and SCORE TT Legend, which debuted in 2017, is for SCORE Trophy Truck drivers at least 50 years old. SCORE Trophy Trucks have won the overall 4-wheel victory in this race in 23 of their first 27 years, including the last 14 consecutive years.
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK CHAMPS
A total of nine drivers who have won 12 straight races in the SCORE Trophy Truck division in SCORE Baja 500 are entered in this year’s race. And 19 racers are entered in this race who have combined to earn 84 SCORE Trophy Truck race wins out of the 138 total races for the marquee racing division in the 27-plus year history of the class.
Also entered are seven racers who have combined for 14 SCORE Trophy Truck season point championships in the first 27 years of the featured SCORE racing division.
There are seven former SCORE Trophy Truck season point champs entered: Tim Herbst with four titles (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003), three-time consecutive champ Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez (2015, 2016, 2017), three-time champion Rob MacCachren (1994, 2007, 2018), two-time SCORE Trophy Truck season point champ Robby Gordon (1996, 2009) and single-season SCORE Trophy Truck season point champions Bryce Menzies (2011), Andy McMillin (2019) and Luke McMillin (2020).
ON-SITE RACER REGISTRATION
Being held in the SCORE start/finish line compound Notheast of downtown, one-mile east of end of Avenida Ruiz extension, regular on-site and late racer registration will be held on Thursday (June 10) from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT and on Friday (June 11) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. No new entries will be accepted after 6 p.m. PT on Thursday (June 10) and 3 p.m. PT on Friday (June 11).
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK RACE WINNERS
Hall of Fame desert racer Rob MacCachren, 56, of Las Vegas is the all-time winningest SCORE Trophy Truck star with a SCORE-high 17 career SCORE Trophy Truck race wins. Entered in this year’s SCORE Baja 500 and tied for second in career wins in the class with 11 each are Robby Gordon, 52, Charlotte, N.C., Las Vegas’ Tim Herbst, 58, and San Diego’s Andy McMillin, 33.
Also entered in this year’s SCORE Baja 500 and their number of career SCORE Trophy Truck race victories are Las Vegas’ Bryce Menzies (6), Mexico’s Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola (6), Ryan Arciero, Foothill Ranch, Calif. (4), Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif. (3), Mexico’s Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez (2), Mexico’s Juan C. Lopez (2), Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif. (2), and with one each win are Mexico’s Alan Ampudia and his teammate and brother Aaron Ampudia, Las Vegas’ Pat Dean, Rick D. Johnson, Barstow, Calif., Daniel McMillin, San Diego, his brother Luke McMillin, San Diego, and Las Vegas’ Justin B. Smith.
SCORE TROPHY TRUCKS & SCORE TT LEGENDS
SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee SCORE racing division for high-tech, 950-horsepower unlimited custom trucks lead the entry list with 34 trucks (including five SCORE TT Legend entries) in the lineup so far. SCORE Trophy Truck entries to date include defending race champion Daniel McMillin, 33, San Diego (No. 23 Chevy 1500) and 2020 SCORE Trophy Truck season point champion and Daniel’s younger brother Luke McMillin, 28, (No. 1 Chevy Silverado).
Among the other superstars entered in this year’s SCORE Baja 500 are Andy McMillin (Daniel and Luke’s cousin), 33, San Diego (No. 31 Chevy Silverado), Rob MacCachren, 56, Las Vegas (No. 11 Ford F-150), Tim Herbst, 58, Las Vegas/Pat Dean, 52, Las Vegas (No. 19 Ford F-150), Robby Gordon, 52, Charlotte, N.C. (No. 77 Chevy Silverado), Larry Roeseler, 64, Boulevard, Calif. (No. 43 Toyota Tundra), Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, 26/Juan C. Lopez, 46, Tecate, Mexico (No. 9 Ford Raptor), Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr, 39, Mexicali, Mexico (No. 21 Ford Raptor), Cameron Steele, 53, San Clemente, Calif. (No. 16 Ford Raptor) and Alan Ampudia, 30/Aaron Ampudia, 28, Ensenada, Mexico (No. 10 Ford Raptor).
Other key entries in SCORE Trophy Truck are Mike Lawrence, 33, Banning, Calif. (No. 85 Ford F-150), Chris Miller, 47, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (No. 40 Chevy Silverado), Eric Hustead, 50, St. George, Utah (No. 38, Ford F-150), Mike Walser, 54, Comfort, Texas/Ryan Arciero, 47, Foothill Ranch, Calif. (No. 89 Chevy Silverado), Justin Lofton, 35, Brawley, Calif. (No. 41 Chevy Silverado), Justin Matney, 35, Bristol, Tenn. (No. 4 Chevy R-6), Dan Myers, 43, Newport Beach, Calif./Steve Myers, 55, Newport Beach, Calif. (No. 65 Toyota Tundra) and Jax Redline, 16, Amarillo, Texas (No. 22, Chevy R-2).
In SCORE TT Legend for SCORE Trophy Truck drivers 50 years and older, among the entries are Clyde Stacy, 76, Bristol, Va./Nick Vanderwey, 54, Phoenix (No. 5L Chevy V16), Robbie Pierce, 62, Alpine, Calif./Bobby Patton, 58, Fort Worth Texas (No. 20L Chevy Silverado), Rolf Helland, 61, Morris, Ill./Rick D. Johnson, 55, Barstow, Calif. (No. 37L Ford Raptor) and Mark Winkelman, 62, Cedar Hill, Texas (No. 25L Chevy Silverado).
DOUBLE DIGITS
Led by SCORE Trophy Truck with 34 entries to date (including five in SCORE TT Legend for drivers over 50 years old), seven classes have 10 or more entries entering late, on-site racer registration in Ensenada June 10-11.
After SCORE Trophy Truck, Pro UTV FI (Forced Induction) has 28 entries followed by Trophy Truck Spec (26), Class 10 (21), Class 1 (11) and Pro UTV NA (Naturally Aspirated) with 11. Among motorcycle and quad classes, SPT Quad has 10 entries so far.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Presenting sponsor for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500 is 4 Wheel Parts, the official Off-Road Retailer and Race Presenting Partner of SCORE and the SCORE World Desert Championship.
GRAND MARSHAL: JIM O'NEAL
Jim O’Neal, 74, the noted apparel/performance products manufacturer (O’Neal USA) from Simi Valley, Calif., and super-vet multi-time SCORE champion age-group motorcycle racer has been selected to be the Grand Marshal for this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts.
O’Neal has a race-record 21 class wins in the SCORE Baja 500. He has 38 starts out of 52 years in the SCORE Baja 500 and 39 starts out of 53 years in the SCORE Baja 1000 and he has raced in all 34 SCORE San Felipe 250 races. He has a SCORE-record 22 season point titles in his lengthy career.
This year’s SCORE Baja 500 will be his fourth SCORE race as a co-rider for the Giovanni Spinali team in the Pro Moto 50 class for riders over 50 years old on the No. 510x Yamaha YZ450FX.
2021 SCORE SKED
Here are the remaining three dates in the four-race 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship which will all be held exclusively in Baja California, Mexico for the sixth consecutive year:
BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
June 9-13, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
2nd SCORE Baja 400, presented by VP Racing Fuels—
September 14-19, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
BFGoodrich Tires 54th SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts—
November 15-20, Ensenada, Baja California to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
For more information regarding SCORE, visit the official website of the SCORE World Desert Championship at www.SCORE-International.com.
BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 500, presented by 4 Wheel Parts
Round 2 of four-race 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship
June 10-13, 2021—466.00 miles – Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Total Entries: 223 (as of 6/01/21)
(from 24 U.S. States, host Mexico, Bolivia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Peru)
Official SCORE Trophy Truck Entries
(Number, driver/rider of record/additional drivers and/or Navigators/riders, vehicle, engine)
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK (Unlimited CustomTrucks including Builder)--
- 1 Luke McMillin, 28, San Diego, Chevy Silverado (Mason)
- 4 Justin Matney, 35, Bristol, Tenn., Chevy R-6 (Geiser)
- 7 Bryce Menzies, 33, Las Vegas, Ford Raptor (Mason)
- 9 Carlos ‘Apdaly’ Lopez, 26, Tecate, Mexico/Juan C. Lopez, 46, Tecate, Mexico, Ford Raptor (Custom)
- 10 Alan Ampudia, 30, Ensenada, Mexico/Aaron Ampudia, 28, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford Raptor (ID)
- 11 Rob MacCachren, 56, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (Geiser)
- Texas, Chevy Silverado (Brenthel)
- 14 Bobby Pecoy, 56, Anaheim, Calif./Cameron Steele, 53, San Clemente, Calif., Ford Raptor (Geiser)
- 16 Cameron Steele, 53, San Clemente, Calif./Bobby Pecoy, 56, Anaheim, Calif., Ford Raptor (Geiser)
- 19 Tim Herbst, 58, Las Vegas/Pat Dean, 51, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (Herbst/Smith)
- 21 Gustavo ‘Tavo’ Vildosola Jr, 39, Mexicali, Mexico, Ford Raptor (Vildosola)
- 22 Jax Redline, 16, Amarillo, Texas, Chevy R-2 (Geiser)
- 23 Dan McMillin, 33, San Diego, Chevy 1500 (Mason)
- 27 Jonathan Brenthel, 41, La Cresta, Calif./Jordan Brenthel, 33, Temecula, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Brenthel)
- 31 Andy McMillin, 33, San Diego, Chevy Silverado (Mason)
- 35 Carlos Penunuri, 39, La Paz, Mexico (Canada)/Carlos Ortiz, La Paz, Mexico/Jose Ivan Sanchez, La Paz, Mexico, Chevy 1500 (Chevy)
- 38 Eric Hustead, 50, St. George, Utah, Ford F-150 (Custom)
- 40 Chris Miller, 47, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Adalberto Cruz, 30, San Diego, Chevy Silverado (Mason)
- 41 Justin Lofton, 35, Brawley, Calif./Ray Griffith, 31, Downey, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Mason)
- 43 Larry Roeseler, 64, Boulevard, Calif., Toyota Tundra (ID)
- 52 Rick Sanchez, 43, San Vicente, Mexico, Ford F-150 (Padmur)
- 65 Dan Myers, 43, Newport Beach, Calif./Steve Myers, 55, Newport Beach, Calif., Toyota Tundra (R. Gordon)
- 73 John T. Lennon, 61, Cleveland, Ford F-150 (Herbst/Smith)
- 74 Eduardo Escobedo, 39, El Suazal, Mexico/William Wolford, Silverton, Ore./Garrett Wolford, Silverton, Ore./Tim Price, Aurora, Ore., Chevy Silverado (Jefferies)
- 77 Robby Gordon, 52, Charlotte, N.C. (Santa Ana, Calif.), Chevy Silverado (R. Gordon)
- 85 Michael Lawrence, 33, Banning, Calif., Ford F-150 (Herbst/Smith)
- 89 Mike Walser, 54, Comfort, Texas/Ryan Arciero, 47, Foothill Ranch, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Mason)
- 90 Raul Gomez, 41, Placerville, Calif./Darian Gomez, 20, Placerville, Calif., Ford Raptor (Geiser)
- 92 Paul Nauleau, 24, France/Joe Desrosiers, 52, San Marcos, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Fusion)
- 96 Enrique Murillo, 50, La Paz, Mexico/Guillermo Vizcaino, 63, La Paz, Mexico, Ford F-150 (TSCO)
- *SCORE TT LEGEND (Unlimited Custom Trucks, including builder, Drivers over 50 years old)--
- *5L Clyde Stacy, 76, Bristol, Va./Nick Vanderwey, 54, Litchfield Park, Ariz., Chevy V-16 (Geiser)
- *13L Robert Malone, 61, Durango, Colo./Earl Desiderio, 53, Henderson, Nev./Johnny Hall, 54, Spring,
- *20L Robbie Pierce, 62, Alpine, Calif./Bobby Patton, 58, Fort Worth, Texas/Barry Karakas, Oak Hills, Calif., Chevy Silverado (Jimco)
- *25L Mark Winkelman, 62, Cedar Hill, Texas/Rudy Iribe, Ensenada, Mexico/Ted Moncure, 56, San Jose, Calif./Charles Manchester, 58, Lake Tahoe, Nev., Chevy Silverado (Custom)
- *37L Rolf Helland, 61, Morris, Ill./Rick D. Johnson, 55, Barstow, Calif., Ford Raptor (Mason)
Source SCORE International
