In Motion

BJ Baldwin Wins the 40th Annual SCORE Baja 500 Overall

The SCORE Baja 500 is one of the most notorious off-road races in the world. The third in the five-race SCORE desert series, considered the worlds foremost Desert Racing series. The Baja 500 featured over 300 entries, competing in 27 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. The race, which spans from one side of the Baja peninsula to the other, consists of a 441 mile loop with extremely challenging terrain. The race terrain includes long graded roads, rocky washes, silt beds, rocky beaches, whoop sections and the infamous summit pass, which is known for breaking down even the most robust vehicles. This year’s race marks the 40th anniversary of the inaugural event that draws hundreds of thousands of race fans from all over the world. This year’s race will be shown televised in 22 countries on ESPN International. This is one of the races that really separate the men from the boys. “There are so many potentials for disaster in this race, you really have to be on you’re game,” stated the confident BJ Baldwin prior to the start of the race.

BJ is fresh off of his victory in the Central European Rally, the make-up race for Dakar, where he managed to win his class and finish 7th overall on his first attempt in international competition. BJ Baldwin, in the number 97 Baldwin Motorsports trophy truck, rocketed off the start of the SCORE Baja 500, through the streets of Ensenada, Mexico and out into the rough hilly terrain of the front section of the brutal course. BJ started physically in sixth position, but quickly moved to the second position by race mile 160.With the team of Post/ MacCachren in front and the likes of Robby Gordon behind him; BJ had little room for error. BJ lead the race at several points, battling back and forth with the team of Mark Post and Rob MacCachren.

BJ physically finished second, but managed to win on corrected time by a margin of seven seconds. BJ had this to say about the epic battle for the overall win, “we were battling back and forth all day. We had a few flats and few mechanical problems but I wasn’t about to give up. I came so close last year and made a critical mistake at the finish that cost me the race. I wanted this one really bad. It was really good racing. Mark Post and Rob MacCachren did a great job. It wasn’t easy! I want to thank all my sponsors and all the people who helped me win; my dad Bobby Baldwin, Larry Ragland for showing me how to really drive, my team, Barry Beacham for prepping the winning truck, Tim Oneil Rally school and everybody else who helped me over the years. Thanks!

Top Overall Finishers By Class (full details at www.score-international.com)
Total Entries: 311 Total Starters: 289 Total Finishers: 195 (67.5 percent)

Cars & Trucks
1. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 9 hours, 10 minutes, 47 seconds (48.06 miles per hour) (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2. Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 9:10:54 (48.05mph) (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
3. Brian Collins, Las Vegas/Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., Dodge Ram 1500, 9:25:47 (46.78mph) (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
4. Luis Ramirez Jr., /Juan Araiza/Luis Ramirez, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, HMS-Chevy, 9:36:55 (45.88mph) (Class 1)
5. Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150, 9:44:55 (45.25mph) (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
6. Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz./Todd LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., Ford F-150, 9:54:04 (44.56mph) (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
7. Dale Ebberts, Wilton, Calif./Brad Etter, Villa Park, Calif., Porter-Chevy, 10:00:34 (44.07mph) (Class 1)
8. Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW, 10:08:00 (43.53mph) (Class 1)
9. Brian Parkhouse, Bell Gardens, Calif./Tom Ridings, Los Alamitos, Calif. Jimco-Chevy, 10:13:00 (43.18mph) (Class 1)
10. Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif., Duvel, 10:44:25 (41.07mph) (SCORE Lite)

Motorcycles
1. Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif./Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 8:43:38 (50.55mph) (Class 22)
2. Ryan Penhall, Corona, Calif./Brent Harden, Sun City, Calif./Mike Childress, Wrightwood, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 9:12:00 (47.95mph) (Class 22)
3. Scott Myers, Sun City, Calif./Shane Esposito, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Steve Garnet, Carson City, Nev./Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico/Jeff Sheets, Henderson, Nev., Kawasaki KLX450, 9:13:46 (47.80mph) (Class 30)
4. Jim O’Neal/Jimmy O’Neal Jr., Simi Valley, Calif./Jason Trubey, Mohave Valley, Ariz./Scott Glimp, Las Vegas/Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 9:23:16 (46.99mph) (Class 30)
5. Ivan Ramirez, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 9:52:33 (44.67mph) (Class 22)
6. Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Kyle Abney, Albuquerque, N.M./Bryan Lowery, Las Lunas, N.M., Honda CRF450X, 9:58:37 (44.22mph) (Class 30)
7. Brett Helm, Poway, Calif./ Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif./Jon Ortner, Santa Barbara, Calif./Lou Franco, Sherman Oaks, Calif./Craig Adams, San Clemente, Calif./Bob Johnson, Temecula, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 10:02:10 (43.96mph) (Class 40)
8. Carlos Casas, Chula Vista, Calif./Noe Ibarra, Tijuana, Mexico, KTM 450CXF, 10:08:47 (43.48mph) (Class 21)
9. Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Doug Heil, Monrovia, Calif./Andy Kirker, Santa Ana, Calif./Dan Dawson, Agua Dulce, Calif./Paul Needles, Westlake Village, Calif./Mike Sixberry, Bullhead City, Ariz./Craig Adams, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 10:14:37 (43.07mph) (Class 50)
10. Cory Evenson, Ramona, Calif./Justin Herrmann, Vista, Calif./Kirk Russel, Bend, Ore./Josh Smith, Oceanside, Calif., KTM 525XCW, 10:28:30 (42.11mph) (Class 22)

ATVs
1. Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Marc Spaeth, Ramona, Calif./Rick Cecco, Briling Springs, Pa., Honda TRX700XX, 10:10:40 (43.34mph) (Class 25)
2. Javier Robles, Mexicali, Mexico/Adolfo Arellano, Tijuana, Mexico/Cesar Lopez, San Felipe, Honda TRX450R, 10:11:01 (43.32mph) (Class 25)
3. Danny Prather, Ramona, Calif./Mike Cafro, Bonsall, Calif./Chad Prull, Laveen, Ariz./Levi Marana, Hemet, Calif., Honda TRX700XX, 10:19:05 (42.76mph) (Class 25)
4. Francisco Servin/Isaac Castro/Rocky Mereno/Marco Moreno/Edgar Moreno, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 10:44:26 (41.07mph) (Class 24)
5. Javier Beltran, San Ysidro, Calif./Cristian Rolas, San Ysidro/Santos Perez, Tijuana, Mexico/Juan Sanchez, Chula Vista, Calif./Raul Cano, Tijuana, Mexico, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 10:57:05 (40.28mph) (Class 24)