Baja 500 Race-record field now at 437
Each with 15, Hall & Roeseler leading group of 88 racers with
227 Career class wins in
this weekend’s 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500

NASCAR’s R. Gordon one of nine racers who have combined for 22 4-Wheel
Overall wins,
Five others have 21 combined M/C Overalls

On-site internet coverage: desertracing.com...

LOS ANGELES—Not only is the entry list of nearly 440 vehicles the largest in the long and storied three-decade-plus history of this weekend’s 38th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race, it is also filled with the most former class winners ever in a SCORE race with 88 competitors who have combined for 227 class wins.

Included in that illustrious group of former class winners are nine SCORE desert racing daredevils who have combined for 22 Overall 4-wheel vehicle titles and five riders who have combined for 21 Overall motorcycle crowns in the world’s second oldest desert race. The pacemakers in the huge field are Rod Hall and Larry Roeseler, who each have 15 career class wins in this race--the most among active racers.Round 3 of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, featuring a race-record lineup of over 440 entries competing in 25 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held this weekend in Ensenada, Mexico. The race will be filmed for television by Aura360, SCORE’S TV production partner, to air in December as a one-hour special on NBC in the U.S. and ESPN International worldwide.

“I just can’t properly put into words how huge this year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 race is going to be this week,” said Sal Fish, SCORE President/CEO who has been with SCORE since it produced its first SCORE Baja 500 on June 26, 1974. “It is mind blowing to think that we already have 53 more entries than the race record and 92 more than last year’s race that had 345 starters.”

“We have a field this year full of talented SCORE veterans as well as a large number of rookies, many of whom haven’t even been to Mexico prior to this event, let alone compete in a SCORE Baja race. While the race itself promises to be one for the ages, we exhort all the racers, chase crews and the more than 150,000 spectators we are expecting to be patient, cautious, and safe. We all want to return from Mexico with nothing but wonderful stories from an incredible racing extravaganza.”

Starting and finishing in Ensenada on the majestic Baja California peninsula, this year’s tight and technical 424.29-mile course will run in a clockwise direction, running East into the middle of the peninsula, then South, followed by a West travel section, turning north, then East, North and back West to the finish in Ensenada.

The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 9 a.m. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race, and while the fastest vehicles are expected to finish in approximately nine hours, all will have an 18-hour time limit to become official finishers in the summer classic.

The starting line area will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center on Boulevard Costero in downtown Ensenada, Mexico. For the first time, the finish line will be at the Campo de Softball Jose Negro Soto Stadium at 11th Street (Calle Once) and Espinoza Avenue in Ensenada. It is located approximately 1.7 miles east of the start line area.

NASCAR team owner/driver Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., will defend his overall 4-wheel vehicle and SCORE Trophy-Truck crown as will last year’s overall motorcycle and Class 22 winner Mike Childress, Wrightwood, Calif., who is racing this year on the American Honda A team with Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., and Josh Frederick, Moapa, Nev., the defending Overall ATV champion.

Gordon, the 1996 SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion with five career race wins in the marquee SCORE racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks, has announced his plans for his triple-duty week of NASCAR and SCORE racing. Gordon will be commuting this week to and from Dover, Dela., where he will be competing in this week’s NASCAR Nextel Cup race.

Gordon, who has four class wins and three overall titles in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, has finalized his plans for the two SCORE Trophy-Trucks he has entered. Third generation SCORE desert racer Andy McMillin, Poway, Calif., is driver of record this season in the No. 83 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500 that Gordon drove solo in last year to victory in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and Gordon himself is driver of record in the No. 89 Team Gordon Hummer H3. Gordon announced plans last week to drive the No. 83 SCORE Trophy-Truck for the first half of the race before turning the vehicle over to McMillin, who will ride shotgun during the first half. Robby Gordon’s dad Bob Gordon, Orange, Calif., who himself has three class wins and two overalls in this race, will drive the first half, before turning the wheel over to his son to drive the second half. The No. 83 SCORE Trophy-Truck will be the eighth vehicle to leave the line while the No. 89 will start in the 28th slot, 10 minutes later.

A total of 16 of the 18 defending 2005 Pro class winners (six classes had no finishers) are entered, although four of them have switched classes. Besides Gordon, Childress and Frederick, other racers who will be back to defend their class titles are George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Danny Ledezma, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 5/1600, 1600cc VW Baja Bug), Todd Wyllie, New River, Ariz. (Class 8, Chevy C1500), Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 9, Garibay-VW) Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 10, Jimco-Honda), Ricardo Malo, Mexicali, Mexico/Arturo Honold, Calexico, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Curry-VW), Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico (Class 30, Honda XR650R), Jim O’Neal, Chatsworth, Calif. (Class 40, Honda XR650R) and Eizaburo Karasawa, Japan (Class 50, Honda XR650R).

The four class winners from last year who have switched classes are: Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif. (from Class 1 to separate SCORE Trophy-Trucks), Rob MacCachren/Bryan Freeman (MacCachren from Class 1-2/1600 to SCORE Trophy-Truck and Freeman to Protruck), John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif. (from Class 7S to Class 7SX) and Kirk Schreier, Phoenix (from Class 24 to Class 25).

The venerable Hall, 67, Reno, Nev., who earned his first Tecate SCORE Baja 500 class win in 1970 and his most recent in 1994, returns after a 12-year absence as a favorite in the Stock Mini class in his Hummer H3. Hall is the only person who has raced in all 38 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races, where he has the most class wins of anyone with 18.

Roeseler, 49, Canyon Lake, Calif., has 11 overall wins in this race including nine on a motorcycle, earning his frist class win 1972 and his most recent in 2004. This year Roeseler will again be the co-driver for Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, in the unlimited Class 1 in a Smithbuilt-Ford open wheel desert race car. Together Herbst and Roeseler earned three straight Class 1 wins in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Two of the other former Overall winners who are entered again this year in Class 1 are SCORE veterans Malcolm Smith and Bud Feldkamp. The two classic desert racers won the overall together in 1978 and 1979, Smith won it again in 1981 with Bill Newbury and Feldkamp won again in 1985 with Ron Gardner.

This year, Smith, 65, will be a second driver for Cam Thieriot in the No. 133 RPS-Chevy while Feldkamp, 61, will be the second driver for his son Buddy Feldkamp, 28, in the No. 119 Penhall-Chevy.

Marcos Nunez, Ensenada, Mexico, has seven class wins in this race and is entered in Class 5/1600 in a 1600cc VW Baja Bug while racers entered this year with six career class wins are George Erl, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Class 20), Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif. (Class 22), Troy Herbst (Class 1), Jim O ’Neal, Chatsworth, Calif. (Class 40) and Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11).

Racers entered with five class wins are Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif. (Class 22), Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif. (Class 1), Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif. (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz. (SCORE Trophy-Truck), George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5) and Malcolm Smith.

With four class wins each are: Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 9), Robby Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Rick D. Johnson (Protruck), Jerry Penhall, Costa Mesa, Calif. (Class 1), Dean Sundahl, Santee, Calif. (Class 25) and Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix (Class 8).

The eight racers with three class wins entered this year are: Mike Cafro, Carlsbad, Calif. (Class 25), Bud Feldkamp (Class 1), Bob Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Eizaburo Karasawa, Japan (Class 50), Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif. (Class 3), J. David Ruvalcaba, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 30), Hector Sarabia, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 5/1600) and Kirk Schreier, Phoenix (Class 25).

A number of internet sites will provide varying degrees of real-time or near real-time coverage of the event.
In addition to score-international.com, other sites scheduled to have daily coverage from the event are: desertracing.com.

Entries have come from every state in the Western U.S., Hawaii, and Texas, from across the Midwest including South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as New York, Ohio and Massachusetts in the East and Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama in the South.

Late registration will be accepted up until race morning, and the current total of 437 entries guarantees a final starting grid of over 400 for this first time in the 38-year history of the race. The current record for number of starters is 384, set in 1976 and tied in 1977. The current record for number of finishers is 202, set in 1988 (332 starters), when the race started in Ensenada and finished in Santo Tomas. Both marks are expected to be eclipsed by this year’s totals.

Amazingly, there is actually one 1976 class winner entered this year and two class winners from 1977. Larry Roeseler won Class 21 in 1976 and Class 22 in 1977 while Rod Hall won Class 4 in 1977.

To date, entries have been received from 28 U.S. States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan and New Zealand. The Pro classes with the most entries are: Class 1 (42), SCORE Trophy-Truck, with a class-record 41, SCORE Lite, with a class-record 33, Class 1-2/1600 (30) and Class 22 and Class 30 (each with 17). Leading the Sportsman classes is SPT Motorcycles over 250cc with a class-record 51 for the relatively new class and SPT ATV with a class-record 28 all-terrain vehicles entered.

Pre-race festivities for the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held in Ensenada on Friday. Traditionally drawing nearly 50,000 spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and display of every race vehicle will be held behind the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. The post-race awards celebration will be held at the San Nicolas Hotel on Sunday at 10 a.m. Racer and media registration will be held on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Nicolas Hotel. The 2006 SCORE Desert Series includes the chase for the $50,000 Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several qualified 2006 SCORE Class point champions.

The 2006 SCORE Desert Series also includes the hunt for the annual Toyota Milestone and $12,000 Toyota True Grit Awards. The prestigious Toyota Milestone Awards are presented to every racer who completes every required mile of every race in the 2006 SCORE Desert Series. The $12,000 Toyota True Grit purse is split among the SCORE season point champions who are also Toyota Milestone award winners in several non-factory-backed classes.

Current SCORE official 2006 sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/C.L. Bryant-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Airstar America-official space lighting provider. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Kartek Off-Road, Centrix Financial, NAPA Chassis, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Suzuki, SignPros, Cotuco, Fideicomiso Publico para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

 
Tecate SCORE Baja 500
A l l - T i m e   O v e r a l l  C h a m p i o n s
Year, Cars & Trucks/Motorcycles (second line)
1969--Bud Ekins/Guy Jones
     Doug Douglas/Jim McClurg
1970--Parnelli Jones
     Bill Silverthorn/Gene Fetty
1971--Bobby Ferro
     Malcolm Smith/J.N. Roberts
1972--Bobby Ferro
     Gene Fetty/Bill Silverthorn
1973--Parnelli Jones
     Howard Utsey/Mickey Quade
1974--Ivan Stewart/Bill Hrynko
     Al Baker/Steve Holladay
1975--Ivan Stewart
     Larry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie
1976--Bobby Ferro/Ivan Stewart
     Larry Roeseler/A.C. Bakken
1977--Ivan Stewart
     Larry Roeseler/Jack Johnson
1978--Bud Feldkamp/Malcolm Smith
     Brent Wallingsford/Scot Harden
1979--Malcolm Smith/Bud Feldkamp
     Jack Johnson
1980--Bob Gordon
     Bruce Ogilvie/Chuck Miller
1981--Malcolm Smith/Bill Newbury
     Larry Roeseler/Bruce Ogilvie
1982--Larry Ragland
     Larry Roeseler/Chuck Miller
1983--Corky & Scott McMillin
     Dan Ashcraft
1984--Larry Ragland
     Dan Smith/Dan Ashcraft
1985--Ron Gardner/Bud Feldkamp
     Kurt Pfeiffer/Scot Harden
1986--Corky & Scott McMillin
     Garth Sweetland/Scot Harden
1987--Bob Gordon/Tim Crabtree
     Larry Roeseler/Ted Hunnicutt Jr.
1988--Mark McMillin
     Dan Ashcraft/Kurt Pfeiffer
1989--Robby Gordon
     (no motorcycles)
1990--Robby Gordon
     Larry Roeseler/Danny LaPorte
1991--Ivan Stewart
     Garth Sweetland/Paul Krause
1992--Ivan Stewart
     Larry Roeseler/T. Hunnicutt Jr./P. Krause
1993--Ivan Stewart
     Danny Hamel/L. Roeseler/T. Hunnicutt Jr.
1994--Ivan Stewart
     Paul Krause/Ted Hunnicutt Jr.
1995--Curt LeDuc
     Paul Krause/Craig Smith
1996--Rob MacCachren
     Paul Krause/Ty Davis
1997--Ivan Stewart
     Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie
1998--Ivan Stewart
     Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie
1999--Ivan Stewart
     Jonah Street/Torsten Borstrom
2000--Larry Ragland
     Jonah Street/Steve Hengeveld
2001--Mark McMillin
     Steve Hengeveld/Jonah Street
2002--Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler
     Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell
2003--Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler
     Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell 
2004--Alan Pflueger
     Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell
2005-—Robby Gordon
     Mike Childress/Mouse McCoy
 
Tecate SCORE Baja 500
**Multiple Overall Champions**
Cars & Trucks
11   Ivan Stewart
       Larry Roeseler*
4    Malcolm Smith**
3    Larry Ragland
       Bud Feldkamp
       Bobby Ferro
       Robby Gordon
2    Bob Gordon
       Troy Herbst
       Parnelli Jones
       Corky McMillin
       Mark McMillin
       Scott McMillin
*Nine on motorcycle
**One on motorcycle
 
Motorcycles
5   Paul Krause
     Bruce Ogilvie
     Steve Hengeveld
     Johnny Campbell
4   Ted Hunnicutt Jr.
3   Jonah Street
     Scot Harden
2   Gene Fetty
     Jack Johnson
     Chuck Miller
     Kurt Pfeiffer
     Bil Silverthorn 

For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official SCORE Desert Racing Series website at:
www.score-international.com