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Category: Baja 1000

  • BFGoodrich Racing revs up for 2021 Baja 1000

    BFGoodrich Racing revs up for 2021 Baja 1000

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 15, 2021 ― BFGoodrich® Tires looks to defend its SCORE International Baja 1000 title at the 2021 race, starting in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, on Nov. 18.

    Focused on claiming its 32nd overall SCORE Baja 1000 win, BFGoodrich Tires is hoping for another winning performance like the one Luke McMillin and Larry Roeseler provided in 2020. Starting in Ensenada and ending in La Paz, this year’s course will be 1,227 miles long. The tire maker will be looking for its 99th overall SCORE Baja victory, with former class winners at the wheel for several teams.

    Showing their continued commitment to desert racing, BFGoodrich will award $40,000 in contingency money to the overall 4-wheel winners of the race if they are using BFGoodrich tires. 

    The BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A® tire is celebrating its 45th year racing in the Baja desert.  After launching in 1976, the BFGoodrich® Radial All-Terrain T/A® had its first SCORE Baja 1000 class victory the next year with Frank “Scoop” Vessels driving a Ford F-100 in Class 8. It is on this peninsula where BFGoodrich discovered a proving ground for its tires. The results of the tests, and the entrance into Baja desert racing, led to an off-road motorsports program that’s second-to-none.

    An ongoing strategy for BFGoodrich Tires over the course of four decades of desert racing remains its support for the widest range of classes in SCORE Baja racing. Last year, BFGoodrich claimed nine class wins at the SCORE Baja 1000; over the course of the last five years, the brand has achieved 66 class titles.

    Storylines for the 54th Running of the SCORE Baja 1000:

    New Alliances:

    For the first time in any off-road race, Rob MacCachren and Luke McMillin will come together and form a dynamic team to take on the peninsula run. MacCachren, a 2011 Off-Road Hall of Fame inductee, will be looking for his fifth overall Baja 1000 title. McMillin is hoping to defend his 2020 title in the McMillin Racing Trophy Truck®. 

    “I’ve looked up to and raced against Rob for a long time,” McMillin said. “Not only do I believe our dedication and will to win is unmatched, but I also believe our racing approach is similar. Picking a Baja 1000 partner is always a tough decision because you want that person to match your dedication and passion to win. Rob was an obvious pick, and it helps that I truly believe Rob is the greatest off-road racer of all time.”

    MacCachren sees a similar driver in McMillin and his racing style.

    “Luke reminds me a lot of myself in his passion for continually striving to be the best,” MacCachren said. “I’m honored to be part of the McMillin Racing Team for the 2021 Baja 1000, and I know that we are going to make every effort possible to be the fastest Trophy Truck to La Paz.”

    During the race, the McMillin/MacCachren Trophy-Truck® will be running BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® KR3 tires. Since launching in 2016, Baja T/A KR3 tires have been a part of three overall SCORE Baja 1000 victories, and an additional five SCORE race wins.

    Steele and Arciero Team Up

    Cameron Steele, the 2018 Trophy Truck® winner of the Baja 1000, will be teaming up with Ryan Arciero, who won the inaugural Baja 400 in 2019. Arciero, coming off an overall victory in August’s Best In The Desert “Vegas to Reno” race, will try to take that momentum from Nevada all the way to La Paz. This team will also have the support of Rhys Millen and Bobby PeCoy, creating a team of four drivers rotating between two Desert Assassins Ford Trophy Trucks®.

    Dakar Rally Winner Makes His Way Back to Baja

    Australian Dakar Rally Champion Toby Price will make his way across the Pacific Ocean to join Bryce Swaim in the Trophy Truck® Spec class. Price’s last SCORE race took place at the 2019 Baja 1000 with Nasser Al-Attiyah in Jesse Jones’ Mason Trophy Truck®. He has won five Australian Off-Road Championships (AORC), and two Dakar Rally victories in the motorcycles category. Swaim has two Trophy Truck® Spec class wins in the SCORE Baja 500 and finished second at the 2017 Baja 1000. 

    2020 Trophy Truck® Legends Look to Repeat

    Jimco Racing CEO Robbie Pierce, defending champion of the 2020 Baja 1000 Trophy Truck® Legends class, will race with Greg Adler in the Jimco racing truck. Adler, who is the CEO and President of Off Road Warehouse (ORW), first raced the Baja 1000 in 1990. 

    Family Affair for the Herbst and Dean Teams

    Race fans will be able to watch up to six different Herbst athletes in this year’s Baja 1000. Brothers Tim, Troy and Ed have 14 SCORE victories between them. Troy and Ed own 11 career wins in SCORE Trophy-Truck, and four of the 20 season championships. Tim owns three Baja 250 victories. Their third driver, Pat Dean, earned a Baja 1000 victory in 2018 co-driving with Cam Steele. Additionally, brothers Pierce and Thor finished second in the Trophy Truck® Spec class in 2020’s Baja 1000. Their cousin, Riley, who normally drives in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will join them in the truck to keep the Terrible Herbst racing tradition alive.

    Unparalleled Race Support

    In addition to providing tires to various SCORE Baja 1000 competitors, BFGoodrich Tires continues to offer its leading pit and communications support teams in eight locations across the racecourse. This massive undertaking involves more than 150 off-road enthusiasts and volunteers who donate their time to help make the race an overwhelming success. 

    Follow along during this year’s SCORE Baja 1000 with race stories, images and videos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

    About BFGoodrichTires

    BFGoodrichTiresis dedicated to providing high performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 50 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrichdelivers tires for a full range of driving experiences from ultra-high-performance street to off-road terrain with one common theme – extreme performance. Come upgrade your performance with BFGoodrichand see where our tires can take you at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, www.BFGoodrichRacing.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

  • FOX Shocks Dominate 2020 SCORE Baja 1000

    FOX Shocks Dominate 2020 SCORE Baja 1000

    15 of 25 4-wheel vehicle classes won by FOX drivers

    El Cajon, CA – November 24, 2020 – FOX-equipped vehicles swept several classes and took overall victory at the recent SCORE Baja 1000, cementing the manufacturer’s dominance in the toughest and longest continuously-held desert race in the world. Luke McMillin and co-driver Larry Roeseler piloted their #83 vehicle to first overall and first in the Trophy Truck class, with FOX athletes claiming 15 of the top 25 relevant classes.

    “This year’s race will be marked as one of the toughest loop courses ever and we’re proud to say that FOX shocks held up to the abuse, taking home wins in nearly all classes,” FOX’s new Director of Motorsports Bobby Smith said. “With nearly half the field failing to finish, the victorious FOX drivers are a testament to the performance and durability baked into our technology. Consumers can feel good about the fact that this translates into the products they get to drive on or off-road. Congratulations and thank you to all racers that choose FOX in their pursuit to conquer the brutal Baja desert and rise to the top of the podium.

    “A special congratulations to Luke McMillin on earning his first Baja 1000 overall win along with his teammate and Baja legend, Larry Roeseler,” Smith added. “It was only a matter of time before he finally achieved that goal, and we are honored that he chose FOX to help get him there.” 

    The Event

    Many of the world’s best desert racers flexed their muscles at this year’s BFGoodrich Tires 53rd SCORE Baja 1000, presented by 4 Wheel Parts, which started and finished in Ensenada, Baja California November 22. One hundred eighty-five vehicles toed the start line, with racers from nearly 30 U.S. States and 15 countries. By the end, just 99 racers finished.   

    The Course

    This year’s SCORE Baja 1000 was a loop race of 898.40 miles in the northern state of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. The distance was a race-record for a SCORE Baja loop race. It started for the 46th time and finish for the 27th time in Ensenada, a coastal city on the Bahia de Todos Santos area of the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of the U.S. border at San Diego.

    “It was a great day,” McMillin said at the finish line. “Larry did an amazing job; he just kept it in line and had no downtime, which is exactly what you need to do in the first half of the SCORE Baja 1000. He brought me a clean truck; we were third and were right up there with the top leaders when I got in. We got some gnarly silt and some tough bumps out there. It’s hard to pick up your pace in a 1,000-mile race and don’t beat up the truck too much, so we tried to be strategic on that. It was a tough course, but a great course.” McMillin drove the second 430-mile leg to the checkered for a finishing time of 19 hours 10 minutes 24 seconds.

    The Results

    • FOX drivers claimed 8 of the top 10 4-wheeled vehicles, including a sweep of the top 4 in the premier SCORE Trophy Truck class:
      • 1st – Luke McMillin & Larry Roeseler
      • 2nd – Rob MacCachren & Josh Daniel
      • 3rd – Bryce Menzies & Andy McMillin
      • 4th – Cameron Steele & Bobby Pecoy
    • FOX also swept the top 5 positions in in Class 1 with Cody Parkhouse taking the win, while Jimco Racing Inc. CEO Robbie Pierce claimed victory in the SCORE TT Legends class;
    • In Trophy Truck spec, Dan Fresh and Jeff Bader finished first in class and 7th overall along with FOX Motorsports Tuner Mike Kim and Service Technician Erick Rivera as navigators;
    • FOX-equipped UTV’s swept all four UTV classes, took the top 5 in the Forced Induction class, the top 4 in the Naturally Aspirated class, and claimed the top 10 positions of all UTV classes combined:
      • Pro UTV FI & UTV overall winner – Wes Miller
      • Pro UTV NA winner – Francisco Arredondo
      • Pro UTV Unlimited winner – Eliott Watson
      • Pro Stock UTV winner – Carolina Sanchez
    • In total, FOX-equipped vehicles claimed 15 class wins and 26 podium positions across all 25 4-wheel-vehicle classes.

    Additionally, three FOX UTV drivers soloed the entire race (Adrian Orellana, Marc Burnett and Kristen Matlock), in the car for over 26 hours or more. Good suspension definitely helps and prevents driver fatigue.

    ​The race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour special on the ABC TV Network’s World of X Games programming. First airing is set for Jan. 3, 2021 on ESPN2. It is being produced by SCORE in association with award-winning BCII TV of Los Angeles. Announcer is Hall of Fame racer and FOX athlete Cameron Steele. Complete SCORE Baja 1000 race results here.

    To learn more about FOX suspension, visit ridefox.com.

  • BFGoodrich Takes Center Stage at the 52nd SCORE Baja 1000 Inbox x

    BFGoodrich Takes Center Stage at the 52nd SCORE Baja 1000 Inbox x

    World-renowned racers, reimagined iconic vehicles, title sponsorship push brand into spotlight

    ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO, NOV. 15, 2019 — BFGoodrich® Tires is seeking its 31st overall win at the SCORE Baja 1000. The grueling race pushes the world’s best off-road drivers to their limits and tests equipment in a way no R&D laboratory could.

    BFGoodrichhas won 95 SCORE Baja races during the past 40 years and will support a crowded field of contenders who will descend on Ensenada, the desert racing capital of the world, at the end of the month. The brand has a lot to celebrate at this year’s Baja 1000.

    BFGoodrich Named Title Sponsor, Offers Contingency Prize

    BFGoodrich Tires has been designated the title sponsor of the 2019 SCORE Baja 1000, a testament to the brand’s roots and commitment in the sport.

    “For more than four decades the Baja Peninsula has been our real-world testing ground,” said Chris Baker, Motorsports Director for Michelin North America and BFGoodrich Tires. “To be the title sponsor of this race, especially on a year with so much action and an extremely competitive field, is significant.”

    In addition to title sponsorship, BFGoodrich is offering a $40,000 contingency prize to the overall winner of the race if they are using BFGoodrich tires. That winner will have a lot to contend with in this year’s course – a rocky, technical 800.5 miles that will put drivers, vehicles and tires through a punishing test.

    Defending Champion and Top Hopefuls Race on BFGoodrich Tires

    Defending Baja 1000 overall winner and BFGoodrich racer Cameron Steele will compete for a second consecutive Trophy Truck victory in a Team C Mason all-wheel drive trophy truck with Ricky Johnson. He will find tough competition in Ryan Arciero, who has the top starting position after an overall win on BFGoodrich tires at the SCORE Baja 400 in September. BFGoodrich veteran and four-time Baja 1000 winner Rob MacCachren is always a threat and will be joined by Justin ‘Bean’ Smith in this year’s race.

    Eight well-known champions from other motorsports disciplines are racing in the Baja 1000 this year on BFGoodrich tires. This list includes: 

    • Nasser Al-Attiyah, Dakar Rally overall winner, FIA Cross Country Rally Cup champion, FIA WRC-2 World champion, Middle East Rally champion, Olympic medalist in skeet shooting
    • Chris Buncombe – 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 class winner, Blancpain Endurance GT Pro-Am champion
    • Jenson Button, Formula One World Champion, Japanese Super GT champion, British F3 champion, British Formula Ford champion
    • Brendan Gaughan, NASCAR Xfinity and truck series race winner
    • Ricky Johnson, AMA National Motocross champion, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee
    • Justin Lofton, ARCA Champion, NASCAR truck series winner
    • Casey Mears, NASCAR race winner, 24 Hours of Daytona overall winner
    • Toby Price, Dakar Rally motorcycle class winner, Australian Off-Road Championship winner

    “To see these internationally known names in motorsports testing their skills and endurance in the Baja 1000, and to see them choosing to use BFGoodrich tires, says a lot about the allure of this iconic race and the legacy of the BFGoodrich brand in this sport,” Baker said.

    Ford Bronco and Baja Boot Reimagined on BFGoodrich tires

    The recently revealed Ford Bronco R race truck, which made its debut in early November, will race in the Baja 1000, 50 years after desert racing legends Rod Hall and Larry Minor won the 1969 Baja 1000 in a Ford Bronco. The modern take on the Bronco will be driven by several notable drivers including Rod Hall’s granddaughter Shelby Hall, Cameron Steele, Jason Scherer, Steve Olliges, Brad Lovell and Curt Leduc. The Bronco R will race on 37-inch BFGoodrich® All-Terrain KDR2+® tires.

    This year’s race also features a reimagining of the legendary “Baja Boot” raced in Baja by Steve McQueen and other desert racing pioneers in the 1960s. Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) will debut the 21st century interpretation of the iconic Boot in the Baja 1000. The unique vehicle can overcome the toughest off-road obstacles on the course but is also designed to be street legal. SCG selected 37-inch BFGoodrich® Baja T/A KR2® tires for the race.

    BFGoodrich Provides Extensive Pit Support

    The brand’s support and dedication to the Baja 1000 goes far beyond title sponsorship.  Perhaps more famous than any partnerships or desert racing technology is the unparalleled support BFGoodrich provides for desert racers. 

    The BFGoodrich pit and radio relay network set up at every SCORE desert race, including this year’s Baja 1000, provides teams free support including fueling, vehicle welding, tire changes, mechanical repair and water. The only requirement teams need to have access to this support network is to race on BFGoodrich tires at all SCORE races. For this year’s race, six pits are strategically set up along the course to support race teams. 

    About BFGoodrich® Tires

    With more than 100 years of heritage, BFGoodrich® Tires is dedicated to providing high-performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 45 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences, from ultra-high performance on the street to off-road terrain with one common theme — extreme performance. Learn more at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, www.BFGoodrichRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires or on Twitter or Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

  • BFGoodrich Tires Takes Overall Victory in SCORE Baja 1000

    BFGoodrich Tires Takes Overall Victory in SCORE Baja 1000

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 26, 2018 — BFGoodrich® Tires took first place in the Trophy Truck class for the recent 51st SCORE Baja 1000, as the fastest four-wheel vehicle driven by Cameron Steele won the grueling contest on BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® KR3 tires. (more…)

  • King Shocks’ Apdaly Lopez Wins the 50th Baja 1000

    King Shocks’ Apdaly Lopez Wins the 50th Baja 1000

    Lopez captures third straight SCORE-International points championship

    In the 50th running of the SCORE-International Baja 1000, Apdaly Lopez was first to the finish line and took home the overall win.  After spending weeks pre-running in preparation for the longest, most grueling race in off-road racing, Lopez earned his first career overall Baja 1000 victory and finished with a time of 19:53:36.312, nearly an hour faster than second place finisher.  (more…)

  • PRESTONE ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH PROFESSIONAL DRIVER AND TV PERSONALITY JESSI COMBS

    PRESTONE ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH PROFESSIONAL DRIVER AND TV PERSONALITY JESSI COMBS

    The automotive industry icon will drive a truck powered by Prestone products in one of the longest off-road endurance races in the world

    Chicago, Ill. (2017) – Prestone Products Corporation, the leader in underhood chemicals, announced its partnership with automotive industry icon Jessi Combs ahead of an upcoming race in Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, where Combs will Iron (Wo)Man 1,300 miles of off-road driving. The partnership comes after Combs hosted the unveiling of Prestone’s 90th Anniversary project car, a 1972 AMC Javelin AMX built by Ringbrothers, at the 2017 SEMA Show. (more…)