Desert Racers Prepare for 2009 Baja 500

With just 27 points separating the top 20 in 2009 SCORE Overall points, SCORE racers are now preparing for the 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, to be held in Ensenada, Mexico, June 5-7. The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, for Round 3 of the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series will be held at the SCORE headquarters in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 25.

With motorcycles and ATVs racing in the three SCORE Baja races, the team of Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Tim Weigand, Santa Clarita, Calif., leads the open motorcycle Class 22 standings with 68 points after the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 on the factory-supported No. 1x Johnny Campbell Racing Honda CRF450X.
Leading the overall motorcycle and Class 21 (250cc two-stroke or 450cc four-stroke) standings after one 2009 SCORE Baja race is the two-time defending season class point championship team of Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., with 69 points on another Honda CRF450X.

The defending Class 25 open ATV championship team led by rider of record Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX has 69 points and now has won four straight SCORE Baja races. Riding with Matlock to victory in San Felipe were Harold Goodman and Josh Caster.

Leading the overall ATV and the Class 24 point standings with 72 points is the team led by defending Class 24 season point champion Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif., on a Honda TRX450R.

Among the other motorcycle class point leaders are Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif. (Class 50, Honda CRF450X), Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas (Class 30, Honda CRF450X), Brian Campbell, Bakersfield, Calif. (Class 40, KTM 450XCF) and Hector Castillo, Calexico, Calif. (Class 20, Yamaha WR250).

In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 32 drivers remain eligible after Round 2 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series.

Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Sunoco Race Fuels -official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, American Suzuki, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

Pro Motorcycles

• CLASS 22—1. Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Timmy Weigand, Santa Clarita, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 68; 2. Colton Udall, San Clemente, Calif./Quinn Cody, Los Olivos, Calif./Jeff Kargola, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 62; 3. Ivan Ramirez, Ensenada, Mexico/Brent Harden, Menifee, Calif./Jose Villalobos, Tecate, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 58; 4. Cameron Corfman, El Centro, Calif./Jimmy Lopez, El Cajon, Calif./A.J. Stewart, Jamul, Calif., Beta RR525, 55; 5. Adam Thissen, Reno, Nev./Robert Underwood, Coleville, Calif., KTM XC505,53.
• CLASS 21—1. Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 69; 2. Ronnie Wilson, Glendale, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 63; 3. Jeremy Purvines/Ron Purvines, Henderson, Nev./Scott Glimp, Las Vegas, Honda CRF450X, 59.
• CLASS 20—1. Hector Castillo, Calexico, Calif./Rene Pojodes, Mexicali, Mexico/David Gonzalez Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Yamaha WR250 (1), 65; 2. Anna Cody, Simi Valley, Calif./Talya Dodson, Truckee, Calif./Cathy Duncan, Los Alamos, Honda CRF250X, 59; 3. Jesus Rios/Cuauhtemoc Beltran, Calexico, Calif./Edgar Espinoza, El Centro, Calif., Honda CRF250X, 55.
• CLASS 30—1. Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Rex Cameron, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda CRF450X (1), 67; 2. Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Tom Willis, Las Vegas/Derrick Paiement, Corona, Calif./Brian Sweany II, Lancaster, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 61; 3. Sean Bradley, Ridgecrest, Calif./Kyle Abney, Albuquerque, N.M., Kawasaki KX500, 57.
• CLASS 40—1. Brian Campbell/Bill Cotton, Bakersfield, Calif./Pete Cochran, Laguna Beach, Calif., KTM 450XCF (1), 66; 2. Scott Myers, Menifee, Calif./Brett Helm, Poway, Calif./Lou Franco, Sherman Oaks, Calif.,/Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif./Tim Withers, Pepeekeo, Hawaii, Honda CRF450X, 60; 3. Julio Abril/Oscar Hale/Mario Acosta, Ensenada, Mexico, Yamaha WR450, 56.
• CLASS 50—1. Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Andy Kirker, Santa Ana, Calif./Dan Dawson, Agua Dulce, Calif./Tim Withers, Pepeekeo, Hawaii, Honda CRF450X (1), 65; 2. Charlie Marshall, Carmichael, Calif./Doug Smith, Upland, Calif./Dave Potts, Burbank, Calif./Chuck Sun, Las Vegas, KTM530XCW, 59.
• CLASS 60—1. Ramon Isuarieta/Luis Zarate/Luis Farell/Manuel Cardona, Mexico City, Mexico, Honda CRF450X (1), 65.
• CLASS 21—1. Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 69; 2. Ronnie Wilson, Glendale, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 63; 3. Jeremy Purvines/Ron Purvines, Henderson, Nev./Scott Glimp, Las Vegas, Honda CRF450X, 59.
• CLASS 21—1. Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 69; 2. Ronnie Wilson, Glendale, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 63; 3. Jeremy Purvines/Ron Purvines, Henderson, Nev./Scott Glimp, Las Vegas, Honda CRF450X, 59.
• CLASS 21—1. Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 69; 2. Ronnie Wilson, Glendale, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 63; 3. Jeremy Purvines/Ron Purvines, Henderson, Nev./Scott Glimp, Las Vegas, Honda CRF450X, 59.

Pro ATVs

• CLASS 25—1. Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Harold Goodman Jr., Brownstown, Mich./Josh Caster, El Cajon, Calif., Honda 700XX (1),69; 2. Felipe Velez, San Felipe, Mexico/Stefano Caputo, San Felipe, Mexico (Italy)/Heriberto Marquez, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 63; 3. Santos Perez, Tijuana, Mexico/Juan Sanchez/Raul Cano, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM 450, 59.
• CLASS 24—1. Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif./Steve Abrego, Covina, Calif./Dave Scott, Belen, N.M./Andy Lagzdins, Baltimore, Honda TRX450R (1), 72; 2. Victor Lopez/Jorge Lopez, San Felipe, Mexico/Gonzalo Curiel, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 66; 3. Miguel Arellano/Adan Arellano/Bernardo Arellano, Tijuana, Mexico, Suzuki LTR450, 62.
• CLASS 26—1. Reid Rutherford, Montrose, Colo./ Benn Vornadakis, Rico, Colo./Tony Valerio, Telluride, Colo., Arctic Cat (1), 65; 2. Rob Ransford, Downers Grove, Ill./Tim Winiarski, Carson, Calif./Joe Rice, Lomita, Calif., Can Am Renegade, 59.

Sportsman

• SPT TRUCK—1. Nick Tonelli, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Ranger, 65.
• SPT CAR—1. Peter Lang/Terry Cottar, Santa Rosa, Calif., Homebuilt-Chevy, (1), 80.
• SPT UTV—1. Brian Hewett, Los Altos Hills, Calif., Yamaha Rhino, 35.
• SPT M/C>250cc—1. Jeff Leonard, Bakersfield, Calif./Eugene Lane, Redondo Beach, Calif./Jack Cox, Oceanside, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 71.
• SPT M/C<250cc—1. Humberto Valle, Tecate, Mexico/Javier Ochoa/Ivanhoe Ochoa, Tecate, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 73.
• SPT ATV—1. Manuel Jimenez/Carlos Lopez/Carlos Castaneda, San Felipe, Mexico, Honda TRX450R (1), 75.

Manufacturers

• Engine Builder—1. Major Performance, 125; 2. FAT Performance, 106; 3. Wiks, 86; 4. Menards, 50; 5. Montes, 45.
• Original Buggy Chassis—1. Jimco, 91; 2. Lothringer, 44; 3. Duvel, 35; 4. Fraley, 30; 5.Bunderson, 29.