SCORE International
SCORE International is an off-road racing sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is famous for the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the Committee's flagship event; the Baja 1000. For the 2016 season, the SCORE season will consist of four races; all held in Mexico for the first time. Founded by Mickey Thompson in 1973, SCORE International continues today under the current presidency of Roger Norman, who purchased the rights from Sal Fish in late 2012.
SCORE International licensed a burger restaurant in Chula Vista, California, USA.
Race Description
Vehicles are released from the start line individually, in gaps of 60 seconds between Trophy Trucks and Class 1 racers then 30 seconds for all other classes.Baja races include motorcycles and quad bikes; which start staging at 5:15am and later released around 6am. Four-wheel vehicles start releasing approximately five hours later at around 11am. Race results are determined by calculating a finish time for each vehicle. The finish time for a vehicle can include time for penalties such as speeding. GPS tracking devices are used to enforce speed regulations and penalties on federal highways and highly congested areas.
Awards are given for the winner of each class as well as an overall winner across classes, overall four-wheel and overall motorcycle/ATV.
Points are awarded based on class finishing position. The racer with the most points at the end of the season is the overall class winner. In the following race season, the vehicle number will end in two zeros "00" to indicate that racer as the class champion. As an example the vehicle number for the Class 1 champion will be 100. Trophy Truck champion can run the #1. The starting order is generally determined by a random draw, except when preferential starts are given to those who finished in top positions in the previous race/season, or when qualifying is held. For Trophy Trucks & Class 1 vehicles, qualifying for the Baja 1000 is now held during SEMA at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Starting with Roger Norman's purchase of SCORE in 2012, vehicle numbers have become permanently assigned to each driver. Numbers 1-9 is reserved for the prior years driver standings for positions 1-9 respectfully. Numbers 10-99 will be available for assignment. Driver's who have used a number in the prior years season will be given first option for the same number in the current season.
SCORE International operates an "Ironman" class for racers that complete a race without any driver change. Commemorative ribbons are given to any racers who completed a race solely. Baja legend Ivan "Ironman" Stewart was the first racer to complete this phenomenal feat in 1975, capturing his first Baja 500 win before winning the 1976 Baja 1000 under this format.
Course terrain is primarily off-road in remote areas, however highway segments are used when an alternate off-road route is unavailable.
The 2015 Dakar Challenge included the Bud Light SCORE Baja 500 as one of the events within the five-round series.
Class Levels:
PRO LEVEL 1
- Trophy Truck – Veh #1-99 '
- Class 1 – Veh #100-199 '
- TT Spec – Veh #200-299 '
- 10 – Veh #1000-1099 '
- 8 – Veh #800-899 '
- Hammer Truck Unlimited- Veh# 4400-4499 '
- Hammer Truck Limited – Veh# 4500-4599 '
- 5 Unlimited – Veh #500-549 '
- SCORE Lites – Veh #1200-1299 '
- Heavy Metal – Veh #8000-8099 '
- 3 – Veh #300-399 '
- 3000 – Veh #3000-3099 '
- 2 – Veh #2000-2099 '
- 1/2-1600 – Veh #1600-1699 '
- Trophy Lite – Veh #6000-6099 '
- 7 – Veh #700-739 '
- Pro Truck – Veh #1350-1399 '
- 11 – Veh #1100-1199
ONLY ‘PRO’ CLASSES RECEIVE PAYOUTS
- Baja Challenge – Veh #BC1-BC99
- Pro Moto Ironman Veh# 700x-799x
- Pro Moto Limited Veh# 100x-149x'
- Pro Moto Unlimited Veh# 1x-49x
- Pro Moto 30 Veh# 300x – 349x
- Pro Moto 40 Veh# 400x-449x
- Pro Moto 50 Veh# 500x-549x
- Pro Moto 60 Veh# 600x-649x
- Pro Quad Veh# 1a-49a
ONLY ‘PRO’ CLASSES RECEIVE PAYOUTS
- Sportsman M/C – Veh# 200x-299x
- Sportsman QUAD-
Yearly races
Vehicle Classes
Cars and Trucks
- SCORE Trophy Truck: Open Production Unlimited Trucks.
- SCORE Class 1: Unlimited open-wheel single-or two-seaters.
- SCORE Class 1/2-1600: Limited suspension. open-wheel single-or two-seaters.
- SCORE Class 2: Limited 3.5 liter buggy.
- SCORE Class 3: Production short wheelbase 4x4 Jeeps.
- SCORE Class 4: Unlimited 2.2 liter open wheel.
- SCORE Class 5: Unlimited Baja Bugs.
- SCORE Class 5-1600: Baja Bugs.
- SCORE Class 6: V6 powered tube chassis trucks
- SCORE Class 7: Open mini trucks.
- SCORE Class 7S: Stock mini trucks.
- SCORE Class 7SX: Modified mini trucks.
- SCORE Class 8: Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks.
- SCORE Class 9: Short wheelbase, open-wheel. single-or two-seaters.
- SCORE Class 10: Open-wheel single or two-seaters.
- SCORE Class 11: Stock VW Sedans.
- SCORE Lites Class 12: VW limited open-wheel. single seat or two-seaters.
- SCORE Class 17: Production short wheelbase 4x4 Modified Jeeps.
- SCORE Stock Full: Stock full-sized trucks.
- SCORE Stock Mini: Stock mini trucks.
- SCORE Class M-Truck: 2 or 4-wheel drive medium utility vehicle with a minimum weight 12,000 pounds.
- SCORE Baja Challenge: Limited, identical open-wheel Baja touring cars.
- SCORE Sportsman Buggy:
- SCORE Sportsman Truck:
- SCORE Sportsman UTV: 660cc, 4-wheel utility vehicle.
- ProTruck: Limited Production Trucks governed by the Baja ProTruck Off-Road Race Series
Motorcycles
- SCORE Class 20: 125cc or smaller two-stroke and 250cc or smaller four-stroke motorcycles.
- SCORE Class 21: 126cc to 250cc.
- SCORE Class 22: 250cc or more.
- SCORE Class 30: Riders over 30 years old.
- SCORE Class 40: Riders over 40 years old.
- SCORE Class 50: Riders over 50 years old.
- SCORE Class 60: Riders over 60 years old.
ATVs
- SCORE Class 24: 250cc or less.
- SCORE Class 25: 251cc or more.
- SCORE Class 26: Limited utility ATV
Notable racers
- Lenny Giger Class 21 250-pro 1981 & 1982 back 2 back world championships winner with record speed and average lap time
- Walker Evans
- Rod Hall
- Rod Millen
- Jimmie Johnson
- Robby Gordon
- Parnelli Jones
- Rob MacCachren
- Don McBride
- Corky McMillin
- Steve McQueen
- Gunnar Nilsson
- Larry Ragland
- Larry Roeseler
- Ivan Stewart
- Mickey Thompson
- Frank "Scoop" Vessels
- Ak Miller Whittier, California
- A.C. Bakken / Mitch Mayes 1973
- Larry Bergquist / Gary Preston 1968
- J.N. Roberts / Malcolm Smith 1972
- BJ Baldwin
- Bobby Baldwin
- Marc Coma
- Paul Newman
- John Langley
- Mike "Mouse" McCoy
- Apdaly Lopez
- Steve Appleton, President/CEO Micron Technology
- Ron Bishop, Only motorcycle racer to compete in every Baja 1000
- Peter Brock - Brock Racing Enterprises built cars/truck for the Baja from 1967 to 1972
- Erik Carlsson
- Anna Jo Cody - First Female to complete the Baja 1000 solo.
- Quinn Cody
- Patrick Dempsey
- Walker Evans
- Elliot Forbes-Robinson
- James Garner
- Brendan Gaughan
- Rod Hall - Most class wins in history, competed in every race
- Bob Gordon - father of Robby and Beccy and off road legend
- Robby Gordon
- Beccy Hunter-Reay - sister of Robby, daughter of Bob, and wife of 2012 INDYCAR Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.
- Jim Graham - The Free Hugs guy
- Mike Groff
- Robbie Groff
- Roberto Guerrero
- Tanner Foust
- Jesse James
- Jimmie Johnson
- Rick Johnson
- Parnelli Jones
- Michel Jourdain Jr.
- Michel Jourdain Sr.
- Danny LaPorte
- Kurt Caselli
- Hiro Matsushita
- Hershel McGriff
- Corky McMillin
- John Morton - Four time SCCA National Road Racing Championship Driver
- Steve McQueen
- Chad McQueen
- Rick Mears
- Roger Mears
- Rod Millen
- Rhys Millen
- Larry Minor
- Michael Nesmith
- Aaron Ampudia
- Paul Newman
- Gunnar Nilsson
- Ted Nugent
- Danny Ongais
- Travis Pastrana
- Don Prudhomme
- Larry Ragland - several trophy truck class wins
- J.N. Roberts
- Larry Roeseler
- Armin Schwarz
- Jim Smith
- Malcolm Smith
- Marty Smith
- Chuck Dempsey
- Ivan Stewart — ran for Toyota's factory team
- Danny Sullivan
- Jūgatsu Toi
- Mickey Thompson
- Johnny Unser
- Jimmy Vasser
- Tavo Vildósola
- Ken Wahlster - Founder and CEO of BikeBandit
Television Series