ENSENADA, Mexico — Alan Ampudia, 34, Ensenada, Mexico, experienced a spectacular moment in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, having claimed the overall victory at the 6th SCORE Baja 400—just days before Mexico’s 215th Independence Day celebration.
He also took the checkered flag in the SCORE Trophy Truck division.
Ampudia made history by becoming the first Mexican driver ever to win three consecutive overall races in the 52-year history of SCORE International. He conquered the magical course through the deserts, mountains, and beaches of the Ensenada and San Quintín municipalities, in yet another epic battle against Australia’s Team Toby Price and Paul Weel.
Ampudia completed the challenging 427.64-mile race course in 8 hours, 12 minutes, and 29 seconds, driving his No. 10 Ford Raptor Mason AWD Team Papas and Beer at an average speed of 52.10 mph.
After winning the King Shocks 38th SCORE San Felipe 250 in March and the BFGoodrich Tires 57th SCORE Baja 500 in June, Ampudia now claimed victory at the SCORE Baja 400, celebrating with Mexican fans along Ensenada’s iconic Boulevard Costero.
“Thank you. That was a blast. I mean, battling once again with Toby (Price) and Paul (Weel). When we reached the coast, we were almost side by side. They had been ahead of me since the last race—the Baja 500. I thought, here we go again. It’s going to be another brutal fight to the finish,” said Ampudia.
Toby Price, 38, and Paul Weel, 45, finished second in the SCORE Trophy Truck for the second consecutive race, driving their No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado Mason AWD Team Australia. The duo faced mechanical challenges with their transmission over the final 150 miles of the race.
Former NASCAR Trucks Series driver Justin Lofton, 39, secured third place in the ‘Desert Monsters’ with a time of 8 hours, 16 minutes, and 46 seconds—his best result so far in the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship—behind the wheel of his No. 41 Chevy 1500 Mason AWD.
A total of 177 race teams from 24 U.S. states, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, host country Mexico, as well as Argentina, England, Greece, New Zealand, Australia, India, and Ecuador took the green flag on Ensenada’s Boulevard Costero. Of those, 106 teams reached the finish line, resulting in a 60 percent finishing rate.
R.J. Stidham, 37, Phoenix, Ariz. took the checkered flag in the SCORE Trophy Truck 2WD class, ending the dominant run of Cameron Steele and Dave Mason Jr. Behind the wheel of the No. 78T Chevrolet Silverado Geiser Vigilante Racing Team, Stidham completed the course with an official time of 8 hours, 56 minutes, and 29 seconds.
This was Stidham and his team’s first SCORE race of the season, making a grand return after sitting out the previous two rounds. Their comeback was further highlighted by the absence of Tracy Poole, 53, Bozeman, Mont—the record-holding driver of the No. 78T truck—who is set to return for the BFGoodrich Tires 58th SCORE Baja 1000, scheduled for November 10–16 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Tim Herbst, 62, and Pat Dean, 57, returned to the podium after being forced to withdraw from June’s SCORE Baja 500 due to mechanical issues.
Piloting the No. 19T Ford Raptor 1 Nine Industries Terrible Herbst Motorsports, they finished second on the 427.64-mile race course with a time of 9 hours, 10 minutes, and 10 seconds—enjoying every mile through the stunning northern region of the Baja California peninsula.
Gustavo Vildosola Sr., 72, Mexicali, Mexico and Ricky Johnson, 61, El Cajon, Calif. secured their 15th consecutive victory in the SCORE Trophy Truck Legends class—a remarkable record within the organization founded 52 years ago by the late Mickey Thompson. The duo maintained a perfect season driving the No. 1L Ford Raptor Mason AWD Vildosola Racing.
Johnson started the race in Ensenada before handing over the wheel to Vildosola Sr. at race mile 250. Together, they ‘cooked up’ another class win for drivers aged 50 and over competing in Trophy Truck. The Vildosola Racing team posted an official time of 8 hours, 51 minutes, and 45 seconds.
Jason McNeil, 47, El Cajon, Calif. secured his first victory of the 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship, expertly piloting his No. 234 TSCO Chevy after recovering from a flat tire while navigating ‘The Goat Trail’ in Valley T.
McNeil stopped the clock at 8 hours and 43 minutes, earning his first podium finish of the year in SCORE. He engaged in a titanic battle against Justin Davis, 32, Chino Hills, Calif. throughout the 427.64-mile race course, with his son Conner serving as his navigator for the second half of the race.
