ENSENADA, Baja California, Mexico — After a week full of adventures and unique moments in the magical deserts of Baja California, Team Australia of Toby Price and Paul Weel was officially named the overall winner of the cars in the BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 500.
In motorcycles, that honor went to the Hero Racing team of Arturo Salas Jr., Carter Klein and Ciaran Naran.
A 482.97-mile race course was the challenge for the 254 race teams taking part in the second round of 2024 SCORE World Desert World Championship, with 169 crossing the finish line set up on Ensenada’s Boulevard Costero, for a 66.54 finisher percentage.
Aboard their all-wheel drive No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado (built by Mason Motorsports), Price and Weel completed the challenge in an official time of 9 hours, 20 minutes and 22 seconds, making this the first absolute success for both of them in Score International and in the SCORE Trophy Truck with Price a two-time winner of the Dakar Rally in motorcycles, added to his winning record in the sport.
Gustavo Vildosola Jr. was second in the SCORE Trophy Truck in the SCORE Baja 500, driving his Ford Raptor Vildósola Racing No. 21 with a time of 9 hours, 27 minutes and 9 seconds, making it his second podium in a row this season.
Meanwhile, Salas, Klein and Naran took the checkered flag in the Pro Moto Unlimited class, stopping the clock in 10 hours, 36 minutes, and 2 seconds in the motorcycle No. 11x Honda CRF450X. It was the third consecutive overall motorcycle victory for the youthful Salas in the SCORE Baja 500.
Salas indicated that he ran out of gas on his Honda motorcycle in the Valle de la Trinidad.
“I had that problem, but fortunately some fans gave me gas, they were on the hill, although I had to walk the bike about two or three miles,” he said. “Unfortunately, that cost me to be overtaken by Justin (Morgan). In general, the bike was very good all day, so we did a great job in this race”.
Gustavo Vildósola Sr. and Ricky Johnson scored their 10th consecutive SCORE Trophy Truck Legends victory in a row with the fifth fastest overall time of 9 hours, 51 minutes and 48 seconds in their No. 1L Ford Raptor Mason.
“It was just a great, clean day,” commented Vildosola at the finish line. “Ricky (Johnson, co-driver) started the race and had absolutely no problems until he handed it to me. And I didn’t have any flats or mechanical issues either. It was just one of those days when everything runs how it’s supposed to. I’m very excited because my team and my family are here”.
In the Trophy Truck Spec class, Justin Davis won the SCORE Baja 500 with an official time of 10 hours, 6 minutes and 8 seconds in his Green Army Team No. 285 TSCO-Chevy.
Polaris Team Strikes Again In Baja
The official Polaris team conquered the SCORE Baja 500 in the Pro UTV Open class, thanks to the surgical driving of Cayden MacCachren, who started first and held the lead for most of the race in his Polaris RZR Pro R, after 10 hours, 36 minutes and 42 seconds of thrills through Baja’s magical terrain. It was his third straight Overall UTV win and Pro UTV Open title in SCORE Baja racing.
The Vera Brothers Attacked, Once Again In Score
Francisco Vera and Alexis Vera were the winners in Class 10 of the SCORE Baja 500, crossing the finish line aboard their Alumicraft buggy after 10 hours, 42 minutes and 49 seconds, while Class 11 went to Oliver Flemate and Antonio Espinoza, who added their seventh SCORE victory in a row.
The Pro UTV Forced Induction Class was won by Phil Blurton, who drove his Can-Am Maverick R without a relay at the wheel over the 482.97-mile race course, making his feat even greater with a time of 12 hours, 5 minutes and 51 seconds.
BFGoodrich Tires Rule The Baja
BFGoodrich Tires, the official tire of SCORE for 48 years, won the SCORE Baja 500 overall, a feat it has accomplished in 36 of the last 56 editions of the race. It awarded a special $10,000 bonus to Team Australia’s Toby Price and Paul Weel for winning the second round of the 2024 SCORE Desert World Championship.