The Baja 500 is awesome. Bikes, trucks, buggies, cars and ATV’s, it’s an off-roader’s haven for speed enthusiasts. Although the entries are significantly down from last year, because of raging gas prices and bandito problems, the Baja still has that intangible spark and flare that makes this race so great. Sal Fish has switched up his gears this year and decided to make this race the toughest of the SCORE series. Call it mission accomplished! All the top riders agreed, from bikes to cars, this was by far the toughest Baja race in many years.

With KTM pulling out of this years Baja 500 for unknown reasons, the Factory Honda JCR squad was the team to beat. With previous Baja winners Robby Bell and Kendall Norman on one team and the new desert squad of Timmy Weigand and Caleb Gosselaar on the other, it was going to be hard to match their pace.

COURSE: TOTAL MILEAGE: 441.15 miles (4 checkpoints).
Starts and finishes in downtown Ensenada on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural, marking the first time this race has ever FINISHED on Blvd. Costero. Starting and finishing in Ensenada, this year’s tight and technical course will run in a clockwise direction for the third straight year. It includes a wide variety of terrain and over 100 miles hasn’t be run for over a decade in this race along with over 30 miles that has never been raced on in previous years., The course runs East to Ojos Negros area (race mile 40), South to El Alamo (rm70) then East and Northeast up over the 5,000-foot Summit (rm120), South into the Laguna Salada desert (rm 160) running parallel to the Sea of Cortez to Borrego (rm206) and then back Northwest, Southwest past the Mike’s Sky Ranch turnoff, North to near Valle de la Trinidad (rm268), followed by a West travel section, turning north, then East, North and back West for the final charge back into Ensenada. The first 42.6 miles will be used both outgoing and incoming. The course also includes the traditional 30-plus mile run along the shores of the Pacific Ocean from race-mile 314 to 344. There are a total of four pavement areas on the course, totaling less than 15 miles, with a maximum speed limit of 60 miles per hour.

Checkpoints: CK1-Santa Catarina, rm91.51; CK2-Borrego, rm206.11; CK3-San Vicente Vineyards, rm304.16; CK4-Rancho San Antonio, rm398.53.

PRE AND POST RACE SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, May 29, 2008–(all times PDT)
Racer Registration, San Nicolas Hotel, 1p.m.-6 p.m.
Media Registration, San Nicolas Hotel, 2p.m.-6p.m.
El Vigia Meet the Racers Fiesta, Ventana Al Mar, 1p.m.-10p.m.

FRIDAY, May 30, 2008–(all times PDT)
Racer Registration, San Nicolas Hotel, 9a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Media Registration, San Nicolas Hotel, 9a.m.-5p.m.
Contingency/Tech Inspection, adjacent to San Nicolas Hotel, 10a.m.-6p.m.
Mandatory Racer Meeting, Cathedral Room, Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center, 7p.m.

SUNDAY, June 1, 2008–(all times PDT)
Posting of Unofficial Results-San Nicolas Hotel, 8a.m.
Competition Review Board-San Nicolas Hotel, 9a.m.
Awards Celebration-San Nicolas Hotel, 10a.m.

CROSSOVER/ CELEBRITY RACERS:

Among the crossover/celebrity racers entered in this year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 are: Robby Gordon, NASCAR Team Owner/Driver (No. 77 SCORE Trophy-Truck) Armin Schwarz, 119 World Rally Championship starts (No. 108 Class 1) Cameron Steele, TV Sports Announcer-Supercross, X-Games (No. 16 SCORE Trophy-Truck) Jesse James, West Coast Choppers, star of old Monster Garage TV show (No. 54 SCORE Trophy-Truck) Ken Losch, Indy Lights Team owner/driver (No. 253 Protruck) Armin Kremer, champion German Rally racer (No. 121, Class 1) Barbara Terry, national automotive journalist (No. 1209 SCORE Lite) Timmy Weigand, national motocross veteran (No. 13x, Class 22) Brent Harden, 2006 AMA District 37 Enduro Series champion (No. 8x, Class 22)