BFGoodrich® Tires Aims to Capture Its 26th SCORE Baja 1000 Title in 27 Years and Celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Historic Race
ENSENADA, Mexico (Nov. 9, 2012) – Next week, the SCORE Baja 1000 race celebrates its 45th anniversary and BFGoodrich® Tires is ready for the competition. Beginning in Ensenada, Mexico and ending in La Paz in Baja California Sur, the brutally-rugged 1121.55-mile race will showcase the off-road toughness of the BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A®KO tire, BFGoodrich® Mud-Terrain T/A®KM2, BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® and BFGoodrich® Baja T/A®KR. A win at the legendary off-road desert race would earn BFGoodrich® its 26th title in 27 years of racing.
BFGoodrich® has plenty of fire power when it comes to drivers who can bring home the win in this year’s race. Eight members of “Team BFGoodrich” are currently in the top 10 of the SCORE International Series points. SCORE Trophy Truck series stars from Team BFGoodrich will be vying for the victory including Andy and Scott McMillin who are looking to defend their title from last year, Bryce Menzies who is seeking his first SCORE Baja 1000 win after bringing home the past two SCORE Baja 500 titles and SCORE Trophy Truck points leader Rob MaCachren who looks to get a final win to clinch the championship.
“Competing in the SCORE Baja 1000 race is an extreme accomplishment for a driver”, said Silvia Mammone, motorsports marketing manager for BFGoodrich Tires. “As the official tire of the SCORE Baja 1000 race, we are celebrating its 45 years of success and wish all of those racing on BFGoodrich tires the best of luck.”
Some of the world’s best drivers come to Baja to compete in the world’s most grueling desert race, and they need a tire that can withstand the demands of the Baja Peninsula. In 2011, drivers who chose BFGoodrich® tires earned victories in 14 competing classes, as well as eight of the top 10 overall four-wheel spots, including the overall title by Andy and Scott McMillin in a Ford SCORE Trophy Truck.
“What to Watch” at the 45th Annual SCORE Baja 1000
- All in the family – The McMillin family has six members competing in the desert at this year’s race. Jessica, Mark, Dan, Luke, Scott and Andy McMillin, all descendants of the late off-road racing legend Corky McMillin, will all be participating. Team BFGoodrich racers Andy and Scott McMillin will be defending their title from last year and Andy will be looking for his fourth SCORE Baja 1000 win at 25 years of age.
- In it for the long “Hall” – Off-road Motorsports Hall of Famer and Team BFGoodrich member Rod Hall will be competing in his 45th consecutive SCORE Baja 1000. He is the only racer to have competed in every SCORE Baja 1000 since its inception and was a class winner of the inaugural race.
- The Decider – Like last year, the 45th Annual SCORE Baja 1000 will be the deciding race for the SCORE Trophy Truck Championship. In the lead is Team BFGoodrich member and five-time SCORE Baja 1000 winner Rob MacCachren. Only six points separate Rob from second place driver Juan C. Lopez.
BFGoodrich® Tires Pit and Communications Support Continues
BFGoodrich® Tires commitment to the growth of SCORE International and off-road racing does not end with its sponsorship extension or product support for numerous competitors in several classes. For the 2012 race, BFGoodrich® Tires will dedicate four full-service tractor-trailers to provide eight full-service pits and more than 220 volunteer and active personnel at pit areas located along the racecourse to support the more than 60 percent of the field that will compete on BFGoodrich tires. From the start to the finish line, BFGoodrich® Tires sets the standard for onsite pit and event support with the most extensive network available, including pit areas staffed with volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMTs), race mechanics, welders, fabricators and communications specialists — services which have been provided since 1981.
BFGoodrich® Tires support network also includes organization and mobilization of all parts, tires (as many as 14 per vehicle), fuel and equipment for any teams using BFGoodrich tires. The pit support network also includes satellite communications and mountain-top relay stations to coordinate race communications for teams running on BFGoodrich tires.
Track the Race with BFGoodrich® Tires Online
Those unable to witness the SCORE Baja 1000 from the desert can visit several websites that will allow fans to follow the entire race. Beginning at on Wed. Nov. 14, fans can log on to www.race-dezert.com/live
Fans Help Team BFGoodrich Drivers Get in the Driver’s Seat
For the third consecutive year, BFGoodrich® engaged fans as part of their “Select-the-Seats” program which awarded six Team BFGoodrich drivers a coveted spot in the SCORE Baja 1000 race and one lucky driver the opportunity to attend the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School, one of the top pavement racing schools in the country.
Fans rallied around their favorite Team BFGoodrich drivers on Facebook and voted Brad Lovell, Bud Brutsman, Kyle Tucker, Roger Lovell and SCCA champions Luke Wilwert and Michael Crawford as winners of the contest. Fan-favorite Rob MacCachren won the overall contest and a trip to the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School in Tooele, Utah to help enhance his racing skills in advance of this year’s race.
45th Annual SCORE Baja 1000 Information and BFGoodrich® Tires Winners
The car and truck classes will leave the starting line on Thursday Nov. 15, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. PT or four hours after the last ATV leaves the start line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and, while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 20 hours, all vehicles will have 45 hours to officially finish the legendary race.
This year’s event boasts more than 300 entries from 34 states and 23 countries. Racers are competing in 35 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. Since 1967, the preeminent desert race has been run over the mysterious and challenging Baja California peninsula, except in 1974 when the international fuel crisis forced a cancellation.
BFGoodrich® Tires Overall SCORE Baja 1000 Winners from past 25 years:
| 1986 | Mark McMillin/Ralph Paxton | Chenowth Porsche |
| 1987 | Bob Gordon/Malcolm Smith | Chenowth Porsche |
| 1988 | Mark McMillin | Chenowth Porsche |
| 1989 | Robby Gordon | Ford Pickup |
| 1990 | Bob Gordon/Robyn Gordon/Robby Gordon | Chenowth Chevy |
| 1991 | Larry Ragland | Chevy Pickup |
| 1992 | Paul Simon/Dave Simon | Ford Ranger |
| 1993 | Ivan Stewart | Toyota SR5 |
| 1994 | Jim Smith | Ford Pickup |
| 1995 | Larry Ragland | Chevy Pickup |
| 1996 | Larry Ragland | Chevy Pickup |
| 1997 | Larry Ragland | Chevy Pickup |
| 1998 | Ivan Stewart | Toyota Tundra |
| 1999 | Larry Ragland | Chevy Pickup |
| 2000 | Dan Smith/Dave Ashley | Ford Pickup |
| 2001 | Doug Fortin/Charlie Townsley Jr. | Jimco Chevy |
| 2002 | Dan Smith/Dave Ashley | Ford Pickup |
| 2003 | Doug Fortin/Charlie Townsley Jr. | Jimco Chevy |
| 2004 | Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler | Smith Built Ford |
| 2005 | Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler | Smith Built Ford |
| 2007 | Mark Post/Rob MacCachren/Carl Renezeder | Ford F-150 |
| 2008 | Roger Norman/Larry Roeseler | Ford F-150 |
| 2009 | Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin | Chevy Silverado |
| 2010 | Gus Vildosola Jr./Gus Vildosola Sr. | Ford F-150 |
| 2011 | Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin | Ford F-150 |
Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 40 years, BFGoodrich®Tires is involved in every type of racing, including sports car, drag, desert, dirt, rally and extreme rock crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle. Visit BFGoodrich Tires at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/
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Category: Press Releases
