SCORE International
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(December 2010) |
 | |
| Category | Off-road racing |
|---|---|
| Country | United States Mexico |
| Inaugural season | 1973 |
| Official website | score-international |
SCORE International(SouthernCaliforniaOffRoadEnthusiasts) is anoff-road racingsanctioning body in the sport ofdesert racing.Founded byMickey Thompsonin 1973, SCORE International was purchased fromSal Fish[1]in late 2012.[2]and is run by its current president and race director Jose A. Grijalva and General Manager Juan Tintos.
The sanctioning body's premier series is the SCORE World Desert Championship, which consists of four races inBaja California peninsula:theSan Felipe 250,Baja 500,Baja 400,andBaja 1000.[3]
Race format
[edit]Vehicles are released from the start line individually, in gaps of 60 seconds betweenTrophy TrucksandClass 1racers then 30 seconds for all other classes.[4]
Bajaraces includemotorcyclesandquad 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.GPStracking 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 (if a vehicle in the class finishes) 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. For example, the vehicle number for the Class 1 champion would be No. 100 while the Trophy Truck champion can run No. 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.
Starting withRoger Norman's purchase of SCORE in 2012, vehicle numbers have become permanently assigned to each driver. Numbers 1–9 are reserved for the prior year's driver standings in those respective positions, while 10–99 are available for assignment. Drivers 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 legendIvan "Ironman" Stewartwas the first racer to complete this feat in 1975,[5]capturing his firstBaja 500win before winning the 1976Baja 1000under this format.
Course terrain is primarily off-road in remote areas, thoughhighwaysegments are used when an alternate off-road route is unavailable. Some classes like Moto, Quad, and Class 11 run different routes from others that bypass certain locations.[6][7]
Yearly races
[edit]| Race | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| San Felipe 250 | San Felipe,Baja California,Mexico | One loop, approximately 250 miles |
| Baja 500 | Ensenada,Baja California,Mexico | One loop, approximately 500 miles |
| Baja 400 | Ensenada,Baja California,Mexico | One loop, approximately 400 miles |
| Baja 1000 | Ensenada,Baja California,Mexico | One loop, approximately 1,000 miles |
Vehicle classes
[edit]Cars and Trucks
[edit]- 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. (1600cc)
- 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. (1600cc)
- SCORE Class 6:V6 powered tube chassis trucks
- SCORE Class 7:Open mini trucks.
- SCORE Class 7S:Stock mini trucks. (3000cc)
- SCORE Class 7SX:Modified mini trucks. (4000cc)
- SCORE Class 8:Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks.
- SCORE Class 9:Short wheelbase, open-wheel. single-or two-seaters. (1600cc)
- SCORE Class 10:Open-wheel single or two-seaters. (2000cc)
- SCORE Class 11:StockVWSedans. (1600cc)
- SCORE LitesClass 12:VWlimited open-wheel. single seat (1776cc) or two-seaters (1835cc).
- SCORE Class 17:Production short wheelbase 4x4 ModifiedJeeps.
- SCORE Stock Full:Stock full-sized trucks.
- SCORE Stock Mini:Stock mini trucks. (4300cc)
- 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- SCORE Class 24:250cc or less.
- SCORE Class 25:251cc or more.
- SCORE Class 26:Limited utility ATV
In media
[edit]A documentary about the 2003 Baja 1000 titledDust to Glorywas released in 2005.[8]A sequelDust 2 Glory,which covers the 2016 race, came out in 2017.[9]
SCORE International lent its name to the 2008 video gameSCORE International Baja 1000.It was released onMicrosoft Windows,PlayStation 2,PlayStation 3,Wii,andXbox 360.[10]
In 2015, SCORE International opted to air their three original television series,Roost,Guerrero,andSCORE International Off-Road Racingon digital video-on-demand platform, CarbonTV.[11]
SCORE International licensed a burger restaurant (SCORE Baja Burgers & Beer[12]) inChula Vista, California,United States.
References
[edit]- ^SCORE International (May 1, 2009)."Sal Fish Throws First Pitch at Dodgers Game".motorcycleusa.Retrieved2011-01-19.
SCORE International CEO/President Sal Fish
- ^"Sal Fish sells SCORE International: New owner, desert racer Roger Norman, has big plans".Autoweek.19 December 2012.Retrieved2015-12-28.
- ^"SCORE releases 2022 World Desert Champion Schedule".SCORE International(Press release). Performance Racing. July 9, 2021.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^SCORE International Off-Road Racing Rules and Regulations 2011-2015.
- ^"Racing Heroes – Ivan" Ironman "Stewart | Hemmings Daily".Hemmings Motor News.Retrieved2015-12-28.
- ^"AMU: Jacques Struwig Richmond preview".Motorsport.Motorsport Network.May 9, 2005.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^Nguyen, Justin (November 22, 2021)."2021 Baja 1000 sees Rossi's first, Beetlemania".The Checkered Flag.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^Dupuis, Kelley (April 22, 2005).""Dust to Glory" a Movie About the Baja 1000 ".La Prensa San Diego.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^Dorr, Bryon (November 8, 2017)."'Dust 2 Glory' Movie Review: The sequel will make you want to eat dust like never before ".Autoweek.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^Geddes, Ryan (November 5, 2008)."Score International Baja 1000 Review".IGN.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^"CarbonTV Search: score".CarbonTV.Retrieved2016-02-08.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Score Baja Burgers and Beer".scorebajaburgersandbeer.Archived fromthe originalon 2017-09-22.Retrieved2015-12-28.
Further reading
[edit]- SCORE International (2011). "2011-2015 Off-Road Racing Rules and Regulations".
- SCORE International. "2009 New Classes & Existing Class Rule Amendments"