Online racer registration officially opens today for 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race
Round 2 of 2013 SCORE Desert Series to be held May 30-June 2 in Ensenada, Mexico;
Live drawing for starting positions, by class, on April 23 on Dirt Live internet show
Live drawing for starting positions, by class, on April 23 on Dirt Live internet show
SAN DIEGO—SCORE International’s new era continues as online racer registration officially opens today for one of the most popular motorsports events in the world–the 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race. Round 2 of the 2013 SCORE Desert Series will be held May 30-June 2 in Mexico’s Baja California Norte, starting and finishing in Ensenada, the seaside port on the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles south of San Diego.
SCORE is celebrating its 40th year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2013 and this race is traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule. Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s 45th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the original desert race produced by SCORE on July 26, 1974.
With 40 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, a live drawing for starting positions within each class will be held during the broadcast of Roger Norman’s Dirt Live internet show on Tuesday, April 23, airing on the SCORE website. The live drawing party and webcast will be held at the SCORE Tech shop in El Cajon, Calif., a suburb of San Diego. It will be open to all SCORE members.
The race will feature a course that includes new or seldom-used areas as several new festivities will be held surround the event as the celebration continues for the 40th season of SCORE International desert racing. In order to be included in the start drawing, entries must be received with full payment by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 22.
Official entries received after the drawing will be given the next available starting position within their respective classes. Late entries received after May 24 or registering on-site will be assessed a $200 late fee.
SCORE has also announced the pre-running on the race course will begin officially on Wednesday, May 8, except for the portion from the start to Ojos Negros (approximately 35 miles), which will be used in both directions during the race.
“Online racer registration was one of our major initiatives as we began the new era of SCORE desert racing this year and my wife Elise has worked tirelessly with the service program we use to streamline it and make it even more efficient than it was when we debuted it in January for last month’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250,” commented SCORE President Roger Norman. “We are putting together the elements to help make this anniversary celebration for the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 another extremely memorable experience for everyone involved.”
The new SCORE online racer registration system requires full payment of all entry fees based on four levels for cars and trucks, depending on the type of class a racer is attempting to enter and two for motorcycles and ATVs. Payment is accepted via credit card with payment by check allowed although with a check the entry is not official until the check is received and processed by SCORE.
Questions regarding SCORE racer registration should be directed to Elise Norman at 775.690.2306.
QUALIFYING…
For the first time in SCORE Baja racing history, qualifying for starting positions will be held. On Thursday, May 30, qualifying for both the SCORE Trophy Truck and the unlimited Class 1 will be held over a special course of approximately six miles tentatively scheduled to be near Ojos Negros. The April 23rd live drawing for these two classes will determine their qualifying order for May 30.
The drawing will also have a pre-draw (for qualifying order) for the top 12 finishers from this year’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 who have entered. While most entries in these two top classes are expected to qualifying, those who elect not to will be given the remaining start positions in the elapsed-time race based on the original drawing or entry into the race.
All vehicles that are part of qualifying will be taped for broadcast use on the ground and from the SCORE TV helicopter by Digital Media and Tempt Media Films.
GRANDEST GRAND…
Roger Norman has also announced that the grand marshal for this year’s 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be Sal Fish, the iconic godfather of desert racing, who was a vital part of the first 39 years the popular race was produced by SCORE. Fish, 73, sold SCORE International to Norman on Dec. 20, 2012.
A HAPPENING…
Colorful race week festivities will include several first-time events for SCORE, starting with qualifying for SCORE Trophy Truck and Class 1 followed by the SCORE Welcome Party fueled by Monster Energy in association with Tecate on Thursday, May 30 from 7 p.m. until midnight at the start/finish line area in the heart of Ensenada. With donations for Cruz Roja (Mexico’s Red Cross), the event will be preceded by a racer’s autograph party and vehicle display starting at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 31 will see the day-long, pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and contingency festival in the start finish line area in Ensenada.
On race days, Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, the Monster Energy Tecate SCORE VIP hospitality area will be part of the start/finish line compound. Tickets will be available for the VIP area which will include live streaming from the race course as well as updated leaderboard and internet tracking display of the race vehicles.
All of the week’s festivities will be aired both live and same-day including the race, on the Dirt Live SCORE race week shows, airing via the internet on the SCORE website.
IT’s DIRT, LIVE!
Roger Norman’s Dirt Live one-hour weekly show is broadcast live on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Pacific Time on the SCORE website. The show content is centered around his two desert racing series, the SCORE Desert Series and the High Desert Racing Association as well as the new bonus points program he has developed called the World Championship of Desert Racing. Broadcast studios are located at the SCORE tech shop in El Cajon, Calif., a suburb of San Diego.
DIRT LIVE CREW
Desert racing public address announcer George Antill is the host of Norman’s Dirt Live program. While being refined weekly, one of the regular elements of the show will be a SCORE social media interchange, allowing fans and racers to comment and ask questions through the SCORE Facebook and SCORE Twitter platforms. Another special segment each week is Tech Tips with either one of SCORE’s Tech co-director Jake Velasco and Art Savedra.
Andrew Grimshaw, SCORE Media Production Manager, is the coordinating producer of the show. The program is hosted on ustream.com, the world’s largest streaming internet site.
ON THE BAJAscope
In its 40th year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2013, the three-race 2013 SCORE Desert Series, with all three massive special events held in Baja California, Mexico. The season started with 27th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 (March 9-10). Both starting and finishing in Ensenada, the other two events on this year’s calendar will be the 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 (May 31-June 2) and the 46th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 (Nov. 14-17).
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF DESERT RACING
The 2013 SCORE Desert Series will also be part of the quickly-evolving World Championship of Desert Racing, which will combine points accumulated in the three SCORE Baja races along with points earned from three of the four-race 2013 HDRA Series, all held in the United States. Both the SCORE and HDRA series will crown their own individual class and overall point champions as well with a bonus purse for those racers who qualify for the World Championship of Desert Racing points bonus purse program to earn a desert racing World Champion title.
With a growing total, for the inaugural World Championship of Desert Racing bonus purse, an official total of $45,000 has been posted to date from new SCORE sponsors Amber Racing Services ($25,000), King Shocks ($10,000) and Rigid Industries ($10,000).
For car and truck classes with at least five starters in each qualifying race in 2013, the World Champion titles will be decided on combined points from the three SCORE races and three HDRA races with the bonus purse paid using the same formula based on total purse and number of starters in each class as is used currently for each SCORE race.
For the pro motorcycle and ATV classes, the World Championship of Desert Racing will include points earned in the three SCORE Baja races as well as the AMA National Hare and Hound race to be held during the HDRA Reno 500.
DAKAR CHALLENGE 2013
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and HDRA Reno 500 (July 12-14) are part of a special program where the combined best qualified car/truck finisher and combined best qualified motorcycle/ATV finisher will each receive special entry packages into the 2014 Dakar Rally in South America. Regulations and other information on Dakar Challenge 2013 are available at http://www.dakar.com/dakar/
MORE AWARDS…
In addition to season class point championships and World Championship titles, the racers are also competing for part of the nearly $400,000 in cash purse and contingency postings each race. There are also annual SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year Awards including the MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Award that also receives a $2,000 cash bonus and custom-made driver’s race suit. Drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also attempting to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the race season. These awards are being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 28th consecutive year.
NORMAN NOTES…
Norman acquired ownership of the world-renown SCORE International on Dec. 20, 2012 from Sal Fish, 73, the iconic godfather of desert racing who ran SCORE for 39 years.
As a hotel/casino owner in northern Nevada, business developer and a champion racer, Norman re-started the High Desert Racing Association, (HDRA) in 2011. HDRA was highly regarded when it was active originally in the 1980s and early 1990s. HDRA was actually bought out by Sal Fish in the early 90’s, thus making SCORE the dominant racing organization. Things have come full circle as HDRA owner, Norman, now buys SCORE.
In addition to business interests in both San Diego and Reno, Norman owns the Crystal Bay Casino in North Lake Tahoe, Nev. as well as Wide Open Excursions desert ride-n-drive tour company with branches in Ensenada, Mexico, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Reno, Nev.
Norman is a regular with his ‘Pit Stop with Roger’ segment on his new weekly webcast internet show on www.score-international.com-
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official Sponsors of the SCORE Desert Series are fueled by Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink: Tecate Beer-Official Beer/Official Race Sponsor, BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, Amber Racing Services-Official Race Fuels, Rigid Industries-Official Lights, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Coca-Cola-Official Soft Drink, Wide Open Excursions-Official Tour Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino, Volaris Airlines-Official Airline, MasterCraft Safety-Official Safety Seats, Fox Car Rental-Official Rent-A-Car, Graham Watchmakers-Official Timekeeper, SatellitePhoneStore.com-
Additional SCORE Sponsors are – Visit Baja California Sur, Proturismo Ensenada, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Blue C Advertising, PCI Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
For more information, visit the official website of the new SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.
SCORE is celebrating its 40th year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2013 and this race is traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule. Most the world’s best desert racers will be in action at this year’s 45th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the original desert race produced by SCORE on July 26, 1974.
With 40 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, a live drawing for starting positions within each class will be held during the broadcast of Roger Norman’s Dirt Live internet show on Tuesday, April 23, airing on the SCORE website. The live drawing party and webcast will be held at the SCORE Tech shop in El Cajon, Calif., a suburb of San Diego. It will be open to all SCORE members.
The race will feature a course that includes new or seldom-used areas as several new festivities will be held surround the event as the celebration continues for the 40th season of SCORE International desert racing. In order to be included in the start drawing, entries must be received with full payment by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 22.
Official entries received after the drawing will be given the next available starting position within their respective classes. Late entries received after May 24 or registering on-site will be assessed a $200 late fee.
SCORE has also announced the pre-running on the race course will begin officially on Wednesday, May 8, except for the portion from the start to Ojos Negros (approximately 35 miles), which will be used in both directions during the race.
“Online racer registration was one of our major initiatives as we began the new era of SCORE desert racing this year and my wife Elise has worked tirelessly with the service program we use to streamline it and make it even more efficient than it was when we debuted it in January for last month’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250,” commented SCORE President Roger Norman. “We are putting together the elements to help make this anniversary celebration for the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 another extremely memorable experience for everyone involved.”
The new SCORE online racer registration system requires full payment of all entry fees based on four levels for cars and trucks, depending on the type of class a racer is attempting to enter and two for motorcycles and ATVs. Payment is accepted via credit card with payment by check allowed although with a check the entry is not official until the check is received and processed by SCORE.
Questions regarding SCORE racer registration should be directed to Elise Norman at 775.690.2306.
QUALIFYING…
For the first time in SCORE Baja racing history, qualifying for starting positions will be held. On Thursday, May 30, qualifying for both the SCORE Trophy Truck and the unlimited Class 1 will be held over a special course of approximately six miles tentatively scheduled to be near Ojos Negros. The April 23rd live drawing for these two classes will determine their qualifying order for May 30.
The drawing will also have a pre-draw (for qualifying order) for the top 12 finishers from this year’s Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 who have entered. While most entries in these two top classes are expected to qualifying, those who elect not to will be given the remaining start positions in the elapsed-time race based on the original drawing or entry into the race.
All vehicles that are part of qualifying will be taped for broadcast use on the ground and from the SCORE TV helicopter by Digital Media and Tempt Media Films.
GRANDEST GRAND…
Roger Norman has also announced that the grand marshal for this year’s 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be Sal Fish, the iconic godfather of desert racing, who was a vital part of the first 39 years the popular race was produced by SCORE. Fish, 73, sold SCORE International to Norman on Dec. 20, 2012.
A HAPPENING…
Colorful race week festivities will include several first-time events for SCORE, starting with qualifying for SCORE Trophy Truck and Class 1 followed by the SCORE Welcome Party fueled by Monster Energy in association with Tecate on Thursday, May 30 from 7 p.m. until midnight at the start/finish line area in the heart of Ensenada. With donations for Cruz Roja (Mexico’s Red Cross), the event will be preceded by a racer’s autograph party and vehicle display starting at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 31 will see the day-long, pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and contingency festival in the start finish line area in Ensenada.
On race days, Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, the Monster Energy Tecate SCORE VIP hospitality area will be part of the start/finish line compound. Tickets will be available for the VIP area which will include live streaming from the race course as well as updated leaderboard and internet tracking display of the race vehicles.
All of the week’s festivities will be aired both live and same-day including the race, on the Dirt Live SCORE race week shows, airing via the internet on the SCORE website.
IT’s DIRT, LIVE!
Roger Norman’s Dirt Live one-hour weekly show is broadcast live on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Pacific Time on the SCORE website. The show content is centered around his two desert racing series, the SCORE Desert Series and the High Desert Racing Association as well as the new bonus points program he has developed called the World Championship of Desert Racing. Broadcast studios are located at the SCORE tech shop in El Cajon, Calif., a suburb of San Diego.
DIRT LIVE CREW
Desert racing public address announcer George Antill is the host of Norman’s Dirt Live program. While being refined weekly, one of the regular elements of the show will be a SCORE social media interchange, allowing fans and racers to comment and ask questions through the SCORE Facebook and SCORE Twitter platforms. Another special segment each week is Tech Tips with either one of SCORE’s Tech co-director Jake Velasco and Art Savedra.
Andrew Grimshaw, SCORE Media Production Manager, is the coordinating producer of the show. The program is hosted on ustream.com, the world’s largest streaming internet site.
ON THE BAJAscope
In its 40th year as the world’s foremost desert racing organization in 2013, the three-race 2013 SCORE Desert Series, with all three massive special events held in Baja California, Mexico. The season started with 27th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 (March 9-10). Both starting and finishing in Ensenada, the other two events on this year’s calendar will be the 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 (May 31-June 2) and the 46th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 (Nov. 14-17).
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF DESERT RACING
The 2013 SCORE Desert Series will also be part of the quickly-evolving World Championship of Desert Racing, which will combine points accumulated in the three SCORE Baja races along with points earned from three of the four-race 2013 HDRA Series, all held in the United States. Both the SCORE and HDRA series will crown their own individual class and overall point champions as well with a bonus purse for those racers who qualify for the World Championship of Desert Racing points bonus purse program to earn a desert racing World Champion title.
With a growing total, for the inaugural World Championship of Desert Racing bonus purse, an official total of $45,000 has been posted to date from new SCORE sponsors Amber Racing Services ($25,000), King Shocks ($10,000) and Rigid Industries ($10,000).
For car and truck classes with at least five starters in each qualifying race in 2013, the World Champion titles will be decided on combined points from the three SCORE races and three HDRA races with the bonus purse paid using the same formula based on total purse and number of starters in each class as is used currently for each SCORE race.
For the pro motorcycle and ATV classes, the World Championship of Desert Racing will include points earned in the three SCORE Baja races as well as the AMA National Hare and Hound race to be held during the HDRA Reno 500.
DAKAR CHALLENGE 2013
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and HDRA Reno 500 (July 12-14) are part of a special program where the combined best qualified car/truck finisher and combined best qualified motorcycle/ATV finisher will each receive special entry packages into the 2014 Dakar Rally in South America. Regulations and other information on Dakar Challenge 2013 are available at http://www.dakar.com/dakar/
MORE AWARDS…
In addition to season class point championships and World Championship titles, the racers are also competing for part of the nearly $400,000 in cash purse and contingency postings each race. There are also annual SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year Awards including the MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Award that also receives a $2,000 cash bonus and custom-made driver’s race suit. Drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also attempting to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the race season. These awards are being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 28th consecutive year.
NORMAN NOTES…
Norman acquired ownership of the world-renown SCORE International on Dec. 20, 2012 from Sal Fish, 73, the iconic godfather of desert racing who ran SCORE for 39 years.
As a hotel/casino owner in northern Nevada, business developer and a champion racer, Norman re-started the High Desert Racing Association, (HDRA) in 2011. HDRA was highly regarded when it was active originally in the 1980s and early 1990s. HDRA was actually bought out by Sal Fish in the early 90’s, thus making SCORE the dominant racing organization. Things have come full circle as HDRA owner, Norman, now buys SCORE.
In addition to business interests in both San Diego and Reno, Norman owns the Crystal Bay Casino in North Lake Tahoe, Nev. as well as Wide Open Excursions desert ride-n-drive tour company with branches in Ensenada, Mexico, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Reno, Nev.
Norman is a regular with his ‘Pit Stop with Roger’ segment on his new weekly webcast internet show on www.score-international.com-
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official Sponsors of the SCORE Desert Series are fueled by Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink: Tecate Beer-Official Beer/Official Race Sponsor, BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, Amber Racing Services-Official Race Fuels, Rigid Industries-Official Lights, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Coca-Cola-Official Soft Drink, Wide Open Excursions-Official Tour Company, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino, Volaris Airlines-Official Airline, MasterCraft Safety-Official Safety Seats, Fox Car Rental-Official Rent-A-Car, Graham Watchmakers-Official Timekeeper, SatellitePhoneStore.com-
Additional SCORE Sponsors are – Visit Baja California Sur, Proturismo Ensenada, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Blue C Advertising, PCI Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
For more information, visit the official website of the new SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.
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Category: Event/Series Announcements
