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American Honda teammates Johnny Campbell and Tim Staab roared to an impressive overall motorcycle victory and the team of Doug Fortin and Charlie Townsley blasted their way to the overall four-wheel win late Friday at the 34th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the granddaddy of all desert races.

With racing finishing for the slower vehicles and classes late Saturday afternoon, the Campbell/Staab duo and the Fortin/Townsley team relaxed after defeating a field of 219 starters, competing in 25 classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

The event ended the five-race 2001 Duralast SCORE Desert Series campaign. Only 103 vehicles finished the grueling 677-miles over the rocky, rugged, tight, twisty and technically-challenging Baja California course within the 30-hour time limit in the elapsed time race.

Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., and Staab, of San Diego, overcame two potentially critical racing accidents to win the motorcycle portion of the race, covering the 667-miles over the challenging Baja California course on their Honda XR650R in a time of 13 hours, 51 minutes and 40 seconds. Averaging 48.84 miles per hour to also win the Class 22 title was remarkable considering the two accidents Campbell had within the first 150 miles of the race. Their dominating performance resulted in a victory margin of over54 minutes.

Fortin, La Mesa, Calif. and Townsley, of Las Vegas, on the other hand, had a flawless day in their Chevy-powered Jimco, to earn the overall four-wheel and the unlimited Class 1 titles in 14:35:42.With an average speed of 46.39 mph for a team racing together for the first time, their victory margin among four-wheel vehicles was an equally impressive split of over 39 minutes. Fortin, 31, and Townsley, 27, are both second-generation desert racers.

Honda, Campbell and Staab, all made desert racing history in the event. Campbell, 30, won the overall motorcycle title for a record fifth consecutive year and fourth with Staab, 23. Honda earned it's new standard by winning the overall motorcycle for a record 12th time in the 34-year history of the race.

"Nobody builds tougher bikes than Honda, and I'm living proof of that," said Campbell, who hit an ATV ridden by a spectator who wandered on the course at mile 100 and then 50 miles later smashed the front wheel on his Honda when he hit a cow that strayed onto the race course.

"I was going about 45 miles an hour in a wash when all of a sudden I see this cow's head come out from behind a bush and there was not time to react. The impact flipped me off the back and fortunately I landed on soft silt or I would have been hurt really bad. I was happy to turn over the bike to Tim and get some rest before getting back on at the Valley de Trinidad to ride to the finish."

Campbell and Staab outran their Honda teammates Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., and Jonah Street, Ellensburg, Wash. The Hengeveld/Street tandem entered the race with a two-race SCORE winning streak against the more experience Campbell/Staab team.

"It was a very, very rough SCORE Baja 1000, but we won so it made all the pain go away and it was all fun," said Fortin, who also won the overall four-wheel title in this race in 1997. "This course was so tight and technical, it definitely favored the lighter open-wheel cars over the trucks.

"It just doesn't get any better in this sport than to win the SCORE Baja 1000. I'm a little older now than in 1997 when I drive solo and Charlie did a masterful job running his section from Borrego around Mike's Sky Rancho and back to the Valley de Trinidad. Amazingly, none of the top three finishers had any flats, proving how Baja tough and well-designed BFGoodrich Tires are."

In what may be the last race of his career, Steve Sourapas, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., held his V6 Chevy-powered Jimco good enough to finished second overall and in Class 1 to the Fortin/Townsley duo.

Also among 16 starters in Class 1, San Diego-area brothers Scott, 41, and Mark McMillin, 45, finished third and fifth overall, sandwiching Jeff Quiin and Bob Gordon, who finished fourth overall and in Class 1. Scott McMillin finished in 15:25:42 in his Porsche-powered Porter while his older brother crossed the finish line on the outskirts of Ensenada in 15:42:04 in a Ford-powered Chenowth. Quinn, Irvine, Calif., and Gordon, Orange, Calif., finished in 15:39:20 in a Jimco.

After hitting a bolder and ripping off his entire front right wheel less than 20-miles into the race, Las Vegas' Troy Herbst climbed his way back from last (16th) in Class 1 to finish sixth overall in his Terrible Herbst Motorsports Ford-powered Smithbuilt race car. The finish earned him a SCORE record fifth consecutive Class 1 season championship.

In the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division, the team of David Ashley/Dan Smith of Riverside, Calif., finished ninth overall and won their class for the third straight race in the Duralast Ford F-150.

In Class 40 for motorcycle riders 40-years old and above, Chris Haines, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., and Las Vegas' Jack Johnson added to their Baja legend, riding to a class victory and a stellar third-place overall motorcycle finish on a Honda XR650 with Craig Adams, San Clemente, Calif. Haines now had eight career class wins and Johnson seven in the sport's oldest and most prestigious race.

Las Vegas' Rob MacCachren, drove his VW-powered Fraley to an incredible two-hour victory margin in Class 1-2/1600 for his fourth win of the year in the class which featured a race-high 23 starters in Baja. He also finished 15th overall among four-wheel vehicles.

In Class 5, George Seeley Jr., Glendale, Calif., won this race for the third in the class for unlimited VW baja bugs.

In the closest class struggle of the race, Mexico's Eric Fisher outdueled Cisco Bio, Spring Valley, Calif., to a narrow victory margin of just 45 seconds after racing for over 21 hours. Bio was attempting to go undefeated in the class after winning the first four races of the season.

Las Vegas' Danny Anderson won in Class 10 in a Toyota-powered Jimco, finishing seventh overall enroute to earning his second win of the season.

Other class winners in the legendary race included: Cory Susag, Dana Point, Calif., in Class 7S (Chevy S-10); Chad Hall, Reno, Nev. in Stock Full (AM General Hummer), Craig Turner, Yorba Linda, Calif. in Class 7 (Ford Ranger), Billy Bunch, La Quinta, Calif., in Class 3 (Jeep Cherokee); Clive Skilton, Orange, Calif., in Class 3I (Jeep Grand Cherokee), Nickk Vanderwey, Buckeye, Ariz., in Class 8 (Chevy Silverado) and Jerry Penhall, Costa Mesa, Calif. in SCORE Lite (Penhall).

Of special note, Israel's Team Etgarim, led by Eyal Yerushalmi and featuring four drivers who are all physically challenged and use hand controls to operate their Tomcar Sport, overcame an early-race rollover to courageously capture the special Sportsman Buggy International class, finishing in 27:18:36. The team was the first-ever entirely handicapped race team to compete in a SCORE race.

The Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 was taped by Shoemaker Productions to air in the U.S. on the Speedvision Network. First airings of the one-hour special will be Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. (PST) and Sunday, Dec. 23 at 10 a.m. (PST).

A total of 226 entries from 30 U.S. States, Canada, France, Israel, Japan and Mexico competed in this year's renewal of the legendary race.

With the 2001 season complete, the SCORE Awards Night will be held on Saturday, Dec. 8 in Las Vegas at the Orleans Hotel.

For more information, contact SCORE at (818) 225-8402, or visit the Score-International website.

34th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000

Final Round of Five-Race 2001 Duralast SCORE Desert Series 677 miles, Nov. 8-9, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico Total Entries: 226 Total Starters: 219 Total Finishers: 103

The Finishers

Pro Cars & Trucks

TROPHY-TRUCK (Unlimited Production Trucks)-1. David Ashley/Dan Smith, Riverside, Calif., Ford F-150, 16 hour, 45 minutes, 56 seconds (40.38 miles per hour) (NINTH OVERALL); 2. Brian Collins, Las Vegas/Larry Ragland, Phoenix, Chevy Silverado, 17:28:43; 3. Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Jerry Whelchel, Laguna Hills, Calif., Ford F-150, 17:28:54; 4. Jim Baldwin, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150, 17:51:35 (8 Starters, 4. Finishers)

CLASS 1 (unlimited single or two-seaters)-1. Doug Fortin, La Mesa, Calif./Charlie Townsley, Las Vegas, Jimco, 14:35:42 (46.39) (FIRST OVERALL FOUR-WHEEL VEHICLE); 2. Steve Sourapas, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Jimco, 15:15:19 (SECOND OVERALL); 3. Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif., Porter, 15:25:42 (THIRD OVERALL); 4. Jeff Quinn, Irvine, Calif./Bob Gordon, Orange, Calif., Jimco, 15:39:20 (FOURTH OVERALL); 5. Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., Chenowth, 15:42:04 (FIFTH OVERALL); 6. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas/Larry Roeseler, Hesperia, Calif., Smithbuilt, 16:13:03 (SIXTH OVERALL); 7 .Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico, Jimco, 16:36:15 (EIGHTH OVERALL); 8. Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., Jimco, 17:18:04 (TENTH OVERALL); 9. Jeff Lothringer, Laguna Hills, Calif., Lothringer, 20:10:05; 10. Willie Cummings, Tucson, Ariz., Jimco, 28:33:14 (16 Starters, 10 Finishers)

CLASS 1-2/1600 (single or two-seaters to 1600cc)-1. Rob MacCachren/Bruce Fraley, Las Vegas, Fraley, 18:45:57 (36.08); 2. Lorenzo Rodriguez, Covina, Calif., Lothringer, 20:45:34; 3. Bobby Altamirano, Phoenix, Jimco, 21:29:05; 4. Brian Ickler, Poway, Calif., Jimco, 22:54:00; 5. Jake Maness, Redstone, Colo., Jimco, 22:58:00; 6. Bill Lawrence, El Cajon, Calif., Varo, 23:03:38; 7. Steve Roberts, Bullhead City, Ariz., Lothringer, 23:50:05; 8. Tim Moore, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Lothringer, 23:54:52; 9. Valerio Gonzalez, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, Jimco, 25:04:51; 10. Jorge Sanchez, Mexicali, Mexico, Jimco, 27:46:15; 11. Humberto Rodriguez, Calexico, Calif., Chenowth, 28:27:08 (23 Starters, 11 Finishers)

CLASS 3 (Short wheelbase 4X4)-1. Billy Bunch, La Quinta, Calif./John Kearney, Murrieta, Calif., Jeep Cherokee, 27:07:39 (24.96) (4 Starters, 1 Finishers)

CLASS 3I (International Short wheelbase 4X4)-1. Clive Skilton/Gavin Skilton, Orange, Calif., Jeep Grand Cherokee, 24:10:57 (4 Starters, 1 Finishers)

CLASS 5 (Unlimited Baja Bugs)-1. George Seeley, Jr., Glendale, Calif., 19:53:41 (34.03); 2. Michael James, Alpine, Calif., 25:15:18 (4 Starters, 2 Finishers)

CLASS 5/1600 (1600cc Baja Bugs)-1. Marcos Nunez/Rivera Nuza, Ensenada, 21:12:48 (31:91); 2. Ernesto Arambula, Ensenada, Mexico, 23:36:22; 3. Daniel Gutierrez, Chula Vista, Calif., 25:33:04; 4. Allan Gregory, Alpine, Calif., 26:55:16; 5. Fernando Orozco, Ensenada, Mexico, 28:29:46 (15 Starters, 5 Finishers)

CLASS 7 (Open mini trucks)-1. Craig Turner, Yorba Linda, Calif./Tim Javorik, Fullerton, Calif., Ford Ranger, 24:43:52 (27.37); 2. Enrique Guerrero, Ensenada, Ford Ranger, 28:10:21; 3. Hector Salazar, Chula Vista, Calif., Ford Ranger, 28:29:18 (7 Starters, 3 Finishers)

CLASS 7S (Stock mini trucks)-1. Cory Susag, Dana Point, Calif./Doug Siewert, Oceanside, Calif., Chevy S-10, 26:03:43 (25.98) (7 Starters, 1 Finishers)

CLASS 8 (Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks)-1. Nick Vanderwey/Larry Venderwey, Buckeye, Ariz., Chevy Silverado, 23:12:19 (29.17); 2. Jesse Jones, Phoenix, Chevy pickup, 28:41:34 (7 Starters, 2 Finishers)

CLASS 9 (Short wheelbase, single or two-seaters)-1. Eric Fisher/Hector Sarabia, Ensenada, Garibay, 21:59:24 (30.79); 2. Cisco Bio, Spring Valley, Calif., Tubular Design, 22:00:09; 3. Ivan Gomez, Mexicali, Raceco, 26:24:12; 4. Ed McLean, Severna Park, Md., Jimco, 27:39:27 (8 Starters, 4 Finishers)

CLASS 10 (Single or two-seaters to 1650cc)-1. Danny Anderson, Las Vegas, Ben Schlimme, Manhattan Beach, Jimco, 16:24:52 (41.24)(SEVENTH OVERALL); 2. Mark Hutchins, Henderson, Nev., Jimco, 18:23:07; 3. Steve Myers, Newport Beach, Calif., Jimco, 19:08:55; 4. Jose Conchola, Chula Vista, Calif., Lothringer, 23:14:42 (12 Starters, 4 Finishers)

SCORE LITE (Limited single 1776cc or two seaters 1835cc)-1. Jerry Penhall, Costa Mesa, Calif./L.J. Kennedy, Penhall, 19:23:11 (34.92); 2. Vic Bruckmann, Lemon Grove, Calif., Jimco, 20:55:41; 3. Matias Arjona, Ensenada, Mexico, Neth, 21:40:19; 4. Ty Goode, Palmdale, Calif., Moulton, 21:42:08; 5. Ron Dalke, Tucson, Ariz., Tatum, 28:15:40 (12 Starters, 5 Finishers)

CLASS 11 (Stock VW Sedans)-1. NO FINISHERS (1 Starter, 0 Finishers)

STOCK MINI (Stock mini trucks)-1. NO FINISHERS (2 Starters, 0 Finishers)

STOCK FULL (Stock full sized trucks)-1. Chad Hall, Reno, Nevada, AM General Hummer, 22:22:16 (30.26); 2. Marc Stein, San Diego, Ford Expedition, 22:39:50; 3. Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., AM General Hummer, 24:53:09; 4. John Griffin, Mission Viejo, Calif., AM General Hummer, 27:01:20; 5. Al Hogan, Columbus, Mont., Ford F-150, 28:33:59 (8 Starters, 5 Finishers)

SS/TRUCK (Limited Production Trucks)-1. Ryan Herzog/Greyson Smith, Long Beach, Calif., Ford F-150, 22:11:02 (30.51); 2. Alan Pflueger, Honolulu, Chevy Silverado, 23:46:04; 3. Steve Scaroni, Heber, Calif., Ford F-150, 24:19:12 (3 Starters, 3 Finishers)

Protruck (Limited Production Trucks)-1. Scott Steinberger, Cypress, Calif./Dane Cardone, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford F-150, 19:48:23 (34.18); 2. Bob Kittleson, Palm Springs, Calif., Ford F-150, 24:58:51 (4 Starters, 2 Finishers)

BAJA CHALLENGE (Limited identical open wheel cars)-1. Andrew Hassard/Greg Roarke, North Bend, Wash., 24:46:07 (27.33); 2. Blake Sherrod, Birmingham, Ala., 28:21:32; 3. Matt Aulteerson, Cherry Hills, Colo., 29:00:36 (6 Starters, 3 Finishers)

Pro Motorcycles

CLASS 21 (126cc to 250cc)-1. J. David Ruvalcaba, Ensenada, Mexico/Steve Cruz, Chula Vista, Calif., Yamaha 250, 16:53:11 (40.09) (2 Starters, 1 Finisher)

CLASS 22 (250cc or more)-1. Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif./Tim Staab, San Diego, Honda XR650R, 13:51:40 (48.84) (FIRST OVERALL MOTORCYCLE); 2. Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif./Jonah Street, Ellensburg, Wash., Honda XR650R, 14:46:01; 3. Jose Meza, Fresno, Calif., Honda XR650, 20:58:28; 4. Kurt Steffien, Long Beach, Calif., Honda XR650, 26:24:42 (5 Starters, 4 Finishers)

CLASS 30 (Riders over 30 years)-1. Ricardo Malo, Mexicali, Mexico/Fred Willert, San Diego/Sergio Vega/Mike Barnhill, Honda XR650, 16:13:22 (41.72); 2. Rudolfo Iribe, San Diego, Honda XR650R, 16:57:54; 3. Roy Buelna, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda XR650, 18:21:12; 4. Gerardo Garcia, Tapalpa, Mexico, Honda XR650, 18:35:40; 5. Mikey Martin, Garden Grove, Calif., XR650, 21:40:06; 6. Eddie Zeller, Coronado, Calif., Yamaha, 27:05:15 (8 Starters, 6 Finishers)

CLASS 40 (Riders over 40)-1. Chris Haines, Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Craig Adams, San Clemente, Calif./Jack Johnson, Las Vegas, Honda XR650, 16:09:52 (41.88); 2. Jim O'Neal, Chatsworth, Calif., Honda XR650, 16:13:10; 3. Leonel Vallejo, Rosarito, Mexico, Suzuki, 20:30:56 (4 Starters, 3 Finishers)

CLASS 50 (Riders over 50)-1. Richard Jackson, Acton, Calif./Bob Wadlow, Temple City, Calif., Honda XR650R, 18:33:18 (36.49); 2. Sam Dempsey/Gene Dempsey, Van Nuys, Calif., Honda XR650R, 26:08:50 (3 Starters, 2 Finishers)

Pro ATVs

CLASS 24 (250cc or less)-1. NO FINISHERS (2 Starters, 0 Finishers)

CLASS 25 (251cc or more)-1. Carmen Cafro, Vista, Calif./Earl Thigpen, Murrieta, Calif., Honda 250R, 18:45:00 (36.12) (FIRST OVERALL ATV); 2. John Gregory Chula Vista, Calif., Honda, 20:03:03; 3. Greg Row, Spring Valley, Calif., Bombardier, 20:08:39; 4. Glen Walraven, Dallas, Ga., Honda, 23:27:15; 5. Enrique Felix, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda, 24:29:38; 6. Brent Tower, Dawsonville, Ga., Bombardier, 24:32:24 (9 Starters, 6 Finishers)

Sportsman (Top Three per Class)

SPT BUGGY-1. Marq Prince, Laguna Beach, Calif., Raceco, 24:54:28 (27.18) (6 Starters, 1 Finishers)

SPT BUGGY INT'L-1. Eyal Yerushalmi/Yossi Barda, Israel, Tomcar Sport, 27:18:36 (24.79) (1 Starter, 1 Finisher)

SPT TRUCK-1. Mark Floyd/Don Floyd, Midland, Texas, AM General Hummer, 26:55:00 (25.15); 2. Richard Czerlau, Canada, Jeep, 27:48:27 (3 Starters, 2 Finishers)

SPT M/C SPT M/C>250cc-1. Alejandro Vizcaino, La Paz, Mexico, Honda XR650R, 17:21:27 (39.00); 2. Fred Brown, Rural Retreat, Va., Honda XR650, 18:47:57; 3. Phillip Yeager, Austin, Texas, Honda XR650, 20:38:19 (18 Starters, 7 Finishers)

SPT ATV-1. Javier Robles, Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, Yamaha Raptor, 25:02:29 (27.04); 2. Brian Salley, Encinitas, Calif., Bombardier, 28:07:29 (4 Starters, 2 Finishers)

For more information, contact SCORE at (818) 225-8402, or visit the Score-International website.

The list of favorites is long and talented as 67 racers with a combined 177 class wins will lead a massive starting grid into this weekend's historic 35th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race.

Starting and finishing in Ensenada, 60 miles south of San Diego on Mexico's Baja California peninsula, the popular event is Round 3 of the six-race SCORE Desert Series, the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series.

Led by Larry Roeseler's even dozen, the entry list for this SCORE classic includes nine racers who have combined for 21 overall crowns in the storied event. Roeseler, 42, of Hesperia, Calif., has 10 overall victories, a record nine on a motorcycle along with his first four-wheel win he bagged last year with Las Vegas' Troy Herbst. Herbst, 36, who has four class wins in this race and Roeseler, will race again this year in the unlimited Class 1 in the No. 100 Terrible Herbst Motorsports Ford-powered Smithbuilt open-wheel desert race car.

Leading the motorcycle entries is the American Honda Factory team of Steve Hengeveld, 27 of Oak Hills, Calif., and Johnny Campbell, 32 of San Clemente, Calif., who each have three overall two-wheel victories in this event on the No. 1x Honda XR650R. Hengeveld started his winning ways in this race in 1995 by winning Class 21 (motorcycles under 250cc) to give him four class wins.

This weekend, SCORE, celebrating its 30th year of producing championship desert racing, will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first SCORE desert race ever held in Mexico.

When final pre-race registration is complete, over 270 entries, from 15 U.S. states, Canada, France, Japan and Mexico, competing in 24 Pro and five Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, are expected to take the green flag.

Attempting to cover a 452.93-mile race course, motorcycle/ATV classes will be first off the starting line at 6 a.m. on Saturday, followed two hours later by the car/truck classes. In the elapsed-time race, vehicles will leave the start line adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico convention center in downtown Ensenada, one every 30-seconds. There will be an 18-hour time limit to be an official finisher in the event. The grueling race will finish on the Northeast outskirts of town at the end of Avenida Ruiz.

SCORE launched its venerable, long-standing tenure in Baja California, Mexico, on July 26, 1974, with an open desert race in Ensenada called the SCORE Baja Internacional. This popular race, now held regularly the first weekend in June, has become the SCORE Baja 500. It will be held for the 35th time this year. (It was produced from 1969 through 1974 by the old NORRA racing organization).

Started in 1973, when it was founded by the late Mickey Thompson, SCORE continues today under the direction of Sal Fish as the world's leading sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is most famous for its flagship event -- the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Pre-race festivities for the 35th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will center around the Riviera del Pacifico convention center in downtown Ensenada on Friday.

Traditionally drawing thousands of spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer's Midway and display off all the race vehicles will be held adjacent to the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. The post-race awards celebration will be held at the Riviera del Pacifico on Sunday at 10 a.m.

Among the entries in this year's race is Richard Jackson, Acton, Calif., who has 10 class wins in this summer classic. Jackson is once again entered in Class 50 for motorcycle riders over 50, where he has won three straight years on his No. 500 Honda XR650.

Noted apparel manufacturer Jim O'Neal, 56 of Chatsworth, Calif., who made history last year in this race by winning both Class 30 and Class 40 age-group motorcycle classes, returns to defend only the Class 40 title this year on his No. 400 Honda XR650.

Eric Allen, 20 of San Marcos, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, 21of Carlsbad, Calif., who lead Class 1-2/1600 and the SCORE Overall point standings after two races, will start 11th out of 26 cars entered so far in their No. 1611 Jimco-VW.

Second in overall points is Mexico's Eli Yee, who leads Class 10 after two straight wins in his No. 1005 Jimco-Honda. Yee will start fourth in his class, which has 19 entries to date.

Besides defending overall championships Herbst/Roeseler, leading the field in the unlimited Class 1 is the team of Dale Ebberts, 32 of Canyon Lake Calif./Ernie Castro Jr., 35 of Newport Beach, Calif., in their Inland Truss Racing No. 131 Jimco-Toyota, is unbeaten after two races this season. Ebberts drove solo to win the season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge (Jan. 19-20) and the pair split the driving to win Class 1 at the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 (March 15).

Mark Miller and Ryan Arciero, in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division, and Adam Neuwirth, in Class 22 for open motorcycles, have drawn the first starting positions. SCORE's computerized drawing for starting positions was held on May 2.

In a motorsport where there is no qualifying for starting positions, the drawing is significantly important.

Driving the No. 81 Chevy Silverado, Miller/Arciero will lead the car and truck classes while Neuwirth, racing on the No. 2x Honda XR650R, will lead the motorcycle and ATV field into the challenging and unforgiving desert in Baja California, Mexico.

Miller won the SCORE Trophy-Truck class last year, teaming with five-time race winner Larry Ragland. Ragland, 60 of Phoenix, will drive this year in the Protruck class. Ragland has five class wins in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, including three overall titles.

A formidable field of 13 high-tech, 750-horsepower SCORE Trophy-Trucks are entered to date in the marquee SCORE racing division, but the largest entry fields so far are the unlimited Class 1 (32), Class 1-2/1600 (26), Class 5/1600 (23), Class 10 (19), and SCORE Lite (18).

The oldest driver in the race-veteran Corky McMillin, 74, of Bonita, Calif. -- will start first in Class 1, which has an event-record 32 vehicles entered to date. McMillin and his long-time co-driver Brian Ewalt, 43 of Chula Vista, Calif., drive the McMillin Racing No. 101 Chenowth-Ford open-wheel desert race car. Class 1 starts second, behind SCORE Trophy-Truck and the 32 entries in the class is the most since SCORE combined the old Class 1 and Class 2 into just one unlimited class for single or two-seaters in 1990.

Among the other early entries in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck for unlimited production trucks are teams of Mexico's Gus Vildosola/Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas, Las Vegas brothers Ed and Tim Herbst and Dan Smith/Dave Ashley, of Riverside, Calif.

Vildosola/MacCachren are the SCORE Trophy-Truck point leaders after two races in the Vildsola Racing No. 4 Ford F-150. The Herbst brothers, whose Terrible Herbst Motorsports is the only team to win three SCORE Trophy-Truck season point crowns, will drive the No. 1 Ford F-150.

Smith and Ashley, the all-time SCORE multiple season class point champions with 24 (Smith-14, Ashley-10), won the SCORE Trophy-Truck division in 2001 at the 2001 Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in the Enduro Racing No. 8 Ford F-150.

SCORE official sponsors for 2003 are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Southern California Ford Dealers-official vehicle, 76 Racing Fuel-official fuel and Rental Service Corporation-official equipment supplier. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca Cola of Mexico, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Bilstein Shocks, Signpros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's, Off-Road Innovations and Advanced Color Graphics.

Additional associate sponsors for both the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and November's 36th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are Cotuco and Fondo Mixto Turistica de Ensenada. v After this weekend's Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the 2003 SCORE Desert Series returns to the U.S. for Rounds 4 and 5 in the Southern Nevada desert.

The 2nd Annual SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 will be held July 9-12 with pre-race festivities in Henderson, Nev., and the actual race in Boulder City, Nev.

Round 5 will be the 8th Annual SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, Sept. 12-13, in Primm, Nev., 35 miles south of Las Vegas at the Nevada/California border.

For more information, contact SCORE at (818) 225-8402, or visit the Score-International web site.