WHAT:
36th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race
Final event of the six-race 2003 SCORE Desert Series

WHEN:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, November 19-22, 2003

WHERE:
Ensenada-Baja California, Mexico (65 miles south of U.S./Mexico Border)

WHO:
Over 270 entries from 28 U.S. States, Washington, D.C., and 10 countries

COURSE: TOTAL MILEAGE: 805 miles (13 checkpoints). Starts in downtown Ensenada adjacent to the Riviera Convention Center, finishing for the first time in the Deportivo Antonio Palacios basetball stadium in downtown Ensenada.

Running in a counterclockwise direction, the course heads east and then south out of town to Ojos Negros and onto the Valle de Trinidad. That first 109.5 miles is part of both the outgoing and incoming race course. It turns southwest, travelling up through Mike's Sky Ranch and west to Highway 1 at K168 (race mile 204.9). It then heads southeast and then south back to Hwy 1 at K104 (rm 305.4), running on Hwy 1 until K127 (rm 319.2). It runs south, then west to the Pacific Ocean, running along the coast to just about Fish Camp (rm 391.23), turning northwest back to Hwy 1 at K168 (rm 437.84). From there, the course runs south on Hwy 1 to K233 (rm 478.46) where it turns east to head past Coco's Corner and then north along the Sea of Cortez, past the outskirts of San Felipe and up to Hwy 3 where it turns west and northwest to work it's way back to Valle De Trinidad (rm 696.9). From there its north/northwest to the finish.

PRE/POST RACE SHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 19--(All times PST)
Racer Registration, Riviera Convention Center, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Media Registration, Riviera Convention Center, 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.
THURSDAY, Nov. 20--(All Times PST)
Racer Registration, Riviera Convention Center, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Media Registration, Riviera Convention Center, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Contingency Row, across from San Nicolas Hotel, 10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Technical Inspection, End of Contingency Row, 10 a.m.- 6p.m.
Mandatory Racer Meeting, Riviera Convention Center, 7p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 22--(all times PST)
Posting of Unofficial Results--San Nicolas Hotel Lobby, 6 p.m.
Competition Review Board--San Nicolas Hotel-7 p.m.
Awards Celebration-Riviera del Pacifico Convention Center-8:30 p.m.

START:
In front of the Riviera Convention Center in downtown Ensenada
FINISH:
Inside Deportivo Antonio Palacios stadium, 9th St. & Guadalupe Ave., Ensenada

RACE DAYS SCHEDULE FRIDAY/SATURDAY, Nov. 21-22--(all times PST)
Late Registration & Tech, Rivieria Convention Center, 6 a.m.-10 a.m.
RACE STARTS: Motorcycles, ATVs-6:30 a.m.; Cars, Trucks-9 a.m. (Approx.)
STARTING ORDER: (One vehicle every 30 seconds)
Motorcycles/ATVs--22, 30, 40, 21, 50, 25, 24, Sportsman
Cars/Trucks--TT, 1, 10, PT, 8, SL, 5, 7, 1-2/1600, 7S, BC, 5/1600, SF, SM, 9, 3, 11, SPT
TIME LIMIT: All vehicles will have a 32-hour time limit from the time they start.

SANCTION:
Sanctioned and produced by SCORE International-Los Angeles
CEO/President--Sal Fish; Administration--Sue Johnson 818.225.8402

SPONSORS:
BFGoodrich Tires-official tire of SCORE; 76 Racing Fuel-official fuel of SCORE; Southern California Ford Dealers-official vehicle of SCORE; Rental Service Corporation-official equipment supplier of SCORE; Tecate Beer; Coca-Cola of Mexico; Instant Mexico Auto Insurance; Bilstein; Signpros; PCI Race Radios; McKenzie's, Rancho Suspensions, Fideicomiso Publio para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, Cotuco, Centrix Financial and Advanced Color Graphics.

TOP DRIVERS & RIDERS:
SCORE Trophy-Truck: 1 Ed/Tim Herbst, 7 Scott Steinberger, 4 Gus Vildosola/Rob MacCachren,8 Dan Smith/David Ashley, 3 Mark Post/Jerry Whelchel, 12 Brian Collins, 6 Steve Sourapas/Damen Jefferies, 80 Larry Ragland, 43 Curt LeDuc, 9 Darren Skilton, 81 Mark Miller/Ryan Arciero, 28 Alan Pflueger
Class 1: 100 Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler, 117 Dale Ebberts/Ernie Castro Jr., 104 Chuck Hovey, 106 Mark/Gary Weyhrich, 103 Corky McMillin/Brian Ewalt, 119 Mark McMillin/Brian Ewalt, 107 Scott McMillin/Andy McMillin, 122 Dan Myers, 113 Doug Fortin/Charlie Townsley, 120 Mike/Robbie Groff
Class 1-2/1600: 1600 Brian Jeffrey, 1625 Eric Allen/Adam Pfankuch, 1616 Cameron Steele
Protruck: 226 Al Hogan, 236 Rick L. Johnson
Class 5: 500 George Seeley Jr.
Class 5/1600: 553 Jason Lakin, 551 Mario Reynoso
Class 7: 700 Craig Turner
CLASS 8: 800 Nick Vanderwey, 801 Dave Sykes/Dave Westhem
Class 10: 1000 Martin Christensen, 1007 Steve Myers, 1003 Eli Yee, 1006 Rick Ellison
SCORE Lites: 1212 Brian Ickler/Gus Vildosola Jr., 1201 Vic Bruckmann
Stock Full: 860 John Griffin, 862 Rod Hall;
Class 22: 1x Steve Hengeveld/Johnny Campbell/Andy Grider
Class 30: 301x Larry Roeseler, Paul Krause, Casey McCoy, Scot Harden
Class 40: 400x Jim O'Neal/Tim Withers/Jeff Kaplan
Class 50: 500x Richard Jackson/Bob Wadlow/Mark Force, 547x Chris Haines/Jack Johnson/Gary Jones
Class 25: 1a Jimmy Stephensen/Allen Knowles.

TIRE STREAK:
BFGoodrich Tires, long a stample in desert racing, has been the tire of choice for 17 consecutive overall 4-wheel vehicle winners.

OLDIES, BUT...:
When veterans Rod Hall and Ron Bishop strap on their racing helmets and take the green flag, they will keep their incredible run alive of being the only two racers who have competed in all 36 SCORE Baja 1000 races. The only driver to accomplish this feat, Hall, who will turn 66 during the race on Nov. 22, will co-drive with his sons Chad and Josh in Stock Full while Bishop, 60, is the only individual who has run all 36 races on a motorcycle. This year, Bishop will co-ride with Stephen Doane in Class 50 for riders over 40 years young. Hall is the all-time winningest racer in this event with 17 class wins and Bishop was recently voted into the AMA Hall of Fame.

TIGHT POINTS:
SCORE points are determined both on final finishing position and number of vehicles which started the race within the individual class. After five events, Dale Ebberts has earned 360 points. In what has developed into one of tightest overall point battles in SCORE history, just 34 points separate the top five heading into the season finale in Mexico.

In second and third in overall points in America's Foremost Desert Racing Series are class point leaders Eric Allen/Adam Pfankuch. (Class 1-2/1600, Chenowth-VW--359), and Brian Ickler, (SCORE Lite, Jimco-VW--237 points). Fourth in overall points with 232 points are brothers Mark and Gary Weyhrich, (Jimco-Chevy, second in Class 1). Fifth with 226 is Troy Herbst (Smithbuilt-Ford, third in Class 1). Troy Herbst has won an amazing SCORE Class 1 season point titles.

Another testament to the competitiveness in SCORE desert racing, a total of just 21 points separate Sixth through 10th place after five races in the 2003 SCORE Desert Series overall point standings.

SCORE TROPHY-TRUCKS:
A record 21 SCORE Trophy-Trucks are expected to take the green flag. The marquee SCORE racing division featuring 750-horsepower unlimited production trucks includes several one-off racers and cross-over drivers in addition to the talented field of regulars and a very close point's race for the season championship. Eight of 9 previous season point champions are entered and 47 of 61 class race winners are represented as well. With back-to-back race wins, Tim and Ed Herbst in their Ford F-150 have assumed a commanding lead with 303 points in their quest to extend their season titles in the class to four. They also have a record 11 race wins in the high-profile class. Second is Mexico's Gus Vildosola and 1994 class champ Rob MacCachren with 269. With 244 points, the Mark Post/Jerry Welchel duo is third in a Ford F-150. They lead the fourth-place Scott Steinberger/Jesse James, who are just two points back in another Ford F-150. There have been four different winners in five races in SCORE Trophy-Truck. Without a win this season, but 9 out of 61 races in the class history, two-time SCORE T-T point champions Dan Smith and David Ashley have won this race three straight years in another Ford F-150. Besides the Herbsts' two wins (SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 andSCORE Las Vegas Primm 300), winning the three other SCORE races this season have been the teams of Post/Whelchel (SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge), Vildosola/MacCachren (Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250) and Mark Miller/Ryan Arciero in a Chevy Silverado (Tecate SCORE Baja 500).

TERRIBLE TROY:
With Class 1 race finishes this year of fifth, eighth, first, third and fourth, Las Vegas' Troy Herbst has a near-insurmountable challenge in front of him as he attempts to win the season crown in his class for an even higher record of seven straight times. He is 34 points behind Dale Ebberts, who would have to DNF to start with, and six behind the Weyhrich brothers, who would have to finish at least two places behind Herbst. The youngest of the three brothers on the Terrible Herbst Motorsports team, Troy Herbst, 37, has forged an unparalleled SCORE desert racing record the last six-plus seasons. Since 1997, Herbst has won the unlimited Class 1 title six consecutive years including the coveted SCORE Overall point championship in, 1998, 2000 and 2002 while finishing second in 1999 and 2001 in his No. 100 Ford-powered Smithbuilt open-wheel desert race car. During that run, he has won his class in 13 races and his class has the most entries at the majority of the SCORE races. This year, a race-high 29 are pre-registered.

CROSSOVERS:
As always, several crossover racers are entered this year, including NASCAR's Robby Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck) and Brendan Gaughan (Class 1) along with CART's Jimmy Vasser with Indy Car veterans Mike & Robbie Groff (Class 1). In Class 7S, Johnny Unser will race with SCORE regular Bob Land. Legendary supercross/motocross rider Ricky Johnson will drive some in the Matt Scaroni ProTruck.

Scheduled to race in the special Baja Challenge class (Baja touring cars) are CART regular Michel Jourdain Jr., Indy veteran Roberto Guerrero, Pikes Peak Hill Climb record setters Rod Millen and Jeff Zwart, former CART, Formula 1 and current CART team owner Stefan Johansson and snowboarding champion Tara Takides.

MOVIE TIME-'Dusty to Glory'
With a crew of nearly 80, critically aclaimed director Dana Brown will be shooting afull-length sports documentary feature film. Creative consultant in Bruce Brown, Dana's father, who produced such classics as 'On Any Sunday' and 'Endless Summer'. The shoot will include 14 ground crews, four helicopter crews and over 50 in-car or on-bike cameras. The finished film is scheduled to be released internationally in June, 2004.

GRAND MARSHALL:
Motorsports legend Mario Andretti is the Grand Marshall for this year's race. While he has known about it since it began in 1967, this will be his first Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

CELEBRITY DRIVERS:
Racing in Class 1-2/1600 will be ESPN sportscaster Cameron Steele. Driving in the special Centrix Financial Baja Challenge class (Baja touring cars) will be: Centrix CEO Robert Sutton, TV Star Jesse James (Monster Garage), ABC TV sportscaster Paul Page, Chad McQueen, son of the late actor Steve McQueen, 4-time class winner Ryan Thomas (1996 overall winner) and Bekki Freeman Wik, 3-time class winner who is leading an all-female team.

TWO-TIMERS:
This race always has a few 'bravehearts' who enter in two classes, hopefully for double wins. The most notable one this year is Larry Roeseler, a 12-time class winner (including 10 overalls on a motorcycle), who is racing in both Class 1 and Class 30 (mc riders over 30). Roeseler will drive some for Troy Herbst in Class 1 and is the rider of record for the Class 30 KTM factory team of Paul Krause, Scot Harden and Casey McCoy. Another notable is Chris Haines, a motorcycle rider with nine class wins in this race who is rider of record both in Class 40 (m/c over 40) and Class 50 (m/c over 50).

BAJA CHAMPS-OVERALL:
Entered in this year's event are 21 racers who have combined for 45 overall wins in either the 4-wheel or motorycle divisions. The leaders are: Larry Roeseler, 10, (All on a motorcycle); Johnny Campbell has won six straight (all on a motorcycle) and with five overall wins each in the 4-wheel division are Mark McMillin and Larry Ragland.

BAJA CHAMPS-BY CLASS:
Entered in this year's event are 94 racers who have combined for incredible 262 class wins. Theleaders in multiple class wins entered this year are: Rod Hall with 17 (first overall), Larry Roeseler with 12 (third overall) and with eight each are: David Ashley, Chris Haines with 9 and Jack Johnson, Mark McMillin and Dan Smith with 8

FAMILY TIES-
Desert racing has always been about family teams and this year's Tecate SCORE Baja1000 is a prime example of that fact. This year's starting grid currently includes 88 brothers racing together and seven racing separately. The race also has 22 fathers racing with their sons and 13 fathers whose 15 sons are racing in separate vehicles.

3 GENERATIONS:
One racing family, the McMillins, will have three generations in this year's race. Corky McMillin and his sons Mark and Scott will each drive in the unlimited Class 1 and Scott has his son Andy as his co-driver.

FATHER/SONS-TOGETHER:
Among the other father and sons racing together are Larry and his son Chad in SCORE Trophy-Truck, Curt LeDuc and his sons Mark and Kyle in SCORE Trophy-Truck, Marty Coyne and his son Travis in SCORE Trophy-Truck.

FATHER/SONS-SEPARATELY:
Besides the McMillins, other father-sons who will race in separate classes include Gus (SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK) and his son Gus Vildosola Jr. (SCORE Lite), Robby Gordon (SCORE Trophy-Truck) and his father Bob (Class 1), Dennis and his son Jason Hunter (both in CLASS 10), B.J. Baldwin (SCORE Trophy-Truck) and his father Bobby (Class 1), and Perry McNeil (Class 7) and his son Perry Jr. (Class 7SX).

SPECIAL COCA-COLA CANS:
To help commemorate the 36th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 and the 30th anniversary of SCORE International, Coca-Cola of Mexico has produced a special commemorate 12-ounce can being distributed throughout both Baja California and mainland Mexico. Coca-Cola produced 6.5 million, 12 oz. cans.

ENGINE WINNERS:
in 4-wheel vehicle competition, VW motors have produced 12 overall winners, followed by Ford with 9, Chevy with 8, Porsche with 3, Toyota with 2, and Dodge with 1.

CHASSIS WINNERS:
Among 4-wheel vehicles, Chenowth has produced the chassis for 10 overall winners, followed by Ford with 9, Chevy with 5, Toyota, Funco and Raceco with 2 each and Miller, Hi-Jumper, Dodge, Meyers Manx, and Jimco with 1 each.

MOTORCYCLE WINNERS:
In motorcycle competition, Honda leads with 13 overall victories, followed by Husqvarna with 11, Kawasaki with 9 and Yamaha with 2.

CLASSES:
The 2003 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Desert Race features over 250 entries in 24 Pro & 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. Class winners will be decided along with the overall race winner in Pro 4-wheel and Pro Motorcycle.

Cars & Trucks
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (Unlimited Production Trucks)
CLASS 1 (Unlimited single or two-seaters)
CLASS 1-2/1600 (single or two-seaters to 1600cc)
PROTRUCK (Limited Production Trucks)
CLASS 3 (Short wheelbase 4X4)
CLASS 5 (Unlimited Baja Bugs)
CLASS 5/1600 (1600cc Baja Bugs)
CLASS 7 (Open mini trucks)
CLASS 7S (Stock mini trucks)
CLASS 7SX (Modified mini trucks)
CLASS 8 (Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks)
CLASS 9 (Short wheelbase, single or two-seaters)
CLASS 10 (Single or two-seaters to 1650cc)
SCORE LITE (Limited single-1776cc-or two-seaters-1835cc)
CLASS 11 (Stock VW Sedans)
STOCK FULL (Stock full-sized trucks)
STOCK MINI (Stock mini trucks)
BAJA CHALLENGE (Limited identical Baja touring cars)

Motorcycles
CLASS 22 (250cc or more)
CLASS 21 (126cc to 250cc)
CLASS 30 (Riders over 30 years old)
CLASS 40 (Riders over 40 years old)
CLASS 50 (Riders over 50 years old)

ATVs
CLASS 25 (251cc or more)
CLASS 24 (250cc or less)

LAST YEAR'S TOP FINISHERS
2002 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000-234 Total Starters, 151 Total Finishers
Overall 4-Wheel--1. Dan Smith/David Ashley, Riverside, Calif., Ford F-150, (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
2. Ed & Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
3. Mike Julson, El Cajon, CA/Bob Lofton, Westmorland, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (CLASS 1)
4. Doug Fortin, El Cajon, CA/Charlie Townsley, Las Vegas, Jimco-Chevy (CLASS 1)
5. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas/Larry Roeseler, Hesperia, Calif., Smithbuilt-Ford (CLASS 1)
6. Scott McMillin/Andy McMillin, Poway, Calif., Porter-Chevy (CLASS 1)
7. Robby Gordon, Orange, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
8. Scott Steinberger, Cypress, CA/Jesse Jones, Phoenix, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
9. Gary Weyhrich/Mark Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Jimco-Chevy (CLASS 1)
10. Alan Pflueger, Honolulu/Dan Ragland, Cave Creek, CO, Chevy Silverado (ProTruck)

Overall Motorcycle--1. Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, CA/Johnny Campbell, SanClemente, CA/Andy Grider, Los Olivos, Calif., Honda XR650R (CLASS 22)

HISTORY OF START/FINISH:
In the 36-year history of the SCORE Baja 1000, this will be the 29th time the race has started and 17th time it has finished in Ensenada. It has also started three times in Mexicali (1972, 1993, 1994), twice in Tijuana (1967, 1995) and once each in Santo Tomas (1998) and Ojos Negro (1999). It has also finished 15 times in La Paz, in Mexicali twice (1993, 1994), once each in Ojos Negro (1999) and Cabo San Lucas (2000). The last time this race ended in Ensenada was 2001.

For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official Optima SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com

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