222 entries to date
Pflueger in SCORE Trophy-Trucks, Morrison in motorcycles
Draw first starting positions for 36th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
SCORE's 30th anniversary year concludes with the legendary
granddaddy of all desert races, Nov. 20-23, in Mexico

LOS ANGELES (October 16, 2003) -- If Wednesday's Live drawing for starting positions is any indication, next month's 36th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race should be a classic.

In addition to the sport's biggest names, cross-over drivers and riders including NASCAR's Robby Gordon and Brendan Gaughan, CART's Jimmy Vasser and Michel Jordain Jr., along with former open wheel racers Mike and Robbie Groff along with Johnny Unser have entered this year's version of the legendary granddaddy of all desert races. Also among the early entries for the Nov. 20-23 classic are TV star Jesse James (Monster Garage) and TV sportscasters Paul Page and Cameron Steele.

An impressive total of 222 racers in 24 Pro and 5 sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs officially entered in time for the live drawing for starting positions, by class, conducted by SCORE President/CEO Sal Fish, in Fullerton, CA, during the monthly meeting of the F.A.I.R. pit support organization.

Honolulu's Alan Pflueger drew the first start for the car and truck classes in the season finale of the six-race SCORE Desert Series. Pflueger will make his debut in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division in a new Chevy Silverado. Pflueger, the 2002 SCORE Rookie of the Year, has already clinched the Protruck season championship and decided to make his move up in classes one race early.

Ironically, Robby Gordon, whose racing roots are in the desert, drew the 20th and last start among a class-record 20 SCORE Trophy-Trucks that have entered so far. Gordon, who finished third in SCORE Trophy-Truck in last year's SCORE Baja 1000 peninsula run, is building a new Chevy CK1500 at his Team Gordon desert-racing shop in Anaheim, Calif.

Drawing the first start for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the elapsed time race over a rugged 765.3-mile course which starts and finishes in Ensenada, Mexico, was John Morrison, of Easton, Mass., who will race in Class 22 on a Honda XR650R. It will be his first SCORE race, although he is a veteran competitor in cross-country racing in New England.

While entries will be accepted up to race morning (Nov. 21), late entries will be assigned the next available number and starting position within each class. By comparison, the last loop race for this event (2001) had 168 in the start draw and 221 left the start line.

Besides Pflueger (No. 28) and Gordon (No. 31), other entries in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division for 750-horsepower, unlimited production trucks, include Las Vegas' Tim and Ed Herbst (1-Ford F-150), Dan Smith/David Ashley, Riverside, CA (8-Ford F-150), Mexico's Gus Vildosola/Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas (4-FordF-150), Las Vegas' Brian Collins (2-Chevy Silverado), Darren Skilton, Long Beach, CA (9-Kia Sportage), Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Jerry Whelchel, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (3-Ford F-150), Phoenix's Mark Miller (81-Chevy Silverado), Larry Ragland and his son Chad, Cave Creek, AZ (80-Chevy Silverado), Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, CA (43-Ford F-150), Scott Steinberger, Cypress, CA (7-Ford F-150), Steve Sourapas, Rancho Santa Fe, CA (6-Ford F-150), Japan's Ikuo Hanawa (14-Toyota Tundra) and Marty Coyne, El Centro, CA (5-Ford F-150) To date, entries have come from 26 U.S. States, Washington, D.C., Mexico, Canada, Japan, Gautemala, France, Brazil and Uruguay.

The classes with the most entries to date are Class 1 (28), Class 1-2/1600 (24) and SCORE Trophy-Truck (20). Drawing first start in Class 1 was Ron Brant, Torrance, CA, in a Chevy-powered Jimco desert race car, while first off in Class 1-2/1600 will be Jose Estolano, Imperial Beach, CA, in a VW-powered Jimco.

Among the other early entries is legendary Rod Hall, Reno, NV, and Ron Bishop, Escondido, CA, the only two individuals who have raced in all 35 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races.

Hall is driver of record in an AM General Hummer in the Stock Full class while Bishop will co-ride on a KTM 625SXE in Class 50 for motorcycle riders over 50 years old with rider of record Stephen Doane, Gresham, Ore. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year as the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series, the SCORE Desert Series is returning to Mexico for the last of three races in Baja California.

The official course map, along with detailed course notes and descriptions, will be released by SCORE International on Friday, Oct. 24.

Official pre-running, or practice, on the rugged course which will traverse both sides of the northern part of the Baja California peninsula, will be allowed from Nov. 1-Nov. 20.

Attempting to cover a race course of approximately 765 miles, motorcycle/ATV classes will be first off the starting line at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, 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.

Pre-race festivities for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will center around the Riviera del Pacifico convention center in downtown Ensenada on Thursday, Nov. 20. Traditionally drawing upwards of 50,000 spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer's Midway and display of all the race vehicles will be held adjacent to the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday of race week. The post-race awards ceremony will be held at the Riviera del Pacifico on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m.

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, Signpros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's, Off Road Innovations and Advanced Color Graphics.

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