Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler in 4-Wheel Class 1 Earn repeat Overall victories at 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Hengeveld/Campbell/Childress in M/C,
Shepard snags SCORE Trophy-Truck
BFGoodrich Tires win 20th straight overall 4-wheel crown
as over 200,000 watch near-record 342 starters in Ensenada race

ENSENADA, MEXICO—In an another impressive display of power and poise, American Honda motorcycle teammates Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell and Mike Childress, along with the Larry Roeseler/Troy Herbst duo, repeated as the overall motorcycle and 4-wheel victories late Friday and early Saturday to lead a near-record field of 342 starters in the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race.

The granddaddy of all desert races, the flagship event of the world's foremost desert racing series was a rugged 708.8-mile journey around the northern part of Baja California, starting and finishing in Ensenada, 60 miles south of San Diego on the Pacific Ocean side of the peninsula. It was the 31st time the fabled race started in Ensenada, and 18thth time it finished here.

The huge field from 31 U.S. States and 12 countries represented the second-largest field and largest since 346 started in the 1977 in the desert classic. They competed in 27 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

Mexico tourism officials estimated enthusiastic crowds of over 200,000 spread out along the course that went across the peninsula to San Felipe and back again. The race started in front of the Riviera del Pacific Convention Center in Ensenada and finished for just the second time inside the Deportivo Antonio Palacios baseball stadium in Ensenada.

First to cross the finish line was the Honda XR650R of Hengeveld and Campbell, who methodically marched over the grueling course to an overall winning time of 14 hours, 20 minutes and 30 seconds. Hengeveld started and finished the race while Campbell and newcomer Childress rode in the middle sections of the course. The team average speed was 49.42 miles per hour.

While the American Honda teammates rode the fastest vehicle in the ever-demanding race, Troy Larry Roeseler and Troy Herbst in their Ford-powered Smithbuilt open-wheel desert racecar equipped with BFGoodrich Tires, led all four-wheel vehicles to the finish line, covering the challenging course in 15:06:19 while averaging 46.92mph). Celebrating its 30th year as a proven champion in SCORE Baja racing, BFG Tires have now been on the Overall 4-wheel champion vehicle in this race for 20 consecutive years.

For Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., the victory was his sixth class win and his fifth overall, while Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., improved his record run in this desert classic to nine straight and for the talented rookie Childress, Wrightwood, Calif., earning his first in his first attempt on the Honda Factory A team. For Childress, the win was his second straight in the popular SCORE Desert Series as he won June's 37th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada on a privateer Honda team with Mouse McCoy.

For Roeseler, Hesperia, Calif., it was his 14th class win and his 12th overall triumph in the world's most famous desert race. For Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, it was his fourth win in the unlimited Class 1 in this historic race and his second overall title.

In the manufacturer's battle of beat the Baja research and development, Ford won it's 11th overall 4-wheel crown, Honda earned it's 16th overall motorcycle win, and BFG Tires captured an unprecedented 20th consecutive overall 4-wheel vehicle triumph and Smithbuilt chassis won for the second straight year.

While the unlimited Class 1 produced the overall 4-wheel champion for the fourth time in the last five years, the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division for high-tech, 800 horsepower unlimited production trucks claimed seven of the top 10 overall finishing positions. SCORE Trophy-Trucks have claimed eight overall wins in this race in the division's 12-year history.

Leading the SCORE record field of 30 starters in SCORE Trophy-Truck while finishing second overall with his first class win was Bob Shepard, Phoenix, and his teammate Rick Gesier, Desert Hills, Calif., in a Chevy CK1500. Shepard, who withstood challenges by several other vehicles in the record starting grid, covered the difficult race route in 15:48:49, to win SCORE Trophy-Truck and finish two minutes, 30 seconds behind the Roeseler/Herbst tandem.

Displaying his newly-painted Monster Energy Drink-sponsored Chevy Silverado, Honolulu's Alan Pflueger got his best finish of the season, finishing second in SCORE Trophy-Truck and third overall in 15:56:08.

Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., and teammate Brian Ewalt, Bonita, Calif., outwitted everyone in a strong field of 26 unlimited desert race cars except Roeseler/Herbst, finishing fourth overall and second in Class 1 in a Jimco-Chevy in a time of 15:57:57.

Sixth overall and was Damen Jefferies, Oak Hills, Calif., in a Porter-Chevy (16:05:01), and the final four top 10 finishers were all SCORE Trophy-Trucks.

Seventh was Chad Ragland, Phoenix, who had help from his father Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz. In their Chevy Silverado (16:08:06), followed by Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., in a Ford F-150 (16:17:02), Marty Coyne and his son Travis, El Centro, Calif., in a Ford F-150 (16:45:02) ad Garron Cadiente/Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz. In another Ford F-150 (16:47:35).

Also of note, Reno's Rod Hall, who has race in all 38 SCORE Baja 1000 races, increased his lead as the winningest racer in the event's history by winning Stock Mini in a new Hummer H3. It was the venerable Hal's 18th class win in the race.

As the course officially closed Saturday evening, the final results remain unofficial pending the standard review by SCORE officials and the report of the independent competition review board.

FOLLOWING ARE SOME RACE NOTES AND QUOTES FROM SCORE Trophy-Truck, Class 1 and Class 22. SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK
After four top ten placements this season, Bob Shepard (82) claimed his first ever SCORE Trophy-Truck title. He finished in 15 hours, 48 minutes, 49 seconds, averaging 44.82 miles per hour. He entered the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 race leading the season points title by a slim two points over Tim and Ed Herbst. In fact, seven racers were all within 22 points coming into this final race, but Shepard's win by a seven minute, 19 second margin locked up the season title. In the six races this season, there have been six different winners. Shepard withstood challenges from several other SCORE Trophy-Trucks, most notably Chad Ragland (80), who led midway through the race and trailed by just over two minutes with about 250 miles left to go. This thing held together, what a car, Shepard commented. The race went pretty good. We had a flat at the start of the day; I did that. It went pretty well to plan except I didn't plan to do the whole race; we planned on Larry Ragland driving. I always have higher hopes, I wanted to win the overall, but it was great to win the championship. I've driven every mile the whole year, True Grit. Next year I'm going to do better because I'm proven. This was a new car this year but now we've worked out all the bugs. I really work all year to get to this. It really happened. I'm really happy! It took a lot of homework, a lot of work happily paid off. I've got a great crew unbelievable car builders, the best of everybody. My crew was just fantastic, they were everywhere I need them. It takes a good team to do this. I am thinking on getting a boat, I just got to take a year off after this. I don't know what I am going to do. Probably I will race again. My race was very good with very few problems, hardly anything. It is the hardest course. I don't have any breath because I drove all the way, I did not have any brakes so I think that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I've solo'd a lot of the Baja 1000's to La Paz, I have been to several of those, but this race was much more demanding and challenging. It was really a hard one. Alan Pflueger (28) was the second SCORE Trophy-Truck to finish, and it marked just his second official finish of the year (also in Primm in September). Pfleuger was right in the mix of SCORE Trophy-Trucks in the first 200 miles, but over the next 100 miles he lost some ground. He was able to make up most of it, but ended up just over seven minutes behind the class winner. is just like a walk in a park, it was great when we got to the bridge, Pflueger said. Lots of energy during the race and it brought us home. We got the start, got us pushing. It is a long day; we got up front, we got behind, we didn't get back into it until the end here. The course was tough, you don't see it because of the amount of people that finish but it was brutal. The vehicle is great, we didn't have any problems. Tim Herbst/Ed Herbst (19) were third in this class, marking the third time this season he has had a podium finish but has been unable to emerge victorious. Two hundred miles into the race, Herbst led all SCORE Trophy-Trucks and was the second fastest four-wheeled vehicle. Chad Ragland (80) was the fourth SCORE Trophy-Truck to cross the line. Ragland was competing for just the second time this season, having placed 10th in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in June. He received help from his SCORE Baja racing legend father Larry Ragland, who drove the second half of the race. Illustrating the parity in the featured class is the fact that in the six SCORE races this season, there have been a total of 14 different racers with podium finishes (first, second or third place). Only three drivers have had more than one podium finish in 2005, with Herbst leading the way with three of those finishes. Shepard is right behind with a pair of top three placements, as is Jason Baldwin (1), who garnered a 10th this race. A total of 11 other drivers have placed in the top three this season, but were only able to manage this once. Included in that group was Pfleuger, whose second-place finish at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 was his first placement that high this year.

CLASS 1
Troy Herbst wanted to win the 38th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. So much so that he withdrew his vehicle (118) this week in order to team with Larry Roeseler (105) and have a better starting position, forgoing any chance he had for the season point championship, as he was fifth in a tight contest entering the race. Last year the duo won this race with the second-highest average speed in race history (62.167 mph), while this year they were again the fastest four-wheeled vehicle. This year he gave me the car fourth physically, Roeseler said about his teammate, which was quite a feat considering that their vehicle was the fifth Class 1 car to start and followed the 30 SCORE Trophy-Trucks to leave the line. I just tried to stay consistent, no mistakes. If we have to go, we can go, that's what makes us such a great team. This is a fantastic race. I'm really proud to be a part of BFG and the legacy of the race. This is the hardest race in the world and to win back-to-back is just incredible. It was very, very difficult: it was a true test of man and machine. This car here is amazing, I think it's eight years old now. We went the whole race with no flat tires, with good racers. This is basically a Trophy-Truck, this car has won more races than any car, it's incredible! Roeseler's win marked his 14th class victory and 12th overall title. Roeseler closed the gap between him and the all-time leader, Rod Hall (18 SCORE Baja 1000 titles). Not since 1989-90 has a vehicle other than a SCORE Trophy-Truck won consecutive overall titles at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, when Robby Gordon accomplished it. Herbst claimed his fourth Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 victory, as he also won in 1999 and 2000 before winning last year. We got the lead when I think Andy (McMillin, 103) had motor problems right below Saint Felipe, Herbst said. We had a nice clean race. When we turned it over we were fourth or fifth and there were no consequences. We came in Sunday night so I could pre-run a few times and this is one of the best courses I've ever had to race. Roeseler's overall title came by finishing 42:30 faster than the first SCORE Trophy-Truck, nearly equaling the 45:45 gap in 2002, when Dan Smith / David Ashley's SCORE Trophy-Truck defeated Mike Julson's Class 1 car. In the BFG pits, Bob Shepard (82) led Roeseler by a mere 1:20 in the first pit but Roeseler steadily outpaced Shepard through the other pits (5:41 in the second pit, 7:53 in the third pit, 14:25 in the fourth pit, and 26 minutes in the fifth pit). Finishing second in the class was the points leader entering the race, Mark McMillin (115), who has won eight Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races in his career, all of which were in the 1980's. McMillin had hoped to get another SCORE victory, as he won the Tecate San Felipe 250 last year, for his second victory in the 21st century. Shy of getting another win, he also strove to beat the person who was a very close second in the points standings coming in, Damen Jeffries (116). Midway through the race, those two cars were separated by just four seconds (adjusted time), but McMillin pulled away the second half of the race to notch a seven-minute advantage over Jeffries. We are beating Damen, all we had to do was stay close to him, co-driver Brian Ewalt said. I liked this course. It reminds me of the old traditional course when I started racing in 1986. We have been racing for years. Sometimes the race gets a little dusty and sometimes it gets a little bit technical, a little bit of everything. No problems at all, we just stayed in the same race stuff. Damen Jefferies (116) has placed second and fourth this season in other SCORE races, and this race he filled in the gap with a third-place showing. His time of 16:05:01 was also the sixth fastest amongst all four-wheeled vehicles. It was tough, it was a long way, Jeffries said. I drove the whole way. Casey (Jefferies) rode with me for most of it. Our vehicle was good, I think the fuel filters are plugged, we couldn't speed up for the last 300 miles. It was a real rough course, I am surprised how many people made it. I didn't see many cars parked out. I thought we went too hard all day, I'm dying. I had problems driving the whole way, I was not supposed to. It was a lot of race course, I would have rather gone to La Paz any day. CLASS 22 The three races in 2005 produced different class winners each time, with the season point title going to the winner of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Steve Hengeveld / Johnny Campbell / Mike Childress (1x). Hengeveld / Campbell won this race for the fifth straight year, while Campbell earned his ninth consecutive overall motorcycle victory in this storied race. Averaging 49.42 miles per hour, they finished in 14 hours, 20 minutes and 30 seconds, over 13 mph slower than their record pace in the 2002 version. It was a great race and we had a good time out there, Hengeveld said. Baja is Baja and you never know how it's going to be out there. It was pretty good; we were about 30 minutes off what I thought we would finish. The course was great, probably one of the toughest Bajas yet that I've raced in 10 years. That was one of my goals, to extend the Honda streak. We pretty much prepare all year long for this race. The bike ran flawless, it's very reliable and we had no problems with it all day. I was probably on it for about a total of six or seven hours. I did the start to Nuevo Junction, a run in the middle, and Trinidad to the finish. Childress ran from San Felipe to San Mateas, about 140 miles, then did a stretch right before dark that was unfamiliar territory for him, completing half of Mike's Loop. They gave me a map and said go here and get on the bike and ride it to us. It was kinda weird because I got on the bike and it was getting dark quickly. I didn't know any of the corners, I didn't know where to go, I just took it easy and didn't make any mistakes; I just got the bike to Steve. Coming into the pit I didn't see a cow and hit it and thought it was over right there. The bike was flawless, the pits were perfect, all the chase crews were in the right place. The course was probably the roughest ever, Campbell stated. I think it was shorter, there was a lot of sand, the sand gets rough, and the sand brings out the rocks. A lot of people are pre-running now, so it gets pretty chewed up. I had a stomach illness last night and all day today, I was kind of under the weather I guess. We didn't have any problems with the bike though. Robby Bell / Kendall Norman / Quinn Cody (4x) placed second in the class, coming in over 17 and a half minutes behind the team they traded places with most of the day. We had the physical lead, but when it got dark they pulled away, Norman stated. I rode from about mile 200 to 390, it was pretty physically demanding but I knew what I was getting myself into. Not too many traffic problems or anything. I got passed almost at the end of my section. Robby hit a booby trap in the morning, it crushed our tailpipe. We didn't end up changing it until around mile 390. We need more night experience. You go against Baja, not first or second place. The course is a blast, exclaimed Bell. I had lots of fun until I hit that jump. It was at mile 70, there was a burm outside of a ditch. Right over the end I hit it and it was too late. I went end-over-end there and beat up this bike pretty good. My whole left side is pretty sore. Tomorrow it will be interesting when I wake up. I was on the bike to about mile 95 from the start and did 143 miles from 390 to 533. Baja is pretty unbelievable. To start it was pretty awesome, I'd never started one of these, it was pretty exciting to see all the people, being on the bridge and everyone cheering you, it is pretty cool