SCORE International

Race format

The start line releases vehicles one at a time, with a sixty-second interval between Trophy Trucks and Class 1 entries, and a thirty-second gap for every other class. In Baja events, motorcycles and quad bikes begin staging at 5:15am and typically roll out around 6am, while four-wheel vehicles start their release roughly five hours later, near 11am. Each vehicle’s finish time is computed, and that time may include added penalties for speeding or other infractions.

GPS tracking devices monitor speed limits on federal highways and in heavily congested zones to enforce those penalties. Awards go to the class winner—provided at least one vehicle in that class finishes—along with an overall winner across all classes, a separate overall four-wheel winner, and an overall motorcycle/ATV winner. Points are awarded based on where a racer finishes within their class; the competitor with the most points at the end of the season becomes the class champion.

That champion’s vehicle number in the following season ends in two zeros, such as No. 100 for Class 1 or No. 1 for Trophy Truck. Starting order usually comes from a random draw, though preferential starts go to top finishers from the previous race or season, or when qualifying is held. Since Roger Norman bought SCORE in 2012, vehicle numbers have been permanently assigned to each driver. Numbers 1 through 9 are reserved for the prior year’s top nine drivers in the standings, while 10 through 99 are available for assignment.

Drivers who used a number in the previous season get first dibs on keeping it. SCORE also runs an Ironman class for racers who finish without any driver change, awarding commemorative ribbons to solo finishers. Baja legend Ivan “Ironman” Stewart first pulled this off in 1975, winning the Baja 500, and repeated it in the 1976 Baja 1000. The course runs mostly off-road through remote areas, but highway sections are used when no off-road alternative exists. Some classes—like Moto, Quad, and Class 11—follow different routes that skip certain locations.

Vehicle classes

SCORE Trophy Truck is the Open Production Unlimited Trucks class. Class 1 consists of unlimited open-wheel single- or two-seaters. Class 1/2-1600 is limited suspension open-wheel single- or two-seaters with 1600cc engines. Class 2 is a limited 3.5 liter buggy.

Class 3 is production short wheelbase 4x4 Jeeps. Class 4 is unlimited 2.2 liter open wheel. Class 5 is unlimited Baja Bugs, while Class 5-1600 is Baja Bugs with 1600cc engines. Class 6 is V6 powered tube chassis trucks.

Class 7 is open mini trucks; Class 7S is stock mini trucks up to 3000cc; Class 7SX is modified mini trucks up to 4000cc. Class 8 is full-sized two-wheel drive trucks. Class 9 is short wheelbase open-wheel single- or two-seaters with 1600cc engines. Class 10 is open-wheel single- or two-seaters with 2000cc engines.

Class 11 is stock VW Sedans with 1600cc engines. Class 12 (SCORE Lites) is VW limited open-wheel single seat (1776cc) or two-seaters (1835cc). Class 17 is production short wheelbase 4x4 Modified Jeeps. Stock Full is stock full-sized trucks; Stock Mini is stock mini trucks up to 4300cc.

Class M-Truck is 2- or 4-wheel drive medium utility vehicles with a minimum weight of 12,000 pounds. Baja Challenge is limited, identical open-wheel Baja touring cars. Sportsman classes include Buggy, Truck, and UTV (660cc 4-wheel utility vehicle). ProTruck is limited production trucks governed by the Baja ProTruck Off-Road Race Series.

Motorcycle classes include Class 20 (125cc or smaller two-stroke and 250cc or smaller four-stroke), Class 21 (126cc to 250cc), Class 22 (250cc or more), Class 30 (riders over 30), Class 40 (riders over 40), Class 50 (riders over 50), Class 60 (riders over 60). ATV classes include Class 24 (250cc or less), Class 25 (251cc or more), and Class 26 (limited utility ATV).

In media

The 2005 documentary Dust to Glory follows the 2003 Baja 1000, and its 2017 sequel Dust 2 Glory covers the 2016 race. SCORE International put its name on a 2008 video game, SCORE International Baja 1000, for Windows, PlayStation 2 and 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. In 2015, the organization started airing three original TV series—Roost, Guerrero, and SCORE International Off-Road Racing—on the digital platform CarbonTV. It also licensed a burger restaurant called SCORE Baja Burgers & Beer in Chula Vista, California.