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BFGoodrich® Tires and its arsenal of top off-road drivers will put the brand's its desert-conquering tires to the test at this year's Tecate SCORe Baja 500 in ensenada, Mexico, starting Saturday, June 1. This 45th running of the Tecate SCORe Baja 500 presents the opportunity for an unprecedented 30th Tecate SCORe Baja 500 victory for BFGoodrich Tires in the past 34 years of racing.
A Rugged Course Celebrating Baja's Heritage
The 2013 course stretches just over 501 miles and will challenge drivers with every piece of difficult terrain Baja has to offer, including some new and seldom-used areas along the loop from the start/finish line in ensenada, Mexico. The course, which stretches along the seashore with elevations from sea level to over 4,100 feet, will test the mettle of drivers and their equipment with everything from high-speed dirt trails, sandy, rocky and silty natural terrains to scenic Baja washes.
"Our experts worked closely with SCORe to design this year's course, so we know it's going to be a true challenge for not only the drivers, but our tires as well," said Peter Calhoun, BFGoodrich Tires motorsports manager. "We are looking forward to pushing the limits across the demanding Baja terrain at this historic running of the Tecate SCORe Baja 500."
Menzies Goes for a Three-Peat
BFGoodrich driver Bryce Menzies has been the man to beat at Baja recently. A win this year would be his third consecutive in the Tecate SCORe Baja 500 and would make him the first driver to win three consecutive titles since Ivan Stewart's run from 1997-1999.
Last year Menzies edged out BJ Baldwin in the second-closest Tecate SCORe Baja 500 finish in history with a time of 9 hours, 13 minutes, 39 seconds and an average speed of 48.77 mph. This year, he hopes his BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® KR® tires get him across the finish line with a little more time to spare.
"We had a close finish last year and if it wasn't for the incredible performance of my equipment, I'm not sure if I could have edged out BJ," said Menzies. "Anything can go wrong in the desert but my BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® KR® tires stood up to the rigors of the desert and helped us bring home a win."
BFGoodrich's Desert Dominance
BFGoodrich drivers will make up a field of racers from 35 states and 15 countries competing in 40 Pro and seven Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. Currently 10 of the top 15 drivers in the HDRA/SCORe standings in 2013 run on BFGoodrich Tires.
BFGoodrich has had a firm grasp on the desert racing podium with drivers taking first overall at the King of Hammers (Randy Slawson), Parker 425 (Troy Vest), Mint 400 (Bryce Menzies), King Shocks 250 (Justin Davis) and San Felipe 250 (Gustavo and Tavo Vildosola). In fact, BFGoodrich Tires has swept the podium this year in the SCORe Series with wins by the Vildosolas, Bryce Menzies and Rob MacCachren.
each year, BFGoodrich teams compete on a variety of tires, including the BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A®KO tire, BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® tire and BFGoodrich® Baja T/A®KR tire. BFGoodrich Tires also supports the entire Baja Challenge (BC) Class at the Tecate SCORe Baja 500 with BFGoodrich® Mud-Terrain T/A®KM2 tires.
In addition to supplying tires to a number of Tecate SCORe Baja 500 competitors, BFGoodrich Tires will continue to lend unparalleled pit and communications support to teams through its fleet of off-road motorsports vehicles, and will provide accommodations and supplies at the media center. This immense undertaking involves more than 100 off-road enthusiasts and volunteers who donate their time in order to help make the race an overwhelming success.
BFGoodrich Tires Overall SCORe Baja 500 Winners List
SCORe Baja 500 overall winners from the past 33 years who competed on BFGoodrich tires:
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1980
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Bob Gordon
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Chenowth Chevy
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1981
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Malcolm Smith/Bill Newbury
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Chenowth Chevy
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1982
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Larry Ragland
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Funco VW
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1983
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Corky McMillin/Scott McMillin
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Chenowth Chevy
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1984
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Larry Ragland
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Chaparral VW
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1985
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Ron Gardner/Bud Feldkamp
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Funco VW
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1986
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Corky McMillin/Scott McMillin
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Chenowth Porsche
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1987
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Bob Gordon/Tim Crabtree
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Chenowth Porsche
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1988
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Mark McMillin
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Chenowth Porsche
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1989
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Robby Gordon
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Ford
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1990
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Robby Gordon
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Ford
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1993
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Ivan Stewart
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Toyota
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1994
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Ivan Stewart
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Toyota
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1996
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Rob MacCachren
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Ford
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1997
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Ivan Stewart
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Toyota
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1998
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Ivan Stewart
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Toyota
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1999
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Ivan Stewart
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Toyota Tundra
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2000
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Larry Ragland
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Chevy
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2001
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Mark McMillin
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Jimco-Chevy
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2002
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Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler
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Smithbuilt Ford
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2003
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Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler
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Smithbuilt Ford
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2004
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Alan Pflueger
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Chevy
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2005
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Robby Gordon
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Chevy
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2006
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Brian Collins/Larry Ragland
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Chevy
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2007
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Larry Ragland/Brian Collins
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Chevy
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2008
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B.J. Baldwin
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Chevy
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2010
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Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin
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Ford Trophy Truck
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2011
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Bryce Menzies
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Ford Trophy Truck
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2012
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Bryce Menzies
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Ford Trophy Truck
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About BFGoodrich
BFGoodrich Tires is dedicated to providing high performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 50 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences from ultra-high performance street to off-road terrain with one common theme – extreme performance. Come upgrade your performance with BFGoodrich and see where our tires can take you at BFGoodrichTires.com, BFGoodrichRacing.com, as well as on Facebook and Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires and TikTok at @BFGoodrich.