September 25, 2013
one hour show airs at 7 p.m. PDT Thursday at www.score-international.com
SAN DIEGO—In one of the last races when SCORE Trophy Truck raced as its own series, enjoy one of Ivan Stewart’s patented victories in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 when in the 1997 classic race comes out of the historical vault and to be aired this week on SCORE Throwback Thursday, one of Roger Norman’s new Internet creations, the presentation of another memorable race this week. Norman’s latest program showcases classic SCORE race footage primarily produced as television shows.
Thursday’s episode at 7 p.m. (PT) will be the telecast of the 1997 Tecate SCORE Baja 500 which has been the second-most popular desert race in the world since it began in 1974.
Norman’s new Internet show is another part of the inventory of his new Dirt Live productions which produces the weekly Dirt LiveHD studio show each Tuesday as well as the expanded race-week coverage for his SCORE and HDRA racing organizations.
“A key part of SCORE is its history and we are very happy to be able to make these historic programs available like this worldwide through our Dirt Live platform,” commented Norman, in his first year as CEO/President of the legendary SCORE International desert racing organization. “We are really moving at warp speed in so many different directions and SCORE Throwback Thursday not only helps us veterans of the sport sit back and remember the rich history of SCORE, but it also helps introduce an entire new audience to the magnificent legacy of SCORE.”
“These shows will also remind some and introduce others to the legends of SCORE racing like Ivan Stewart, Walker Evans, Roger Mears, Larry Ragland, Johnny Campbell, the Herbst Brothers, Steve Hengeveld, Mark McMillin, David Ashley and Dan Smith. We like remembering our past as we sustain our legacy as the world’s foremost desert racing organization. We are really pleased to be able to preserve the rich history that has made SCORE the iconic international symbol that it has been for 40 years.”
With plans to create an internet video library of SCORE’s iconic history, much of the inventory of shows and footage for SCORE Throwback Thursday is material originally produced by award-winning motorsports videographer Don Shoemaker.
SCORE production manager Andrew Grimshaw helped conceive the idea for this new programming platform as SCORE continues to develop increasing ways to expand the reach of not only SCORE but the entire sport of desert racing.
This week’s show will spotlight the 1997 Tecate SCORE Baja 500 highlighted by the impressive overall SCORE Trophy Truck victory recorded by Ivan Stewart and the overall Class 1 win recorded by another SCORE Baja legend—Mark McMillin.
Stewart, who drove a Toyota SCORE Trophy Truck, earned 17 class wins in the SCORE Baja 500 in his legendary ‘Ironman’ career and the 1997 Tecate SCORE Baja 500 was the eight of 10 overall wins.
Mark McMillin, part of the iconic three-generation McMillin Racing family team, has five class wins in this race and in 1997 it was his second of three overall wins. He won in 1997 in a Porsche-powered Jimco unlimited open-wheel desert race car.
Starting and finishing in Ensenada, the 1997 Tecate SCORE Baja 500 had 214 official starters and 98 official finishers.
Roger Norman’s Dirt LiveHD one-hour show is broadcast live weekly and the show is anchored around Norman’s two desert racing series, the SCORE Desert Series and the High Desert Racing Association as well as the new bonus points championship purse program he has developed called the World Championship of Desert Racing. All live events, this week was the 36th consecutive weekly Dirt LiveHD episode to air.
Dirt LiveHD also goes on-site live with expanded event coverage during SCORE and HDRA race weekends and will next be covering the legendary 46th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Nov. 13-17, which will start and finish this year in Ensenada, Mexico.
1997 Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Total Starters: 214 Total Finishers: 98
CLASS WINNERS
SCORE TROPHY TRUCK–Ivan Stewart
CLASS 1–Mark McMillin
CLASS 1/2-1600–Damen Jefferies
CLASS 3–Darren Skilton
CLASS 5-Mike Jakobson
CLASS 5-1600–Edmundo Fernandez
CLASS 7–Larry Roeseler
CLASS 7S–Javier Sacio
CLASS 8–Dale White
CLASS 9–Daniel Mora
CLASS 10–Chris Harrold
SCORE LITES–George Erl/Jerry Penhall
CLASS 11–Marcos Nunoz
STOCK MINI–Dep. Steve Williams
STOCK FULL–Robert Hayley
PROTRUCK–Scott Steinberger
CLASS 21–Eric Hjalmarson/Fred Willert
CLASS 22–Johnny Campbell/Bruce Ogilvie
CLASS 30–Mike Barnhill/Dennis Green
CLASS 40–Cliff Mattlock/Matt Barney
CLASS 50–No Finishers
CLASS 24–Angel Garcia/Arnoldo Ramirez
CLASS 25–Jim Knorr
DIRT LIVEHD GUESTS…
With the show on the air for 37 weeks, special racer guests have included Jim Anderson, R.J. Anderson, Ryan Arciero, B.J. Baldwin, Robby Bell, Jonathan Brenthal, Johnny Buss, Johnny Campbell, Kurt Caselli, Martin Christensen, Sean Cook, Justin Davis, Pat Dean, Colin Edwards, Steven Eugenio, T.J. Flores, Doug Fortin, Robby Gordon, Peter Hajas, Rod Hall, Shelby Hall, Elias Hanna, Steve Hengeveld, Jerry Herbst, Tim Herbst, Troy Herbst, Jesse Jones, Mike Julson, Lucas Knecht, Erek Kudla, Harley Letner, John Langley, Morgan Langley, Zak Langley, Matt Loiodice, Brad Lovell, Rob MacCachren, Daniel McMillin, Jessica McMillin, Luke McMillin, Mark McMillin, Andrew Myers, Steve Olliges, Adam Pfankuch, Josh Quintero, Ivan Ramirez, Jay Reichert, Brett Robinson, Larry Roeseler, Kirk Russell, Ross Savage, Armin Schwarz, Fred Sobke, Cameron Steele, Craig Stewart, Ivan Stewart, Colton Udall, Gus Vildosola Sr, Gus Vildosola Jr, Jason Voss, Kellon Walch, Tim Weigand, Brian Wilson, Randy Wilson, Ronny Wilson.
DIRT LIVEHD CREW
Desert racing public address announcer and former racer George Antill is the co-host of all Dirt LiveHD programming along with co-host Dianna Dahlgren, a Monster Energy Supercross TV commentator, fitness competitor, body builder and Ms. Monster Energy Supercross. One of the regular elements of the show with a SCORE social media interchange, allowing fans and racers to comment and ask questions through the SCORE Facebook and SCORE Twitter platforms. Another special segment each week is Tech Tips with SCORE Tech co-directors Jake Velasco or Art Savedra or SCORE Trophy Truck racer and prep-shop owner T.J. Flores.
Andrew Grimshaw, SCORE Media Production Manager, is the coordinating producer of the show. The program is hosted on ustream.com, the world’s largest streaming internet site.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF DESERT RACING
The 2013 SCORE Desert Series will also be part of the quickly-evolving World Championship of Desert Racing, which will combine points accumulated in two of the three SCORE Baja races along with points earned from three of the four-race 2013 HDRA Series, all held in the United States. Both the SCORE and HDRA series will crown their own individual class and overall point champions as well with a bonus purse for those racers who qualify for the World Championship of Desert Racing points bonus purse program to earn a desert racing World Champion title.
With a growing total, for the inaugural World Championship of Desert Racing bonus purse, an official total of $45,000 has been posted to date from new SCORE sponsors Amber Racing Services ($25,000), King Shocks ($10,000) and Rigid Industries ($10,000).
For car and truck classes with at least three starters in each qualifying race in 2013, the World Champion titles will be decided on combined points from the three SCORE races and three HDRA races with the bonus purse paid using the same formula based on total purse and number of starters in each class as is used currently for each SCORE race.
For the pro motorcycle and ATV classes, the World Championship of Desert Racing will include points earned in the three SCORE Baja races as well as the AMA National Hare and Hound race to be held during the Eldorado HDRA Reno 500.
DAKAR CHALLENGE 2013
This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and Eldorado HDRA Reno 500 were part of a special program where the combined best qualified car/truck finisher will receive a special entry package into the 2014 Dakar Rally in South America. Regulations and other information on Dakar Challenge 2013 are available at http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2013/us/dakar-challenge.html. The winner of the special package is Class 10 racer Peter Hajas, Wayzata, Minn.
SCORE SPONSORS…
Official Sponsors: Tecate Beer-Official Beer/Official Race Sponsor, Monster Energy-Official Energy Drink, BFGoodrich Tires-Official Tire, Amber Racing Services-Official Race Fuels, Rigid Industries-Official Lights, King Shocks-Official Shock Absorber, Volaris Airlines-Official Airline, Wide Open Excursions- Official Arrive and Drive Company, Coca-Cola-Official Soft Drink, Crystal Bay Casino-Official Casino, Hotel Coral and Marina-Official Hotel.
Associate Sponsors: Graham Watchmakers, SatellitePhoneStore.com, Symons Ambulance Company.
Additional SCORE Partners: Proturismo Ensenada, Visit Baja California Sur, Baja California Secretary of Tourism, Baja California Sur State Government, Mexicali Ayuntamineto, COTUCO Mexicali/San Felipe, Cruz Roja Mexicana, PCI Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
For more information, visit the official website of the new SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.
SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark, dominiccnv@aol.com