BFGoodrich Tires, the official tire sponsor for the SCORE Desert Racing Series, reigned supreme on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula last weekend earning the top-three overall finishing spots and eight class wins at the 40th Annual SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada, Mexico.
Riding on BFGoodrich Baja T/A tires, B.J Baldwin’s 7-second victory margin was the closest ever in the in history of the heralded event.
Facing 289 starting entrants, Goodrich solo driver, B.J. Baldwin, put forth a hero’s effort to capture his first Baja 500 overall four-wheel trophy-truck crown at round three of the five-race Desert Series.
Baldwin battled through 441 miles of dust-filled desert in his Chevy Silverado to cross the line in nine hours, ten minutes, and 47 seconds at an average speed of 48.06 miles per hour. Baldwin’s victory was the closest in history of the heralded event, a mere seven seconds over the reigning trophy-truck championship team of Mark Post and Rob MacCachren. In fact, the veteran duo actually finished first physically in the elapsed-time race in their Goodrich tire-equipped Ford F-150, but the corrected-time results revealed their second place finish as Baldwin started 60 seconds behind yet came across the finish just 53 seconds after Post and MacCachren.
Third-place overall went to two-time Baja 500 winner Brian Collins and his new teammate Chuck Hovey. The pair finished 15 minutes behind Baldwin in their Dodge Ram trophy-truck -- giving Goodrich the top-three overall finishing spots in the race.
Arriving at the finish line on Goodrich Baja T/A tires, “This win is massive. It is very important to me,” Baldwin notes. “I’ve had a handful of trophies, but what I don’t have is that Montezuma thing, the first overall in a SCORE Baja race. That’s what I always wanted.”
First-place winner B.J. Baldwin was flying high at the Baja 500, leaving the other racers in his dust.
Another incredible accomplishment came on behalf of legendary off-road racer and revered Baja veteran Rod Hall, who became the all-time winningest driver in the history of the Baja 500 by earning his 18th class win. Hall, still racing at age 70, remains undefeated in SCORE races this year. Hall and co-driver Mike Winkel, piloted their Goodrich-shod Hummer H3 to first place in the Stock Mini class in a time of 14:42:54. Hall finished an hour and a half after his youngest son Chad Hall, who won the Stock Full class in a Goodrich-equipped Hummer H3 in 13:09:53 for his first win in the 500 and his second class win this season.
For more information, visit www.bfgoodrichtires.com.
