SCORE Int’l selects Volkswagen as official Grand Marshall For 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 Anniversary Celebration

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark 702.735.7123

May 21, 2008

13 overall wins for VW-powered vehicles
SCORE Int’l selects Volkswagen as official Grand Marshall
For 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 Anniversary Celebration

May 29-June 1 event in Ensenada has entries from 24 States, 9 countries;
VW major part of sport since it started

LOS ANGELES—Moving away from the tradition individual selection, SCORE International has announced that a manufacturer—Volkswagen—part of the sport of desert racing since it began in 1967, has been selected as the Grand Marshall for this month’s 40th anniversary celebration of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the second-oldest desert race in the world.
Round 3 of the five-race 2008 SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, featuring over 300 entries, competing in 27 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held May 29-June 1 in Ensenada, Mexico. Traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule, over 100,000 spectators are expected to enjoy the world’s best desert racers in action at this year’s 40th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
With late entries accepted up to race morning, entries are expected for the 441.15-mile race from 24 U.S. States from Hawaii to Connecticut along with the additional countries of Mexico, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Japan. The green flag will drop for the elapsed-time race at 6 a.m. on Saturday (May 31) for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes three hours after the last ATV at approximately 9:30 a.m. In the elapsed-time race, motorcycles and ATVs will start one every 15 seconds, while the faster car/truck classes will start one every 30 seconds and the slower ones will start in 15-second intervals. All starters will have a 20-hour time limit to become official finishers.
“SCORE is humbled and honored that Volkswagen would accept our invitation to be recognized as the first manufacturer to ever be selected as ‘Grand Marshall’ of a SCORE desert race,” said Sal Fish, SCORE CEO/President since shortly after it was founded in 1973. “It is only fitting that the vehicle that has been such an integral part of our sport since its beginning should be congratulated in this manner.”
Representing Volkswagen, SCORE’s first official vehicle in 1973 and currently back in the same relationship with SCORE, at the race will be Clark Campbell, Volkswagen of America Motorsport Manager. In 1973, the eclectic VW Thing was SCORE’s Official Vehicle and now it is the sophisticated Volkswagen Touareg mid-sized SUVs.
Volkswagen has been a mainstay in desert racing, with a long and winning history, including in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
Vehicles powered by sturdy and depending air-cooled Volkswagen engines have earned a race-high 13 overall victories in this race. The first was in 1971 when veteran Hollywood stunt driver Bobby Ferro drove a Funco-VW to victory circle.
Last year, Volkswagen of America successfully raced two Dakar Rally turbo-diesel Volkswagen Race Touareg 2’s in a special class in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, finishing an impressive 11th and 18th overall out of a SCORE-record 492 total starters.
Currently, Volkswagen is building a turbo-diesel Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 to begin competing in the elite SCORE Trophy-Truck division. Plans call for the new TDI diesel race vehicle, driven by American desert racing stars Mark Miller and Ryan Arciero, to debut at this November’s 41st annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
This race began in 1969 under the auspices of the old NORRA organization and SCORE began its enduring run on July 26, 1974. This year is the 35th anniversary of the first SCORE race in Baja.
Founded in 1973 by the late Mickey Thompson, current SCORE CEO/President Sal Fish has been the principal in the desert racing organization since 1974.
SCORE currently has three Pro classes open exclusively to VW Baja Bugs, Beetles, Rabbits (Class 5, Class 5/1600) and VW Sedans (Class 11). Three additional classes (Class 1-2/1600, SCORE Lite and Class 9) are required to have VW powerplants exclusively in open-wheel desert race cars. The Unlimited Class 1 and Class 10 car classes have an option of using a VW motor.
The 2008 SCORE Desert Series also includes the chase for the $20,000 Volkswagen Point Leader Bonus which is part of the $100,000 Volkswagen cash contingency program for the year. Volkswagen has also posted a special $5,000 cash contingency bonus for the highest-finishing VW-powered race vehicle in this race and in November’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Bettle, New Bettle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. For more information, visit Volkswagen of America online at http://www.vw.com/.
For the first time in the 40-year history of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race, the colorful pre-race Manufacturer’s Midway and Contingency, both the start and finish line will all be located in the heart of Ensenada, Mexico on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the historic Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. It will be first time in race history that the pre-race activities and the finish will be held on this historic boulevard.
Pre-race festivities will launch on Thursday, May 29 when Mexico’s El Vigia newspaper hosts its annual SCORE Meet the Racers Fiesta from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Ventana al Mar Plaza.
The SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 30. Racer registration will again be held in the Grand Ballroom of the San Nicolas Hotel. Registration hours will be from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 29 and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday May 30.
The awards celebration will be held poolside at the San Nicolas on Sunday, June 1 at 10 a.m.
Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels -official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Slime-official tire sealant, Red Bull--official energy drink and Bosch Power Tools-official power tool. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising,
Kartek Off-Road, American Suzuki, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
Additional race sponsor for the 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 is Proturismo of Ensenada.
For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the SCORE Desert Series at http://www.score-international.com/.