A Celebration of Off-Road Racing's Past: Third Annual Monster Energy Baja Legacy Party Set For Tecate SCORE Baja 500

Event to Induct Legendary Personalities into Horsepower Ranch Hall of Fame

Santa Ana, CA (May 10, 2006)

Created to celebrate Baja’s rich off-road racing heritage and to open the gates at the exclusive Horsepower Ranch to the public for only the third time, DIRTsports Magazine and Wide Open Baja have announced plans for the third annual Baja Legacy Party the evening of June 1, 2006. The event is timed to coincide with the 38th running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, and will feature the special recognition of a select group of off-road race personalities and a collection of rare vintage off-road machinery.

Produced for the third year by Todd Clement and Marty Fiolka, the event, which is being presented for the first time by Monster Energy drink, is a joint production of DIRTsports Magazine, Wide Open Baja, BFGoodrich, Tecate Beer and SCORE International. The Baja Legacy party will take place on Thursday evening, June 1 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Horsepower Ranch outside of Ensenada, Mexico, the night before the huge Tech and Contingency Day activities for the SCORE Baja 500.

This year, the Baja Legacy organizers will honor a stellar list of inductees that includes “Lightning” Larry Ragland,former driver for Chevrolet’s factory team and a five time overall SCORE Baja 1000 winner; Frank “Scoop” Vessels, former factory racer for Chevrolet who gave BFGoodrich its first desert win in 1977 and numerous SCORE Baja 500 wins. Also scheduled to be honored are Bob “Weatherman” Steinberger, SCORE’s voice of desert racing who has monitored race radio traffic and coordinated safety and rescue operations for SCORE races for decades and Mike Thomas, owner of the legendary Chenowth chassis company that produced Class 1 cars that won numerous SCORE Baja 500 and Baja 1000 wins in the 1980s and 90s.

All of this year’s recipients will be on hand to claim their space on the ranch’s Hall of Fame in the Carrera Cantina, joining a distinguished group of past inductees that includes Sal Fish, Bruce Meyers, Corky McMillin, Malcolm Smith, Ron Bishop, Drino Miller, Dick Landfield, Bob Gordon, Ivan Stewart, Larry Roeseler and Walker Evans.

A collection of rare vintage off-road vehicles will be on display, including a recently discovered Mickey Thompson single seater, Frank Vessels’ fully restored BFGoodrich Ford F100, several race-winning Chenowth chassis and more. In addition, a pit stop contest for charity will be featured. Off-road race crews will compete head-to-head in a best-of-three match of pit stops. The victorious crew will be able to designate the winner's prize to the charity of their choice.

“For DIRTsports, our annual partnership with Wide Open on the Baja Legacy event is the ideal way to for our magazine to celebrate the passion of desert racing, the lure of the Baja peninsula and the history of our sport,” explained Jim Ryan, group publisher, Advanstar Off-Road Group. “All of us have fallen in love with going to Horsepower Ranch each year, and we invite everyone in our Dirt Nation to join us for a great evening.”

“The Baja Legacy party was started by Marty Fiolka and myself to open up the ranch to the public and honor all of our heroes in this sport, “added Todd Clement, managing partner, Wide Open Baja. “In just three short years it has become the off-road party of the year and having a company like Monster Energy join us in presenting the event will make the evening just bigger and better. The only thing I can add is to make sure everyone buys their tickets ahead of time!”

Admission is only $25 per person, which includes complete BBQ dinner, two live bands, specially designed event t-shirt and a commemorative poster. The highlight of the evening will be a live big screen stage presentation inducting a special group of Baja legends into the ranch’s Carrera Cantina Walls of Fame. Last year, more than 800 guests enjoyed the festivities, and this year organizers are expecting that number to reach nearly 1,000. Due to this year’s overwhelming response, advanced reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by calling 949-874-5799 or online at www.bajalegacy.com.

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