Valle Trinidad, Baja California (May 26, 2008) The 40th anniversary of the SCORE Baja 500 is a mere 5-days away and the northern section of the Baja California peninsula is busy with an international contingent of racers prepares for this year’s 440-mile race course across the Baja desert. 

Racers have come to the Baja Peninsula amid concerns of violence that has swept across the northern part of Baja reportedly due to extensive narcotic related wars.  Although, SCORE International and the Mexican government officials have taken extreme measures to protect race teams and fans in the Ensenada area, the outlying remote areas appear to be about the same as always.  Calm and very quiet.

DIRTnewz.com arrived to the seaside town of Ensenada four days ago and experienced increased patrols on the toll road and throughout town. 

Friday’s prerunning activities extended throughout Northern Baja and down to the Sea of Cortez town of San Felipe and other than the huge crowds in San Felipe, all was very quiet on the race front.  In fact, it appeared that many racers, both motorcycle and car/truck teams were on course preparing for this great desert race.

Collins Motorsports, G&R Racing, Pistol Pete Sohren Racing, Wide Open Baja, Mikey Childress Racing, Honda 1X, Gerardo Iribe, Voss Motorsports and Heil Racing along with many others all plying the chase roads and race course in search of the perfect line.

Early Monday morning, Pistola drove away from the Borrego Pit at race mile 210 in his #2 Schampa Prerunner-Trophy Truck and ran the section to San Matias where he was pulled over to make a slight adjustment to the shifter linkage.  Pistola wearing the familiar sponsors colors was jovial as he prepared to push his Maxxis-tire preruuner through the paces in hopes of a top finish.  Slated to start in 7th position off the start line, Sohren said he’s ready for this year’s race.

At Valle Trinidad, Mike Childress arrived on his Honda 650XR after running from Borrego to Valle Trinidad three times before the 11:00 a.m. hour.  Childress told us he’s slated for double-duty at this year’s Baja 500 as he will also race the #7 General Tire Trophy Truck after he races the first part of the race on his motorcycle.  Childress commented, “The weather has been beautiful and this is classic Baja.  We are going to put the #7 Trophy Truck into the top five and we’ve been working hard towards the Baja 500. “  Childress has long been a threat in the desert and he’s won the Baja 1000 and the Baja 500 in the recent past.

Gerardo Iribe made the turn up the main street of Valle Trinidad in his red 5-1600 Baja Bug and stopped at the DIRTnewz truck to give us a report on his prerun.  Iribe and his family stayed the night at Mike’s Sky Ranch Sunday night and they came down the race course early Monday morning being chased by the SCORE Baja racing legend himself – Carlos Iribe, who had a truck full of young grand children surrounding him.  The senior Iribe drove his FORD F150 loaded with the kids quads after the family spent the day at one of Baja’s most regarded remote spots, Mike’s Sky Rancho.

Gerardo commented, “You know Timeteo, of all the race cars that I’ve raced, the Baja Bug is still my favorite.  I love this car and it just works so good it’s so much fun.”

Temperatures in the Valle Trinidad valley reached a high of 71 degrees on Monday and this morning the brisk air was only 51-degrees as prerunning activities kicked off.

We’ll have a report from tonight’s activities as the nation’s top desert racers gather in the Mexican desert prerunning hoping to  be victorious at the historic SCORE Baja 500.