It’s Official: JCR Honda Wins Baja 1000

Cycle News Staff | November 18, 2013
  David Kamo leads the way at the Baja 1000. Photography by Mark Kariya

David Kamo leads the way at the Baja1000. Photography by Mark Kariya

The results of the 46th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are official and it was the Johnny Campbell Racing Honda Team, made up of David Kamo, Tim Weigand, Colton Udall and Mark Samuels, that over came injuries and a broken wheel to top the leaderboard once again. They completed the 883-mile race in 18 hours, 29 minutes and 14.240 seconds with a 47.8 mph speed average. It was the 17th straight year that a Honda motorcycle took top honors at the 1000.

This year’s Baja 1000, however, was marred by the death of FMF/Bonanza Plumbing KTM Team rider Kurt Caselli who was leading late in the race, along with teammates Mike Brown, Kendal Norman and Ivan Ramirez, while in a close battle with the JCR Honda squad when he crashed in a sand wash, suffering a fatal head injury.

Second overall went to the THR Motorsports/Monster Energy/Precision Concepts Kawasaki Team of Robby Bell, David Pearson, Ricky Brabec, Steve Hengeveld and Taylor Robert. The team ran out of gas once and Robby Bell suffered a hard crash, which forced the services of back-up rider and Baja veteran Steve Hengeveld. The Kawasaki squad finished almost two hours behind the JRC Honda team.

Third overall went to the winning Class 30 entry of Francisco Arrendondo, Ryan Dudek, Chris Haines, Scott Myers and Brian Pinard.

Scott Yenzer, Shihab Alireza, Martin Camp, Garrett Choquette, Bill Gilbert, Dennis Green and John Griffin combined efforts to win Class 40 with more than four hours to spare.

The Matt Kukendall/Cody Schafer/Olaf Satre Team cruised to victory in Class 21, while Mexico’s Fernando Beltran, Fernando Tavarez, Emmanuel Vergudo topped the Sportsman Motorcycle Over 450cc division.

Alexander Smith was the only finisher out of nine entries in the Ironman class. He finished the race solo in 27 hours, four minutes and 50 seconds.

The Texas Tornado Boot Camp staff team of Steven Bodak, Colin Edwards, Mike Myers and others did well for their first foray into Baja racing and returned to Texas with a creditable fourth in Class 21.

RESULTS
SCORE/Tecate Baja 1000

Ensenada, B.C. Mexico

November 15-17, 2013

CLASS 22 (450cc or more)—1. Timmy Weigand, Valencia, Calif./Colton Udall, San Clemente, Calif./David Kamo, Caldwell, Idaho/Mark Samuels, Yucca Valley, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 18:29:14; (47.8 mph); 2. Robby Bell, Glendora, Calif./David Pearson, Panaca, Nev./Taylor Robert, Scottsdale, Ariz./Ricky Brabec, Oak Hills, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F, 20:21:19; 3. Dustin Paloposki/Klade Glasgow/Geoffe Nelson/Tyler Murray, Canada, KTM, 23:34:18; 4. Brian Garrahan, Boulder Creek, Calif./Arik Swan, Santa Cruz, Calif./Bobby Bartholomew, Boulder Creek, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F, 25:32:36.

(Total Starters: 7, Total Finishers: 4)

CLASS 20 (400cc or less)—1. Chad Broughton/Eric Pucelik/Jim Owens/Jack Hulse, Scotts Valley, Calif., Honda CRF250X, 26:32:30, (33.6 mph); (Total Starters: 3, Total Finishers: 1)

CLASS 21 (450cc or less)—1. Cody Schafer, Wheatridge, Colo./Olaf Satre, Steamboat Springs, Colo./Matt Kukendall, Las Vegas, Kawasaki KX450F, 25:01:22 (35.3 mph); 2. Adam Neuwirth, Los Angeles/Joe Querantes, Laguna Beach, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 28:38:42; 3. Mike Maggrah/Geoff Gerbrandt, Canada, Yamaha WR450F, 30:28:25; 4. Colin Edwards/Mike Myers/Steven Bodak, Montgomery, Texas, Yamaha WR450, 30:38:46; 5. Mike West, Yucaipa, Calif./Jeff Bates/Jason Woodruff, Australia, Honda CRF450X, 31:25:07. (Total Starters: 6; Total Finishers: 5)

CLASS 30 (Riders over 30 years old)—1. Francisco Arredondo, Guatemala/Ryan Dudek/Shane Esposito, Menifee, Calif./Scott Myers/Brian Pinard, Temecula, Calif./Chris Haines, Dana Point, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 20:57:09 (42.5 mph); 2. Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Rex Cameron, Albuquerque, N.M./Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico/Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico/Jason Trubey, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Honda CRF450X, 22:14:10; 3. Ryan Gutile, Madera, Calif./Kyle Abney/Paul Luce, Albuquerque, N.M., Yamaha WR450F, 24:34:15; 4. Jeff Benrud, Raeford, N.C./Clint LaRue, Virginia Beach, Va., Honda CRF450X, 24:59:52; 5. Cliff Cook/Justin Miller, Matt Bateman, Jay Rabjohn, Cameron Park, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 26:43:04; 6. Paul Gallagher/Chris Knight/David Gibson/Mladen Rudman, Canada, KTM XCW500, 28:53:01; 7. Brad Baker, Arlington, Va./Jeremy Baker, Vancouver, Wash./Luke Dupin, Moscow, Idaho/Jean-Paul Dupin, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Honda CRF450X, 30:37:03; 8. Bobby Belz/Darell Pitts, Lovington, N.M./Rob Riner, Fort Worth, Texas, Honda CRF450X, 32:20:58. 9. Mike Meyer, Hermosa Beach, Calif./Joshua Coffey, Bakersfield, Calif./Kenneth Caverhill, Frazier Park, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 32:26:10. (Total Starters: 11, Total Finishers: 9)

CLASS 40 (Riders over 40 years old)—1. Scott Yenzer, Golden, Colo./Bill Gilbert, Ladera Ranch, Calif./Marin Camp, South Africa/Shihab Alireza, Saudi Arabia, Honda CRF450X, 25:36:27 (34.5 mph); 2.  Mike Prunty, Temecula, Calif./Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif./Louie Franco, Temecula, Calif./Sterlyn Rigsby, Temecula, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 29:47:48; 3. Giovanni Spinelli/Earl Roberts/Don Connely/Mike Carter, Calexico, Mexico, Honda CRF450x, 31:28:11. (Total Starters: 5, Total Finishers: 3)

CLASS 50 (Riders over 50 years old)—Total Starters: 2, Total Finishers: 0)SCORE IRONMAN (Solo Riders)—1. Alexander Smith, Riverside, Calif., KTM 450XCF, 27:04:50 (32.6 mph).  (Total Starters: 9, Total Finishers: 1)