Colton Udall, Justin Jones and the WFOx Motorsports Honda team dominated the 29th Bud Light SCORE San Felipe 250. Photography courtesy of SCORE.
After suffering the sting of losing the Baja 1000, Colton Udall admits he was questioning his desire to continue racing in Baja. But the first race of the 2015 SCORE World Desert Championship has already seen Udall rebound to the top in dominant fashion, as he and his teammate, Justin Jones, rode to a commanding win aboard their WFOxMotorsports.com Honda in the 29th Bud Light SCORE San Felipe 250.
Udall and Jones faced stiff opposition from Ricky Brabec and Max Eddy Jr. aboard their THR Motorsports/Precision Concepts Kawasaki, but the competition was short-lived. After Brabec got the duo out to a good start, Eddy suffered a hard crash, suffering a suspected concussion and broken wrist. The misfortune left the door wide open for Udall and Jones, who rode cautiously to the big win.
“The course was so gnarly because of the way it was routed,” Udall said. “The rain and the number of pre-runners made it really difficult. I don’t know if the other classes didn’t pre-run enough because they usually pack down the rocks. In sections of the course where I’m used to running wide open, instead it was fourth gear on and off the gas today. I was tiptoeing around to make sure I didn’t hit any big rocks. The washes out there are really scary.”
Jones agreed, also noting that the wind complicated the conditions in Baja. “My biggest problem was that the wind was blowing the sand over and I couldn’t see any of the boulders sticking out,” Jones said. “You are racing the course instead of the competitors. Being smooth and respecting Baja was really key. The rocks are gnarly and some of the sand whoops, too.”
Second-place rider Mark Samuels was a victim of the difficult conditions, but fortunately wasn’t injured after a hard get-off early in the race.
“About six or seven miles in, I clipped a rock and went over the bars really hard,” Samuels said. “That set us back about 10 minutes while I was trying to catch my breath. I had just passed someone and the rock really just snuck up on me.”
Samuels managed to get back going and hand his WFOx Honda CRF450X over to his teammate, Ray Dal Soglio, who brought it into the finish for a runner-up finish.
The KTM-mounted duo of Arnulfo Verdugo and Cesar Lopez rounded out the overall motorcycle podium in third while Eddy and Brabec managed to hold on for a fourth place finish.
Results: OPEN Motorcycle (450cc or more)
1. Colton Udall/Justin Jones, Honda CRF450X, 4:40:59 (55.31 mph)
2. Mark Samuels/Ray Dal Soglio, Honda CRF450X, 5:25:40
3. Arnulfo Verdugo/Cesar Lopez, KTM 450 XC-W, 5:41:40
4. Ricky Brabec/Max Eddy Jr, Kawasaki KX450F, 6:13:02
5. Nick Owens/Jim Owens, Honda CRF450X, 7:47:53
6. Raul Hernandez/Rodolfo Patron/Larry Serna/John Fitzpatrick, KTM 450 XC-W, 9:11:34.
