Round one of the 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship kicked off with San Felipe 250. The SLR Honda team, comprised of Tyler Lynn (USA), Carter Klein (USA) and Sam Pretscherer (Australia) captured the win on the 281.5-mile course and completed the race in 5 hours, 19 minutes, and 1 second.
The 1x team started third on the Slam Life Racing Honda CRF450X as the race wound through the scenic landscape of the Baja California Peninsula. Lynn made up ground during the first stint of the race and passed into the physical lead before handing the bike off to Klein. The battle then ensued as the SLR team was forced into a long pit stop and watched their lead dwindle away to the 3x Ducati team of Ciaran Naran and Lyndon Snodgrass.
The splits remained tight as Pretscherer took the bike back for the final leg of the race. The Aussie native passed his way back into the physical lead during the last stint and crossed the finish line more than 10 minutes clear of second place. The SLR Honda team claimed the overall win in the Pro Moto Unlimited class and averaged nearly 53 miles per hour for the entire race. This is Honda’s 26th overall motorcycle win in the event’s history.
Naran’s team finished second overall with a time of 5:31:20, followed by Daemon Woolslayer’s entry, who took the final spot on the overall podium, half an hour back at 5:54:38 of race time.
Other notable performances came from Jim O’Neal, 79, who added to his incredible legacy by claiming his 22nd career win at the San Felipe 250, the most in event history. Competing in the Pro Moto 40 class, O’Neal teamed with Jason Miller, Shane Esposito, Francisco Septien, and Rene Magana for victory aboard the number 400x Honda CRF450X with a time of 6:58:13, good for fifth overall. He remains the only rider to have competed in all 39 editions of the event
In the grueling Pro Moto Ironman category, where a single rider must tackle the entire course solo, Marco Molinar delivered a standout ride. Riding without relief, Molinar conquered the demanding terrain aboard his number 788x Honda CRF450X and finished in 7 hours, 23 minutes, and 4 seconds. His victory over a competitive field of nine riders saw him finish sixth overall.
Levi Gil of Visalia, California, took top honors in the Pro Moto 30 class, while Ana Rivas from Mexicali, Mexico, claimed the win in Pro Moto Limited. Mike Prunty earned victory in Pro Moto 50, with Harold Harris dominating the Pro Moto 60 division. Luis Fernando Perez of La Paz, Mexico, came away with the win in the Sportsman Moto class.
The next round of the series, the Baja 500, takes place on June 3-7 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. CN
2026 SCORE World Desert Championship Round 1 Results
OVERALL (Top 5)
- Tyler Lynn (Hon) 5:19:01
- Ciaran Naran (Duc) 5:31:20
- Daemon Woolslayer (Hus) 5:54:38
- Martin De la Torre (Hon) 6:30:02
- Jason Miller (Hon) 6:58:13
