#Baja1000

With machines as multitalented as decathletes, drivers will line up for the 50th running of the BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 1000 this week, the granddaddy of all desert races that stretches pretty much the entire length of Baja California from Ensenada to La Paz.

The new Honda Ridgeline is winning awards, and it’s not even on sale yet.

Toyota didn’t just return to the Baja 1000 this year – it claimed a victory.

Toyota is looking to conquer the Baja 1000 with its Tundra TRD Pro Series pickup.

Toyota is gearing up to compete in this year’s Baja 1000.

Ivan “Ironman” Stewart became quite famous thanks to the Super Off Road game some of us played as children. Now you have a chance to own a historical piece of machinery that Stewart drove to various victories during his career.

While two of the six will be automatically crowned champions at the SCCA National Runoffs. The other four will have to depend the whims of voters. In a format similar to reality TV shows, Team BFGoodrich will ask you to vote for your favorites from the 21 remaining drivers.

The competition will be set-up like a Race of Champions gathering, with drivers competing with each other to win points and fan votes. The four highest scorers will join the previously selected two drivers and compete in the Baja 1000.

Follow the jump for more details:

Bill Caswell, who famously campaigned a $500 BMW 318i in an FIA-sanctioned rally event, will be bringing his car to SEMA – and turning it into a Baja style off road racer.

The build will take place over the course of the SEMA show, with the roll cage on day 1,the suspension on day 2, rear suspension on day 3, and items like the front brush guard, fuel cell, light bar and final roll cage work on day 4. The car will then compete in the SCORE Baja 1000’s Sportsman class.

Hit the jump to watch a video of the Baja BMW

[Source: Carscoop]

BFGoodrich Tires has long had a passion for racing, both on the tarmac and in the dirt. In a unique move linking their on-road and off-road interests, BFG has just announced an expanded contingency program for five classes in the 2010 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) National Championship Runoffs. This program offers SCCA competitors the chance to race in the BFGoodrich Tires / Wide Open Excursions “Baja Challenge” (BC) race car for the 43rd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in November.

Seats in the Wide Open Excursions BC race car, equipped with BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A tires, will be awarded to drivers who win their class using BFGoodrich tires at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in September. This is in addition to BFG’s existing contingency program that offers SCCA Club Racing National drivers two BFGoodrich g-Force R1 tires for first place and one tire for second place.  Eligible classes include AS, T2, T3, SSB and SSC.

“Because of our legendary success both on- and off-road, BFGoodrich Tires is uniquely qualified to offer a program like this to our racers,” said Roberts Kukainis, motorsports manager, BFGoodrich Tires.  “One thing we know at BFGoodrich Tires is that those who race on our tires are all about fierce competition, and we expect this contingency program to become a race in itself among our SCCA racers.”

The 2010 SCCA National Championship Runoffs will take place Sept. 20-26 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. More than 600 drivers will participate in the event, making it the country’s largest amateur championship. Those who bolt on a set of BFGoodrich tires and display the required decals will be eligible for the contingency.

“BFGoodrich Tires has definitely sweetened the pot for the track guys this season,” said Joel Lipperini, 2009 SCCA SSC class winner.  “We are very passionate about racing and winning – we aren’t out here to get rich, we do it all for the excitement on the track.  The chance to win championships on the track and in the desert, in the same season, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  I’ve never raced in Baja, but you better believe that I’ll be at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs pushing my car, my tires and myself to the limit.”

The complete Press Release after the jump.

[Source: BFGoodrich Tires]

Ford‘s SVT Raptor R, which competes in famous off-road races like the Baja 1000, is set to get an uprated version of the 3.5L Ecoboost twin-turbo V6. In its current form, the Raptor R puts down roughly 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque from its 6.2L V8, and the Ecoboost V6 will have to make at least that sort of power.

NASCAR and off-road racer Robby Gordon’s push for the SCORE championship in the annual Baja 1000 race is the focus of a new series of webisodes launched by one of the legendary racer’s sponsors MagnaFlow. Over the course of 10 weeks, MagnaFlow will release a new part in the 10-part “14 Hours To A Championship” series showing just what goes into a Baja 1000 race and how grueling the final challenge can be.

As the culmination of the SCORE series, the Baja 1000 isn’t about just one race either, but the deciding factor in a tough year of racing. And with Gordon poised to take the Championship, there’s a lot at stake.

The series promises in car cameras and a complete documentation of the race, including commentary from Gordon himself as he blasts through the desert in his Chevy CK1500 Trophy Truck.

Now if you’re a Robby Gordon fan, or a fan of off-road racing and the Baja 1,000, you likely already know the result of the race. Still, we won’t spoil it for anyone who doesn’t know.

View the series trailer above and see after the jump for the first intsallment in the “14 Hours To A Championship” series. We have also included schedule of the webisode releases dates, which can be viewed at MagnaFlow’s website or on the company’s YouTube channel here.

Toyota was all ready to create a little positive marketing for itself by entering its new 2010 4Runner in the grueling Baja 1000 race. The only problem is, Hummer also signed up and decided to spoil all the fun.

Toyota has announced that the all-new fifth-generation 2010 4Runner will compete in the grueling off-road Baja 1000 race. The truck will compete in the “Stock mini” class, meaning that it will receive minor modifications in order to compete.

Toyota isn’t fooling around either and has hired Ivan “Ironman” Stewart, a 22-time Baa winner and member of the Off-Road Motorsorts Hall of Fame, to pilot the truck, along with along list of other qualified drivers. The race covers 672 miles and takes approximately 31 hours to complete.

“Historically, only half of the racers finish this incredible test of man and machine, but we’re confident the Fifth Generation 4Runner will be a major contender in the stock mini class and can handle the grueling course”, said Les Unger, Toyota’s national motorsports manager.

The 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 kicks off November 20-21, in Ensenada, Mexico.

Official release after the jump: