Baja 500: triumph Toby Price and Paul Weel for Australia!
By Stephan Wolf
Off-road motorsport races in Mexico (more specifically, the Península de Baja California) have been the exclusive off-road competition in North America for over fifty years. The first Baja 1000 race was held in 1967, then came more versions with different distances - the Baja 500 (in 1969), the San Felipe 250 (in 1982) and the new Baja 400 (in 2019).
The 56th Baja 500 took place from May 29 to June 2 and was run as a loop race - with a start and finish in the city of Ensenada. This year’s race route included 464.64 miles (or 747.76 km) of competitive distance, with three service stops. The time limit was 20 hours.
More than 250 participants on bikes, quads, cars, buggies and SSVs started (there were more than twenty different classes and groups in total). The main contenders for victory have traditionally been competitors from the USA and Mexico - led by Bryce Menzies (four-time Baja 500 winner) and Alan Ampudia (won the San Felipe 250 in March, the SCORE International series leader).
There were not many foreign participants - the most famous were Australians Toby Price (star of motorcycle rally-raids, two-time winner of the Dakar) and Paul Weel (circuit racing), who started in one crew of Team Australia in the highest category Trophy Truck (prototypes of unlimited category, up to 1100 hp). Ecuadorian Bradley Salazar (participant of Dakar and FIA World Baja Cup), who started in one crew with compatriot Marco Guerrón and two Argentines, Diego Blas and Leonardo Ulla, was also added to them. This quartet was entered in the Pro UTV Forced Induction (or SSV with turbo engines) category.
Qualifying was won by Australians Toby Price and Paul Weel in the Mason-built Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy Truck. The main intrigue - will they be able to succeed in the race? The Team Australia crew won qualifying twice last year, but usually had problems in the race. Although Toby Price already has a lot of experience in cars - he won the famous Australian off-road Finke Desert Race three times in 2021–2023 on Trophy Truck.
The race was a complete success for Team Australia - the crew of Aussies Toby Price, Paul Weel and American Brent Bauman won the Baja 500! They were more than seven minutes ahead of the Mexican crew of Tavo Vildósola (former winner of the San Felipe 250, Baja 500 and Baja 1000). Thus, Price and Weel became the first non-US and non-Mexican riders to win the Baja 500!
Bradley Salazar’s Baja 500 debut earned him a 10th position finish in the Pro UTV Forced Induction category. Another interesting fact is that finishing fifth overall in the Baja 500 was 71-year-old veteran Gustavo Vildósola Sr. who also won the SCORE Trophy Truck Legend category.
Bradley Salazar:
It was an extremely challenging race, and for the first time, we shared the car with another team. We covered 480 very difficult miles. Diego Blas from Argentina drove the first 100 miles with his co-driver Leo Ulla. Then, I took the wheel and drove 220 miles. After that, I handed the car back to Diego to complete 120 miles, and finally, I finished the last 40 miles with my co-driver, Marco Guerrón.
The route was full of rocks and stones, making it very complicated. There was a lot of traffic, with large cars, damaged cars, and even some that caught fire. Despite all this, the experience was incredibly enriching and unique. We had never participated in a SCORE International Baja event before, and for the first time, I think we did quite well. I feel deeply grateful and happy to have lived this experience, so different from all the races we’ve done before.
The Panchito Race Preps team was exceptional, providing us with incredible support. The people of Ensenada, in Baja California, were very kind and hospitable to us and the other drivers. We return to Ecuador filled with joy, with medals, and with the pride of having completed one of the toughest Bajas in the world: the Baja 500 in Ensenada, Baja California México. We hope to return soon to experience this again.
56th Baja 500 (Overall)
1. Toby Price (AUS, Chevy Silverado Trophy Truck) 9:20:22.188
2. Tavo Vildósola Jr. (MEX, Ford Raptor Trophy Truck) +7:14.404
3. Christopher Polvoorde (USA, Ford Raptor Trophy Truck) +10:15.101
4. Bryce Menzies (USA, Ford Raptor Trophy Truck) +23:17.298
5. Gustavo Vildósola Sr. (MEX, Ford Raptor Trophy Truck) +31:26.339
Photo Credits: SCORE International, teams social media
