Matlock Racing
SCORE Tecate BAJA 500 ATV Race Report
June 4-7, 2009
- Ensenada, Mexico, 432.51 miles
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SCORE
BAJA 500
ATV Race Links |
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1A
Harold Goodman, Wes Miller, Wayne Matlock
& Josh Caster claim their 5th consecutive
Overall ATV victory in the SCORE series
at the 41st annual Baja 500 |
Ensenada, Mexico (6/10/2009) –
On June 6, 2009 the #1A American Honda team of Wayne
Matlock, Harold Goodman, Josh Caster and Wes Miller
won the Overall ATV title at the 41st annual running
of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Matlock’s team of riders headed south of
the border to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
with the determination to continue the winning
streak aboard the Honda TRX700XX. The team spent
over a week prerunning each of their sections
of the course to prepare for the grueling race.
After the end of each prerun day the riders would
be more excited with the Baja prowess of the TRX700XX.
The #1A quad with Matlock aboard would start
3rd off the line behind the 2A and 3A quads. With
just early morning light, heavy dust and having
raced many times in Baja, Matlock stuck with his
plan to ride a safe pace for his first ride. He
held his position behind the two lead quads before
handing the quad off to Caster at race mile 37
in Ojos Negros.
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1A
Josh Caster |
Caster took the quad and continued with the team’s
plan of riding safe and holding their position
early in the race. During his first ride he was
able to overtake many motorcycles fighting through
the thick dust of the lead bikes. Caster would
hand the quad off to Harold Goodman at race mile
95 at Nuevo junction still holding the 3rd place
position.
Goodman’s section included the famous “Summit”
and the rocky whoops of Borrego. Goodman made
his way over the summit down to the dry lake bed
of Laguna Salada and mid way through his section
was able to overtake the 3A quad and move into
the second place position before handing the quad
back off to Matlock in Borrego at race mile 200.
With Matlock back on the quad it was time to
turn up the heat on the 2A quad leading the race.
Matlock’s second section included the big
sandy whoops near Borrego as well as the fast
and twisty roads near Mike’s Sky Ranch.
Matlock’s plan was working and he was able
to gain over 3 minutes on the 2A quad before handing
it off to Wes Miller at race mile 255 near Valley
de Trinidad.
Miller knew the team now wanted to take the lead
and be first quad on the road. He was off, crossing
the “top of the world” towards the
coast while making up time on the lead quad. Even
before reaching the coast Miller was able to catch
the 2A quad and soon after reaching the coast
section of the course he was able to make the
pass for the lead. Knowing anything can happen
in Baja, Miller continued to space himself from
the 2A quad before handing the quad off to Caster
at race mile 350 in Santo Tomas.
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1A
Wayne Matlock |
From Santo Tomas, Caster was able to jump on
the quad with a 3 minute lead thanks to Miller.
Now the lead quad on the road, Caster kept up
the faster pace set by his other teammates and
continued to hold the lead before handing it off
to Matlock at race mile 395 near Ojos Negros for
his final ride.
Matlock was now confident with the teams lead
and slowed the pace to the finish. During the
last few miles he worked his way safely around
the booby traps set up by locals before coming
across the finish line in Ensenada.
The team’s time of 9:36:23 hours a 45.23
mph average gave them the Overall ATV title while
winning by almost 18 ½ minutes. The team
also finished an astounding 10th overall between
the bikes and quads. This was the team’s
5th consecutive Pro ATV win in the SCORE series!
Matlock Racing would
like to thank their sponsors:
Honda, Alba, Precision Concepts, Maxxis, Houser
Racing, Elka, KZ Trailers, HMF Exhaust, Fly Racing,
Pro Honda Oil and Chemicals, Baja Designs, Tire
Balls, DWT, OMF, Renthal, Motion Pro, Streamline,
IMS-Roll, IMS, TCX Boots, Quadtech, Scott Goggles,
UNI Filters, DID Chains, Division Four
www.score-international.com
23961 Craftsman Rd. #A
Calabasas, CA 91302
818-225-8402
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