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Baja 1000: Rod Hall - series post-race spotlight

Rod Hall Wins Record 19th Class Title In 40th SCORE Baja 1000 424 vehicles started the 1,296.39-mile internationally-televised adventure down Mexico's majestic Baja California peninsula CABO SAN LUCAS, B.C., Mexico (Nov. 15, 2007) -- Legendary ...

Rod Hall Wins Record 19th Class Title In 40th SCORE Baja 1000
424 vehicles started the 1,296.39-mile internationally-televised adventure down Mexico's majestic Baja California peninsula

CABO SAN LUCAS, B.C., Mexico (Nov. 15, 2007) -- Legendary driver Rod Hall of Reno, Nev., set another record Thursday by winning his 19th class title in the world's most famous desert race, the 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Hall, who turns 70 years old on Nov. 22, drove his factory Hummer to the Stock Mini production class win to continue his remarkable record on the peninsula of Baja California. Hall is one of only two racers to have competed in all forty Baja 1000 events and he now has won in nearly half of the grueling contests.

Motorcyclist Ron Bishop of Escondido, Calif., is the other racer with 40 Baja 1000 starts. Bishop, 64, finished 17th in Class 22 (motorcycles 250cc or larger) this year.

Hall won the class championship in the first Baja 1000 (known then as the Mexican 1000) in 1967 and, this year, the motor sports Hall of Famer was joined in the driving chores by his two sons, Chad and Josh, as well with Mike Winkel, all of Reno. Hall won the overall Baja 1000 title in 1969, teaming with Larry Minor.

Hall's 2007 entry completed the 1,296-mile desert route from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas in 40 hours, 4 minutes and 30 seconds for an average speed of 32.35 miles per hour.

Hall's victory today was against strong competition including former Pikes Peak Hill Climb winner and record holder Rod Millen and Baja regular Clive Skilton.

The season-finale of the six-race 2007 SCORE Desert Series featured 443 entries from 44 U.S. States and 20 countries. From weekend warriors to Hollywood actors and producers, the famous and not-so-famous battled in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

The fastest overall 4-wheel vehicle team was the No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150 driven by Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas and Carl Renezeder, Laguna Beach, Calif., averaging 51.13 m.p.h.

The lure of this amazing race attracted crossover racers as well as adventurers from all walks of life.

Among the other cross-over racers who raced in the 40th SCORE Baja 1000 were World Rally champion Armin Schwarz of Germany, NHRA Top Fuel drag racers J.R. Todd and Morgan Lucas, NASCAR Nextel Cup racer Boris Said, 2007 Dakar Rally overall motorcycle champion Cyril Despres of France, former Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan, former NASCAR and open-wheel racer turned TV commentator Wally Dallenbach, actor/racer Patrick Dempsey, star of the ABC TV hit show 'Grey's Anatomy', former IndyCar racer Scott Atchison, Supercross motorcycle legends Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Johnson, father and son Pike's Peak Hill Climb champions Rod and Rhys Millen (who is also a Drifting point champ) along with fellow PPHC champion Gay Smith, former Sprint Car turned stock car racer Erin Crocker, Indy Pro Series team owner/driver Ken Losch, Rock Crawling star Tracy Jordan, Snowmobile racers Paul Thacker and Chris Burandt, Snowboarder Luke Trembath, Rally racers and X Games stars Travis Pastrana, Ken Block and Tanner Foust (also a Drifting point champ) and TV show creator/producer Bud Brutsman.

It's the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the mother of all desert races has been run over Mexico's mysterious Baja California peninsula.

This year's Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special for the fourth consecutive year, airing on Dec. 30 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN International.

For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

-credit: score

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