Baja 1000 2004 to La Paz Peninsula Run

In an impressive display of power and poise, American Honda motorcycle teammates Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell and Kendall Norman, along with the Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler duo, posted the overall motorcycle and 4-wheel victories at the 37th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 held November 17-20, 2004. The granddaddy of all desert races was a rugged peninsula odyssey of 1,013.57 miles from Ensenada in Baja California to La Paz in Baja California Sur. Mexico tourism officials estimated record crowds of nearly 300,000 along the course. The 284 starters from 31 U.S. states and 11 countries represented the largest field since 1992 (307) in the desert classic race. They competed in 26 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. A record 198 entries officially finished the race within the 40-hour time limit.

First to cross the finish line was the Class 22 Honda XR650R of Hengeveld/Campbell/Norman, who traversed the grueling course to an overall winning time of 15 hours, 57 minutes and 37 seconds. Johnny Campbell, from San Clemente, Calif., started the race and talented rookie Kendall Norman, from Santa Barbara, Calif., took the middle leg. Steve Hengeveld, from Oak Hills, Calif., captured the checkered flag and was greeted at the La Paz finish line by SCORE CEO Sal Fish and an enthusiastic crowd. The team average speed was an event-record 63.505 miles per hour. While the American Honda teammates rode the fastest vehicle in the demanding race, Troy Herbst, of Las Vegas, Nev., and Larry Roeseler, of Hesperia, Calif., led all 4-wheel vehicles to the finish line. Their Class 1 Ford-powered Smithbuilt open-wheel desert racecar covered the challenging course in 16:18:14, and their average of 62.167 mph was the second highest in race history. Second overall among 4-wheel vehicles and winner of the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck class for the second straight year was the Miller Racing Chevy Silverado of Mark Miller, Carefree, Ariz./Ryan Arciero, Foothill Ranch, Calif. The pair finished only six minutes, 40 seconds behind Herbst/Roeseler. Second in SCORE Trophy-Truck and third overall were the team of Dan Smith/David Ashley, Riverside, Calif., in a time of 16:47:05 in their Enduro Racing Ford F-150. Fourth overall and third in SCORE Trophy-Truck was the team of Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Curt Le Duc, Cherry Valley, Calif., in the Riviera Racing Ford F-150, at 16:48:18. Finishing fifth overall and in second in Class 1 was McMillin Racing's Andy McMillin and his father Scott McMillin, of Poway, Calif., in a Jimco-Chevy, with a time of 16:54:18. Finishing sixth overall and third in Class 1 was the team of John Marking, El Cajon, Calif./Chris Harrold, Chula Vista, Calif./Bob Lofton, Westmorland, Calif. in 17:25:47 in a Jimco-Chevy.