Team CANIDAE Off-Road Racing capped off a successful 2009 season with an unofficial 4th place finish in the Class 10 division at the 42nd running of the SCORE Baja 1000 race. Official results will be posted within the next 10 days following final review of race satellite tracking results.
Now in its 42nd year, the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 tests cars and drivers over a difficult 672.85 mile loop course starting in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. The Class 10 CANIDAE racing team joined a field of over 300 seasoned competitors in this final round of the five race 2009 SCORE Desert Series. The Baja 1000 is desert racing's most prestigious event, drawing crowds of over 250,000 spectators scattered along the course covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula to and from Ensenada. Teams reported that the track seemed narrow this year, with many teams getting stuck along the way and battling a congested route through the harsh desert terrain.
This was Team CANIDAE's first year entering the "Granddaddy" of all off-road races. Driver Scott Whipple, with Patrick Gailey in the co-driver seat, started the race and quickly ran into problems with a broken axle at mile 30 on the CANIDAE 2000cc Class 10 GET-VW. The CANIDAE crew on chase trucks quickly got it handled and the team was back on course. With Whipple pushing the racer hard to make up for lost time and climb back into the race, the car broke an axle again at the 356 mile mark. Again the chase crew did a great job repairing their second broken axle of the day. Once repairs were completed, driver/owner Scott Gailey and co-driver Johnny Stroschein took over driving duties and began the team's 2nd half push to the finish. For the rest of the race the engine and trans worked flawlessly as a result of using quality products like Lucas Oil and Torco Race Fuels. The car's FOX shocks worked awesome without fading, but unfortunately before mile 630 the eyelet came loose on the right rear coil-over causing it to separate which cost the team additional precious time. Gailey did an excellent job getting the car to the pit at mile 630. Repairing the shock and another quick look at the BFG tires, which conquered the desert without a single flat, the team was back on track and crossing the finish line at 25:33:25, with an unofficial fourth place finish in the class 10 division.
"With all the challenges we faced in this race, especially with the breakdowns, I am so proud of each and every person on this team for the tremendous effort put forth by all to keep working hard, getting our racer back up and across the finish line," said owner/driver Gailey. "Everyone worked their tails off! I could not be more proud of all of them and our achievements together in this our first full season of racing with this Class 10 car. With barely half of all teams entering the race even completing the loop, just finishing the Baja 1000 is a feat in and of itself. To win a Milestone award in our first full season is a great testament to our whole team, their hard work and is an accomplishment we are all extremely proud of. I'd also like to thank my co-driver Scott Whipple. It's been a ton of fun racing together all season. Also a big thank you to our sponsor CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods along with our other sponsors for their tremendous support throughout the year. Finally, I need to thank Mike Stapleton and all of the crew at Wilson Motosports for their help sharing their knowledge and teaching me the ropes over the years when it comes to racing the desert in Mexico."
The successful finish of the Baja 1000 earns Team CANIDAE owner/driver Scott Gailey, along with co-driver Scott Whipple and the team, one of only eight Toyota Milestone Awards to be presented this year for the 2009 SCORE Off-Road season.
Toyota will be presenting these awards on December 5th in Las Vegas to the world’s toughest desert racers and teams for the 24th consecutive year. The Toyota Milestone awards go to those pro car and truck drivers who finish every required mile in the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series, the world’s foremost desert racing series.
Please check back at www.canidaeracing.com for more reports, race pictures and videos from the Baja 1000 coming soon.
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