Baja 500: Post race quotes, part 2

Continued from part 1

SCORE LITE

1206 Scott Wisdom (1st place in class)

Quotes by Bracy Wisdom, brother and co-driver It was a great race. Had some interesting terrain for the last 40 to 50 miles but it was a lot of fun. I had to stop and get some power steering fluid and had one flat tire -- I think that was it. It was a lot of fun on this course.

1217 Stan Potter (2nd place in class)

Quote by Dan Worley (co-driver) We had a flat tire. We got behind one car and he wouldn't move over. We followed him for 40 miles. It kind of made the difference. Tell SCORE thanks for starting us where we can't get hung up all day! Nothing against them, but we're faster. We finally caught up with that one care we chased throughout the race. We followed them for over 40 miles until the last 5 miles out -- it was too little too late. There was a bottleneck at one point. Ten cars rolled and blocked the course, there was a Trophy Truck stopped. We had to wait for about 10 to 12 minutes. The cars in front had to go single file and we had to go around them.

PROTRUCK

200 Gus Vildosola Jr. (1st place in class) Bryan Freeman started the race. He kept a nice steady pace. He gave me the truck with a six-minute physical lead over second place. We just cruised in from there. I think we got a 15-minute physical lead, so we'll win for sure.

Pro MOTORCYCLES AND ATVs

Class 22

1x Robby Bell (1st place in class) It was a lot of fun -- really enjoyed it. The course was really rough and demanding but it was a good test. The start section has been the same and it was getting tore up but I really enjoyed it. We had a flat tire right early on and I had to ride it on out for about 14 miles until we got it changed and from there on out it was just a smooth race. Kendell rode really well over Mike's past the KTM back and then Steve rode awesome on the coast and I just got to cruise it in to the finish. I took over right around Rancho San Antonio. Flat tire was it -- other than that it was really smooth and a lot of fun. Oh yea, we ran all week to practice; it was a lot of fun - it was a blast.

Co-rider Steve Hengeveld I've been training really hard and we did an experimental surgery on (my arm) because it was so messed up and the doctor did a really good job and I've been riding actually for about two months and my main goal was to come in here strong, 100%, like I did and win this thing and put it all together and everything is good. Yea, it feels good to win today, last year both me and my partner I rode with last year, we were leading and we both had some get offs so it was good to finally come around and put in a good solid ride and win this event

7x Chris Blais (2nd place in class) It was a dog fight on and off. We didn't know anything coming in this race, so we got our bike a couple days ago, got about 150 miles of testing and that's about it, so we didn't know how long our tires were going to last, how long the brakes were going to last, anything, so definitely a good test. Good to be here.

14x Joe Desrosiers (3rd place in class) It was a pretty rough 420 miles -- it will be interesting to see how many people actually finish this one. I ran the last third of the race. No problems at all with the bike, some people changed some course markers here and there and kind of routed you into some ditches but with the pre-run we knew where we were going so it wasn't a problem. None of the teammates had any problems with the bike; pretty much a flawless run but we had good bike prep and excellent Michelin tires. This is one of the shorter Baja 500 races but also one of the roughest ones, definitely a physical course.

12x Kevin Johnson (4th place in class) Super rough course - ran the same section -- it was beat up, everything. We were good though. Made a couple of mistakes in the beginning; clogged an air filter at about mile 50 and I had to pull that thing out until we got to the next pit so we had some issues early on but overall it was good. I went to Valley T the first 122 and then got off there -- then took the last 120 miles home.

8x Jesse Sharp (5th place in class) Very tired -- it was a rough course. The last 100 miles was really rough. I didn't have any real trouble, just tired. The bike ran good. It was a rough course but good for motorcycles.

CLASS 21

118x Carlos Casas (1st place in class) Well, we had some trouble at one of the pits. We asked for gas but no one wanted to give us gas, so we ended up getting passed by two guys but we passed them back and luckily we came out on top. That's' it. Track was good, everything went smoothly. We've been out her pre-running for the last few weeks and working hard so it paid off. Our first driver went all the way to Alvia, and the next guy did Mike's loop and the third rider did from San Vicente and then I did it from Rancho Oneros to the finish line.

111x Brent Harden (2nd place in class) It was really good today -- the start was a little dusty for Class 21. It was really tough off the start and we were sucking a lot of dust - but it was good. This was my first Baja. The bike held up great. The tires were a little worn out at the very end but other than that everything was perfect.

108x Luke Dodson (3rd place in class) It went flawless for me, I had a good ride. I didn't lay it down or anything -- the European section up to Highway 3 was real dusty but you catch it on two wheels push it away and keep on - I had a good time. We basically split up the team in thirds starting with a transfer from Valley T back to Highway 1 and I took it up from the beach to the finish.

102x Anna Jo Cody (14th place in class) It went great out there today. The start was great, went to Valley T got back on at Uruapan. Got behind a quad there and it was hard to see, couldn't' get around. It dusted me out, so I got in, hit a dog and almost went down, but I survived that -- there was nothing I could do but I think he (the dog) is okay he limped off the course. I picked up at Uruapan (Santa Tomas). Other than the dog, everyhthing else was fine except the dust -- the dust was a major factor. It was very rough, especially that last section - about the last 90 miles from Uruapan was really rough.

CLASS 20

151a Ryan Penhall (1st place in class)

Quote from brother and co-rider Conner Penhall It was real choky and silty out there! A really tough ride.

CLASS 30

313x Jim O'Neal (1st place in class) It was a great course. We had a lot of fun. I made a little mistake otherwise felt pretty good all day and really had fun. I think we came away with two fast wins -- I'm pretty sure there are 30 bikes here.... everything's good. My goggle lens popped out and cut my eye so I didn't have any goggles for awhile there. We were in front all day and everything went really good. I want to thank Temecula Motor Sports and Scott Myers and all the boys on that team, Steve Garnett, Taylor Murphy and Jim Washington - they did a great job. Scott prepared a beautiful bike and then Berkely Honda they did a fantastic job, they've been doing our bikes for years. It was flawless all day and I just want to thank Scott Dunlevy at Berkley Honda, that's the most important thing out of this whole deal.

CLASS 40

408x Brett Helm (1st place in class)

Quote from co-rider Jeff Kaplan Everything went really well. We didn't have any problems. It's an excellent course.

412x Kent (and co-rider Kurt) Pheiffer (2nd place in class) That track is torn up. Over the years it's just gotten tougher and tougher -- I think without the rain the dust just builds up and makes it really tough. I ran from Ojos to Mike's road and then from Santa Tomas to the end. Everything was fine except for the two flats -- yea, I had one right out of Ojos and rode on it for 40 miles and then the tire ripped apart, flew around the back and wrapped around the bike.

CLASS 50

500X Jim O'Neal (1st place in class) Just a little tired. I've been injured a lot so this was really good for me to make this race even though I'm not 100 percent. I hit a rock around Valley T area just off the power station in that motor cross section going over to the metal -- about 10 miles out. Hit one rock --there were a lot of boulders, then hit another rock and it got me off my line and then took my wheel.

CLASS 60

601X John Carmona (1st place in class)

Quote from co-rider Paul Lussier Great race, just great. No trouble at all. Everything about the course was great -- I loved the rocks, I had a great ride, I never went down. I drove it down the final 120 miles.

Pro ATV

CLASS 25

1A Danny Prather (1st place in class) Awesome race, man -- had a great ride, everybody did their rides perfect. I rode from Ojos to Valley de Trinidad and then Dana Creet rode to San Telmo and then Dave took it there from San Telmo all the way over to San Vicente and then brought it back to me and I rode it on in. (Compared to prior years) this was a very tough course, high speed, very technical and also very silty. No problems all day with vehicles - had to change a couple rear tires -- otherwise a flawless race.

3A Wayne Matlock (2nd place in class) Well, we had a 10 minute lead and my rider went off the cliff at Erendira and broke his leg. The course was really, really rough.

-credit: score