DRAGONFIRE RACING KAWASAKI TERYX™ WINS BIG AT BAJA 500

Irvine, Calif. – The Dragonfire Racing Kawasaki Teryx won its first ever Baja 500 in the Sportman UTV class by an outstanding margin, putting the Kawasaki Teryx in a league of its own. The RUV (Recreational Utility Vehicle) was piloted by Kawasaki’s own Team Green Manager Reid Nordin and Hans Waage in great weather conditions for the single day event. The two drivers took advantage of the Teryx’s V-Twin engine to finish hours ahead of the next finisher.
Kawasaki Under the Tent
Late Start
At the start of the race, the Dragonfire Racing Kawasaki Teryx was lined up third in the segmented start. During the mandatory safety check, the team was required to adjust the extra safety lights on the Teryx and ended up starting 10 minutes behind the next car while making the necessary adjustments. The deficit didn’t last long as Nordin piloted the RUV to the front of the class by race mile 78.
“It didn’t take long to catch up to the other cars,” said Nordin. “We were able to run a really fast pace thanks to a great chassis and an awesome motor.”
Take What Baja Throws At You
Cruising with a two hour lead over the class competitors, Nordin was just over 25 miles from the teams scheduled pit stop location when he had to pull over for repairs. By the time the chase truck was flagged down, parts fixed and back on track, the team lost almost three hours. Only one competitor passed the team in that time span. After switching drivers, Waage piloted the Dragonfire Racing Kawasaki Teryx to the lead at race mile 260 and never looked back.
“Baja is one of those places that will throw anything at you,” said Nordin. “In my many years of experience with this race, there is always a chance to break and a chance to come from behind. I think that the Baja race is the most challenging event because of that factor.”
Winning Experience
Starting his visits to Baja during the 1970s, Nordin brought decades of experience to the new team. After all those years, this was only his second time actually racing the event with his previous experience on a three-wheeler in the 1980s. Most of Nordin’s Baja experiences have been helping lead the Kawasaki off-road team to numerous victories in the late 80s and early 90s.“
I just love Baja and I do whatever I can to get down for the 500 and 1000 races,” said Nordin. “I’m glad I was able to help the Dragonfire team to their first victory.”
A Proven Winner
The Dragonfire Racing Kawasaki Teryx raced in the 2008 Baja 1000 and the team used that time as a learning experience for future races. The two companies, Dragonfire and Kawasaki, put their heads together so the next event, the Baja 500, was a complete success.
“Dragonfire Racing has worked with others before and the cooperation we’ve had with Kawasaki has developed into a great partnership,” said Todd Romano, Dragonfire Racing Owner. “We pre-ran the course for over 1000 miles (with temperatures in the lower 100s) in a Teryx that was similar to the race vehicle and we didn’t need to change the oil or air filter.”

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Rigid Industries E-Series LED Lights win UTV class at the Baja 500

Rigid Industries would like to congratulate the DFR Factory Team Green Kawasaki Teryx Driven by Reid Nordin and Hans Waage. Using three Rigid Industries E-Series 20” LED light bars as their sole source of light, Team Green raced through the night and finished with almost an hour lead over the next closest competitor.
E-Series LED light bars are the brightest and most efficient off-road light system available. With over 3200 lumens in each 10" section and only 38w power consumption, Rigid Industries E-Series LED lights can light up the darkest sections of Baja without draining your battery.

About Rigid Industries:
As the manufacturer of the E-series LED light bars, the brightest and most efficient LED light, Rigid Industries has raised the bar on lighting technology for off-road vehicles.
Rigid Industries is located in Mesa, Arizona and can be reached by phone at 480.655.0100 or on the internet at www.rigidindustries.com.

Kawasaki Teryx finishes first in UTV Class at the 41st Baja 500

Ensenada, Mexico - Reid Nordin of Team Green Kawasaki and co-driver Hans Waage crossed the finish line in first place in car #1803 at the 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Nordin/Waage were driving a Kawasaki Teryx built by DragonFire Racing and crossed the finish line with a time of 18:23:42.

"The DragonFire Racing Teryx ran great," said Reid Nordin from Team Green Kawasaki. "We had our share of flats and one problem with a rear upright, but other that that the car ran flawless. And the course was really torn up by the time we ran. I pre-ran a good portion of the course, but it didn't really help because we were about the 200th vehicle to start the race. The ruts and whoops were deep by the time we rolled though."

With four UTVs officially starting the race, only two crossed the finish line in the alotted 20-hour time limit. The only other UTV to finish was Thomas Graves in Yamaha Rhino #1804.

Round three of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series and the second-oldest desert race in the world, featured 267 starters competing in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles and ATVs. The 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 500 course was 432.51 miles long and started and ended in Ensenada.

Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series will be the 14th SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300 on Sept. 11-13 in Primm, Nevada.

For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at 818.225.8402 or visit their website at www.score-international.com.

Six UTVs to start the 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500

Overall entries climb to 284 vehicles from 25 U.S. States,13 Countries for 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Six UTVs among the entries in Class 18

ENSENADA, Mexico--With new entries added to the already-strong field, 284 official entries have been accepted for Saturday's 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race in Ensenada, Mexico.
Among the 284 entries expected to take the green flag in Ensenada on Saturday are 16 driver/riders who have combined to win 46 overall car/truck, motorcycle and/or ATV titles, including drivers and riders from the last seven straight four-wheel, 11 of the last 12 motorcycle and last year’s ATV overall winners. The field also includes 72 racers who have combined for 189 class wins in this popular summer classic.
The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. Saturday for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes three hours after the last ATV at approximately 10 a.m. With vehicles starting one every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, it will start and finish in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center on Boulevard Costero in the heart of Ensenada, leaving and returning into the city through the spectator-laden Arroyo Wash.
Round 3 of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series, the second-oldest desert race in the world and part of the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, will competition in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. It will be held Thursday through Sunday in Ensenada, Mexico. Traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule, over 100,000 spectators are expected to enjoy the world’s best desert racers in action at this year’s 41st anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
With late entries accepted up to race morning for the 432.51-mile race from 25 U.S. States from Hawaii to Vermont along with the additional countries of Mexico, Austria, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan and Portugal.
The Baja 500 will start and finish in Ensenada with the 432.51-mile loop course nearly duplicating last year's track.

Class 18 - UTVs:

• 1801 Martin Aguirre, Murrieta, Calif./Rolando Montano, Hacienda Heights, Calif., Honda Pilot
• 1802 Peter Hajas, Wayzata, Minn./Steven Hajas, Delano, Minn./Scott Heber, Telluride, Colo, Tomcar TM27
• 1803 Reid Nordin, Lake Elsinore, Calif./Hans Waage, Scottsdale, Ariz./Todd Romano, Park City, Utah, Kawasaki Teryx
• 1804 Thomas Graves, El Cajon, Calif./Joseph Graves/Daniel Graves, San Diego, Yamaha Rhino
• 1805 Brian Hewett, Los Altos Hills, Calif./Sam Hewett, Chico, Calif./Charles Hewett, Oakland, Calif./Gary Hewett, Hayward, Calif., Yamaha Rhino
• 1806 John Crowley, Flagstaff, Ariz., GetBentMetal-Honda

Live vehicle tracking at IRC - International Racing Consultants

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