Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128407
the dust began to settle on this year's running of the 2005 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, it was quite apparent that the American Honda factory team's stranglehold on the Baja SCORE Series would maintain its tight grip for at least another year. Ever since 1997, the red team has found its way onto the top step of the Baja 1000 podium, and this year was no exception, with Team Honda taking the top two positions. Riding a Precision Concepts-prepped XR650R, Honda teammates Steve Hengeveld, Johnny Campbell and Mike Childress recorded an unbeatable time of 14 hours, 20 minutes and 30 seconds averaging 49.42 mph - to win this year's running of the 7OS.8-mile Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race, this year starting A and finishing in Ensenada. For Campbell, it was his ninth consecutive Baja I000 victory. Honda's B team, made up of Robby Bell, Kendall Norman and Quinn Cody, led, (or at least stayed within a few minutes of the lead team) for most of the race, ultimately finishing 17 and a half minutes down on the winners and over an hour ahead of the next-best motorcy1e. Honda's Baja 1000 strategy has always been to get a one-pit cushion - aJbout SO miles over the next competitor - and track their lead by pit radio, but this time, they got so far in front that they had no idea who was behind them or how far back the "enemy" was. "Everything worked out," Hengeveld said. "The bike went really good, and we all rode really well. I took my time at the start 16 DECEMBER 7,2005 • CYCLE NEWS and just tried to pick off the riders in front. The bike ran flawless. It's very reliable and we had no problems all day." "Winning the Baja 1000 is a childhood dream," said Childress, who had to ride a pre-runner up to Mike's Sky Ranch and take over for Campbell, who was ailing with a stomach flu. Childress had never ridden the technical section before, making the ride even more challenging. "I never saw it [the section) before - I took it easy and didn't make any mistakes," he said. "Everything went perfect." Earlier in the race, it was Childress who gave his team the lead for good, passing Norman before Morelia Road at The Summit about 340 miles into the race. "I wanted to pass [them) before we got to the fast section at Morelia," Childress said. It was easy to see that Campbell was not his usual self. Ordinarily, he would rail his section on the outside corner at speed; this time, he was just trying to get through it. "The guys really took care of me," Campbell said. "I was weak all day and never had so much pain without getting off [having crashed) the bike," Campbell said. The Honda B might have fared better if starting rider and race-leader Robby Bell had not hit a booby trap 60 miles into the course, which sent him eartwheeling. The crash left the bike with a bent sub-frame and a damaged exhaust pipe. "It beat up the bike pretty good and my whole left side is sore," Bell said. "Next year we'll come back and try and win it." Before the race, Honda race-team manager Bruce Ogilve said, "We're looking for