The #1A Matlock Racing / American Honda team wins the Overall at the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250!
On March 13, 2009 the #1A American Honda team of Wayne Matlock, Harold Goodman and Josh Caster won the Tecate Score San Felipe 250 Overall ATV title.
The #1A Honda team headed to the race determined to take the win and continue their winning streak from last year’s dominating performance at this year’s San Felipe 250. The team would be riding the Honda TRX700XX for the first year in San Felipe. The race would run the same course as last year but each teammate spent time running their section of the course multiple times. The course included everything from sand washes and rocky canyons to large whooped out sections as it made it’s way around Baja.
Matlock, who started was third quad off the line and would ride to race mile 25. Fighting dust and swarming crowds, Matlock rode his first section through the famous Zoo Road Crossing at a fast steady pace holding his position.
Goodman took the quad from Matlock at race mile 25 and continued around his section of the course into the big sandy whoops of Borrego and down Diablo Dry Lake. Along the way Goodman was able to take the lead before handing the quad off to Caster at race mile 93.
Caster was able to jump on the quad in the lead by 3 minutes thanks to Goodman and continued the fast pace set by his other teammates. Caster’s section included the famous desolate and rocky Matomi Wash before handing the quad back to Matlock at race mile 170. Before handing the quad off to Matlock, Caster was able to gain another 6 minutes to the lead.
Matlock would continue on the quad from race mile 170 to the finish. Matlock’s last section of the race course included the rock filled whoops of the Azufre and Huatamote Washes before heading back towards San Felipe. Matlock continued the fast pace the team set early in the race and would gain another 6 and ½ minutes before crossing the finish line.
The team’s time of 5:16:36 (44.04 mph) was 15 and ½ minutes faster than the 2nd Place Pro ATV team of Felipe Velez, a local team of San Felipe aboard a Honda TRX450R. Team Honda’s time was good enough to take the win in the Pro ATV class as well as the Overall ATV win.
The #1A Honda team headed to the race determined to take the win and continue their winning streak from last year’s dominating performance at this year’s San Felipe 250. The team would be riding the Honda TRX700XX for the first year in San Felipe. The race would run the same course as last year but each teammate spent time running their section of the course multiple times. The course included everything from sand washes and rocky canyons to large whooped out sections as it made it’s way around Baja.
Matlock, who started was third quad off the line and would ride to race mile 25. Fighting dust and swarming crowds, Matlock rode his first section through the famous Zoo Road Crossing at a fast steady pace holding his position.
Goodman took the quad from Matlock at race mile 25 and continued around his section of the course into the big sandy whoops of Borrego and down Diablo Dry Lake. Along the way Goodman was able to take the lead before handing the quad off to Caster at race mile 93.
Caster was able to jump on the quad in the lead by 3 minutes thanks to Goodman and continued the fast pace set by his other teammates. Caster’s section included the famous desolate and rocky Matomi Wash before handing the quad back to Matlock at race mile 170. Before handing the quad off to Matlock, Caster was able to gain another 6 minutes to the lead.
Matlock would continue on the quad from race mile 170 to the finish. Matlock’s last section of the race course included the rock filled whoops of the Azufre and Huatamote Washes before heading back towards San Felipe. Matlock continued the fast pace the team set early in the race and would gain another 6 and ½ minutes before crossing the finish line.
The team’s time of 5:16:36 (44.04 mph) was 15 and ½ minutes faster than the 2nd Place Pro ATV team of Felipe Velez, a local team of San Felipe aboard a Honda TRX450R. Team Honda’s time was good enough to take the win in the Pro ATV class as well as the Overall ATV win.
AMERICAN HONDA PRO ATV TEAM WIN THE 41st ANNUAL TECATE SCORE BAJA 500!
On June 6, 2009 the #1A American Honda team of Wayne Matlock, Harold Goodman, Josh Caster and Wes Miller won the Overall ATV title at the 41st annual running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Matlock’s team of riders headed south of the border to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico with the determination to continue the winning streak aboard the Honda TRX700XX. The team spent over a week prerunning each of their sections of the course to prepare for the grueling race. After the end of each prerun day the riders would be more excited with the Baja prowess of the TRX700XX.
The #1A quad with Matlock aboard would start 3rd off the line behind the 2A and 3A quads. With just early morning light, heavy dust and having raced many times in Baja, Matlock stuck with his plan to ride a safe pace for his first ride. He held his position behind the two lead quads before handing the quad off to Caster at race mile 37 in Ojos Negros.
Caster took the quad and continued with the team’s plan of riding safe and holding their position early in the race. During his first ride he was able to overtake many motorcycles fighting through the thick dust of the lead bikes. Caster would hand the quad off to Harold Goodman at race mile 95 at Nuevo junction still holding the 3rd place position.
Goodman’s section included the famous “Summit” and the rocky whoops of Borrego. Goodman made his way over the summit down to the dry lake bed of Laguna Salada and mid way through his section was able to overtake the 3A quad and move into the second place position before handing the quad back off to Matlock in Borrego at race mile 200.
With Matlock back on the quad it was time to turn up the heat on the 2A quad leading the race. Matlock’s second section included the big sandy whoops near Borrego as well as the fast and twisty roads near Mike’s Sky Ranch. Matlock’s plan was working and he was able to gain over 3 minutes on the 2A quad before handing it off to Wes Miller at race mile 255 near Valley de Trinidad.
Miller knew the team now wanted to take the lead and be first quad on the road. He was off, crossing the “top of the world” towards the coast while making up time on the lead quad. Even before reaching the coast Miller was able to catch the 2A quad and soon after reaching the coast section of the course he was able to make the pass for the lead. Knowing anything can happen in Baja, Miller continued to space himself from the 2A quad before handing the quad off to Caster at race mile 350 in Santo Tomas.
From Santo Tomas, Caster was able to jump on the quad with a 3 minute lead thanks to Miller. Now the lead quad on the road, Caster kept up the faster pace set by his other teammates and continued to hold the lead before handing it off to Matlock at race mile 395 near Ojos Negros for his final ride.
Matlock was now confident with the teams lead and slowed the pace to the finish. During the last few miles he worked his way safely around the booby traps set up by locals before coming across the finish line in Ensenada.
The team’s time of 9:36:23 hours a 45.23 mph average gave them the Overall ATV title while winning by almost 18 ½ minutes. The team also finished an astounding 10th overall between the bikes and quads. This was the team’s 5th consecutive Pro ATV win in the SCORE series!
Matlock Racing would like to thank their sponsors:
Honda, Alba, Precision Concepts, Maxxis, Houser Racing, Elka, KZ Trailers, HMF Exhaust, Fly Racing, Pro Honda Oil and Chemicals, Baja Designs, Tire Balls, DWT, OMF, Renthal, Motion Pro, Streamline, IMS-Roll, IMS, TCX Boots, Quadtech, Scott Goggles, UNI Filters, DID Chains, Division Four
THE #1A AMERICAN HONDA / MATLOCK RACING PRO ATV TEAM
WIN THE
2009 TECATE SCORE BAJA 1000 & SCORE SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP!
The #1A American Honda / Matlock Racing Pro ATV Team of Wayne Matlock, Harold Goodman, Wes Miller & Josh Caster won the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 on Nov 20th with a time of 16:54:52 (39.78 mph) and secured the season championship.
The Matlock Racing team started out the SCORE season with an Overall win aboard the Honda TRX700XX at the SCORE San Felipe 250. The team was once again the fastest over the course at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 but after the shake up with new penalties and the move to 2nd place, the #1A American Honda/Matlock Racing team was going to be really hunting the win at the final race of the season, the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Matlock Racing once again entered aboard the Honda TRX700XX and drew the second starting position. With Wayne Matlock starting, the #1A quad quickly moved into the lead even before leaving Ensenada on a course that many racers said was the roughest course they had ever seen. During Matlock’s first section he didn’t have to deal with the Ensenada morning fog that is normally present during the start of the race but he had to dodge his way around the slower motorcycles that started ahead of the quads while fighting to see in the thick dust and silt before handing the quad off to Josh Caster at race mile 39.
Caster was able to take the quad from Matlock now in the lead position and work his way past more motorcycles in the early morning dust. Once on the fast roads near Ojos Negros Caster was able to gain some time to the lead that Matlock had made at the start of the race. Mid way through his section motorcycle traffic began to become a factor and time was lost as the #5A team of Felipe Velez gained time and moved into the lead on adjusted time. Caster finished off his ride at race mile 101 in Nuevo Jct where he handed the quad off to Harold Goodman about 30 seconds off pace of the 5A team now holding the lead on adjusted time.
Goodman’s first section started off with the famous rocky and dangerous summit, the dry lake bed of Laguna Salada where siltbeds show up out of nowhere and then into the deep rocky whoops of Borrego. Goodman was able to hold off the 5A team until reaching the silt beds at the bottom of the summit where the 5A team was able to make the pass in the thick clouds of silt. Goodman continued to pace the lead quad all the way into Borrego where he would hand off the quad to Matlock once again at race mile 202.
Matlock’s second section would continue from Borrego all the way to Morelia Jct at race mile 237. Matlock took the quad and was off charging hard to regain the lead before he was to hand the quad off again. The 5A team was also charging hard to keep the lead but suffered a mechanical issue after passing Borrego. Matlock was unaware of the 5A teams issue and kept up the hard charge until he passed the quad off to Caster at Morelia Jct.
Caster’s second section included San Felipe’s famous desolate Matomi Wash and the extra rough and rocky whoops of Old Puertocitos Road. Matlock unknowingly passed the 5A team during his section and still believed he was running in the second place position. When the quad was passed off to Caster at Morelia Road, Matlock was in a hurry to get Caster on the road so he could help regain the lead. Caster believed the competition was close behind so he charged hard to regain more time. The next quad did not come through Morelia Jct for another 23 minutes and by this time Caster was well out of radio range to be notified and was still charging hard to gain time on the competition that he believed was right behind him.
Caster reached race mile 307 at the end of Matomi Wash without any issues and believed he had pushed hard enough to gain time on the competition. After a quick stop at a Honda/JCR pit he was off towards the infamous Old Puertocitos Road whoops. As Caster was working his way back towards San Felipe in the whoops, he got word over the radio that no other quads had come through race mile 307 for over 30 minutes. He slowed the pace after getting this news to avoid damaging the quad in this rough section of the course and continued his way towards San Felipe before handing the quad off to Matlock at Zoo Road located at race mile 355.
During Caster’s section he hit a buried rock causing one of the rear wheels to vibrate at high speeds so this was changed at Zoo Road during the rider change. Matlock was now on his third ride of the day which would continue from the big sandy whoops of Zoo Road to race mile 378. He worked his way through the whoops without any issues before handing the quad off to Goodman for his final ride.
Goodman took the quad from Matlock at race mile 378 and worked his way north towards Borrego once again and then on to San Matias Pass. Goodman continued to gain time on the lead and raced his way up the sandy San Felipe washes towards the mountains before he would hand the quad off to Matlock again. He reached the Honda/JCR pit in San Matias Pass located at race mile 417 as planned, just before dark. The rear tires and air filter were changed to keep them fresh and the Baja Designs HID headlights were attached to the quad for Matlock’s forth ride of the day.
Matlock was off into the night heading up into the mountains around the rocky, silty and dusty Mike’s Sky Ranch loop. The Baja locals had piled rocks and sandbags up at the three stream crossings and the water would be almost seat deep as Matlock worked his way through them trying not to get stuck in the middle and still stay dry in the process. He made his way around the winding and twisty roads taking a small slow speed spill in the silt before reaching Valle De Trinidad at race mile 495 and passing the quad off to Wes Miller for his section.
Miller would start his ride at Valle De Trinidad located at race mile 495 and work his way to the Pacific coast. Luckily after reaching the coast the normal heavy fog along the ocean was not present and he was able to keep a very fast pace in the dark up most of the coast. Miller raced his way through the new silty section of the course near the town of Erendira and the many VCPs (virtual check points) that SCORE located in this section. After a quick run up the coast along the Pacific Ocean, he followed the course back inland towards the town of Santo Tomas and then back into the hills and the rider change located near Ojos Negros. The inland section of the course was very rough and Miller worked his was through without any issues before he would hand the quad off to Matlock in Ojos Negros at race mile 636.
Matlock’s fifth and final ride of the day began at race mile 636 in Ojos Negros. The quad was still running great after Miller’s ride up the western coast section of the course and the team knew they now had over an hour lead on the competition thanks to all the riders continuing the fast pace and not making any mistakes. With this in mind, Matlock made his way back towards Ensenada and kept his eyes open for any of the famous booby-traps the Baja locals like to set up near the finish of the race course. Following the now extra silty course with missing course markers taken down by the locals, he made his way back down the same course he had come up earlier in the day at the beginning of the race. Racing his way up the last couple of corners on the slick asphalt streets he made his way across the finish line over an hour ahead of the next quad.
When the final Official results were posted by SCORE, the team had done exactly what they had been determined to do- They finished first Overall quad and were the only team in their class not to receive any penalties!
The Honda/JCR Pits performed flawlessly and this continued to add time to the teams lead throughout the race. Final race prep by the Matlock Racing crew proved to be the best as the only stops made were for fuel and rider changes. The motor prepped by Rich Morel sounded as good at the finish of the race as it did earlier that morning when it was started for the first time.
The Honda TRX700XX has proven to be a very dependable quad and has finished in the #1 spot at every SCORE Baja race it has ever been entered. Combined with a high horsepower reliable motor and Honda’s new independent rear suspension this quad is proving to be the ultimate racer!
With the final results posted the team claimed the Overall win at the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 and the 2009 SCORE Class 25 Season Points Championship. This is the second consecutive year that Matlock Racing has won the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000!
Matlock Racing would like to thank all their sponsors who have helped out in 2009
Honda, Vey’s Powersports, Rich Morel Racing motors, Precision Concepts, Maxxis, Houser Racing, Elka, KZ Trailers, HMF Exhaust, Fly Racing, Pro Honda Oil and Chemicals, Baja Designs, Tire Balls, DWT, OMF, Renthal, Precision Racing Products, Motion Pro, Streamline, IMS-Roll, IMS, TCX Boots, Quadtech, PRM-ATV.com, Scott Goggles, UNI Filters, DID Chains, Division Four
The Matlock Racing team started out the SCORE season with an Overall win aboard the Honda TRX700XX at the SCORE San Felipe 250. The team was once again the fastest over the course at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 but after the shake up with new penalties and the move to 2nd place, the #1A American Honda/Matlock Racing team was going to be really hunting the win at the final race of the season, the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Matlock Racing once again entered aboard the Honda TRX700XX and drew the second starting position. With Wayne Matlock starting, the #1A quad quickly moved into the lead even before leaving Ensenada on a course that many racers said was the roughest course they had ever seen. During Matlock’s first section he didn’t have to deal with the Ensenada morning fog that is normally present during the start of the race but he had to dodge his way around the slower motorcycles that started ahead of the quads while fighting to see in the thick dust and silt before handing the quad off to Josh Caster at race mile 39.
Caster was able to take the quad from Matlock now in the lead position and work his way past more motorcycles in the early morning dust. Once on the fast roads near Ojos Negros Caster was able to gain some time to the lead that Matlock had made at the start of the race. Mid way through his section motorcycle traffic began to become a factor and time was lost as the #5A team of Felipe Velez gained time and moved into the lead on adjusted time. Caster finished off his ride at race mile 101 in Nuevo Jct where he handed the quad off to Harold Goodman about 30 seconds off pace of the 5A team now holding the lead on adjusted time.
Goodman’s first section started off with the famous rocky and dangerous summit, the dry lake bed of Laguna Salada where siltbeds show up out of nowhere and then into the deep rocky whoops of Borrego. Goodman was able to hold off the 5A team until reaching the silt beds at the bottom of the summit where the 5A team was able to make the pass in the thick clouds of silt. Goodman continued to pace the lead quad all the way into Borrego where he would hand off the quad to Matlock once again at race mile 202.
Matlock’s second section would continue from Borrego all the way to Morelia Jct at race mile 237. Matlock took the quad and was off charging hard to regain the lead before he was to hand the quad off again. The 5A team was also charging hard to keep the lead but suffered a mechanical issue after passing Borrego. Matlock was unaware of the 5A teams issue and kept up the hard charge until he passed the quad off to Caster at Morelia Jct.
Caster’s second section included San Felipe’s famous desolate Matomi Wash and the extra rough and rocky whoops of Old Puertocitos Road. Matlock unknowingly passed the 5A team during his section and still believed he was running in the second place position. When the quad was passed off to Caster at Morelia Road, Matlock was in a hurry to get Caster on the road so he could help regain the lead. Caster believed the competition was close behind so he charged hard to regain more time. The next quad did not come through Morelia Jct for another 23 minutes and by this time Caster was well out of radio range to be notified and was still charging hard to gain time on the competition that he believed was right behind him.
Caster reached race mile 307 at the end of Matomi Wash without any issues and believed he had pushed hard enough to gain time on the competition. After a quick stop at a Honda/JCR pit he was off towards the infamous Old Puertocitos Road whoops. As Caster was working his way back towards San Felipe in the whoops, he got word over the radio that no other quads had come through race mile 307 for over 30 minutes. He slowed the pace after getting this news to avoid damaging the quad in this rough section of the course and continued his way towards San Felipe before handing the quad off to Matlock at Zoo Road located at race mile 355.
During Caster’s section he hit a buried rock causing one of the rear wheels to vibrate at high speeds so this was changed at Zoo Road during the rider change. Matlock was now on his third ride of the day which would continue from the big sandy whoops of Zoo Road to race mile 378. He worked his way through the whoops without any issues before handing the quad off to Goodman for his final ride.
Goodman took the quad from Matlock at race mile 378 and worked his way north towards Borrego once again and then on to San Matias Pass. Goodman continued to gain time on the lead and raced his way up the sandy San Felipe washes towards the mountains before he would hand the quad off to Matlock again. He reached the Honda/JCR pit in San Matias Pass located at race mile 417 as planned, just before dark. The rear tires and air filter were changed to keep them fresh and the Baja Designs HID headlights were attached to the quad for Matlock’s forth ride of the day.
Matlock was off into the night heading up into the mountains around the rocky, silty and dusty Mike’s Sky Ranch loop. The Baja locals had piled rocks and sandbags up at the three stream crossings and the water would be almost seat deep as Matlock worked his way through them trying not to get stuck in the middle and still stay dry in the process. He made his way around the winding and twisty roads taking a small slow speed spill in the silt before reaching Valle De Trinidad at race mile 495 and passing the quad off to Wes Miller for his section.
Miller would start his ride at Valle De Trinidad located at race mile 495 and work his way to the Pacific coast. Luckily after reaching the coast the normal heavy fog along the ocean was not present and he was able to keep a very fast pace in the dark up most of the coast. Miller raced his way through the new silty section of the course near the town of Erendira and the many VCPs (virtual check points) that SCORE located in this section. After a quick run up the coast along the Pacific Ocean, he followed the course back inland towards the town of Santo Tomas and then back into the hills and the rider change located near Ojos Negros. The inland section of the course was very rough and Miller worked his was through without any issues before he would hand the quad off to Matlock in Ojos Negros at race mile 636.
Matlock’s fifth and final ride of the day began at race mile 636 in Ojos Negros. The quad was still running great after Miller’s ride up the western coast section of the course and the team knew they now had over an hour lead on the competition thanks to all the riders continuing the fast pace and not making any mistakes. With this in mind, Matlock made his way back towards Ensenada and kept his eyes open for any of the famous booby-traps the Baja locals like to set up near the finish of the race course. Following the now extra silty course with missing course markers taken down by the locals, he made his way back down the same course he had come up earlier in the day at the beginning of the race. Racing his way up the last couple of corners on the slick asphalt streets he made his way across the finish line over an hour ahead of the next quad.
When the final Official results were posted by SCORE, the team had done exactly what they had been determined to do- They finished first Overall quad and were the only team in their class not to receive any penalties!
The Honda/JCR Pits performed flawlessly and this continued to add time to the teams lead throughout the race. Final race prep by the Matlock Racing crew proved to be the best as the only stops made were for fuel and rider changes. The motor prepped by Rich Morel sounded as good at the finish of the race as it did earlier that morning when it was started for the first time.
The Honda TRX700XX has proven to be a very dependable quad and has finished in the #1 spot at every SCORE Baja race it has ever been entered. Combined with a high horsepower reliable motor and Honda’s new independent rear suspension this quad is proving to be the ultimate racer!
With the final results posted the team claimed the Overall win at the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 and the 2009 SCORE Class 25 Season Points Championship. This is the second consecutive year that Matlock Racing has won the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000!
Matlock Racing would like to thank all their sponsors who have helped out in 2009
Honda, Vey’s Powersports, Rich Morel Racing motors, Precision Concepts, Maxxis, Houser Racing, Elka, KZ Trailers, HMF Exhaust, Fly Racing, Pro Honda Oil and Chemicals, Baja Designs, Tire Balls, DWT, OMF, Renthal, Precision Racing Products, Motion Pro, Streamline, IMS-Roll, IMS, TCX Boots, Quadtech, PRM-ATV.com, Scott Goggles, UNI Filters, DID Chains, Division Four