November’s Baja 1000 to be Televised on NBC “Jeep World of Adventure Sports”
photo by david hopps

This year’s legendary desert classic, to be held November 17-20 in Mexico, will start in Ensenada along the Pacific Ocean in the state of Baja California and finish in La Paz along the Sea of Cortés in the state of Baja California Sur.

“Monumental would be the word to describe this, absolutely unbelievable would be an even better way,” said Sal Fish, CEO and President of Los Angeles-based SCORE International, which annually sanctions and produces the five-race SCORE Desert Series, capped each year with the Baja 1000, its flagship event. “The motorsports world has never seen an event like this. We have always said the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 is more than a race – it’s an adventure – and NBC Sports and Aura360 have the resources and creativity to present the grueling odyssey in a way that will capture the imagination of future adventurers.”

Nearly 300 entries from over 30 U.S. States and seven countries, competing in 27 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs will be part of this year’s event. It’s the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the mother of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula every year except 1974 when the international fuel crisis forced a cancellation.

“NBC is devoting top talent and producers to provide an entertaining look at a group of action-adventure events that, while popular around the world, have not been traditionally shown on American television,” said Jon Miller, senior vice president, programming, NBC Sports. “We’re excited about this new series.”

NBC’s Pat Parnell is host of the new program. Top SCORE racers will join Parnell as guest commentators and will be profiled during the telecast. A world-class action-sports commentator, Parnell hosted NBC’s Gravity Games for five years, and was a commentator on NBC’s coverage of the snowboarding competition at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

The “Jeep World of Adventure Sports” on NBC will air August 7, October 16, and on December 4, 11 and 19. The SCORE show is scheduled for one of the three December programs. Times are subject to change, please check local listings.

Over the years, SCORE has been the subject of numerous television specials, including ABC TV’s Wide World of Sports in 1981 and last year’s ‘Drive Like Hell’, a 90-minute high-definition documentary on the 2002 SCORE Baja 1000 produced for HDNet TV by the Essex Television Group. Essex also produced a 90-minute documentary on the 2003 SCORE Baja 1000, called ‘When the Dust Settles’, for the Discovery Channel’s Discovery HD Theater. It aired first in spring of 2004.

Additionally, the 2003 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 was filmed for a new 90-minute historical sports documentary film, ‘Dust to Glory’. Critically acclaimed director Dana Brown supervised a crew of over 80. It was shot with Brown’s father Bruce Brown as the creative consultant. Bruce Brown is responsible for such notable specialty films as ‘On Any Sunday’ and ‘Endless Summer’. This year, Dana Brown released the popular ‘Step Into Liquid’ surfing documentary. ‘Dust to Glory’ is scheduled for release internationally in late 2004 or Spring 2005.

For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters at tel. (818)225-8402 or visit SCORE’s official website.
 

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