#BC1
Building on his championship pedigree, Jay Jakupca has established himself as a formidable force in SCORE desert racing, particularly excelling in the demanding Baja Challenge class. The South Carolina native captured the 2021 SCORE Baja 500 Baja Challenge championship alongside co-driver James DeGaine, conquering the grueling 466-mile Ensenada desert course after a marathon 17-hour battle that tested both machine and driver endurance.
Jakupca's championship run demonstrated the hallmark consistency that defines elite desert racers, finishing first among three Baja Challenge entries in a class known for its high completion rates and competitive field. His victory came against seasoned competitors in the spec Subaru-powered Baja Touring Cars, all equipped with BFGoodrich tires, showcasing his ability to extract maximum performance from standardized equipment.
The Baja Challenge class attracts racers seeking the authentic SCORE experience, making Jakupca's championship particularly meaningful within the desert racing community. His success in the technical and physically demanding Baja 500 reflects the preparation, skill, and mental fortitude required to excel in one of motorsport's most challenging environments, cementing his reputation as a championship-caliber competitor in SCORE's premier desert racing series.
While the Baja Challenge teams are typically made up of racers who want to experience a SCORE race, the team that puts it all together is some of the most logistical and knowledgeable in all of SCORE racing. Most of the time, the BC cars have the highest finishing rate of any class and at this race, they lived up to that challenge. All three cars finished the SCORE Baja 500 with the BC1 car of Jay Jakupca and James DeGaine finishing first. The BC13 car of Axi Sandoval, Enrique, Rodriguez, Esteban Rodiguez, and Geraldo Solorio finished second. In third place was the BC4 car of Edward Muncey, with Roger Norman, Joe Duryea, John Pasha, Bill Evans and Riley Pasha. Read More
#101 Overall and #1 in Baja Challenge