Off Road

TORRANCE, Calif. (Nov. 22, 2009) – The all new Toyota 4Runner made history in Ensenada, Mexico when it captured an amazing second place finish in the stock mini class. The 4WD 4Runner delivered impressive power, durability and capability to survive the scorching desert elements and cross the finish line within 29 hours of the 31 hour time limit.

The final SCORE Baja 1000 kicked off in Ensenada on November 19th with 328 racers from 39 U.S. States and 14 countries. Of the 328 racers, four were Toyota-powered drivers: Bob Ditner, Ken Ziesemer, Joe Nolan and the legendary Ivan “Ironman” Stewart. All shared time behind the wheel of the #778 Toyota 4Runner battling the grueling desert terrain of the Baja peninsula to successfully finish the race with a second place finish in the stock mini class.

“Taking second place in class in the Baja 1000 is an impressive feat. Racing through the Mexican deserts’ treacherous terrain for an extended amount of time can really take a toll on both man-and-machine. There are numerous obstacles to overcome throughout the 672 mile race, yet our 4Runner successfully endured the experience,” said Les Unger, Toyota Motorsports national manager.

“I was really impressed with the toughness of the new 4Runner. In addition, we owe a debt of gratitude to Long Beach Racers. We couldn’t have finished the race without their support personnel,” said Ivan “Ironman” Stewart. As the race entered its final stages on Saturday, Ivan and co-driver Zeisemer navigated the course with a fierce determination to cross the finish line.

The 672-mile loop race course covered the Baja Pacific Peninsula that started and finished in Ensenada, Mexico. The event was attended by over 250,000 spectators.

This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special, in association with SCORE and Aura360, for the sixth consecutive year. It is scheduled to air on NBC at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 19 on the NBC Television Network. For more information visit www.score-international.com.