Lassally and Teammates Ellis, Abello, Wellon, Rossi and Courtney Run in the Top Five Early in Tecate SCORE Baja 1000

ENSENADA-BAJA CALIFORNIA, Mexico November 21, 2008: The No. BC-4 Baja Challenge Class entry of Barry Ellis, Marcelo Abello, Fraser Wellon, Frank Rossi, Jeff Courtney and SPEEDCOM Communication's principal Toto Lasally is off to a solid start in the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, which began Friday morning and will run through the night in Western Mexico.

With BC-4 carrying both a driver and a navigator, Wellon and Rossi started the race and were in fifth place three hours into the event at mile marker 89, just five miles behind the leaders. The duo later moved up to fourth by the time they reached mile 130 and were still in the hunt in fifth place as they prepared to end their stint. This year's edition of the Baja classic is being run to the 1000-kilometer distance, or 631.35 miles, and includes six checkpoints plus the finish line.

The BC-4 team has divided its drivers into three pairings, with each duo sharing the driving and navigating chores within their stint. Wellon and Rossi will hand off to Ellis and Courtney while Abello and Lassally will bring BC-4 to the finish line, likely in the Saturday morning daylight hours. This is Lassally's first Baja 1000, and although it will likely be midnight before he will navigate and drive in the legendary race, he has already been impressed with the sheer spectacle of the event.

"The start today was incredible," Lassally said. "It takes hours for all of the motorcycles and cars and trucks to roll off and thousands of people are there, right in the middle of it all and cheering everybody on. It is a real party, almost like a carnival atmosphere. Everybody has a loud horn or is waving a sombrero or something."

Baja Challenge Class race cars are powered by rear-mounted Subaru engines and could best be described to off-road racing newcomers as dune buggies. The class is just one of about two dozen different divisions for motorcycles, cars and trucks that make up this year's entry of more than 375 teams.