The 423.16-mile Baja 400 course takes SCORE contenders from downtown Ensenada toward Mike’s Sky Ranch in the penultimate round of 2026.
The 2026 SCORE World Desert Championship moves into its penultimate round Saturday, Sept. 12, on a 423.16-mile Baja 400 course that links downtown Ensenada with several established off-road landmarks in Baja California.
Alan Ampudia, Brock Heger and Cayden MacCachren are among the prominent contenders listed for Round 3 of the four-race season. Andy McMillin will race as car #21, while Tavo Vildósola will miss the event.
A 423.16-mile Ensenada test
The seventh SCORE Baja 400 starts and finishes on Bulevar Costero. The professional course runs through Ensenada Arroyo, Ojos Negros and Valle de la Trinidad before reaching Mike’s Sky Ranch, with Colonia Vicente Guerrero, Ejido Eréndira and Santo Tomás also included on the route.
Sportsman competitors will tackle a shorter loop of approximately 397.29 miles.
Pre-running opened Aug. 29 for entered teams and continues through Sept. 11, giving crews nearly two weeks to inspect a course that mixes downtown roads with open desert terrain.
Two separate starts shape race day
Motorcycle and quad classes start at 5:00 a. m. PT on Saturday. Cars, trucks and UTVs get underway at 10:00 a. m. PT, and results will be decided by elapsed time.
Race vehicles will depart Bulevar Costero in front of the Riviera at a controlled speed. From there, they will use Avenida Rotario and Calle Primera before entering Arroyo Ensenada and heading south toward the desert.
Tech and contingency is set for Friday, Sept. 11, along Bulevar Costero.
Qualifying sets the road order
Method Race Wheels qualifying will take place Thursday, Sept. 10, on a private course closed to spectators. The session determines the starting order for Saturday’s long run through Baja California.
Qualifying coverage is listed from 11:00 a. m. to 3:00 p. m. ET. Saturday’s race coverage is scheduled from 12:00 p. m. to 10:00 p. m. ET.
Round 3 tightens the championship calendar
The Baja 400 is the third race of a four-round championship, leaving one event after Ensenada. The series is staging its full season in Baja California for the 11th consecutive year.
The latest event information did not include current official points margins. Ampudia, Heger and MacCachren therefore arrive at race week as featured contenders rather than confirmed championship favorites.
Each class gets one final full-distance scoring opportunity before the season-ending Baja 1000.
Ensenada plans beyond 2026
Mayor Claudia Agatón Muñiz said plans call for the Baja 400, Baja 500 and Baja 1000 to stay based in Ensenada during the 2027 championship calendar. City preparations for Saturday’s departure cover traffic management around the waterfront and access to Arroyo Ensenada.
A separate 16-year environmental permit application seeks approval to stage the Baja 1000 annually through 2041 across approximately 1,939 kilometers in Baja California Sur. The proposed area covers Mulegé, Comondú, La Paz and Los Cabos.
The title chase next moves to Thursday’s closed-course qualifying session, followed by the first motorcycle and quad departures at 5:00 a. m. PT Saturday.
