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Team Falken Earns 1st Place Finish At The 2024 Baja 1000

ENSENADA, MX – Team Falken brought home a 1st place finish at the 57th Baja 1000 Off-Road Race event in Baja California. Drivers and family members Cole Johnson, Sky Johnson, and Brandon Johnson challenged the grueling 864-mile race through Baja California terrain and finished 1st in the Hammer Truck UNLTD/LTD class in their 4482 IFS SXOR Motorsports car outfitted with 40” Falken Wildpeak Race Compound M/T01 Tires. Competitors start the race in Ensenada, make their way south close to La Turquesa, and then traverse the eastern part of Baja California northward back to Ensenada. The long distance, various off-road terrain, and a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions make this one of the most strenuous races of the year.

Cole Johnson commenced the race in Ensenada with navigator Jaxon Lish. They started strong, passing nine vehicles until the radiator fan demonstrated issues, causing the team to stop at race mile 33. This drawback set the team back by about six hours since they had to wait for a chase vehicle to assist with repairs. Once the crew arrived and resolved the issue with the radiator fan, Cole continued the race and made the first fuel stop at race mile 75. The team replaced a front CV shaft assembly at this stop. Cole resumed the race and made it to race mile 313, where his brother, Sky Johnson, took over driving responsibilities, and Dave Baringer took over navigation duties.

Sky and Dave made an efficient run to race mile 610, where they switched off to Cole and Sky’s father, Brandon Johnson, as the driver and Juan Carmona as the navigator. Brandon produced a compelling run to the finish line in Ensenada, where he expertly navigated through 30-degree weather, mud, and snow. Brandon brought the 4482 IFS SXOR Motorsports car over the finish line in Ensenada with a time of 32:23:39.015 and a moving average speed of 41.3 miles per hour, securing a 1st place finish in the Hammer Truck UNLTD/LTD class.

“We are proud to have SXOR Motorsports represent Team Falken in this challenging race,” said Douglas Fletcher, Light Truck and Off-Road Motorsports Supervisor for Falken Tires. “Racing through over 800 miles of Baja terrain is not for the faint of heart, and their performance in this tough race was incredible.”

The 2025 SCORE World Desert Championship racing series will begin with the 38th SCORE San Felipe 250, held in San Felipe, Mexico, from April 2nd to April 6th.