The SCORE Baja 400 returns to Ensenada September 9 through 13, 2026. The seventh running of the youngest race on the SCORE calendar is round three of the World Desert Championship, sitting between the Baja 500 in June and the Baja 1000 in November. The course is a roughly 400-mile loop through the deserts, mountains, and washes of northern Baja, with the start and finish both in Ensenada.
The field runs the full SCORE spread: Trophy Trucks, motorcycles, UTVs, buggies, and vintage classes. Recent winners include Bryce Menzies on the truck side and Justin Morgan and Tyler Lynn on bikes. If you are heading down for race week, here is the practical information for the trip.
Race Week Rhythm: What Happens When
The race itself is the finale. The days before it are when Ensenada fills up: teams arrive early in the week, prerunners work the course, and the contingency and tech inspection days bring the race vehicles into the streets downtown, where you can walk the rows, see the machines up close, and catch the drivers before they suit up. Thursday and Friday are the peak of the pre-race scene.
For spectating on race day, the start and finish in town are the most accessible viewing, and watching a Trophy Truck launch off the line from a few feet away is the signature experience. Out-of-town course viewing is possible at established spots, with some planning.
Getting There: The Drive Down
From the San Ysidro crossing, Ensenada is about 90 minutes south on the coastal toll road. Our San Diego to Ensenada road trip guide covers the route, tolls, and stops in detail.
Race week changes the traffic picture. Southbound is heaviest Thursday and Friday as teams and fans arrive, so cross early in the morning. If San Ysidro is backed up, Otay Mesa is the alternate, and the Tecate crossing connects to Ensenada through the mountains on Highway 3, a quieter route that skips the coastal traffic entirely.
Your Race Week Checklist
- Passports for everyone. Passport book or passport card for every person in the vehicle.
- Mexican auto insurance. Required by law the moment you cross, and your US policy does not count. Buy a daily or multi-day policy online before race week so it is handled.
- FMM tourist permit. Required for every visitor, free for stays of seven days or less. Stop at the immigration office at your crossing.
- Vehicle registration, current and in the glove box.
- Pesos. Race week is street food, tips, tolls, and vendor stands. Cash in pesos makes all of it easier and cheaper.
- Book your room now. Race week fills Ensenada’s hotels. If you are staying overnight, book before you cross, not after you arrive.
Race Week Tips
Arrive a day early. Thursday and Friday are when contingency row and the pre-race scene are at their best, and you will beat the heaviest border traffic.
Watch from designated areas. Baja racing runs through open terrain. Spectate from established viewing areas, keep well back from the course, and follow the direction of race officials. The vehicles are faster and closer than they look.
Plan your return for Monday if you can. Sunday evening northbound at San Ysidro after a race weekend is a long line. A Monday morning return is dramatically easier.
Fuel up before remote viewing spots. If you are heading out of town to watch from the course, top off the tank in Ensenada and bring water and snacks.
Follow the live coverage. The race streams live on SCORE’s site, useful for tracking where the leaders are on course while you pick your viewing.
Get Covered Before You Cross
A race week trip is exactly the kind of drive that needs proper Mexican auto insurance: highway miles, city traffic, and possibly some dirt roads to a viewing spot. Baja-Mex has been insuring border travelers since 1974, with daily and multi-day policies underwritten by GNP, Mexico’s largest insurance company.
Get a quote online in minutes, or stop at any of our 16 locations in San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, and Tecate on your way south, where our currency exchange windows can get you race week pesos at the same stop. See you in Ensenada.
