SCORE Just Dropped the 2027 Schedule, and Mexicali's Back on the Map
Four rounds, a peninsula-run 60th Baja 1000, and a season opener returning to a city SCORE hasn't raced through since the early '90s. Here's the full 2027 lineup.
Key takeaways
- SCORE International released its 2027 World Desert Championship calendar, keeping the four-round format that's been in place since 2019
- Mexicali returns as a host city for the first time in decades, opening the season with the 40th Baja 250
- The 60th Baja 1000 ditches the usual loop course for a peninsula run starting in Ensenada, with the finish still under wraps
- Ensenada carries the heaviest load of the calendar, hosting the Baja 500, Baja 400 and the start of the Baja 1000
Mileage totals combine SCORE's approximate distances for the Baja 250, Baja 500, Baja 400 and Baja 1000 as announced for 2027.
Mexicali gets its border town back in the mix
SCORE International dropped its full 2027 slate this week, and the headline is a city that hasn't opened a season in a long time. Mexicali gets the nod for round one, something SCORE hasn't done since it ran the Baja 1000 through there back in the early '90s. For a lot of longtime followers of the series, that's a bigger story than the actual mileage on the schedule.
The pull of Mexicali isn't hard to figure out. Terrain around the city includes dune fields and canyon country that racers and course designers have wanted back on the calendar for years. SCORE leadership has leaned into the border-crossing angle too, framing the return as part of a bigger push to spotlight Mexico as a racing and travel destination, not just a place teams pass through on the way to somewhere else.
Four rounds, same grind, new opener
Nothing about the overall shape of the championship is changing. It's still a four-race season, the format SCORE has run since 2019, just with a different city kicking things off. Round one is the 40th Baja 250, landing in Mexicali in mid-March as a single-loop race covering roughly a quarter of the peninsula's worth of punishment.
From there the series slides down to Ensenada for the rest of the year. Round two is the Baja 500 in early June, round three is the Baja 400 in September, and both are built as single-loop courses starting and finishing in the same spot, which keeps logistics simpler for teams hauling rigs and spare parts between rounds all summer.
The 60th Baja 1000 skips the loop entirely
The real curveball is buried in round four. For the 60th running of the Baja 1000 in November, SCORE is scrapping the loop format teams have gotten used to and going back to a peninsula run, meaning the race starts in Ensenada and heads south instead of circling back to where it began. Where it actually ends hasn't been announced yet.
That matters more than it might sound. A peninsula run changes everything about how teams plan chase routes, fuel stops and pit strategy compared to a loop, where support crews can leapfrog a shorter circuit all night. For a race turning 60, going back to the format that built its reputation feels less like a gimmick and more like SCORE wanting the milestone to actually feel like one.
What it means for teams planning next season
Practically, teams now have a full year to build travel and testing plans around a schedule that looks different than the last several seasons. Pre-running windows, freight logistics and even sponsor activations shift when the opener moves cities, and Mexicali's dune-heavy terrain is a different animal than the San Felipe stretches teams had gotten dialed in.
It also sets up an interesting stretch for anyone chasing points across all four rounds. A championship built on Mexicali, back-to-back Ensenada rounds, and a peninsula-run finale asks drivers to be sharp on completely different terrain types in the same season, which is exactly the kind of grind that separates the teams who show up prepared from the ones who don't.
What to Know About the 2027 Season
The calendar's out, so here's the rundown on what's changing and what's staying put heading into next year.
- Mexicali opens the year: The 40th Baja 250 kicks off round one in Mexicali, a city SCORE hasn't used to open a season in decades.
- Dune country returns: Mexicali's surrounding terrain brings dune fields and canyon sections back into a SCORE opener.
- Ensenada does double duty mid-season: Both the Baja 500 and Baja 400 start and finish in Ensenada as single-loop courses.
- The Baja 1000 turns 60: SCORE's marquee event hits its 60th running in November, its biggest milestone year in the current format.
- Peninsula run replaces the loop: For the anniversary race, the course starts in Ensenada and runs south instead of circling back.
- Finish line still a mystery: SCORE hasn't named where the Baja 1000 peninsula run actually ends, leaving teams to wait on the details.
- Same four-round structure: The overall championship format holds steady at four races, unchanged since 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2027 SCORE season start?
Round one is the 40th Baja 250 in Mexicali, running in the second half of March.
Why is Mexicali hosting a round again?
SCORE hasn't opened a season there in decades, and the city's dune and canyon terrain is part of the draw for bringing it back onto the calendar.
What's different about the 2027 Baja 1000?
Instead of the usual loop course, the 60th running goes back to a peninsula run, starting in Ensenada and heading south, with the finish location not yet announced.
How many rounds make up the championship?
Four, the same format SCORE has run since 2019: a Baja 250, Baja 500, Baja 400 and Baja 1000.
Sources
- 2027 SCORE World Desert Championship Schedule — Cycle News
- 2027 SCORE International schedule — 131 Off Road
- A 2027 SCORE World Desert Championship Showcasing the Spirit of Mexico — SCORE International