For the first time in its history, the SCORE Baja 1000 will start and finish in Los Cabos. The 59th edition of the famous off-road race runs November 9 to 15, 2026, from San José del Cabo, and the whole course stays inside Baja California Sur. SCORE says that has never happened before.

Until now, the closest thing was 2023, when La Paz hosted the start of a point-to-point race that finished in Ensenada. This year it’s a loop of 964.96 miles (about 1,561 km), with a 40-hour time limit for every class.

Where the course goes

SCORE’s route runs through Los Barriles, La Paz, Ciudad Constitución, Cerro del Mechudo, El Centenario, Loreto, San José de Comondú, Santa Fe, Todos Santos, El Conejo and La Aguja, with elevations from sea level to over 4,000 feet. There are four checkpoints: El Centenario, Ejido Ley Federal No. 2, Ejido Francisco Villa and Santa Fe. In other words, pretty much a tour of the state, only much faster and with a lot more dust.

When to watch in San José del Cabo

  • Contingency row and Manufacturer’s Midway: Wednesday and Thursday, November 11 and 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on Boulevard Centenario between Calle Álvaro Obregón and Calle Manuel Doblado. Entry is free, and this is the best chance to see the race vehicles up close.
  • Race start: Friday, November 13, from the start ramp on Boulevard Centenario. Motorcycles and quads leave at 1:00 a.m. and the cars, trucks and UTVs at 9:00 a.m.
  • Awards: Sunday, November 15, at noon in San José del Cabo, open to the public. SCORE hasn’t announced the venue yet.

All times are local Los Cabos time. Qualifying on Tuesday, November 10, which sets the starting order for the Trophy Trucks and a few other classes, is closed to spectators and takes place on private property, but SCORE streams it live. The race itself is streamed on the SCORE website, app, Facebook and YouTube.

SCORE expects more than 250 teams. As of October 19, 133 had registered from 30 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and 10 countries, and the fastest trucks in the field have engines producing over 1,000 horsepower. With that many race vehicles moving around, expect busy streets near the start and finish area during race week. If you’re around for it, our San José del Cabo sightseeing guide has ideas for the rest of your day, and the Los Cabos events page covers the rest of November.

Sources