Red Bull Trophy Truck drivers Toby Price and Brent Bauman were disqualified from the SCORE San Felipe 250 for what race officials deemed “unsportsmanlike conduct.” That conduct purportedly included stacking rocks on the racecourse to slow down their competitors.
The Red Bull drivers were disqualified based on circumstantial videos posted on Instagram. In the videos, about 52 miles into the 281.5-mile race, big rocks start to show up in a wash.
A different video sees Price emerging from behind a parked side-by-side in the bushes away from the racecourse. The videos do not show Bauman and Price moving or placing any rocks.
Despite the lack of indisputable evidence, the race’s sanctioning body, SCORE International, still disqualified the Red Bull team after they finished eighth in Trophy Truck and 17th overall in the San Felipe 250.
“Following the review of evidence submitted to SCORE International regarding an incident that occurred during pre-running on Friday, March 27 near Race Mile 52 of the SCORE San Felipe 250, the SCORE Competition Review Board (CRB) has issued a disqualification to driver of record of the SCORE Trophy Truck #46 Toby Price and the navigator Brent Bauman for unsportsmanlike conduct,” SCORE said in a statement. “After evaluating all materials provided, the CRB concluded that the actions in question were attributable to Toby Price and Brent Bauman.”
“The video that is circulating does not provide evidence of me placing any rocks, the witness statement does not provide evidence of me making any rock placement, and the conversations at the site where the video was taken were not with me, except for me telling a girl I was OK when asked and that I was clearing a new line,” Price wrote in a statement.
Race team owner issues a statement, co-driver resigns
“As a team owner, the safety of every competitor on the race course is very important to me,” Red Bull team owner Paul Weel wrote in a statement. “I have invested significantly in off-road racing because I believe in it, and everything I do within motorsport is built on those values. I don’t condone any of the conduct that has been alleged.”
While the evidence against the Red Bull team appeared very circumstantial, the disqualification still led to a significant change within the team.
“Following the release of the CRB findings by SCORE International today and the preliminary findings of our internal investigation, I have been offered Brent Bauman’s resignation,” Weel added. “This has been accepted effective immediately. I have invested significantly in this team and will continue to hold it to a high standard. I understand that Brent is enduring significant personal circumstances at present and wish him all the best in dealing with this going forward.”
Toby Price also added that while he believes “a higher standard of proof should be used here given the consequences,” he would abide by SCORE’s decision. He also said that he “will be taking some time off from desert racing.”
“I don’t take this decision lightly, given the significant damage,” he stated. “I will reassess the position with the team and whether I will be competing in the series in the near future.”