Off-road racing spans a broad global motor sport economy and highly specific desert events. The figures below distinguish global 2019 estimates from SCORE event records, and distinguish entries, starters and finishers.
Key Off-Road Racing Statistics
The most useful headline figures are:
- In 2019, €159.2 billion in estimated annual gross output came from global motor sport across 145 FIA member countries, including but not limited to off-road racing.
- In 2019, €66.9 billion in estimated value added was generated by global motor sport across the FIA study universe.
- In 2019, 1.5 million paid jobs were directly or indirectly supported by global motor sport worldwide.
- In 2019, 302,000 formal unpaid officials, marshals and volunteers were counted in global motor sport.
- In 2019, 2.7 million motor sport participants were counted globally, including competitors, support personnel and non-competing club members.
- In 2019, 60,700 motor sport events were included in the global estimate.
- In 2019, 7,200 facilities, tracks and venues were counted across global motor sport.
- In 2019, 21,600 local motor sport clubs were counted worldwide.
- In 2019, 145 FIA member countries were covered by the global motor sport study.
- In the 2019 study, more than 20,000 completed surveys and more than 50 stakeholder consultations formed the evidence base for global motor sport.
- In 2019, about 11% of the 2.7 million participants were formal unpaid officials, marshals and volunteers in the broader motor sport population.
- In 2023, 1,310.94 miles was the SCORE Baja 1000 course length from La Paz to Ensenada, Mexico.
- As of October 10, 2023, 127 entries were listed for the SCORE Baja 1000.
- In 2017, 404 starters and 237 finishers were recorded for the SCORE Baja 1000.
- In 2023, 240 starters and 175 finishers were recorded for the SCORE Baja 500, with a reported 72.92% finish rate.
- In 2023, 25 Trophy Truck starters and 17 finishers were recorded in the SCORE Baja 500 class.
- In 2023, the leading SCORE Baja 500 Trophy Truck completed the course in 9:06:38 at 51.99 miles per hour.
- In 2023, 473.67 miles was the SCORE Baja 500 course length in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Contents
- Global motor sport scale
- Participation, clubs and venues
- Baja 1000 statistics and finish data
- Baja 1000 historical trends
- Baja 500 statistics and completion data
- Baja 500 historical trends
Global Off-Road Racing Statistics and Motor Sport Scale
The FIA’s 2019 study provides the broadest context here, but it is not an off-road-only census. Its off-road classification includes rallycross, autocross and cross car, while the reported totals cover global motor sport across 145 FIA member countries.
The study estimated the following annual scale for 2019:
| Measure | 2019 estimate | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Gross output | €159.2 billion | Global motor sport |
| Value added | €66.9 billion | Global motor sport |
| Paid jobs | 1.5 million | Direct and indirect global motor sport employment |
| Participants | 2.7 million | Competitors, officials, volunteers and club members |
| Events | 60,700 | Included motor sport disciplines |
| Facilities, tracks and venues | 7,200 | Included motor sport disciplines |
| Local clubs | 21,600 | Included motor sport disciplines |
Source: FIA presents a worldwide study on economic and social impact of motor sport.
These figures are estimates rather than a direct count of off-road racers. The study also counted 302,000 formal unpaid officials, marshals and volunteers, a support cohort that represented about 11% of the broader 2.7 million participant estimate.
The FIA study used more than 20,000 completed surveys and consultations with more than 50 industry stakeholders. The report focuses on calendar year 2019 and states that the impact of COVID-19 was not quantified.
Source: FIA Global Motor Sport Economic Study.
Off-Road Racing Participation, Clubs and Venues
Participation in the FIA study is deliberately broad. It includes competitors, formally recognized officials, marshals, volunteers and non-competing club members, so the 2.7 million figure should not be read as the number of people racing off road.
The participation structure is useful for understanding the ecosystem around events:
- The 2019 global motor sport estimate included 1.5 million paid jobs, with direct and indirect employment effects rather than competitor jobs alone.
- The study counted 302,000 formally recognized unpaid officials, marshals and volunteers in 2019; recognition practices varied by national sporting authority.
- The study counted 21,600 local motor sport clubs and 7,200 facilities, tracks and venues in 2019.
- The study covered 60,700 events in 2019, across all included motor sport disciplines.
Source: FIA Global Motor Sport Economic Study.
The geography matters: the FIA evidence base covered 145 national member countries, but that coverage is the study universe, not a separate off-road-racing participation census. These numbers therefore describe the scale of the organized motor sport environment in which off-road racing sits.
Baja 1000 Off-Road Racing Statistics and Finish Data
SCORE’s Baja 1000 records offer event-level measures for a major desert race. In 2023, the course measured 1,310.94 miles from La Paz to Ensenada, Mexico, while the entry announcement listed 127 total entries as of October 10.
| Event or measure | Starters | Finishers | Period or detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baja 1000 | 127 entries | — | 2023 entry snapshot, October 10 |
| Baja 1000 | 404 | 237 | 2017 |
| Baja 1000 | 431 | 234 | 2006 |
| Baja 1000 | 424 | 237 | 2007 |
| Baja 1000 | 347 | 227 | 2008 |
| Baja 1000 | 346 | 123 | 1977 |
| Baja 1000 | 342 | 163 | 2005 |
The 127 figure is an entry-list snapshot, not a count of starters or finishers. SCORE’s official historical table supplies the event totals for the other rows.
Sources: Ampudia tops new entries for 56th SCORE Baja 1000 and Stats, stats, & more stats: iconic SCORE Baja 1000.
Baja 1000 Historical Starter and Finisher Trends
The historical table shows substantial variation in both participation and completion across years. The records below are event-level totals, not unique competitors, and no completion rates are recalculated from rounded counts.
| Year | Starters | Finishers |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 276 | 153 |
| 2021 | 299 | 206 |
| 2020 | 185 | 111 |
| 2019 | 264 | 145 |
| 2018 | 285 | 177 |
| 2012 | 298 | 174 |
| 2010 | 292 | 192 |
| 1992 | 307 | 189 |
| 1990 | 308 | 162 |
| 1989 | 286 | 176 |
| 1988 | 329 | 163 |
| 1987 | 314 | 180 |
Route format also changed within the period covered by the table. The 2021 Baja 1000 ran from Ensenada to La Paz, unlike the 2018–2020 Ensenada-to-Ensenada events.
SCORE’s all-time location table available in 2023 lists 48 starts in Ensenada, 3 in Mexicali, 2 in Tijuana, 1 in Ojos Negros and 1 in Santo Tomas. Its finish-location table lists 28 finishes in Ensenada, 22 in La Paz, 2 in Mexicali, 2 in Cabo San Lucas and 1 in Ojos Negros; these are event-location counts, not finisher counts.
Source: Stats, stats, & more stats: iconic SCORE Baja 1000.
Baja 500 Off-Road Racing Statistics and Completion Data
The 2023 SCORE Baja 500 course measured 473.67 miles in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. SCORE recorded 240 starters and 175 finishers, and reported a 72.92% finish rate for the event.
| Measure | 2023 result | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Starters | 240 | Entire SCORE Baja 500 |
| Finishers | 175 | Entire SCORE Baja 500 |
| Reported finish rate | 72.92% | Entire SCORE Baja 500 |
| Trophy Truck starters | 25 | SCORE Trophy Truck class |
| Trophy Truck finishers | 17 | SCORE Trophy Truck class |
| Leading Trophy Truck time | 9:06:38 | Official elapsed time |
| Leading Trophy Truck average speed | 51.99 mph | Official average speed |
The Trophy Truck figures describe one class within one event, while the 72.92% figure is the organizer-reported rate for the full 2023 Baja 500. The leading time and speed are winner results, not class averages.
Source: Official Finishers – 2023 Baja 500.
SCORE’s historical table also recorded 259 starters and 174 finishers in 2022, alongside older event totals: 492 starters and 283 finishers in 2007, 438 and 221 in 2006, 384 and 161 in 1977, and 384 and 179 in 1976.
Source: First SCORE Baja 500.
Baja 500 Historical Participation Trends
SCORE’s Baja 500 historical data reaches from the early 1970s through recent events. The table shows the recorded starters and finishers for selected years, with geography fixed to the SCORE Baja 500 event record.
| Year | Starters | Finishers |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 321 | 187 |
| 2010 | 289 | 192 |
| 2008 | 289 | 195 |
| 2005 | 345 | 179 |
| 2004 | 300 | 181 |
| 1987 | 299 | 185 |
| 1980 | 294 | 126 |
| 1978 | 282 | 96 |
| 1975 | 365 | 153 |
| 1973 | 333 | 138 |
| 1972 | 301 | 144 |
The historical record includes both high-participation years and much lower finisher totals. For example, 1978 recorded 282 starters and 96 finishers, while 2008 recorded 289 starters and 195 finishers; these are reported event totals and should not be treated as like-for-like forecasts of future completion.
SCORE’s all-time start-location table available in 2023 lists 49 Baja 500 starts in Ensenada, 3 in Ojos Negros, 2 in San Felipe and 1 in Barstow. The corresponding finish-location table lists 45 finishes in Ensenada, 5 in Santo Tomas, 2 in Ojos Negros, 2 in San Felipe and 1 in Barstow.
Source: First SCORE Baja 500.
The FIA and SCORE measures answer different questions. FIA figures describe estimated global motor sport scale in 2019, while SCORE records describe particular desert events, courses and registration periods; course length, class rules and registration timing can change the event totals.