Gustavo Vildósola Perez Tejada, better known as Tavo Vildósola, (born February 1, 1982) is a Mexican off-road racer and entrepreneur.

Racing career

Vildosola Racing Red Bull SCORE Trophy Truck during the 2010 Baja 1000 victory celebration in Mexicali

Born in Mexicali, Vildosóla started racing at a very young age. He raced his first official off-road race in 2000 sharing the wheel of a SCORE Class 1 buggy in the San Felipe 250, in preparation for the Baja 2000. In the Baja 2000 he was copilot of Chris Harrold in the SCORE Class 1 buggy of Vildosola Racing.

Tavo and Brian Ickler raced a SCORE Lites class vehicle for the 2003 Baja 1000 and finished first in their class with a time of 19:18.17 (41.86 mph).[1]

In 2005 Vildósola raced an Ivan Stewart built ProTruck #204 powered by a Toyota V8 engine and was crowned champion of its class in 2006[2] and 2007[3] in the SCORE series.

Tavo jumped on the SCORE Trophy Truck driver's seat in the 2007 Baja 1000, the 40th edition of the race. Vildósola and his father Gus Vildósola finish second place, making it, at the time, the best finish position ever achieved by a Mexico national team in the Baja 1000.[4] This achievement was only surpassed by Vildosola Racing itself in 2010 winning the overall on the 43rd edition of the premiere off-road desert race.

Vildosola Racing managed to finish second during the 2010 Baja 500 after Andy McMillin. Tavo led a good portion of the race but finish second after having problems a few miles of the finish line in Ensenada, Baja California. Vildosola Racing made history again being this the best finish position of all time for any Mexico national team on the elite class, the Trophy Truck on any Baja 500.[5]

Vildosola Racing SCORE Trophy Truck during the 2011 CODE Off Road Mexicana Logistics 300

Tavo won the overall in the 43rd edition of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 making him, alongside his father Gus Vildósola, the inaugural Mexican national to win the Baja 1000[6][7] He drove Trophy Truck #21 of team Vildosola Racing to the finish line in 19:00.04 (55.87 mph). Since 1973, a 4-wheel vehicle had not won the overall time over the motorcycles.

The 2011 SCORE season started with Vildosola Racing taking third place overall on the 2011 SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge with a final time of 1:56:37 (51.45 mph).[8]

After a good start on the San Felipe 250 Tavo was leading the race until on race mile 90 the trophy truck had a broken transmission which took the team nearly an hour to fix. The team finished 13th with a time of 5:03.57.[9]

Tavo raced at the inaugural Tecate SCORE San Felipe Challenge of Champions in September 2011, started fourth and led a big portion of the race after having mechanical problems at mile 190. He finished ninth with a time of 7:33:21.[10]

Vildosola Racing presented a new Trophy Truck for the 2012 Tecate SCORE Baja 500. The new Trophy Truck was built by Dave Clark and Vildosola Racing, its lighter and narrower than the old truck and also was built to use 42" wheels. The team started 22nd and was able to pass several drivers after a transmission failure left them out of the race while running 6th.

For the 2012 Baja 1000 Tavo and Gus got a 28th starting position draw, (started 25th after withdraws) which would make things harder for them as they would have a lot of dust and trucks before them. Around race mile 1000 Vildósola had passed all of his competitors and for the second time in a row on a peninsula run won the Baja 1000 overall, beating the motorcycles again, only the second time this happens since 1973, the previous time been in 2010 when Vildósola won the overall. The father and son duo stopped the clocks at 19:45:00 (56.79 mph) and made history again, being the only Mexico national team to have two Baja 1000 titles as the overall winners of the race.

Five days after the 2012 Baja 1000 a protest was filed against Vildósola from the BJ Baldwin team which accused Vildósola of having made an illegal pit stop on the highway. A video was released which showed a team member of the Vildósola crew illegally servicing the vehicle while it was in motion on the highway. The protest was accepted by SCORE International. SCORE penalized Vildósola with 90 mins demoting him to eighth place overall and stripping him from the race win.

The 2013 San Felipe 250 was won by Vildósola whom had end up second only three seconds behind Bryce Menzies, nevertheless Menzies failed to cross a Virtual Check Point which cost him a 5-minute penalty which gave Vildósola his 2nd overall win on the San Felipe 250.

2014

The 2014 season brought six races for Vildosola Racing, and the team had the best start in history for them, having to end up in the top 2 in the first three races of BiTD and SCORE International's San Felipe 250.

For the opening race of the 2014 series for BiTD the Parker 425, Tavo had a second-place finish with a time of 7:18:11.466[11] only 10 seconds behind the O/A winner Jason Voss and 22 seconds in front of third place Mark Weyhrich. The 3 lap race had what many called the closest finish in off-road racing.

San Felipe 250 brought another victory for the Vildosola team, winning their second San Felipe race in a row and for the third time in their history, having started it in 20th position since the qualifying for this race was ruled out for a draw. Tavo finished the race in 3:31:27.320.[12] Vildosola was quoted saying he was happy to win this race, which he considered his home race due to the proximity of the racecourse to Mexicali.

At the Mint 400 Tavo had yet another great performance, finishing a strong second place behind Andy McMillin. Vildosola had qualified eighth for this race and after problems with Mark Weyhrich's trick truck just 30 miles before the finish line, Tavo locked in another podium for the 2014 season.

2015

The 2015 season was the best season for the Vildosola Team, winning two races in the SCORE series, and one in their only BiTD race.

At the 2015 opener for the SCORE series, Vildosola dominated the San Felipe 250. This win made them the inaugural team to title at three consecutive Felipe series races. Tavo finished 5 hours 10 minutes 16 seconds.

Tavo won the title at the 2015 Imperial Valley 250, making it the inaugural team to win in the same year two races in the SCORE series.

At the 2015 Parker 425, Tavo won the title. At the 2016 edition, Tavo successfully defended the title.

Best Results

Year Series Race Finish Class
2002 SCORE International Baja 1000 4th[13] SCORE Class 1/2-1600
2003 SCORE International Baja 1000 1st[14] SCORE Lites
2005 SCORE International Baja 1000 3rd ProTruck
2006 SCORE International SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge 1st* ProTruck
2006 Best In The Desert Parker 425 1st* ProTruck
2006 Best In The Desert Parker 425 4th* SCORE Trophy Truck
2006 SCORE International San Felipe 250 1st* ProTruck
2006 Best In The Desert Vegas to Reno 1st* ProTruck
2006 Best In The Desert Vegas 300 1st+* Trophy Truck
2006 CODE Off-Road Mexicana Logistics 300 1st* SCORE Trophy Truck
2007 SCORE International Baja 500 1st[15] ProTruck
2007 SCORE International Baja 500 9th[16] SCORE Trophy Truck
2007 SCORE International Baja 1000 2nd SCORE Trophy Truck
2009 CODE Off-Road Race Ready 275 1st+[17] SCORE Trophy Truck
2009 SCORE International Baja 1000 4th[18] SCORE Trophy Truck
2010 SCORE International Baja 500 2nd SCORE Trophy Truck
2010 Best In The Desert Vegas to Reno 3rd[19] SCORE Trophy Truck
2010 CODE Off-Road Mexicana Logistics 300 1st+[20] SCORE Trophy Truck
2010 SCORE International Baja 1000 1st+ SCORE Trophy Truck
2011 SCORE International SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge 3rd SCORE Trophy Truck
2011 CODE Off-Road Mexicana Logistics 300 2nd SCORE Trophy Truck
2012 CODE Off-Road Mexicana Logistics 300 2nd SCORE Trophy Truck
2012 SCORE International Baja 1000 8th SCORE Trophy Truck
2013 SCORE International San Felipe 250 1st+ SCORE Trophy Truck
2014 Best in the Desert Parker 425 2nd Trick Truck
2014 SCORE International San Felipe 250 1st+ Trophy Truck
2014 Best in the Desert Mint 400 2nd Trick Truck
2015 SCORE International San Felipe 250 1st Trophy Truck
2015 SCORE International Imperial Valley 250 1st Trophy Truck
2015 Best in the Desert Henderson 250 1st Trick Truck
(*)[21]
(+) Best Overall Time

Personal life

In 2014 Vildósola was appointed CEO of Mexicana Logistics.

He is the son of off-road racer Gus Vildósola. He is married to Leticia and has a daughter named Ximena.

References

  1. ↑ "SCORE Baja 1000 Official Finishers". desertrides.com. November 21, 2003. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-20. SCORE LITES (VW-powered, Limited single or two-seaters-1835cc)-1. Brian Ickler, Poway, Calif./Gus Vildosola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico, Jimco, 19:18:17 (41.86mph)
  2. ↑ "Vildosola & Freeman ready to defend their Baja Protruck championship". dirtnewz.com. January 30, 2007. Retrieved 2010-12-07. ...in 2006 they finished first in the final points standings
  3. ↑ "2007 BAJA PROTRUCK CHAMPIONSHIP RACING SERIES Driver Point Standings". protruck.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  4. ↑ Press Release Baja Racing News.com
  5. ↑ MyBajaPhoto (June 6, 2010). "Congratulations to Tavo Vildosola 2nd place in TT and 2nd Overall - 2010 Baja 500". race-desert.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07. ...Congratulations to Tavo Vildosola 2nd place in TT and 2nd Overall - 2010 Baja 500
  6. ↑ Josh Burns (November 19, 2010). "Gustavo Vildosola Jr. and Sr. Win 2010 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000". off-road.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07. ...It took 42 long years before a Mexican national citizen stood atop the podium in a Score Baja 1000 race, but that historic feat was accomplished this morning at the finish line of the 2010 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 when Gustavo Vildosola Jr. and Sr. earned the overall victory in La Paz.
  7. ↑ Ken Hutchinson (November 19, 2010). "2010 SCORE Baja 1000 Race Results". motorcycle-usa.com. Retrieved 2010-12-07. ...the biggest news from this race is the overll win by the Red Bull backed Vildosola Racing Trophy Truck team. For the first time in the 43-year history of the Baja 1000, a Mexican national team has claimed the overall victory. Red Bull Racing's Tavo and Gus Vildosola
  8. ↑ Jason (January 16, 2011). "2011 SCORE LDC Photos – Sunday". race-dezert.com. Retrieved 17 January 2011. Gus Vildosola Jr/Gus Vildosola Sr, Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:56:37 (51.45 mph)
  9. ↑ "Race Results From San Felipe 250". SCORE International. March 13, 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011. 13. Gus Vildosola Jr. /Gus Vildosola Sr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150, 5:03:57
  10. ↑ "Results From San Felipe Challenge". SCORE International. September 11, 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011. 9. Gus Vildosola Jr./Gus Vildosola Sr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150, 7:33:21
  11. ↑ "Official Results". BITD. February 1, 2014. 7:18:11.466
  12. ↑ "Official Results". SCORE International. March 1, 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014. 1 21 Gus Vildosola Jr. Mexicali, BC FOR 1 03:31:27.320
  13. ↑ Press Release (2002). "SCORE: Baja 1000 Results". desertracing.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2011-10-16. 4 1608 P16 Gustavo Vildosola, Jr.
  14. ↑ Press Release (November 21, 2003). "SCORE Baja 1000 Official Finishers". desertrides.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-20. SCORE LITES (VW-powered, Limited single or two-seaters-1835cc)-1. Brian Ickler, Poway, Calif./Gus Vildosola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico, Jimco, 19:18:17 (41.86mph)
  15. ↑ Official Results off-road.com
  16. ↑ Official Results off-road.com
  17. ↑ Vildosola Racing vildosolaracing.com Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ Baja Racing News baja racing news.com
  19. ↑ Official Results bitd.com
  20. ↑ Official Results codeoffroad.com Archived 2010-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ Race Results redbull.com
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