Mark McMillin RALLIES Big At SCORE Primm 300 Dan & Luke Earn Top Ten Finishes

Mark McMillin RALLIES Big At SCORE Primm 300 Dan & Luke Earn Top Ten Finishes
September 16, 2009

San Diego, California (September 16, 2009) Amid racing controversy, San Diego's Mark McMillin once again demonstrated his impressive off road racing talents as he drove the #23 McMillin Racing newly built Geiser Trophy Truck to an exciting finish at the ever so challenging SCORE Primm 300.

The SCORE racing champion simply washed off his new race truck after 3 days and 1000-miles of racing at the BITD Vegas to Reno race only a couple weeks earlier and entered the demanding SCORE Primm 300, held each year in the torturous Southern Nevada desert surrounding Primm, Nevada.

The nearly 300-mile race has long been considered one of the most brutally difficult tracks in the five-race SCORE Desert Series. That would not deter Mark McMillin, one of the most accomplished racers in desert racing history, an off road racer who has earned five SCORE Baja 1000 championships over his racing career.

Starting from the 13th position of the 23 truck field, the veteran off road racing champion charged his #23 FORD F-150 powered truck around the 276-mile race course in a time of 5:30:10 averaging 50.16 miles per hour earning a top finish.

Joining Mark McMillin inside the pristine cab of the #23 Trophy Truck was Cameron Parrish. Parrish handled the navigation duties while McMillin raced the first 138-miles in a conservative mode and was rewarded with a flawless run. By the end of the 2nd lap, Mark McMillin had moved his truck up six positions physically to 7th Trophy Truck on the road before handing off the race truck to Brian Ewalt. Ewalt made a charge during the final two laps that saw the #23 McMillin Homes race truck speed across Nevada's barren desert floor at over 100 miles per hour in search of the black and white checkered flag.

McMillin finished the race in the third position, unofficially behind Robby Gordon and Rob MacCachren, both who unofficially claimed the two top spots on the podium. However, it was later determined that nearly the entire field of elite Trophy Truck racers were served with penalties assessed from the IRC-regulated black boxes. In fact, 9 of the top 10 racers were penalized after the data from the black boxes was downloaded and speeding penalties were distributed. SCORE officials reviewed the data in the "black boxes" that each entry is required to use during the race and which are provided by Southern California's International Racing Consultants into the early morning hours on Sunday, and issued time penalties to numerous racers for speeding on a short, paved section of the official race course.

"The #23 McMillin Homes truck had a great race and a solid finish. We're extremely happy with the performance of the truck and especially the race team. We're looking forward to the next race," commented Mark McMillin.

Racing in the morning event for the limited classes were both of Mark's sons, Dan and Luke. Dan piloted the #1604 2/1600 car to a 5th place finish, while younger brother Luke drove his race car to an 8th place finish.

After the post race review by SCORE's independent race review board, speeding penalties dropped Dan back to 7th place, while Luke maintained his 8th place position. Dan had a throttle cable break on him halfway into the first lap, forcing him to play catch up to the leaders most of the day. Dan's co-driver, Tyler Hall, was quick to make the throttle cable change, only losing around 15 minutes. On the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th laps, Dan made up most of the 15 minutes they lost fixing the broke cable and finished 15 minutes off the leader.

Luke had a good day with a few problems. He was, however, forced to deal with the race car's skid plates falling off and fought with low oil pressure in the engine all race long. Luke managed to keep the car running strong all day despite these nagging issues. Heading into the 4th lap, Dan had passed Luke in the pits, but Luke was right on his brother's bumper until an unfortunate flat tire in the rockiest section of the track set Luke back even further from Dan.

Thanks to the BFGoodrich Tires, Dan had no flat tires, while Luke only had one, but only while Luke was charging hard through the rockiest section of the race course.

McMillin Racing thanks their sponsors for there continued support: BFGoodrich Tires, FOX Racing Shox, Sol Tek Lighting Systems, Major Performance Racing Engines, McDowell Transaxles, Geiser Brothers, JIMCO, and the entire McMillin Racing team.

About McMillin Racing
With over three decades of racing experience, the McMillin family represents three generations of accomplished championship racers. Founded by the late off-road racing legend Corky McMillin, McMillin Racing continues to be respected as a one of the most successful desert racing teams of all time. They are supported by a long list of dedicated family, friends and employees of McMillin Companies, all who make up an incredibly talented group of steadfast supporters. Since 1976, they have raced at the highest level of competition in the deserts of North America. Together as a family, they have multiple series championships, along with significant race victories in both the United States and Baja California.

McMillin Racing symbolizes the ultimate passion in off road racing.

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Mark McMillin Unleashes the New #23 Trophy Truck at BITD Vegas to Reno 3-Day Stage Race: Finishes 8th OVERALL 6th in Trophy Truck Class of 20

San Diego, California (August 27, 2009) Mark McMillin unleashed the new 2009 edition of the Geiser Brothers unlimited trophy truck at Best in the Desert's Vegas to Reno 3-day stage race last week. The 3-day race event featured a total of 997-miles raced over three full days of desert racing. Mark qualified the #23 Ford race truck in 20th position of the 42 trophy truck and Class 1 racers who attempted qualifying.

Mark has had limited test time behind the wheel of the new trophy truck. However, that did not stop him from running at full speed in Thursday's stage one of the race. Mark charged from the start line in Beatty, Nevada as Cameron Parrish handled navigator duties. The newest McMillin trophy truck features FOX Racing Shox and BFGoodrich Tires. After the first 333-miles, Mark was rewarded with a top ten finish after a solid performance on the course in the new truck.

Racing the McMillin 1600 car were Mark's sons, Daniel and Luke. Taking the green flag was the youngest McMillin racer, Luke, who was fast early before the unthinkable occurred. The alternator pulley failed and although the driver and co-driver worked nonstop at repairs for hours on end, the 1600 racers were forced to take a DNF penalty in stage 1.

While waiting for the 1600 in the main pits, the McMillin Racing crew determined Mark McMillin's truck needed to change out the rear end. This put them over the allotted one-hour of work time on the truck and penalty times were assessed for the start of stage 2.

The second stage of racing started in Tonopah and ended in Hawthorne, Nevada. Mark McMillin charged the #23 trophy truck hard all day long before handing it over to Brian Ewalt for the final 125-miles to the finish line. When the race truck crossed the finish line, they were in the 8th position overall and immediately readied for the start of stage 3 on Saturday morning.

Daniel McMillin started the second stage in the 1600 car and drove the entire 372-mile stage. Daniel found his way into a ditch with two flats, resulting in two hours of downtime while working towards extraction.

Mark McMillin commented, "We have to thank the JIMCO Strobel team for stopping and pulling the McMillin 1600 car from their buried predicament. It's nice to have good friends show up in the middle of a race and help out."

As darkness descended over the Nevada desert, the race was on as Daniel McMillin chased checkpoint closing times throughout the night, staying ahead of them by just a few minutes. Daniel finished stage 2 in 12 hours, 55 minutes and 15 seconds.

And although the night ended up in another late work party, the race support crew prepared 12 rib eye steaks for the hungry and worn out race team sometime around midnight.

The sun rose early as the final day of the 3-day race began with Brian Ewalt setting a quick pace in the #23 trophy truck. He made his way to Pit 5 in Gabbs, Nevada, but not before he endured a long flat tire stop that eventually ended up with them getting stuck. Mark McMillin stood by at Pit 5 waiting to get in his truck and prepared for the final push to the checkered flags in Dayton, Nevada.

The final 298-miles saw Daniel McMillin complete the entire stage from behind the wheel of the pounding 1600 car. Daniel was the third fastest among the 1600 cars, finishing with a time of 6 hours, 21 minutes and 54 seconds.

Mark McMillin ran a near flawless race in stage 3, finishing in 5 hours, 51 minutes and 38 seconds finishing 8th overall among 146 cars and trucks entered in the race. The #23 was 6th in the elite class of 20 trophy trucks.

Mark smiled and said, "It was a fun and great race with the new Geiser-built trophy truck. Daniel and Luke finished 12th in the 1600 class after not finishing at all in the first stage of the race, so overall they rallied and ran solid. Our good friends, Ryan and Ross Mattox finished in 10th position and Luke drove their car in the second half of stage 2. Thanks to every single one of the 50 people who helped us get to the race, qualify, push the cars thru 115 degree heat in contingency, and get to the starting line everyday with full bellies. You were there at all the pits and at the finish line with shade and drinks. You all worked well and fast in the work area and were impressive. You were there to feed us at night and sometimes very late at night. You moved our trailers and motor homes everyday and kept smiling. We were all having fun. All the chase vehicles and pit support planning worked well. Fueling was impressive. Spirits were high and it's off to our next race."

The next race on the schedule for Daniel and Luke McMillin will be the SCORE Primm 300 race on September 12th, 2009 in Primm, Nevada. There is a chance that Mark McMillin may race the SCORE Primm 300 in the #23 trophy truck, but only after the crew has had time to determine the condition of the trophy truck after 1000-miles of brutal Nevada desert.

About McMillin Racing
With over three decades of racing experience, the McMillin family represents three generations of accomplished championship racers. Founded by the late off-road racing legend Corky McMillin, McMillin Racing continues to be respected as a one of the most successful desert racing teams of all time. They are supported by a long list of dedicated family, friends and employees of McMillin Companies, all who make up an incredibly talented group of steadfast supporters. Since 1976, they have raced at the highest level of competition in the deserts of North America. Together as a family, they have multiple series championships, along with significant race victories in both the United States and Baja California.

McMillin Racing symbolizes the ultimate passion in off road racing.