Foutz Motorsports Project Updates

We just set up a projects section on the FMI site ( www.FoutzMotorsports.com ) for people to see the stuff we are working on. I just loaded the build stuff from the Raptor, our Fabtech F250, some stuff from the Swift Ranger and the video game simulators we built…. I thought people would like to see that stuff and how we did them. Spread the word please.

Thanks

Gregory L. Foutz
President
www.FoutzMotorsports.com

No Honda F1 buyout, says Mexican billionaire

MEXICO CITY (AFP) — Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has not bought the Honda Formula One team and is not even in negotiations for the Japanese outfit, a source at the businessman's industrial and financial empire said on Sunday.

"There is no deal for the Honda team. There is neither agreement nor negotiations," the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Honda, with an annual racing budget of around 400 million dollars, pulled out of the Formula One world championship earlier this month and was put up for sale with the Japanese manufacturer struggling in the current global economic slowdown.

Earlier Sunday, Slim's son had also told the Mexican media that reports of a deal to save Honda were also without foundation.

On Saturday, Italian newspaper La Stampa claimed that Slim, who they described as the world's second richest man, was poised to buy the Honda team.

"The saviour has arrived at the last minute: Carlos Slim, 67 years old, the second richest man in the world," said the newspaper.

"The news is not official as all the details have yet to be formalised. But two things are certain - the team has been saved and the drivers will be Jenson Button and rookie Bruno Senna in place of Rubens Barrichello."

La Stampa, which did not identify the source of its story, added that Senna, the nephew of former triple world champion Ayrton Senna, is sponsored by Embratel, part of Slim's Telmex group.

Honda first competed in F1 in 1964 and clocked up three Grand Prix wins, including Button's in Hungary in 2006.

Its engines were also behind dozens of victories by stars such as Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

The team finished ninth in the constructors championship this season with 14 points.

Veteran driver Barrichello achieved the team's best result with a third-place finish at Silverstone.

Honda Motor also supplied engines and other technical support to Formula One team Super Aguri, which called it quits due to financial problems in May.

Motorsport in Japan had been particularly hit by the recession with Subaru and Suzuki pulling out of the world rally championship.

source: AFP

F1, Honda Saved

Motor Racing: Mexican billionaire rescues Honda F1 team
Posted: 28 December 2008 0408 hrs


Photos of




ROME: Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, the world's second richest man, has rescued the Honda Formula One team, Italian newspaper La Stampa reported on Saturday.

"The saviour has arrived: Carlos Slim, 67 years old, the second richest man in the world," said the newspaper.

"The news is not official as all the details have yet to be formalised. But two things are certain - the team has been saved and the drivers will be Jenson Button and rookie Bruno Senna in place of Rubens Barrichello."

Honda, believed to have an annual racing budget of around 400 million dollars, announced earlier this month that they were pulling out of Formula One as a result of the global financial meltdown.

La Stampa, which did not identify the source of its story, added that Bruno Senna, the nephew of former triple world champion Ayrton Senna, is sponsored by Embratel, part of Slim's Telmex group.

Honda first competed in F1 in 1964 and clocked up three Grand Prix wins, including Jenson Button's in Hungary in 2006.

Its engines were also been behind dozens of victories by stars such as Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

The team finished ninth in the constructors championship this season with 14 points.

Veteran driver Barrichello achieved the team's best result with a third-place finish at Silverstone.

Honda Motor also supplied engines and other technical support to Formula One team Super Aguri, which called it quits due to financial problems in May.

Motorsport in Japan had been particularly hit by the recession with Subaru and Suzuki pulling out of the world rally championship. - AFP/de

Grand Prix #1 ZR DESAFIO PREMIERS MOTORS

09SCORE Laughlin Announce

Jan. 22-25 in Laughlin, Nev.
Over 150 cars & trucks expected for 2009 SCORE Desert Series
Opener at 15th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge

Computerized start drawing on Jan. 3; pre-race festivities include
$16,000 SCORE Laughlin Leap & SCORE Trophy-Truck Qualifying


LOS ANGELES--For the 15th straight year, motorsports fans and racers from across the United States, Mexico, Canada and Japan will gather in Laughlin, Nev., the desert resort town near the shores of the Colorado River, for the popular SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge. The first major motorsports event of the year will be held Jan. 22-25, launching the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series, the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series.
Over 150 expected entries will compete in 17 classes for cars and trucks for nearly $400,000 in prize money and contingency postings during the four-day SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.
The computerized drawing for starting positions within each class will be held for all pre-registered entries on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009 at the Los Angeles headquarters of SCORE International.
"The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is a wonderful event on the SCORE calendar and it is especially a great way to start the year," said Sal Fish, SCORE President/CEO. "In our sport, it is about as fan-friendly as you can get and nothing surpasses the hospitality the Laughlin resorts show our racers and fans. And the racing is awesome."
With 17 classes of cars and trucks divided into five groups, the single race is divided into multi-lap segments split over two days. Starting at 7 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 24-25), the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division will run 8 laps at 1 p.m. each day followed by the unlimited Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars who will run their 8 laps at 3 p.m. each day. The combined elapsed time and number of laps completed from both days will determine the final finishing position for each vehicle. Two vehicles will leave the start line every 15 seconds.
Daily general admission tickets, good for grandstand seating, are $20 each per day for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, children five and under are free. Daily VIP tickets are $40 each per day for the three days, good for admission to the Laughlin Hospitality Chalet, including food, beverage and special seating.
The stadium seating area will include the immensely popular SCOREvision Large-screen LCD display, showing live footage from virtually the entire race course.
Tickets, priced at $5 each, will also be available each race day (Jan. 24-25) for 'SCORE Hill', which overlooks the infield, start/finish area and the main pits. The SCORE Hill will have grandstands and standing room areas along with vendors, concessions and the other public safety services available.
The newest spectator area, opened last year adjacent to Laughlin High School off of Cougar drive, allows entry at $10 per vehicle, as space allows, to the backside of the course with a view of much of the 6.25-mile loop. Tickets for the Laughlin High spectator area will be available only on each day of racing (Jan. 24-25).
One of the event's most popular features, the SCORE Laughlin Leap, revs up the fun and gets the weekend off to a roaring start at 6 p.m. on Thursday (Jan. 22). Drivers will enjoy the spotlight at the Laughlin Events Park, competing for a $16,000 purse and the honor of beaing the 2009 champions. The SCORE Laughlin Leap, a dirt ramp built into the middle of the stadium portion of the race course, challenges the most daring of drivers. This year's competitors will be attempting to break the event record in the SCORE Laughlin Leap of 160' 6" set in 2004 by Mark Post in the No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150.
Advance tickets for the Laughlin Events Park are now on sale at www.visitlaughlin.com or by calling 800.308.2233.
For the second straight year, qualifying for starting positions for the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division will be held the Friday (Jan. 23) before the race. With free admission to the grandstand seating area, SCORE Trophy-Truck qualifying will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and each truck will be timed over one solo lap of the 6.25-mile course to determine the start order in that class for Saturday’s first half of the race.
Since its debut in 1995, the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge has helped establish Laughlin as a viable host for special events. Thousands of spectators join over 150 racers and their crews in converging on the city each year to watch the best of the best desert racers compete in a unique-format, two-day race that includes a temporary stadium surrounding the start/finish line area and the main pits.
Friday's pre-race activities will also include the SCORE Manufacturer's Midway and vendors village from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. SCORE Contingency, which includes each vehicle being pushed down the street in front of the displays, will be held for the second straight year on Bruce Woodbury Way at Casino Drive.
A total of 17 different classes for cars and trucks are split into five groups, each running as part of multiple-lap races over the much-abbreviated 6.25-mile loop each day. Racing action runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day (Jan. 24-25). The marquee racing division is SCORE Trophy-Truck, featuring high-tech, 800-horsepower, unlimited production trucks along with unlimited Class 1 for open-wheel desert race cars. The other classes with the largest entry fields will be Class 10, Class 1-2/1600 and SCORE Lite.
Las Vegas' Pat Dean (Class 1) and Rich Ronco (SCORE Trophy-Truck) are the top defending SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge race winners.
The Laughlin Events Park, with grandstand seating, vendor's village and food court is just minutes from the destinations nine resorts and includes an infield with switchbacks, woop-t-doos, minijumps and the SCORE Laughlin Leap.
The 15th annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is sponsored by the Laughlin Tourism Council, the Laughlin visits Bureau, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in association with Las Vegas Events. The race is sanctioned and produced by SCORE International of Los Angeles.
Located 90 miles south of Las Vegas, Laughlin offers visitors a relaxed and friendly atomosphere. This city by the river has grown to include nine resorts with affordable first-clas accomodations, 24-hour casino gaming, gourmet dining and outlet shopping. Laughlin, a unique resort destination that welcomes nearly 5 million visitors annually, has also become one of the leading special event destinations in the Southwest. From world-class bull riding action to daring desert racing to professional rodeo on the Colorado River, Laughlin has plenty to offer the adventurous spectator.
SCORE International, founded in 1973 by the late Mickey Thompson and headed by Sal Fish since 1974, continues today as the premier sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing. SCORE races feature 17 Pro and two Sportsman classes for cars and trucks in the U.S. with seven additional Pro and three more Sportsman classes for motorcycles and ATVs competing in the races in Mexico. SCORE races in the U.S. average 175 entries while the average in Mexico, with motorcycle and ATV classes running as well as the cars and trucks is 300.
Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Sunoco Race Fuels -official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, Off-Road, American Suzuki, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
More event information is available at www.visitlaughlin.com.
For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

15th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge
Round 1, 2009 SCORE Desert Series

Schedule of Events
Thursday, January 22, 2009
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Driver Registration Barbados Banquet Room, River Palms Hotel
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Media Center Open River Room, River Palms Hotel
6 p.m. $16,000 Laughlin Leap Laughlin Events Park (Start/Finish Line)
Friday, January 23, 2009
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Course Pre-running (Racers Only) Official Race Course-Laughlin Events Park
9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Express Driver Registration Barbados Banquet Room, River Palms Hotel
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Regular Driver Registration Barbados Banquet Room, River Palms Hotel
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Media Registration River Room, River Palms Hotel
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Contingency & Technical Inspection Bruce Woodbury Way & Casino Drive
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Qualifying-SCORE Trophy-Truck Official Race Course-Laughlin Events Park
Saturday, January 24, 2009
6 a.m. Late Registration & Tech Inspection Start/Finish Line area-Laughlin Events Park
6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Media Center Open Start/Finish Line area-Laughlin Events Park
Sunday, January 25, 2009
6 a.m. Late Registration & Tech Inspection Start/Finish Line area-Laughlin Events Park
6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Media Center Open Start/Finish Line area-Laughlin Events Park

DAILY RACING SCHEDULE (Subject to Change)
7 a.m. RACING STARTS (5 groups each day) Start/Finish Line-Laughlin Events Park
80-minute time limit for each group Starting intervals--two vehicles every 15 seconds
7 a.m. Group 1 Classes 1-2/1600 (6 laps), 5/1600 (6), 11 (3), SPT Car (6)
9 a.m. Group 2 Classes 8 (6 laps), Protruck (6), 7 (6), 7SX (6), Stock Full (5),
Stock Mini (5), Class 3 (5), SPT Truck (5)
11 a.m. Group 3 Class 10 (7 laps), SCORE Lite (7), Class 5 (7)
1 p.m. Group 4 SCORE Trophy-Truck (8 laps)
3 p.m. Group 5 Class 1 (8 laps)

The Start/Finish Line area is located at the Laughlin Events Park
At the corner of Thomas Edison Drive and Bruce Woodbury Way

F1 drivers may have to take pay cut

Formula One's top drivers may be forced to take a cut in wages as the global financial crisis hits the sport.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, whose driver Kimi Raikkonen's salary is the highest in F1 at £35m, said teams had to make savings in all areas.

"When teams must significantly reduce costs, one could say you need an ace to make the difference," Domenicali said.

"But I feel in the current climate the big teams won't be able any more to offer the amounts some drivers get."

Domenicali, who was talking in an interview with the Italian magazine Autosprint, said he expected salaries within F1 to undergo "a major revolution" in the next few months.

Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, has by far the biggest salary in the sport, but there are a number of other leading F1 drivers earning salaries of more than £10m - such as Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso and this year's title winner Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.

A select few leading engineers in the sport - such as Red Bull's chief technical officer Adrian Newey - also earn salaries of several million a year.

Raikkonen's Ferrari contract was extended in September until the end of 2010, despite the Finn's largely lacklustre season, but Domenicali said changing it was not impossible.

"Anything can be modified in life," he said. "The important thing is wanting to do it. We know the terms of the contract.

"However, I'm convinced this issue will soon be discussed among all the teams and with every driver."

His comments follow those made by fellow team boss Frank Williams, who said last week that he was in favour of a driver salary cap.

"We've raised this issue several times and will take the opportunity to do so again," Williams told British newspapers.

"We'd also strongly support a budget cap, introduced gradually, if it could be properly policed."

Williams dominated F1 in the 1980s and 1990s, but has seen his team's competitiveness slip in the last decade.

And he admitted that enforcing limits on the salaries of top drivers would be very difficult.

"If McLaren don't want to pay Hamilton £15m, someone else will. How do we stop that?" he said.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo insisted he would not swap the English 2008 world champion for Felipe Massa, who lost the title to Hamilton by a single point.

"Hamilton is a great driver," Di Montezemolo said at Ferrari's HQ in Maranello. "But, with all respect, I wouldn't swap him for Felipe Massa.

"Felipe is extremely popular, for the man he is, for the great driver he's demonstrated to be, and for the beautiful way he lost the championship.

"If Massa did not win it this year it was because we (the team) were to blame.

"It would have been normal for him to win. He didn't manage to because of our mistakes."

Meanwhile, on a visit to the American headquarters of team sponsor Mobil, Hamilton concedes the new raft of regulations for 2009 could affect his title defence.

"With the new regulations it's going to make it very tough to win the championship again," the 23-year-old said.

"But I think as a team we are in a position to pull together and make a difference in some other way."

(Source: BBC Sport)

RACING NEWS: TRANS-AM SERIES MAKES A COMEBACK

RACING NEWS: TRANS-AM SERIES MAKES A COMEBACK

IT’S BACK: The Trans-Am Tour is expected to return in 2009 with the SCCA sanctioning eight events in conjunction with major SCCA club racing events across the country. Rules are to closely resemble those of the SCCA GT-1 classification.

MAZDA SPEED: Mazda will enter the American Le Mans Series next season, with veteran team owner Rob Dyson fielding a pair of Mazda-powered cars in the LMP2 class.

DRAG MOVES: It appears that team owner David Powers will park his Top Fuel dragster because of a lack of funds. Driver Rod Fuller and crew chief Mike Kloeber are hoping to salvage the team under new ownership.

DRAG MOVES II: Team owner Don Prudhomme has released Larry Dixon from his contract and hired Spencer Massey to drive his Top Fueler next season. While nothing is official, the move frees up Dixon to drive for new team owner Alan Johnson next season. Johnson won five straight titles with Tony Schumacher before splitting with the Schumacher team at the end of the season.

UNEMPLOYED: Former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte was released from his contract with the financially strapped Petty Enterprises team last week and is currently seeking a job with another team.

CHAMPION: Several days after being named the 2008 Driver of the Year, NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher became the first two-time winner of the Economaki Champion of Champions Award presented by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and National Speed Sport News. Schumacher accepted the award at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando, Florida.

SUBSCRIBE: National Speed Sport News has been published weekly since 1934. To subscribe to National Speed Sport News, click on the following link for a special industry rate: www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/subscribe.html?pid=NQ%2BVfhkepT4%3D.

Schumi: New rules will improve F1

Michael Schumacher believes Formula 1 will become stronger as a result of the current round of regulation changes and cost cuts.

The FIA and the F1 teams agreed to take drastic action last week to head off a crisis in the sport, as the worldwide financial downturn started to squeeze the teams' finances and led to Honda's shock departure.

In addition to the rules changes already planned – including the return of slicks and the revised wings to aid overtaking – testing will be slashed next year and aerodynamic and engine developments have been further restricted.

This had led to fears that F1 will become less challenging, but Schumacher thinks the championship's new era will be both more competitive and cost-effective.

"The direction of the new decisions is absolutely right in my view and has even the potential for a better show to come," said Schumacher in an interview for his personal website.

"To increase the mechanical grip for example is perfect.

"Formula 1 will still remain the pinnacle of motorsports.

"It will change a bit, but life is about changes."

He added that he was pleased that action was taken so quickly.

"It is clear that something has to happen in the light of the current situation worldwide," said Schumacher.

"I am happy with the fact that the FIA together with the teams have taken the first steps.

"We have to carefully evaluate what to do now, and this is what happens at the moment."

Gulf region says doing all it can for F1

The oil-exporting Gulf Arab region cannot do more than it is doing already to support Formula One, a leading member of the sport's governing body said on Wednesday.

"The contribution is massive already," said International Automobile Federation (FIA) vice-president Mohammed bin Sulayem, a United Arab Emirates rallying champion, in answer to questions about the economic crisis battering car manufacturers who dominate the sport.

"Who would have thought we would have two Formula One races so close together, 40 minutes apart (in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi)," he told reporters.

"Who would have thought we'd have a situation where a percentage of McLaren would be owned by the Bahraini government?"

The island kingdom of Bahrain, which owns 30 percent of McLaren, became Formula One's first Middle East circuit in 2004 while Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, will host the season-ending race next year.

Dubai investors were linked this year to failed attempts to save the Super Aguri team that folded in April and there has been speculation that Middle Eastern cash could keep the Honda team alive.

Honda announced this month that they were pulling out of the sport due to the credit crunch, with the team to be closed down if no serious buyer materialises in the next few weeks.

Interest in motorsport is booming in the region, with Gulf trade and tourism hub Dubai boasting a modern circuit while Qatar plans to update its Losail MotoGP track to Formula One standard.

Mubadala Development Co, an investment firm owned by Abu Dhabi, has a five percent stake in Ferrari and also sponsors the championship-winning team.

Formula One unveiled a raft of cost-cutting measures last week that should see the teams reduce their costs by almost a third next year.

Bin Sulayem said the sport had to prepare for the worst after Honda's shock exit, with fears that another carmaker could quit before the season starts in Australia on March 29.

"We have to be ready for the worst and that is what we are preparing for," he told Reuters. "We don't know what their (manufacturers') sales are in November, December, January, how they are doing, this all has an impact."

Asked whether the worst would be another team leaving the championship, Bin Sulayem said: "It would be even worse than that." He declined to elaborate.

He said that, in addition to the 30-percent cost reductions agreed by manufacturer-owned teams next year, there would be another 20-25 percent cut in budgets in 2010.

"Even after the crisis ends, we should not go back to spending whatever you want," he said. "Manufacturers and teams realise that there's an issue...they want a fast cure but there isn't one.

"Strict measures have to be taken whether you like it or not."

(Source: Reuters)

PCI Race Radios, Inc. acquires the Solder Joint and opens up second store in Orange, California!

PCI Race Radios, Inc. acquires the Solder Joint and opens up second store in Orange, California!

Signal Hill, CA (December 1, 2008) PCI Race Radios, the leading supplier of Communications to the Powersports Industry has acquired The Solder Joint, of Orange, California. Mark Foster, founder of The Solder Joint relocated to Indiana and PCI Race Radios took advantage of the opportunity to open a second, more convenient location for our Racing customers and expand into the Marine and Public Safety Industry.

PCI Race Radios, Inc. has hired Mark ?Hollywood? Lowman, and he will continue to manage the Solder Joint, a DBA of PCI Race Radios, Inc. ?I?m excited about The Solder Joint?s now expanded line of products and increased inventory levels, this is exactly what we needed to service our customers better,? commented Mark Lowman, Manager of the Solder Joint.

In the purchase of the business, PCI also acquired a new 20? trailer to better support our racers in the desert. We are now able to be at two places at one time, like the upcoming January 22nd, 2008 weekend. Our 40? trailer will be at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge race, while our 20? service trailer will be at the MORE Barstow race.

In addition to our new boating packages, The Solder Joint offers full custom installations in all types of vehicles, trucks and boats. The Solder Joint also has full CB Sales and Service at their Orange location. The Solder Joint is conveniently located in Orange where the 22, 55 and 57 Freeways meet, we have stocked the shelves with inventory and done some renovations to the store, stop by and check it out! The Solder Joint offers full custom Installations and CB sales and service.

In 1976, PCI entered into the motor sports industry and immediately emerged as a leader providing unparalleled support, service and clear communications. Providing trackside support for over 30 years, while developing racer friendly products, PCI is widely recognized as the leader in off road racing motor sports.

SIGAL RACING HITS THE AIRWAVES

Can’t get enough of Sigal Greenberg and Sigal Racing? Watch her continue to blast into the stratosphere this Sunday on Good Morning Arizona at 7:50 AM. Carey Pena will interview Sigal about becoming Arizona’s first woman racecar champion.

Tune into KTVK TV, Channel 3 on December 21 and see Sigal weave her magic!

Prodrive chief 'may turn to F1

Subaru's withdrawal from the World Rally Championship could hasten team principal David Richards' return to F1.

Richards, chairman of Banbury-based firm Prodrive which prepares the Subaru cars, says he now has time to consider future projects.

"I can focus now on where we want to be long term. Who knows? That might be in Formula One," he told BBC Oxford.

Richards was axed by Honda when it took over BAR in 2004, and has not ruled out a takeover of the troubled F1 team.

Richards, a former Benetton boss, is thought to be one of the parties interested in taking over the Honda team - after the Japanese company pulled out of F1 because of financial reasons.

"I don't know about Honda," he said. "There's a new era beckoning in Formula One, with a lower cost base. No less competitive or exciting, but certainly (there is) an opportunity there."

When asked whether potential buyers might prefer to wait until cost cutting rules are fully implemented by F1, Richards replied: "That is going to be one of the challenges for Honda I suspect."

Prodrive runs the Subaru World Rally team and Aston Martin's Le Mans programmes as well as the Ford Performance Racing team in Australia.

source: bbc

Durka Durka Photo 25% off Holiday Sale

Robby Gordon Motorsports Partners with Toyota for 2009

Charlotte, N.C. (December 15, 2008) – Robby Gordon Motorsports announced today that they will partner with Toyota beginning in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season for the No. 7, which is guaranteed a spot in the season opener Daytona 500.



“We are excited to be partnering with Toyota in NASCAR in 2009. After watching their progress last season, we decided that a switch to Toyota was the right package for our team,” commented Robby Gordon, owner of Robby Gordon Motorsports. “We are confident that fielding a Toyota Camry will add to the success of our organization and the competitiveness of our performance on the race track.”



“I’ve known Robby as a driver, team owner and fierce competitor since 1990,” said Lee White, President of TRD, U.S.A. “We’ve raced together in Off-Road, IMSA, SCCA and Indy Car and have shared many memorable challenges and victories. It will be exciting to see how the association between Robby, his team, Toyota and TRD will develop in 2009. I promise you that it will not be boring to watch.”



Toyota's first involvement with Robby Gordon dates back to 1989 when he became the youngest grand national sport truck driver to win a driver's championship in a TRD-powered Toyota truck. Gordon and TRD hope to continue this successful pattern in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Citroen and Peugeot not planning F1

Sources at PSA Peugeot Citroen say that rumours suggesting that the French company might buy the assets of Honda Racing F1 are not going to become a reality. The company was involved in F1 between 1994 and 2000 as an engine supplier with McLaren (1994), Jordan (1995-1997) and Prost (1998-2000). There is obvious merit in F1 for image-building but Peugeot sources say that it is not possible to invest the kind of money needed at the same time as it is closing down production facilities and idling factories. The company does not know how the rumours started.

The spokesman also added that he had no idea how the rumor had started about the Peugeot racing group being (again) involved with F1.

Peugeot is continuing its assault at Le Mans with the diesel-engined 908 HDi FAP, while Citroen is going to stay in the WRC.

sourcwe granprix.com

Subaru pulls out of 2009 World Rally Championship

Subaru and rally competition have been synonymous for nearly 20 years, but in a surprising move, the company said on Tuesday that it is pulling out of the 2009 World Rally Championship in response to the global economic crisis.

The Prodrive-run Subaru team has won six WRC titles--three manufacturer's and three driver's--and built up a strong following around the world. In turn, rally success has helped Subaru sell sporty cars and burnish its image with enthusiasts, in the process making the blue Impreza rally car an icon.

The announcement came from Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, which said it had met its objectives for WRC competition.

Prodrive said it will prepare to re-enter competition in 2010 with a new team, as new technical regulations are introduced.

"Subaru's departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport's icons," Prodrive chairman Dave Richards said in a statement.

"The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions, such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns, and its absence will be felt by many the world over. Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive's history, our focus now turns to the future."

On Monday, Suzuki said it would withdraw from the WRC. The departures leave the series without a Japanese automaker.

The news sends another chill through the racing world following word that Honda is pulling out of Formula One competition and Audi is leaving the American Le Mans Series.

Source autoweek

new Baja 1000 Chassis?`

A strange creation from Dong Tran.

More info here
http://www.thedesignblog.org/entry/baja-1000-buggy-green-and-mean-desert-racer/

eam Germany, Sebastien Loeb win Race of Champions titles

NASCAR champions Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson told fellow Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards of the fun to be had in the annual Race of Champions, but Edwards wanted to travel to London to see for himself.

Edwards came away from Wembley Stadium inspired by the talent of the drivers participating in what is designed to be an all-for-fun activity.

"Hopefully, I can be invited back so I can get better," he said.

Edwards did himself and his country proud by reaching the semifinals of the ROC's competition for individual drivers. He even beat retired seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher in a head-to-head race.

"That was a dream, and that alone was worth the whole trip," Edwards said.

The ROC, which began in Paris in 1986 as a battle of international rally drivers, has grown into one of the world's best off-season attractions. Sixteen drivers come from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to compete on a temporary asphalt course in a stadium setting.

The competition is divided into two parts--two-man teams competing for their countries in the Nations Cup and an individual shootout--and both involve bracket racing with two drivers racing at a time on a tight track. Five types of cars rotate through the four-hour event, keeping drivers on their toes.

Among the cars were the Ford Focus used in the World Rally Championship, an Audi-powered KTM X-Bow track car, an Abarth 500 Assetto Corse and a pair of open-wheel buggies, one of which looks like a sprint car and the other a praying mantis.

"Like racing go-karts in your living room," F1's Jenson Button said.

Drivers start races side by side in opposite lanes, and the approximately one-mile lap takes them on separate paths back to the starting line. Races consist of two laps, and the team competition is a best-of-three format. The individual portion is win-and-advance.

"But the world doesn't go bad if you [lose]," Schumacher said. "It just means you get to have a drink [earlier]."

Edwards expected to have two-time ROC participant Travis Pastrana as his teammate, but the X Games star injured his hip and a knee in a motocross accident just days before the race.

Replacing Pastrana was Tanner Foust, a stunt driver and California-based rally and drift driver who also is co-host of the yet-to-find-a-network Top Gear USA television show. Foust was in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday when he got the call to hurry across the pond for the Sunday event. His first look at the circuit was from the passenger seat of Sebastien Loeb's rally machine.

"Not a bad way to go," he said.

Edwards got the same first look, and it nearly took his breath away.

"When you're with a guy who has done a lot of left-right, shifting gears, pitching it around, it's really amazing," he said. "It surprised me. I didn't expect Loeb to be that good."

Edwards and Foust got off to a rough start, losing their first-round team match to one of two British teams. Edwards missed the first corner, which had been coated with oil from recently retired F1 driver David Coulthard's crash during practice and struck the movable barrier, costing him the race to Button. Foust made a bad start and was handily beaten by World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx, handing the United States a quick 2-0 elimination.

"The Ford Focus [WRC] is a very sophisticated car, and there are a sequence of things you have to do to get the launch [right], and once I dumped the handbrake to accelerate, it just stalled," Foust said.

The German team of Schumacher and new F1 star Sebastian Vettel won for the second consecutive year, again beating the Scandinavian pairing of sports-car ace Tom Kristensen and two-time DTM champ Mattias Ekstrom, the 2006 and 2007 ROC champion. Last year, Vettel carried the load with two wins in the team finals; this time, the honor went to Schumacher.

"That's what you call teamwork," Schumacher said.

In the individual event, Edwards opened with a win over Jaime Alguersuari, the British Formula Three champion racing for injured F1 gun Mark Webber, before dispatching Schumacher. Edwards was faster than the legend on each of their laps.

"Still can't believe it," Edwards said.

Edwards reached the semifinals before Coulthard eliminated him. By event rules, Coulthard should have been dealt a five-second penalty for twice hitting barriers, but officials allowed him to advance to the finals because they had given Foust a similar--and very unpopular--pass against Button in the quarterfinals.

"I wouldn't have wanted to [advance] that way, anyway," Edwards said. "He beat me."

With bruises on his hand from intense driving, Coulthard lost the best-of-three final round to Loeb before a crowd estimated at 40,000. The win gave Loeb his third ROC title.

After two years in London, the event figures to be in a different, yet-to-be-announced location in 2009. Miami was in line to host until Dolphins Stadium was sold earlier this year. Believe it or not, the new Yankee Stadium in New York is under consideration for 2010. (Don't laugh. It snowed in London just a few days before this event, and each of the past five ROCs have been held in see-your-breath conditions.)

Edwards doesn't care where the ROC is, as long as he's there.

"It's such an incredible challenge," he said. "It's driving front-wheel-drive cars, open-wheels, rally cars, shifting gears in a tight setting with a different track surface. Wow!"

But if race organizers need a recommendation, Edwards has one.

"This would be fun at Bristol," he said.

GSPEED RACING TAKES THIRD PLACE IN SPORT 1450 TRUCK CLASS

GSPEED RACING


WHIPLASH VULTURE MINE 150


GSPEED RACING TAKES THIRD PLACE IN SPORT 1450 TRUCK CLASS



Gspeed racing decided rather that drive a thousand miles to Nevada on the weekend of December 6th, 2008, We would enter the local off road racing event put on by the Whiplash Off Road racing organization.



There is not a Jeepspeed class per say offered by this organization but there happened to be us and another jeepspeed team entered. We had to be lumped in to the Sport 1450 truck class which meant that we would be contending against vehicles that had much more wheel travel and much more horsepower. They’re where Toyotas and Chevy’s and Fords. We entered at the last minute so started at the back of the pack.



The course was a 30-mile loop that ran through some of the roughest terrain Arizona has to offer. This would mean that we would need to run four laps. Whiplash was running a little behind on the race start so instead of starting at the three thirty start time we didn’t get off the start line till four thirty. We had planned on having enough daylight to do at least two to three laps in the light and one in the dark, with the start time though our plan where changed.



The first lap we took the course a little slower that expected but still came in under an hour. During that lap we past several of the trucks entered in our class and the other Jeepspeed prepare truck that had entered. Feeling good about how the truck was handling and seeing that we would get another half a lap before we lost our daylight we hammered through the pit area with horns sounding and onto our second lap.



























The course was rough and had some very tight turns and narrow areas to navigate. One area was a soft tight left-hander we came into a little to hot and we very slowly dropped over onto our right side. My co driver and I exited the vehicle and found as we did that there where about 15 people standing nearby. They descended on up like a pack of wolves and toppled the jeep back on all fours. We quickly jumped back in and started the Jeep. All was fine except we where stuck in some very deep soft sand now. The spectators continued to work and stack stones under the tires until finally what seemed like an eternity we where free of the sand.



The truck was fine and it was now pitch black out in the middle of the desert. We turned on our Dominator HID lights from LazerStar and night turned into day. We operate with two floods and two spots mounted in our adjustable Morphic Light bar. Even After being rolled over bounced around and wacked by every kind of desert vegetation you could through at them the Lazerstar lights worked bright and did not miss beat. We would recommend these lights to anyone looking for extraordinary lighting. We continued to race thought the night and finished lap after lap. We pitted only for a splash of fuel and to tape my pumper hose to my helmet.

Then about five miles from the finish I realized that the vehicle had no brakes. They could be pumped up but then would go right to the floor. We decided this being the final lap that we would slow our pace a little and bring the vehicle in without brakes.



We entered the finish line not really knowing where we had placed or how we had performed but once back at the pits we where told that we should have finished in the top three spots. We walked over to the Whiplash trailer to confirm our standing and YES! We had finished in the top three. Amazing! Unfortunately our little roll over had cost us second and possibly a first place finish. We finished eighteen minutes out of first and twelve minutes out of second. All the same we where very happy with a top three, our highest finish yet since we started racing.





The truck now needs a little body shop love and an intensive prep for the new season on February. So we will be very busy these next couple months putting her back into the beautiful machine we call the HEEP.

Baja 1000 on NBC at 10 pacific

35 minutes from now. Watch it.

Jim Beam Bourbon Renews Race Sponsorship With Robby Gordon NASCAR Team For A Fifth Year

im Beam® Bourbon, the world’s No. 1-selling bourbon, announced today that it will continue its partnership with Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM) as a primary sponsor of the No. 7 driven by team owner and veteran driver Robby Gordon during the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

"With so many teams merging or taking on investors, Robby Gordon represents a one-of-a-kind driver and owner in NASCAR’s top racing series. His tenacity and commitment shows he has the competitive spirit, that our customers value and respect," said Brian Gallagher, Motorsports Marketing Manager, Jim Beam. "We are proud to continue our support of Robby and his race team as they demonstrate true character and achieve success on the track."






Jim Beam will be the primary sponsor for 13 Sprint Cup Series races in 2009, and will serve as an associate sponsor for the remaining events. The deal marks the company’s fifth year of partnership with RGM, a relationship that began when Gordon created the team in 2005.

"Jim Beam has been with me since the beginning," said Gordon. "To have them back with us for a fifth straight year is exciting and a credit to everyone here at RGM. It’s challenging being one of the few single-car teams remaining and yet, we have shown we can still be competitive. With Jim Beam’s continued support for the No. 7 team, we can focus on improving our race program and build our way towards a successful 2009 season."

Jim Beam will utilize its sponsorship to reach race fans both on and off the track through a variety of racing related promotions, including the second annual Beam Bash, a concert featuring Grammy-nominated country music duo, Montgomery Gentry, scheduled to take place prior to the Daytona race weekend. Gordon will also support and serve as spokesperson for Beam Global Spirits & Wine reminding legal age consumers to drink responsibly throughout the year. Through its drink smart® responsibility platform, Beam Global educates consumers on how to make responsible decisions about alcohol and reminds them of these six basic principles: Respect Others, Obey the Law, Take Responsibility, Drink in Moderation, Be a Responsible Host and Drive Safe.

Robby Gordon finished the 2008 season in the top-35, which guarantees the No. 7 a starting spot in the first five races of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The team scored three top-10 and seven top-20 finishes and displayed a solid performance at the superspeedway events, finishing second in restrictor-plate points.

Gordon, 39, a six-time off-road champion and owner/driver of Robby Gordon Motorsports started his own NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team in 2005 after spending three seasons driving for Richard Childress Racing. Gordon, a versatile driver has competed in a variety of series including NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide Series, Indy Cars, SCORE International Off-Road, sports cars and the prestigious Dakar Series. He swept both 2003 road course races in NASCAR’s top series and is a three-time off-road Baja 500 and three-time Baja 1000 winner. In addition, in 2007 Gordon became the first American in history to win a stage in the Dakar Rally, a grueling two-week off-road adventure.


Jim Beam Racing 2009 Primary NASCAR Sprint Cup Events
Date Venue
2/15/09 Daytona
2/22/09 California
3/1/09 Las Vegas
4/5/09 Texas
4/26/09 Talladega
5/16/09 All-Star, Charlotte
5/24/09 Charlotte
6/14/09 Michigan
7/11/09 Chicago
9/6/09 Atlanta
9/12/09 Richmond
11/15/09 Phoenix
11/22/09 Homestead-Miami

Team ATK Had A Tough Final Race, But Wins The Currie Cup Championship!

Team ATK Had A Tough Final Race, But Wins The Currie Cup Championship!


Team ATK had a tough final race of the season at the Best in the Desert Henderson Fabtech Desert Classic this past weekend in Henderson, Nevada. In spite of the disappointing Henderson race the overall season performance was enough to net Team ATK a Currie Cup season championship. The Henderson race started off great -- there was an exciting drag race start with competitors Mike Barnett (Jeep J10) and Gale Pike (Dodge Ram Charger) starting in the front row and the Team ATK Wrangler lining up second beside Greg Jackson (Jeep Cherokee). The ATK powered wrangler was the only vehicle in the field without V8 power but no matter, the ATK stroker 6 cyl made short work of the competition and by 3 miles into the first lap the ATK Wrangler with Jon Krellwitz and Pat Smith in the cockpit had passed all class competitors and were running away with the race. After two smooth laps creating a 25 minutes lead on the competition the ATK wrangler pitted to take on 20 gallons of Sunoco Fuel and co-driver change with Pat Smith getting out and Matt McCallum getting in. The third lap was going great until disaster struck just a few miles out from the main pit area. The ATK Wrangler clipped a ridge with the left front tire sending the vehicle over and ending the teams hopes for a finish. The Best in The Desert recovery crew was on the scene in minutes to get the vehicle righted but the damage sustained in the accident prevented the vehicle from continuing on to the finish. Team ATK driver Jon Krellwitz noted after the race, "It is very disappointing to come out to Henderson and not finish but overall we had a great rookie season, the whole team worked really hard, and we are here at the end with three class wins, a Baja 1000 win, and the Currie Cup Championship. That's a pretty great year for a new race car and team."

A tremendous thank you to everybody at Team ATK that made this season a success:

Clive Skilton - Jon Krellwitz - Matt McCallum - Skyler Gambrell - Patrick Smith - Adam Butterfield - Kris Hernandez - Russ Ficker - Kevin Davis - Chad Fryman - Ted Moncure - Nick Moncure - Allen Russell - Mark Sasaki


Also a HUGE thank you to our supporters that continue to made this program a success:

ATK Engines - Redlands Auto Center - Currie Enterprises - KC Lights - BFG Tires - JE Reel Drivelines - Advanced Engine Management (AEM) - Howe Steering - King Shocks - Beard Seats - Harmon Racing Cells - Full Traction Suspension - PWR - American Racing Wheels – Borla Exhaust

Ricky Johnson Offroad Grand Prix 2009 Season is Official!

The 2009 Offroad Grand Prix schedule is as follows:
๏ February 27-28 (Sportsman 27th, Pro 28th)
Manzanita Speedway- Phoenix, AZ
๏ March 20-21 (Sportsman 20th, Pro 21st)
Perris Auto Speedway- Perris, CA
๏ October 30-31 (Sportsman 30th, Pro 31st)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway- Las Vegas, NV
***Offroad GP Banquet will be held Sunday November 1.

Championship number two for Heidi Steele and a great year for the Desert Assassins

Heidi Steele and team clinch second championship of the year at BITD finale this weekend.

Justin “Bean” Smith and the Eddy Bros add to 2009 Championship total for the Desert Assassins.


In a history-making season Heidi Steele along with her teammates Rene Brugger, Danny Street Jr. and Tim Lawrence clinch both premiere off road racing championships in their Lucas Oil/Yokohama Tire FORD Ranger. Securing the titles in SCORE, which is famous for the Baja 1000 and the Best In the Desert series is a feat rumored to only be accomplished by one other team in history from the research found.

Heidi is the first ever women to win a pro-series truck title in SCORE and won her championship this weekend in Best in the Desert, which is the first year in history that any woman has won a championship title in that series.

Heidi and her team took 3 wins in 2009 making 8 total podium appearances in ten races between both series. The team at West Racing has been prepping the truck for a predominant amount of the season and deserves the most credit with the ability to field a freshly prepped truck at 7 of 10 races. Heidi’s husband Cameron is a 20 plus year Baja veteran and said “I have seen drivers with years of experience melt under the pressure of a single race win let alone a championship. To see my 5’8” 110 lb wife take on two major race series with all the pressure along with the elements and bring home two championships proved to me she is a warrior beyond measure.”

Prior to this weekend the Desert Assassins had also scored championships in the 1600 class with Adam Pfankuch driving his K.I.T. racing/Yokohama sponsored car and DA Kingpin Cameron Steele winning the SNORE Unlimited Truck title for 2008. Rick St. John who is also part of the extended family brought Yokohama Tires one of their four SCORE season titles in 2009 with not one flat tire during the year. Adam is a prior overall SCORE title holder and a former multiple time class champion as well.

This weekend marked the final race in 2009 and along with the 7100 championship (mid size trucks) the Desert Assassins had much to celebrate. Justin “Bean” Smith who has been a DA member since inception locked his 2nd ever class title by winning the race with close friend Sigal Greenberg. Sigal who along with Heidi became the first women to ever win a class title in BITD teamed with Justin for all of 2008 and split driving duties. Sigal and Justin celebrated the championship by winning class 1100 for semi limited buggies, a class known more prominently by the name SCORE Lite. Justin started his racing career as a navigator and has become a top-level driver proving once again that he has developed the skills to be a champion, which he looks to prove again next year in the 1600 class at the SCORE series.

Barstow, CA natives Max and Matt Eddy who have been a part of the Desert Assassins moto team in Baja for the past 3 years brought home the Professional 4-stroke title in the BITD series. Matt and Max are twins that have been making quite the name for themselves as top riders in the desert. The brothers recently finished in the top 5 at the Baja 1000 in the Open Pro bike class and now will run the BITD championship number for 2009.

Also this past weekend DA members Adam and Danny Ashcraft took the class 1000 win at the final race of the season in their Western CNC/Yokohama Tire car. Adam will be contesting his first full year in BITD class 1000 in 2009 so this is a great way to prepare for the future with the same car they will campaign.

Over the three years since the Desert Assassins have become a team the main members and the extended family have worked hard to be more than just racers and champions. The goal for the team is racing domination while promoting a great experience for all racers and crews in the desert.

You can see the DA on TV this week as the SCORE Baja 1000 will air this Sunday on NBC nationally, check your local listings for the time in your hood.

2008 Desert Assassins tale of the tape

SCORE
7sx Champions – Driver of Record Heidi Steele
1600 Champions - Driver of Record Adam Phankuch
8th SCORE Trophy Truck – Driver of Record Cameron Steele

BITD
7100 Champions – Driver of Record Heidi Steele
1100 Champions – Driver of Record Sigal Greenburg
4 Stroke Pro Champions – Rider of Record Max/Matt Eddy

SNORE
Unlimited Truck Champions – Driver of Record Cameron Steele

The Desert Assassins racked up 13 major Race wins in the last year – more to come as Brian Burgess, Darren Hardesty and Aaron Hawley get back in the race game with the rest of the Desert Assassins crew in 2009.

Heidi and her team would like to thank the sponsors who have supported them win two championships this season; Lucas Oil Products/Yokohama Tire/ATX Wheels/FOX Racing Shox/Currie Enterprises/Camburg Engineering/KC HiLiTES/Blue C Advertising/MasterCraft/Deaver Springs/VP Race Fuel/PCI Race Radios, UNI Filters and West Racing.

Formula One agrees to cut costs

Motor sport's world governing body, the FIA, in conjunction with the Formula One teams on Friday announced a raft of proposals in a bid to cut escalating costs.

Following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Monte Carlo the key components of the changes will see savings on engine costs, a ban on in-season testing outside GP weekends and a reduction in staff numbers.

Engines will be available to the independent teams from 2010 for less than �4.5million per team per season, supplied by an independent supplier or a manufacturer backed by guarantees of continuity.

There will be no in-season testing from next year except during a race weekend and during scheduled practice.

The teams have also agreed manpower will be reduced by means of a number of measures, including sharing information on tyres and fuel to eliminate the need for 'spotters'.

The FIA estimate the list of changes for 2009 will save the manufacturer teams approximately 30% of their budgets compared to 2008, with the savings for independent teams even greater.

Other proposals are as follows: * Engine life to be doubled. Each driver will use a maximum of eight engines for a season, plus four for testing (i.e 20 per team).

* A limit of 18,000 rpm.

* Cost of engines to independent teams will be approximately 50% of 2008 prices.

* No wind tunnel exceeding 60% scale and 50 metres/sec to be used after 1 January 2009.

* Factory closures for six weeks per year, to accord with local laws.

From 2010:

* The engine from 2010 will continue to be used in 2011 and 2012 (thus no new engine for 2011).

* Subject to confirmation of practicability, the same transmission will be used by all teams.

* The FIA are to compose a standard parts list relating to the chassis. Some parts will be allowed development, other will be required to use inexpensive materials.

* For a race weekend there will be standardised radio and telemetry systems, a ban on tyre warmers, mechanical purging of tyres, and most crucially, a ban on refuelling.

* There will also be a possible reduction in race distance or duration (with a proposal to follow from market research).

* With regards to factory activity there will be further restrictions on aerodynamic research, combined with a full analysis of factory facilities with a view to proposing further restrictions on such facilities.

In the longer term, the FIA and FOTA are to study the possibility of an entirely new power train for 2013 based on energy efficiency.

The rules will be framed to ensure that research and development of such a power train would make a real contribution to energy-efficient road transport.

The FIA believe an enhanced Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) system is likely to be a very significant element of an energy-efficient power train in the future.

In the short term, KERS is part of the 2009 regulations, but is not compulsory, however, from 2010 FOTA is considering proposals for a standard KERS system.

With regard to F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone's medal system, market research will be conducted, also into a possible change to qualifying.

planetf1

MotoGP Star Valentino Rossi Rewarded For Perfect Partnership With Stobart WRC Team

Wales Rally GB has seen a relationship blossom this weekend between MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi and the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team. When the two-wheeled champion made the decision to contest the final round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship the Stobart squad were more than happy to accommodate and help his cause to raise funds for the Children in Need charity.






Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler and COO William Stobart were delighted with the presence of the six-time MotoGP champion and the atmosphere he generated around the team’s service area and indeed the entire event.

"The Stobart team has done a great job here on our home event. I am really pleased that Valentino came to drive one of our cars and we have both worked extremely well together; he is a fantastic draw for fans and spectators and we have had a massive interest in the team. Some of his splits and stage times have been really impressive.

"Valentino’s run here has really raised the global and national media exposure for both the team and Stobart Group. To have the support of a motorsport legend for our home event is a real boost and is something really special to end off a great year in business for Stobart Group and a great year in motorsport for our rally team." said Tinkler.

Rossi also generated a phenomenal amount of publicity and media coverage and ramped up the global exposure the team already achieve through the World Rally Championship.

Fans too greatly enjoyed the presence of the champ who was more than happy to meet his supporters in Great Britain. The Italian thoroughly enjoyed his time with the entire Ford family and his time behind the wheel of the Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC.

"We have had a great time here with the Stobart team and everyone has worked fantastically well together," commented Rossi. "I have really enjoyed this rally, especially when we got some fast times today and hopefully we will get a chance to work again together with Stobart."

Rossi was also awarded the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award today. The fact he entered one of the calendar’s toughest WRC rounds and put his reputation on the line speaks volumes for the man and the entire WRC family. To come out with such a highly commendable finish shows his unique natural ability. The Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award recognises parties demonstrating the same values that the UAE capital stands for: respect, innovation, integrity and teamwork. It also acknowledges a positive contribution to the WRC by any of the myriad of parties involved in the sport.

"I’m very proud to receive the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award. I think it is a great idea for Abu Dhabi to provide this and it helps to show the effort that people put into motorsport." He added.

paddocktalk

Big teams pledge to remain in F1

Five of Formula One's top teams have pledged to remain in the sport.

BMW Sauber, Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, Renault and Toyota are all determined not to follow Honda by quitting F1.

Honda bowed out for financial reasons, prompting motorsport boss Max Mosley to warn that cost-cutting was vital to avoid losing any of the other teams.

Toyota, believed to be under pressure in the current economic crisis, said they were "committed to succeeding in Formula One and to reducing costs".

That is despite the team, who considerably outperformed Honda in 2008, scoring four times as many points and finishing fifth in the constructors' championship, axeing the media launch for their 2009 car as a money-saving measure.

French team Renault, who finished in fourth with 80 points to Toyota's 56, also revealed they remained committed to the sport.

But former F1 giants Williams, who limped to eighth place in 2008, have yet to make a statement.

One of the few remaining independent teams, Williams have seen sponsors RBS, AT&T and Philips suffer heavy losses in recent months.

Honda withdrew from the sport on Friday, leaving their Northamptonshire-based team just weeks to find new backers or face closure.

The Formula One Teams Association (Fota) met on Thursday to discuss proposals to secure the future of the sport, and said agreement had been reached on "substantial cost-cutting for 2009 and 2010" as well as "additional initiatives to improve the show".

With top teams spending about £300m a year, Mosley, president of governing body the International Automobile Federation (FIA), said the sport had to cut soaring costs.

Despite Mosley describing the team's cost-cutting proposals as "fiddling about", Toyota, who have one of the biggest budgets in F1, are sure they are on the right path.

"We are contributing to the Fota activities which will achieve significant cost reductions, whilst maintaining the spirit of the sport," a statement from the manufacturer read.

"We hope Fota's proposals and activities will be given the widespread support they deserve as they provide the sound, stable base Formula One requires at this time."

BMW board member Klaus Draeger, whose team won in Canada this year and finished third overall, said in a statement that Honda's decision would have no bearing on his company's involvement in F1.

"F1 involvement is an integral part of the company strategy," he added. "There is no better platform than Formula One for demonstrating our brand values.

"BMW, moreover, makes targeted use of the Formula One project as a technology accelerator for series production.

"With the BMW Sauber F1 Team, we have from the start focused on high efficiency and have achieved our successes with a compact and powerful team. The cost-benefit ratio is commensurately positive."

Norbert Haug, the head of Mercedes Motorsport which powered Briton Lewis Hamilton to his recent title victory, also revealed his team were working hard on measures to reduce costs.

"Our Formula One involvement is built on financially solid foundations and is in large part financed by our sponsoring partners," he said.

"Mercedes-Benz's contribution is cost-efficient, the resonance in the media and in the public which last season and Lewis Hamilton's win generated was worth many times our financial investment."

He added: "This pullout is very sad. It only shows how important the cost-cutting measures are that we've been advocating for more than five years, and which have only been realised to a small degree.

"Within the Formula One Teams Association, we're working very hard on measures to cut costs, and over the next two years we must achieve cuts of at least 50%."

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, chairman of Ferrari, one of the sport's strongest and most secure teams, remained positive about the sport's future.

"We unanimously agreed to important short and long term measures, for 2009 and 2010," he said.

"We gave a new push toward a reduction in costs especially to help the smaller teams already from the next season."

Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Force India operate under a separate financial model, relying on funding from billionaire owners to finance their campaigns, and are not believed to be in difficulty.

(Source: BBC Sport)

Team Hummer Henderson Sweep

DETROIT – Team HUMMER concluded the 2008 desert racing season with its second hat-trick of the year as it swept the stock classes at the December 6, Best In the Desert (BITD) Racing Association’s FabTech Desert Classic 2008 season finale.

Once again, Chad Hall and the H3 Alpha were the first stock class vehicle to cross the finish line, earning a class victory in the stock full SUV (4100) class. Josh Hall and the H2 SUT secured the stock full truck (8100) class victory, finishing just five seconds behind his brother. Team owner and family patriarch, Rod Hall, earned his fifth BITD class victory of 2008, racing his H3 to a stock mini (3100) class win.

The victories also secured the team’s sweep of all three BITD stock class season championships, adding to the pair of SCORE International stock class season championships secured at the 2008 Baja 1000. With a total of five class season championships, 2008 marks the most successful year for HUMMER Racing since the team was founded in 1993.

“In a sport where just finishing the race is an accomplishment, our ability to win every class championship this season demonstrates the strength of the Hummer vehicles and the determination of our entire team,” said Hall.

2008 Team HUMMER season highlights include:
· Rod Hall wins SCORE International and BITD stock mini class season championship in the H3.
· Chad Hall wins SCORE International and Best In the Desert stock full season championship in the H3 Alpha’s inaugural season.
· Josh Hall wins Best in the Desert stock full truck season championship in H2 SUT’s first complete season.
· Team HUMMER becomes the first team to sweep stock class championships in both SCORE and BITD in the same season.
· A HUMMER was the first stock class vehicle to finish in eight of 10 races in 2008, including the Baja 500 and Baja 1000.

Cosworth win sole-engine deal

Cosworth win sole-engine deal
Friday 5th December 2008

The FIA have confirmed that Cosworth have won the single engine supply deal.

In a bid to cut the costs of competing in Formula One, FIA President Max Mosley recently proposed the idea of a single engine manufacturer for the sport.

And, with the news earlier this week that Honda have pulled out of F1, it appears as if Mosley's idea is set to go ahead with Cosworth, who have previously supplied engines to F1 teams, being confirmed as the company chosen by the FIA.

"We have completed the tendering process and are now in exclusive negotiations with Cosworth together with Xtrac and Ricardo Transmissions (XR) to supply a complete Formula One power train starting in 2010," said Max Mosley in his letter to FOTA and the Team Principals.

"The engine will be a current Formula One engine while the transmission will be state-of-the-art Formula One and a joint effort by two companies which already supply transmissions to most of the grid."

The engine will carry a price tag of �5.49m (€6.42m) per season along with an initial payment of �1.68m (€1.97m) which will be notably cheaper than what the F1 manufacturers currently charge.

These proposals are, however, only an alternative to independent teams and manufacturers will still be allowed to build engines according to their own specifications.

Regardless of whether the teams opt to use a Cosworth-built of self-built unit, all teams will use a standard transmission designed and built by XR.

The FIA plan to include the standardization of chassis components in their cost cutting plans and teams intending to use the standard F1 engine as of 2010 have until close of business on December 11 to notify the FIA.

Reportedly, the FIA will continue with their plans even four teams do not sign up for the Cosworth offer.

Honda Quits Formula One to Cut Costs as Profit Falls

Dec. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co. withdrew from Formula One racing, cutting at least 20 billion yen ($216 million) in costs after the carmaker slashed its earnings forecast, fired assembly workers and reduced production.

Japan's second-largest automaker may put the Brackley, England-based team up for sale, President Takeo Fukui said today at a news conference in Tokyo. Honda will also no longer supply engines to other teams.

Honda cut its profit forecast 13 percent in October as the recession in the U.S. cripples car demand. Max Mosley, president of F-1 ruling body the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, has said the $1.6 billion teams spend annually on the racing series is ``unsustainable.''

``Honda's withdrawal highlights just how awful the situation surrounding the auto industry is,'' Koji Endo, an analyst at Credit Suisse in Tokyo. ``Other teams may follow, and the F-1 may not be held in the future.''

Honda's vehicle sales in the U.S., the company's most profitable market, plunged 32 percent in November, the most since 1981, as the economic slowdown and the weak consumer sentiment hurt demand for Civic models.

``This difficult decision has been made in the light of the quickly deteriorating operating environment facing the global auto industry,'' Fukui said. ``Honda must protect its core business activities.''

Development Emphasis

Honda needs to speed up development of diesel engines, hybrid and small cars, said Fukui. The 400 engineers who work on Formula One will be reassigned to those projects, he said. The company will review all of its businesses as economic conditions may remain poor, he added. Honda plans to continue racing in the MotoGP motorcycle series and U.S.-based IndyCar.

Operating the Formula One team cost about 20 billion yen annually, Fukui said. The figure does not include development costs for the engines and cars.

The company's stock has dropped 56 percent this year, set for the worst annual performance since at least 1975. The shares fell 1.9 percent to 1,650 yen at the close of trading in Tokyo.

Honda finished eighth and ninth the past two seasons after placing fourth in 2006 on its return as a constructor. Ross Brawn, the former Ferrari technical director who helped Michael Schumacher win five straight driving titles, was hired to run the team 13 months ago.

Honda was the sport's biggest spender in 2008, the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph reported. The team this week canceled an end-of- season media lunch at a Michelin starred-restaurant near Oxford, England, the newspaper added.

Nine Teams

Its withdrawal will leave the sport, dominated by carmakers including Fiat SpA, Renault SA and Toyota Motor Corp., with nine teams and 18 cars if a buyer can't be found. The 2009 season- opening Australian Grand Prix is scheduled March 29.

Toyota has no plans to withdraw from the sport, said spokesman Hideaki Homma.

The last team to quit Formula One was Honda-backed Super Aguri, which folded in May because of a lack of funding.

Honda's decision is the latest blow to hit the sport in the past 18 months.

Earlier this year, F-1 was rocked by the distribution of a sex video involving FIA President Mosley which led to some carmakers voting for his removal. In 2007, McLaren was kicked out of the constructors' championship and fined $100 million after its chief designer, Mike Coughlan, was found in possession of 780 pages of technical documents belonging to Ferrari.

Lower Earnings

Honda expects operating profit of 550 billion yen for the 12 months ending March, the lowest in eight years. The carmaker cut its forecast as the yen's 39 percent gain against the dollar squeezes its profit. Every 1 yen gain against the dollar cuts Honda's annual operating profit by 18 billion yen, according to the company.

The company yesterday said it plans to offer early retirement for workers at its U.K. factory and will cut 490 additional temporary jobs in Japan, as demand slumps in overseas markets.

Honda, led by founder Soichiro Honda, owned a Formula One team as early as 1964, even before it began making cars in 1967.

It returned to F-1 in the 1980s as an engine supplier, then in 2004 purchased a stake in the BAR team from British American Tobacco, which it bought out a year later to form the Honda team for the 2006 season.

Alonso threatens to quit Formula 1

Renault driver Fernando Alonso has threatened to retire from Formula One if standard engines for all teams are introduced.

The FIA has proposed a standard engine for all teams in 2010 to cut costs in the expensive sport, but the idea has met with widespread criticism.

Double world champion Alonso said: "If they approve a single engine that would be the last straw.

"It would be time to start thinking about retirement."

The talented Spaniard is however in favour of the regulations for 2009 which include the return of slick tyres, the introduction of the new kinetic energy recovery system (Kers) and aerodynamic alterations.

He added: "The advantage is that practically everybody is starting from zero.

"Next year I will try to be champion. You can't allow yourself to start the championship without thinking you're going to win.

"My objective is to win the title. It's a very clear objective, although it may have to be altered as the year goes on."

source: fox sports

GREENBERG MAKES RACING HISTORY

GREENBERG MAKES RACING HISTORY
Desert Hills, Arizona – Sigal Racing, led by Sigal Greenberg, one of Arizona’s most prolific racecar drivers, won the 240-mile 2008 Henderson Fabtech Desert Classic sponsored by Best in the Desert (BITD) on December 6, 2008 in Henderson, Nev. Greenberg is the first woman to win a race "car" division championship in the organization’s 26 years of operation.
Sigal Racing entered the race, the last of the season, leading her competition by 50 points. Driving her newest racecar, Pinkie, Greenberg, accompanied by Rich Boyette, one of her team members, she raced to the finish line. Sigal Racing team members Justin “Bean” Smith and Andy Devercelly, helped establish a 10-minute lead so Greenberg could race to the finish line with ease and precision. The win was witnessed by more than 10,000 screaming fans.
Greenberg, who is known for her pink, colorful vehicles and the unique names she assigns them, won first place in the second group race, first place in their respective class and took the points champion category for the 2008 BITD season.

“This has been an exciting season for Sigal Racing,” says Greenberg. “It was a big team effort. We wanted the checkered flag, but ended up racing 110 percent and took the complete win.”
Greenberg’s win was helped by the support of her team: co-drivers Rich Boyette, Justin “Bean” Smith, Andy Devercelly, Pit crew members were crew chief Lee Creiglow. Lee Porterfield, JC Farris, PJ Creiglow, John Hallal & JR.
Greenberg, who has been racing for eight years, has moved from class 9 to JeepSpeed and currently races in class 10 lite (class 1100). Sigal Racing, LLC, which is and headquartered in Desert Hills, Arizona north of metropolitan Phoenix, is sponsored by Light Force, Mobile Radio Communications, Sopwith Motorsports, Arizona Off-road, Yokohama, Fox Shox, Major Performance, JG Transwerks, BC Clothing, Rocket Graphix, and Jane Schnall.

BITD Henderson Photo Jihad!

All photos are now up at Durka Durka Photo

10% off for the next 5 days.

A few of my favorites.

B.J. Baldwin snags SCORE Trophy-Truck crown

SCORE MEDIA CONTACT: Dominic Clark 702.735.7123



December 4, 2008





B.J. Baldwin snags SCORE Trophy-Truck crown

Las Vegas’ B.J. Richardson captures Overall and Class 1

2008 SCORE Desert Series points title in Bunderson-Chevy



Bell/Kendall/Campbell sweep Overall M/C & Class 22 points;

Matlock/Spaeth earn Overall ATV and Class 25 points



LOS ANGELES—After all of the dust settled following the recent 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the last man standing atop the podium with the crown of 2008 SCORE Desert Series Overall point champion was veteran Las Vegas racer B.J. Richardson.

Richardson, 43, a prominent Southern Nevada businessman and casino developer, drove the Las Vegas Dissemination Company Chevy-powered Bunderson open-wheel desert race car to the unlimited Class 1 season point title that also earned him the coveted 2008 SCORE Overall point championship as well. During the five-race season, he had second place class finishes at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 and the SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300 along with a 10th at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and a ninth in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Racing in one of the two most competitive classes in the series, Richardson claimed the title with 414 total points. By finishing every mile of every race, Richardson also earned his first Toyota Milestone Award.

Richardson and all the 2008 SCORE Desert Series point champions will be honored Saturday during the annual SCORE Awards Night at Terrible’s Resort in Primm, Nev. The evening begins with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards at 7:30 p.m.

In one of the closest overall point battles in the 35-year history of the world’s foremost desert racing series, Richardson won the overall crown by just three points over fellow Las Vegan B.J. Baldwin. Baldwin, 29, won the season point championship in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division for the second time in three years in the No. 97 Baldwin Motorsports Chevy Silverado. Baldwin, whose father Bobby Baldwin finished ninth in the SCORE Trophy-Truck season points, earned his third consecutive Toyota Milestone Award.

After leading the SCORE Overall points much of the season, San Diego County racer Adam Pfankuch, 26, finished third overall while winning Class 1-2/1600 in a Mirage-VW with 403 season points. Pfankuch earned a Toyota Milestone Award as well as winning the $20,000 Volkswagen of America bonus for earning the most points of any VW-powered vehicle this season.

A total of just 36 points separated the top 10 in the final 2008 SCORE Overall point standings led by four drivers from Class 1, three from SCORE Trophy-Truck, two from Class 1-2/1600 and one from Class 5/1600.

SCORE points are based on starting and finishing as well as the number of starters in each class in every race.

“What an unbelievable season, especially when you consider I’ve been hanging around the desert for over 20 years,” said the soft-spoken Richardson. “This was a dream season, and we were able to stay consistent, finish every race and win Class 1 and the 2008 SCORE Overall point championship without winning a race. That goes to show you how competitive SCORE desert racing is in general and our class in particular. I can’t stay enough, though, about our entire Las Vegas Dissemination Company team, my teammate Pat Dean, our dear friend and sponsor John Gaughan, our co-driver T.J. Flores and the magnificent prep our cars get from Valley Performance in Las Vegas. Without all of the ingredients, we would have never won this championship.”

While this is Richardson’s first SCORE class point championship, it was Baldwin’s second and third for Pfankuch, who owns Powerbox Transaxles. Pfankuch was the second driver for two season point championship teams. He was the second driver for the title team in Class 1-2/1600 SCORE points both in 2003 (with Eric Allen) and in 2004 (with Brian Jeffrey). In 2004, the Jeffrey/Pfankuch tandem was also the SCORE Overall Point champions. This was the first season Pfankuch won a class title as driver of record.

While Baldwin drove the entire season solo, Pfankuch did almost the same, but had help from Steven Eugenio, El Centro, Calif., in both the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Baldwin, was second in Laughlin, seventh in San Felipe and earned his third career SCORE Trophy-Truck race win at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, slipped to 10th in Primm but kept his point lead and clinched the his second career title with a second at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in the marquee SCORE racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower, unlimited production trucks.

After impressively winning Class 1 in Mexico’s season-finale, Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif., finished the year second in Class 1 and fourth in overall points with 399 in the Speed Technologies Jefferies-Chevy.

With two class wins this season before a 10th in class at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 put him out of championship contention, Germany’s World Rally Championship veteran Armin Schwarz and teammate Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., finished fifth in overall points and third in Class 1, just two points behind Dempsey in the All German Motorsports Jimco-BMW.

With three wins in Class 5/1600 in his VW Baja Bug, Mexico’s Marcos Nunez won his class point championship and finished sixth in overall points.

A pair of talented SCORE Trophy-Truck teams ended up seventh and eighth in 2008 SCORE Overall points—Norman Motorsports and Riviera Racing.

Winning the last two races of the season, Roger Norman, Reno, Nev. and Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., made a major impression in their first year in SCORE Trophy-Truck, finishing second behind Baldwin with 391 points in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports Ford F-150.

After dominating the SCORE Trophy-Truck class in 2007 with three race wins including the 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, still managed to finish third in SCORE Trophy-Truck season points this year with 386 in the No. 1 Riviera Racing Ford F-150.

Completing the top 10 in 2008 SCORE Overall points was rookie Corey Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., a second generation desert racer who raced with his father and brother, earning one class win and finishing second to Pfankuch with 384 points in a Lothringer-VW.

With motorcycles and ATVs racing in the three SCORE Baja races, the team of Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif./Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., once again dominated the overall motorcycle and open Class 22 standings with 303 points after all three Baja races on the factory-supported No. 1x Johnny Campbell Racing Honda CRF450X. For the Baja legend Campbell, it was his 11th career SCORE win while it was the third for Bell and the second for Norman.

Sweeping all three SCORE Baja races, the overall ATV champions are led by rider of record Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX. Riding with Matlock all season was Marc Spaeth, Ramona, Calif., while aiding the cause with some riding in the two longer Baja races were Harold Goodman and Wes Miller.

With four class wins this season, Mexico’s Ramon Fernandez won his second straight Class 11 title and was 11th overall in a stock VW Sedan.

Winning Class 3 for the sixth time in seven years in their sturdy Ford Bronco, brothers Donald (Sacramento, Calif.) and Kenneth Moss (Marysville, Calif.) won four of five races, have 29 in their career and finished 13th in the 2008 SCORE Overall points.

Setting a pair of SCORE records along the way, Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., was the driver of record for a team that won two races and the Class 7SX season point championship in the Desert Assassins Ford Ranger. For Steele, whose husband Cameron Steele races in SCORE Trophy-Truck, she became the first female driver of record to win a SCORE truck season title and the first female driver to win a prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Award as her team finished every required mile of the season.

While Steele became the first female driver of record to win a SCORE truck class season title, Anna Cody, Simi Valley, Calif., became the first female rider of record to win a SCORE motorcycle class title.

Cody led an all female team to the Class 20 title on a Honda CRF250X. Other team regulars were co-riders: Stacy Doerkson, Apple Valley, Calif./Cathy Duncan, Los Alamos, Calif./Sarah Kritch, Bakersfield, Calif.

Truly a family sport, Rod Hall, Reno, Nev. and his youngest son Chad Hall became the first father and son racers to win a SCORE season championship in the same season.

Both also SCORE Toyota Milestone winners from Reno, Nev., the venerable Rod Hall, 71, won the Stock Mini class for the third straight year in a Hummer H3 for his 14th career SCORE class season point title while Chad Hall, 45, won three races this year in a Rod Hall Racing Hummer H3Alpha to earn the Stock Full season title, his first as driver of record.

Among the car and truck classes, other point champions include: Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger), Mike Lawrence, Brea, Calif. (Class 10, Lothringer-VW), Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Duvel-VW). It was Chamlee’s fourth career Class 7 season title, while it was the first for both Lawrence and St. John.

Among the other motorcycle class champions, four defending season class champions won their respective classes again in 2008: Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif. (Class 30, Honda CRF450X and Class 50, Honda CRF450X0, Carlos Casas, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 21, KTM 450CXF), Brett Helm, Poway, Calif. (Class 40, Honda XR650R) and Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn. (Class 60, Honda CRF450X).

Putting together all-star age group teams, O’Neal, the prominent apparel manufacturer, now has 13 career SCORE class motorcycle season point crowns, 12 of which have come in the last eight years.

Casas, Helm and Lewis, along with their talented co-riders, each have now won two career SCORE motorcycle season titles.

Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Sunoco Race Fuels -official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, Off-Road, American Suzuki, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.



2008 SCORE Desert Series

FINAL Point Leaders

(Five-race series in U.S. and Mexico. Following 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000-Ensenada, Mexico, Nov. 19-23)
Top 25 Overall Cars and Trucks
(Position, Drivers, Vehicle-Engine, Class, Points)

1. B.J. Richardson, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy (Class 1), 414

2. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 411

3. Adam Pfankuch,Carlsbad, Calif., Mirage-VW (Class 1-2/1600), 403

4. Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif./Mark Levrett, Sparks, Nev., Jefferies-Chevy (Class 1), 399

5. Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW (Class 1), 397

6. Marcos Nunez, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (Class 5/1600), 392

7. Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 391

8. Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 386

9. Cory Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., Lothringer-VW (Class 1-2/1600), 384

10. Luis Ramirez Jr., Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, HMS-Chevy (Class 1), 378

11. Ramon Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Sedan (Class 11), 377

12. Robbie Pierce, Santee, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 376

13. Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif., Ford Bronco (Class 3), 374

14. Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 372

15. Heidi Steele, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Ford Ranger (Class 7SX), 369

16. John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif., Ford Ranger (Class 7SX), 367

17. Kevin Carr, San Diego, VW Baja Bug (Class 5), 365

18. Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3 (Stock Mini), 364

19. Chad Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3Alpha (Stock Full), 361

21. Ernie Negrete, San Diego/Oscar Venagas, Rosarito, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (Class 5/1600), 345

22. Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 342

23. Brian Parkhouse, Bell Gardens, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 341

24. David Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., Lothringer-VW (Class 1-2/1600), 334

24. Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif., Ford Ranger (Class 7), 334

2008 SCORE Desert Series
Class Point Leaders
(With Class wins in parenthesis)
Pro Cars and Trucks

SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK—1. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado (1), 411; 2. Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150 (2), 391; 3. Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 386; 4. Robbie Pierce, Santee, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 376; 5. Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 372; 6. Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150, 342; 7. Brian Collins, Las Vegas, Dodge Ram 1500 (1), 303; 8. Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif., GMC Sierra, 290; 9. Bobby Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 283; 10. Chad Ragland, Vista, Calif., Toyota Tundra, 282.

CLASS 1—1. B.J. Richardson, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy, 414; 2. Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif., Jefferies-Chevy (1), 399; 3. Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW (2), 397; 4. Luis Ramirez Jr., Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Jefferies-Chevy (1), 378; 5 Brian Parkhouse, Bell Gardens, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 341; 6. Dale Ebberts, Wilton, Calif./Brad Etter, Villa Park, Calif., Porter-Chevy, 289; 7. Pat Dean, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy (1), 283; 8. Josh Rigsby, Santa Fe, N.M., Jimco-Chevy; 9. Dale Lenk, Newport Beach, Calif., Penhall-Chevy, 231; 10. Eric Chase, San Diego, Penhall-Chevy, 229.

CLASS 1-2/1600—1. Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif., Mirage-VW (2), 403; 2. Cory Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., Lothringer-VW (1) 384; 3. Dave Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., Lothringer-VW, 338; 4. Hiram Duran, Chula Vista, Calif., Amplified-VW, 325; 5. Arturo Velazco/Able Velazco, Banning, Calif., Porter-VW, 255; 7. Arnoldo Ramirez, Ensenada, Mexico, Curry-VW (1), 229.

CLASS 3—1. Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif., Ford Bronco (4), 365; 2. Darren Skilton, Long Beach, Calif., Jeep Wranger (1), 125.

CLASS 5—1. Kevin Carr, San Diego, VW Baja Bug (3), 365; 2. Pietro Brassea, Mexicali, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (2), 191.

CLASS 5/1600—1. Marcos Nunez/Norberto Rivera, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (3), 392; 2. Ernie Negrete, San Ysidro, Calif., VW Baja Bug, 345; 3. Alonso Angulo, Ensenada, Mexico, 297; 4. Mario Reynoso, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug, 252; 5. Tommy Craft, El Cajon, Calif.,VW Baja Bug, 249. ALSO: 7. Jose Montoya, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (1), 216.

CLASS 7—1. Dan Chamlee, Summerland, Calif., Ford Ranger (1), 334; 2. Guillermo Galvan, Bahia de Los Angeles, Mexico, Ford Ranger (1), 204; 3. Chris Taylor, El Centro, Calif., Ford Ranger (1), 202.

CLASS 7SX—1. Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., Ford Ranger (2) 369; 2. John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif., Ford Ranger (3), 367.

CLASS 8—1. Noah Ostanik, Encinitas, Calif., Ford F-150 (1), 189; 2. Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Ford F-150 (1), 167.

CLASS 9—1. Daniel Reyes Jr., Calexico, Calif., Venegas-VW (1), 239; 2. Cisco Bio, Spring Valley, Calif., Tubular Design-VW (1), 125.

CLASS 10—1. Mike Lawrence, Brea, Calif./Chris Lawrence, Los Alamitos, Calif., Lothringer-VW, 325, 2. Mark Hutchins/C.J. Hutchins, Henderson, Nev., Kreger-Honda (1), 225; 3. Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico, Jimco-Honda (1), 205.

SCORE LITE—1. Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif., Duvel-VW (2), 352; 2. Lee Banning, Laveen, Ariz., Foddrill-VW, 332; 3. David Callaway, Menifee, Calif./Scott Mapes, Riverside, Calif., Callaway-VW, 311; 4. Steve Mamer, Holtville, Calif., Raceco-VW, 274; 5. Gary Johnson, Camarillo, Calif., Messick-VW, 219.

CLASS 11—1. Ramon Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Sedan (4), 377; 2. Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico, VW Sedan (1), 275.

STOCK FULL—1. Chad Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3 Alpha (3), 361; 2. Kent Kroeker, Valley Center, Calif., Dodge 2500 (1), 267; 3. Clyde Stacey, Bristol, Va., Dodge Ram2500, 237; 4. Josh Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H2SUT (1), 222.

STOCK MINI—1. Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3 (3), 364; 2. Gavin Skilton, Orange, Calif., Honda Ridgeline (2), 269.

PROTRUCK—1. Jason Voss/Rich Voss, Cupertino, Calif., Ford F-150 (3), 304. 2. Gary Magness, Denver, Ford F-150, 192.

CLASS 17—1. Scott Watkins, Stockton, Calif., Jeep Cherokee (1), 180.
Pro Motorcycles

CLASS 22—1. Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif./Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X (3), 303; 2. Ryan Penhall, Corona, Calif./Brent Harden, Sun City, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 272, 3. Caleb Gosselaar, Valencia, Calif./Timmy Weigand, Santa Clarita, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 270; 4. Grant Steele, Temecula, Calif./Jeff Kargula, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 195; 5. Jesse Sharpe, Escondido, Calif., Honda XR650R, 184.

CLASS 21—1. Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM 450CXF (2), 265; 2. Edy Garcia/Cesar Garcia, Ensenada, Mexico, Yamaha YZ250, 168; 3.Bernard Bohrer, Laguna Niguel, Calif./Kurt Samuelson, Corona, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 134.

CLASS 20—1. Anna Cody, Spring Valley, Calif./Stacy Doerkson, Apple Valley, Calif./Cathy Duncan, Los Alamos, Calif./Sarah Kritch, Bakersfield, Calif., Honda CRF250X (1), 252; 2. Larry Perkins, Strafford, Mo./Craig Goldsberry, Springfield, Mo./Malcolm Wood, Bolivor, Mo./Gabriel Hinshaw, Olathe, Kansas, Honda CRF250X, 241; 3. Chad Black, Laguna Hills, Calif./Conor Penhall, Corona, Calif., Honda CRF250X (2), 235.

CLASS 30—1. Jim O’Neal/Jimmy O’Neal Jr., Simi Valley, Calif./Jason Trubey, Mohave Valley, Ariz./Scott Glimp, Las Vegas/Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico, Honda CRF450X (1), 275; 2. Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Kyle Abney, Albuquerque, N.M., Honda CRF450X, 261; 3. Scott Myers, Sun City, Calif./Shane Esposito, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Steve Garnet, Carson City, Nev./Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico, Kawasaki KLX450 (2), 239.

CLASS 40—1. Brett Helm, Poway, Calif./Jon Ortner, Santa Barbara, Calif./Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif./Craig Adams, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X (3), 280; 2. Stuart Goggins, Upland, Calif./Jeff Horsley, Goodyear, Ariz./Tim Vasquez, Monrovia, Calif./Scott Horsley, Claremont, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 247.

CLASS 50—1. Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Doug Heil, Monrovia, Calif./Andy Kirker, Santa Ana, Calif./Dan Dawson, Agua Dulce, Calif./Paul Needles, Westlake Village, Calif./Mike Sixberry, Bullhead City, Ariz./Craig Adams, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X (3), 270; 2. Kenny Hayden, Shadow Hills, Calif./Doug Smith, Upland, Calif./Dave Potts, Burbank, Calif./Bill Boyer, Honda CRF450X, 250; 3. Jamie De La Torre, Tijuana, Mexico/Gilberto Gallardo/Leonel Vallejo/Cesar Parra, San Diego, KTM 530EXC, 125.

CLASS 60—1. Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn./Gene Dempsey, Apple Valley, Calif./Sam Dempsey, Lake Balboa, Calif./Bob Gates, Hesperia, Calif./Mike Harper, Landers, Calif., Honda CRF450X (3), 275.
Pro ATVs

CLASS 25—1. Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./ Marc Spaeth, Warner Springs, Calif./Wes Miller, El Cajon, Calif., Honda TRX700XX (3), 290; 2. Danny Prather, Ramona, Calif./Mike Cafro, Carlsbad, Calif./Levi Marana, Hemet, Calif./Chad Prull, Laveen, Ariz., Honda TRX450R, 268; 3. Stefano Caputo, San Felipe, Mexico (Italy)/Felipe Velez, San Felipe, Mexico/Jorge Romo, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 255; Reid Rutherford, Montrose, Colo., Arctic Cat Thundercat, 242.

CLASS 24—1. 1. Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif./Robin Fawcett, Santee, Calif./Steve Abrego, Covina, Calif., Honda TRX450R (1), 275; 2. Benjamin Lopez, San Diego, Honda TRX450R, 139; 3. Rob Ransford, Downer’s Grove, Ill., Honda TRX450R, 203.

Sportsman

SPT TRUCK—1. Bob Land, Lake Forest, Calif., Jeep Cherokee (2), 233.

SPT CAR—1. Peter Lang/Terry Cottar, Santa Rosa, Calif., Homebuilt-Chevy, (3), 276.

SPT UTV—1. Mark Lindsay, Polaris RZR (1), 204.

SPT M/C>250cc—1. Jesus Rios, Calexico, Calif/Alfredo Osornio/Alejandro Olguin, Mexicali, Mexico, Honda CRF450X (1), 281.

SPT M/C<250cc—1. Bill Gilbert, Ladera Ranch, Calif./Mark Fishburn, Fort Collins, Colo./Kevin Krasner, Mission Viejo, Calif./Mick Brejwo, Campbell, Calif., Honda CRF450X (2), 342.

SPT ATV—1. Joselito Muro, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda TRX450R (1), 263.
Manufacturers

Engine Builder—1. Major Performance, 280; 2. Kroyer, 241; 3. FAT Performance, 220; 4. Valley Performance, 142; 5. Montes, 130.

Original Buggy Chassis—1. Jimco, 206; 2.Bunderson, 137; 3. Lothringer, 129; 4. Jefferies, 86; 5. Mirage, 82.


2008 SCORE Desert Series
Race-by-Race Class Winners



14th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge
Laughlin, Nevada • Jan. 26-27, 2008

Total Starters: 141 Total Finishers: 41

Cars & Trucks

TROPHY-TRUCK—Rich Ronco, Peoria, Ariz., Chevy Silverado

CLASS 1—Pat Dean, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy

CLASS 1-2/1600—Cory Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., Lothringer-VW

CLASS 3—Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif., Ford Bronco

CLASS 5—Kevin Carr, San Diego, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 5/1600—Enrique Zazueta Jr., La Paz, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 7—No Finishers

CLASS 7SX—Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 8—No Finishers

CLASS 10—Chris Harrold, Chula Vista, Calif., AlumiCraft-Honda

SCORE LITE—Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif. Duvell-VW

CLASS 11—Ramon Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Sedan

STOCK FULL—Chad Hall, Reno, Nev, Hummer H3 Alpha

STOCK MINI—Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3

PROTRUCK—Jason Voss, Cupertino, Calif., Ford F-150

22nd Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250

San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico

March 15, 2008

Total Starters: 263 Total Finishers: 181

Cars & Trucks

TROPHY-TRUCK—Brian Collins, Las Vegas, Dodge Ram 1500

CLASS 1—Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW

CLASS 1-2/1600—Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif., Mirage-VW

CLASS 3—Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif./Ken Moss, Marysville, Calif., Ford Bronco

CLASS 5—Pietro Brassea/Ivan Pacheco, Mexicali, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 5/1600—Marcos Nunez/Norberto Rivera, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 7—A.J. Rodriguez, Perris, Calif./Paul Sullivan, Riverside, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 7SX—John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif./Mark Landersman, Temecula, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 8—Rodrigo Ampudia Jr./Rodrigo Ampudia Sr., Ensenada, Mexico, Ford F-150

CLASS 9—No Finishers

CLASS 10—Mark Hutchins/C.J. Hutchins, Henderson, Nev., Kreger-Honda

SCORE LITE—Ricardo Malo/Arturo Honold, Mexicali, Mexico, Curry-VW

CLASS 11—Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico, VW Sedan

STOCK FULL—Josh Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H2

STOCK MINI—Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3

PROTRUCK—No Finishers

Motorcycles

CLASS 22—Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif./Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X

CLASS 21—Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM 450CXF

CLASS 20—Anna Cody, Spring Valley, Calif./Stacy Doerkson, Apple Valley, Calif./Cathy Duncan, Los Alamos, Calif./Sarah Kritch, Bakersfield, Calif., Honda CRF250X

CLASS 30—Jim O’Neal/Jimmy O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Jason Trubey, Mohave Valley, Ariz./Luke Dodson, Castaic, Calif./Gerardo Rojas, Vicente Guerrero, Mexico, Honda CRF450X

CLASS 40—Brett Helm, Poway, Calif./Jon Ortner, Santa Barbara, Calif./Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Callif./Tim Withers, Honolulu, Honda CRF450X

CLASS 50—Charles Marshall, Carmichael, Calif./Erik McKenna, Loomis, Calif./Dana Reed/Tim Rigg, KTM 530EXC

CLASS 60—Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn./Gene Dempsey, Apple Valley, Calif./Sam Dempsey, Lake Balboa, Calif./Bob Gates, Hesperia, Calif./Mike Harper, Landers, Calif./Charles Koistra, Menifee, Calif., Honda CRF450X

ATVs

CLASS 25—Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Harold Goodman Jr., Brownstown, Mich./Marc Spaeth, Warner, Calif., Honda TRX450R

CLASS 24—Francisco Servin/Isaac Castro/Rocky Merino, Chula Vista, Calif., Yamaha WFC450

40th Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Ensenada, B.C., Mexico

May 31-June 1, 2008

Total Starters: 289 Total Finishers: 195

Cars & Trucks

TROPHY-TRUCK—B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado

CLASS 1—Luis Ramirez Jr., Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, HMS-Chevy

CLASS 1-2/1600—Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif./Steven Eugenio, El Centro, Calif., Mirage-VW

CLASS 3—Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif., Ford Bronco

CLASS 5—Kevin Carr/Perry McNeal, San Diego, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 5/1600—Jose Montoya, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 7—Dan Chamlee, Summerland, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 7SX—Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 8—Noah Ostanik, Encinitas, Calif., Ford F-150

CLASS 9—Daniel Reyes Jr., Calexico, Calif., Venegas-VW

CLASS 10—Jesus Gonzalez, Ensenada, Mexico, Dunrite-Honda

SCORE LITE—Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif., Duvel-VW

CLASS 11—Ramon Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Sedan

STOCK FULL—Chad Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3Alpha

STOCK MINI—Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3

PROTRUCK—Dave Creagan, Woodland, Wash., Chevy Silverado

Motorcycles

CLASS 22—Robby Bell, Murrieta, Calif./Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif., Honda CRF450X

CLASS 20—Chad Black, Laguna Hills, Calif./Connor Penhall, Corona, Calif., Honda CRF250X

CLASS 21—Carlos Casas/Noe Ibarra, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM 450CXF

CLASS 30—Scott Myers, Sun City, Calif./Shane Esposito, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Steve Garnet, Carson City, Nev., Kawasaki KLX450

CLASS 40—Brett Helm, Poway, Calif./Jon Ortner, Santa Barbara, Calif./Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Honda CRF450X

CLASS 50—Jim O’Neal, Chatsworth, Calif./Doug Heil, Monrovia, Calif./Andy Kirker, Santa Ana, Calif., Honda CRF450X

CLASS 60—Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn./Gene Dempsey, Apple Valley, Calif./Sam Dempsey, Lake Balboa, Calif., Honda CRF450X

ATVs

CLASS 25—Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif./Marc Spaeth, Ramona, Calif., Honda TRX700XX

CLASS 24—Francisco Servin/Isaac Castro, Rocky Merono/Edgar Moreno, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda TRX450R

13th SCORE Terrible’s Primm 300
Primm, Nevada

September 6, 2008

Total Starters: 124 Total Finishers: 87

Cars & Trucks

TROPHY-TRUCK—Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150

CLASS 1—Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW

CLASS 1-2/1600—Aaron Hawley, Las Vegas/Bryan Freeman, Henderson, Nev., Seagrove-VW

CLASS 3—Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif., Ford Bronco

CLASS 5—Kevin Carr, San Diego, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 5/1600—Marcos Nunez/Norberto Rivera, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 7—Chris Taylor, El Centro, Calif./Josh Quintero, Imperial, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 7SX—John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif./Mark Landersman, Temecula, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 10—Bekki Wik/Adam Wik, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Honda

SCORE LITE—Perry McNeal/Alfie Bueno, San Diego, Lothringer-VW

CLASS 11—Ramon Fernandez/Thomas Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Sedan

STOCK FULL—Ken Kroeker, Valley Center, Calif./Frank Martwek, San Clemente, Calif., Dodge 2500

STOCK MINI—Gavin Skilton, Orange, Calif., Honda Ridgeline

PROTRUCK—Jason Voss/Richard Voss, Cupertino, Calif., Ford F-150

CLASS 17—Scott Watkins, Stockton, Calif./Casey Bount, Danville, Calif., Jeep XJ Cherokee

41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000

Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

November 19-23, 2008

Total Starters: 347 Total Finishers: 227

Pro Cars & Trucks

TROPHY-TRUCK—Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150

CLASS 1—Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif./John Herder, Tucson, Ariz., Jefferies-Chevy

CLASS 1-2/1600—Arnoldo Ramirez/Misael Arambula/Daniel Lopez, Ensenada, Mexico, Curry-VW

CLASS 3—Darren Skilton, Long Beach, Calif., Jeep Wrangler

CLASS 5—Pietro Brassea/Ivan Pacheco, Mexicali, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 5/1600—Marcos Nunez/Norberto Riviera, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug

CLASS 6—Marc Burnett, Chula Vista, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 7—Guillermo Galvan/Ricardo Galvan, Bahia de Los Angeles, Mexico, Ford Ranger

CLASS 7SX—John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif./Mark Landersman, Temecula, Calif., Ford Ranger

CLASS 8—Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico/Beny Canela, Indio, Calif., Ford F-150

CLASS 9—Cisco Bio/Jorge Martinez/Pancho Bio/Francisco Guerrero, Spring Valley, Calif., Tubular Design-VW

CLASS 10—Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico, Jimco-Chevy

SCORE LITE—Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif./Dean Bayerle, Poway, Calif./Ramsey El Wardani, San Diego, Duvel-VW

CLASS 11—Ramon Fernandez/Tomas Fernandez/Rogelio Robles, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Sedan

STOCK FULL—Chad Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3 Alpha

STOCK MINI—Rod Hall/Mike Winkel/Josh Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3

PROTRUCK—Jason Voss/Rich Voss, Cupertino, Calif., Ford F-150

CLASS 17—Mike Shaffer/Dayton, Nev. /Lance Clifford, Georgetown, Calif., Jeep Cherokee

BAJA CHALLENGE—Chris Kemp, San Clemente, Calif./James DeGaine, Palm Springs, Calif./Daniel Elkins, Indio, Calif./Vincent Trino, Arrin, Calif./Pat McCleish, Long Beach Calif./Dino Crescentini, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Baja Touring Car-Subaru

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