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Next
Weekend in So. Nevada
SoCal’s Jeffrey & Pfankuch, Las Vegas’ MacCachren, leading race-
Record 35 Class 1-2/1600 entries to 9th SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300
Economical class for short-wheel base 1600cc VW-powered open-wheel
desert race cars attracts competitive, large fields in SCORE races.
LOS
ANGELES (August 30, 2004) -- If SCORE Trophy-Trucks are the super
stars of desert racing and if the unlimited Class 1 open-wheel desert race cars
are the best supporting cast for next week’s 9th Annual SCORE Las Vegas
Primm 300 then the limited Class 1-2/1600 open-wheelers are the unsung heroes
of the desert. Southern California teammates Brian Jeffrey and Adam Pfankuch
along with Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren will help lead a race-record 35 entries
in Class 1-2/1600 into the rugged Southern Nevada desert.
Round 4 of the five-race 2004 SCORE Desert Series will be held
in Primm, NV, 35 miles south of Las Vegas.
Celebrating its
31st anniversary this year as the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series,
the SCORE Desert Series is returning to Southern Nevada for the last of its
two U.S. races this season.
Class
1-2/1600 is the economy class of SCORE desert racing, featuring nearly-identical
short-wheel base (approx. 115” to 117”) single or two-seat open
wheel desert race cars with 1600cc VW engines and VW Type 1 suspensions. To
some they are the “tortoises” of the open-wheelers, to others they’re
the “Eveready Bunnies” that just keep on going and going. Because
of their size and the smaller, durable engine and proven suspension in the finest
of desert racing chassis, Class 1-2/1600 has the highest percentage of finishers
among all of the 16 SCORE Pro classes for cars and trucks.
SCORE points are
decided both on finishing position as well as number of starters in a class.
With more race entries in most races than any other class, Class 1-2/1600 has
produced an amazing 13 of 30 SCORE Overall point champions, more than any other
class.
The 9th Annual
SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300 will include an event-record field of over 175 vehicles
competing in 17 Pro and 2 Sportsman classes for cars and trucks in Primm, located
35 miles south of Las Vegas at the California border. As of Monday, a record
171 vehicles have entered and late entries will be accepted up until race day.
After Class 1-2/1600, the other classes with the largest fields are: Class 1
(34), Class 10 (22), SCORE Trophy-Truck (21) and SCORE Lite (15).
In
the first three rounds of the SCORE season, Jeffrey, 42, of Acton, and Pfankuch,
22, of Carlsbad, finished second in their class in January’s 10th SCORE
Laughlin Desert Challenge before winning their class (which had a season-high
39 starters) in February’s 18th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250and finishing
second in the recent 36th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada (with 39 starters
again) in a VW-powered Dunrite race car. The pair has put some serious pressure
on the rest of the SCORE racers not only for the 2004 class title, but also
the coveted SCORE Overall point championship as well. Jeffrey/Pfankuch vehicle
will carry No. 1606 in Primm.
In Ensenada, Jeffrey
and Pfankuch were happy to finish second behind MacCachren and Danny Anderson
in Class 1-2/1600. With his second win in three races in a Fraley-VW, MacCachren
has vaulted back into title contention, currently sitting second overall and
second in Class 1-2/1600, 20 points behind Jeffrey/Pfankuch, who lead the overall
and class standings, 226-206.
“We have
a whole lot of racing left to do in a class that, from top to bottom, probably
has 20 racers capable of winning at any time,” said Jeffrey, a two-time
SCORE class champion whose Internet Plumbing is the team’s primary sponsor.
“Our car is really dialed in right now and with Adam’s lead foot
and my ability to be consistent (92% finishing rate in 10 years of racing),
we will definitely be in the hunt for these final two races of the season.”
The 325.5-mile race will be run as a five-lap race over a desert course of 65.1
miles. As it has been for the past two years, the race will be split into two
groups with the open wheel and VW baja bug classes starting at 6 a.m. The
truck classes, including the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division along with
the unlimited Class 1 open-wheel class, will start at 1 p.m. One vehicle will
start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with an eight-hour time limit.
The start/finish line area, the primary spectator area and main pits will be
located in the special events compound behind Buffalo Bill’s Resort in
Primm. The slower classes will run three or four laps.
This is the first
season of the Jeffrey/Pfankuch tandem. Jeffrey, who won Class 1-2/1600 in the
2002 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to win his second SCORE season point title, was
third in his class points last season. Pfankuch won three races in his class
last year as a rookie enroute to winning the 2003 SCORE Class 1-2/1600 season
title with Eric Allen, San Marcos, CA, who was driver of record last season
with him.
Allen has entered
his first race of this season with second-generation racer Adam Ashcraft, Vista,
CA Ashcraft will be making his SCORE racing debut in the No. 1646 Jimco-VW.
MacCachren is
a full-time professional desert racer, with seven career SCORE class point championships,
including the 2001 crown in Class 1-2/1600. MacCachren, a 2001 AARWBA first-team
All-America selection, is racing in three desert
series this year and is a co-driver for two other vehicles in this year’s
Primm race. He will split driving time in SCORE Trophy-Truck with Mexico’s
Gus Vildosola in the No. 4 Vildosola Racing Ford F-150 in the afternoon section
of the race. In the morning, he is also listed as a co-driver for Las Vegas’
Danny Anderson, who will be driving another Fraley-VW in Class 1-2/1600 (No.
1608) in addition to driving his own No. 1630 Fraley-VW.
In a sport where
there is no qualifying or open pre-running (in the U.S.), the computerized drawing
for start positions has added significance. No. 1601, Daniel McMillin, 16, of
El Cajon, CA, will be the first starter in Class 1-2/1600 in the McMillin Racing
Jimco-Chevy in the morning portion of the race. The youngest member of the three-generation
McMillin Racing team made his SCORE racing debut an impressive one, finishing
third out a race-high 39 starters in his class in February’s Tecate SCORE
San Felipe 250.
With the $10,000
Kartek bonus also awaiting the 2004 SCORE Overall point champion, a total of
just 61 points separate the top 15 overall point leaders after the first three
rounds of 2004.
Third in the overall
hunt and in Class 1-2/1600are brothers Travis and Brad Fletcher, Westminster,
CA, in their Baja Shop-VW with 200 points. Their vehicle will be No. 1611 this
race.
The Fletchers,
who finished third in Class 1-2/1600 in Laughlin, and second in San Felipe,
slipped a bit to 12th in Ensenada.
Fourth in overall and Class 1-2/1600 points is the team of Rick Boyer, Bakersfield,
CA/Steve Roberts, Bullhead City, Ariz., with 193 points in a Lothringer-VW.
They have a second, sixth and a 13th so far in 2004.
Boyer Racing will
have two entries in Primm. Rick Boyer’s sons, Greg, 21, and Cory, 19,
will make their SCORE racing debut, splitting the driving in the No. 1624 Mirage-VW
while their father will be in the No. 1628 Lothringer-VW.
Tied for sixth overall with SCORE Trophy-Truck point leaders Mark Post/Jerry
Whelchel and fifth in Class 1-2/1600 are Mexican brothers Leonardo and Alejandro
Navarrete, of Mexicali, with 189 points in a Jimco-VW. Their racecar will wear
No. 1625 in Primm.
Also making her
SCORE racing debut will Day Gang, 24, of Henderson, NV, in the No. 1605 Jimco-VW
with Mike Malloy, 25, also of Henderson. Gang, and her aunt, Bekki Wik, are
the only two females drivers scheduled to compete in the race. Wik, 30, of Las
Vegas, is a two-time Class 1-2/1600 SCORE point champion and will be co-driving
this year for Rick Wilson in the unlimited Class 1, No. 101 Jimco-Chevy.
An example of
the competitiveness of this class is the fact that their have been eight different
winners in the first eight years of the SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300.
The two returning
class winners this year are MacCachren (2001) and Anderson, who helped Henderson’s
Courtney Whipple win last year.
Admission
will be free to the spectator area, which will have grandstands as well as the
SCORE Vendor’s Village.
Pre-race festivities
on Friday, Sept. 10, for the SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, including tech and contingency
and the SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway, will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
behind Buffalo Bill’s Resort. The post-race awards celebration will be
held at the Star of the Desert Arena on Sunday (Sept. 12) at 9 a.m.
SCORE official
sponsors for 2004 are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Southern California Ford
Dealers-official vehicle and C.L. Bryant-VP Racing Fuels-official fuel supplier.
Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Instant Mexico Auto
Insurance, Herbst Gaming, Kartek Off-Road, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bilstein,
Signpros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s, and Advanced Color Graphics.
Associate sponsors
for the 9th SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300 are Las Vegas Events in association with
the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Primm Valley Resorts.
For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official Optima SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com
9th SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300
Primm, Nevada – Sept. 11, 2004
SCORE Class 1-2/1600
(1600cc VW-powered, single/two-seat open-wheel desert race cars)
OFFICIAL ENTRIES & Starting Order (as of Aug. 30)
No. Driver of
Record, Co-driver, Vehicle
1601 Daniel McMillin, 16, El Cajon, CA, Jimco
1602 Todd Cuffaro, 20, Coronado, CA, Porter
1603 Aaron Hawley, 37, Las Vegas/Kyle LeDuc, Cherry Valley,
CA, Bunderson
1604 Lorenzo Rodriguez, 41, Covina, CA/Brett Maurer, 43, Duarte,
CA, Lothringer
1605 Day Gang, 24/Mike Malloy, 25, Henderson, NV, Jimco
1606 Brian Jeffrey, 42, Acton, CA/Adam Pfankuch, 22, Carlsbad,
CA, Dunrite
1607 Brian Burgess, 34, Riverside, CA, Porter
1608 Danny Anderson, 42/Rob MacCachren, 39, Las Vegas, Fraley
1609 Daniel Folts, 19, Chino, CA
1610 Billy Skinner, 17, El Centro, CA, Jimco
1611 Travis Fletcher, 28/Brad Fletcher, 35, Westminster, CA,
Baja Shop
1612 Steve Dodd, 36, Long Beach, CA, Kreger
1613 Andrew Rusich, 18, Riverside, CA, Jimco
1614 Chuck Sacks, 48, Canyon Lake, CA, Jimco
1615 Edgar Alvarez, 38, Mexicali, Mexico, Mayoral
1616 Bobby Altamirano, 42, Palm Desert, CA/Jeff Knopp, 31,
Litchfield Park, Ariz., Jimco
1617 Sammy Ehrenberg, 39, Las Vegas, Jimco
1618 Paul Keller, 39/John Krempp, 29, El Cajon, CA, Jimco
1619 Luis Martinez, 40/Jose Soto, Mexicali, Mexico
1620 John Scharf, 48/Ed Bonanni, 40, Huntington Beach, CA,
Lothringer
1621 Byron Ziegler, 31, Huntington Beach, CA, Dunrite
1622 John Manring, 47, El Cajon, CA, RaceCo
1623 Cameron Steele, 31, San Clemente, CA/Ed Stout, 45, Irvine,
CA, Prep by Jake
1624 Greg Boyer, 21/Cory Boyer, 19, Bakersfield, CA, Mirage
1625 Leonardo Navarrete, 28/Alejandro Navarrete, 30, Mexicali,
Mexico, Jimco
1626 Mike Harvey, 21/Steve Harvey, 50, Moreno Valley, CA, Porter
1628 Rick Boyer, 48, Bakersfield, CA/Steve Roberts, 39, Bullhead
City, Ariz., Lothringer
1629 David Caspino, 38, Woodland Hills, CA, Lothringer
1630 Rob MacCachren, 39/Danny Anderson, 42, Las Vegas, Fraley
1631 Hiram Duran, 26/Eric Duran, 34, Tecate, CA, Neth
1632 Cody Freeman, 17, Henderson, Fraley
1646 Adam Ashcraft, 22, Vista, CA/Eric Allen, 22, San Marcos,
CA, Jimco
1647 Steve LaRoza, 39, Tracy, CA
1648 Ken Tapert, 45, Henderson, NV, Porter
1649 Rick Battey, 46/Jeff Battey, 16. Grants Pass, Ore., Jimco
SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300
SCORE Class 1-2/1600
All-Time Class Winners
1996--Don Lampus, Jr., Garland, Texas, Jimco (VW)
1997--Brad Maurer, Las Vegas, Jimco (Fat)
1998--Robby Guevara, Las Vegas, Mirage (VW)
1999--Brad Rowland, Phoenix, Porter (VW)
2000--Bekki Freeman, Henderson, NV, Jimco (VW)
2001--Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Fraley (VW)
2002--Kash Vessels, Tucson, Ariz., Chenowth-VW
2003--Cortney Whipple, Henderson, NV/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas,
Fraley
2004 SCORE Class 1-2/1600 Point Leaders
(68 Total Racers, Driver of Record, Wins)
1. Brian Jeffrey, Acton, CA, Dunrite-VW (1), 226
2. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW (2), 206
3. Travis Fletcher, Westminster, CA, Baja Shop-VW, 200
4. Rick Boyer, Bakersfield, CA, Lothringer-VW, 193
5. Leonardo Navarette, Mexicali, Mexico, Jimco-VW, 189
6. Bobby Altamirano, Palm Desert, CA, Jimco-VW, 167
7. John Scharf, Huntington Beach, CA, Lothringer-VW, 162
8. David Caspino, Woodland Hills, CA, Lothringer-VW, 122
9. Luis Martinez, Mexicali, Mexico, Curry-VW, 116
10. Lorenzo Rodriguez, Covina, CA, Lothringer-VW, 116
11. Cameron Steele, San Clemente, CA, Prep By Jake-VW 110
11. Hiram Duran, Tecate, CA, Neth-VW, 110
13. Edmundo Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, Kokoy-VW, 105
14. Rick Battey, Grants Pass, Ore., Jimco-VW, 102
15. Brady Wisdom, Foothill Ranch, CA, Mirage-VW, 98
16. Brian Burgess, Riverside, CA, Porter-VW, 92
17. Chuck Collins, Chino Hills, CA, Chenowth-VW, 91
18. Rob Walters, Temecula, CA, Fraley-VW, 90
19. Edgar Alvarez, Mexicali, Mexico, Mayoral-VW, 88
20. Ken Tapert, Henderson, NV, Porter-VW, 87
SCORE Class 1-2/1600
(limited single/two-seat 160cc VW-powered open wheel desert race cars)
All-Time SCORE Season Point Champions
1978--Clark West, Encinitas, CA
1979--Howard Hughes, San Diego
1980--Earl Hardesty, Poway, CA
1981--Bob Richardson, Spring Valley, CA
CLASS 2/1600--Jim Sumners, Hacienda, Heights, CA
1982--Bobby Neth, Temecula, CA
CLASS 2/1600--Jim Sumners, Hacienda, Heights, CA
1983--Larry Smith, Temple City, CA
CLASS 2/1600--Jim Sumners, Hacienda, Heights, CA
1984--Bobby Neth, Temecula, CA
CLASS 2/1600--Jim Greenway, Santa Ana, CA
1985--Rob Tolleson, Palmdale, CA
1986--Jack Ramsay, Las Vegas
1987--Steve Barlow, Fillmore, CA
1988--Gary Cogbill, San Diego
1989--Tom DeNault, San Clemente, CA
1990--Tom DeNault, San Clemente, CA
1991--Tom Burns, Las Vegas
1992--Dale Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA
1993--Mike Julson, Santee, CA
1994--Robert Nolin, Ramona, CA
1995--Danny Porter, Orange, CA
1996--Don Lampus Jr., Garland, Texas
1997--Damen Jefferies, Big Bear City, CA
1998--Bekki Freeman, Henderson, NV
1999--Vic Bruckmann, San Diego
2000--Bekki Freeman, Henderson, NV
2001--Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas
2002--Brian Jeffrey, Acton, CA
2003--Eric Allen, San Marcos, CA
For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official Optima SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com
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