Point leaders 2006-02-12

Potter/Worley ahead in SCORE Lite

Arizona's Herder leading Overall, Class 1 points; B.J. Baldwin leads

SCORE Trophy-Truck after 2007 SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge

Record field expected for 21st Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250,
March 9-11, in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico

LOS ANGELES--Fresh from a season-opening class 1 win at the 13th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, John Herder, Tucson, Ariz., also finds himself in the Overall 2007 SCORE Desert Series point lead after one of six-races. Herder, who drives a Chevy-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race car, has 70 points after picking up his second career win in the popular SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

Las Vegas' Rob MacCachren, who won Class 1-2/1600 in a 1600cc VW-powered Fraley is second with 68 points but is not expected to run the full season in the limited open-wheel class as his primary driving responsibility is as the second driver for Mark Post's No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150 in SCORE Trophy-Truck.

A total of just 19 points separate the top 22 overall point leaders after January's season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

The six-race 2007 SCORE Desert Series now heads to Mexico for the first of its three annual races in the rugged Baja California peninsula. The increasingly popular 21st Annual Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 will be held March 9-11 in the quaint and picturesque fishing village on the east side of the peninsula on the Sea of Cortez, 120 miles south of the U.S. Border and Mexicali.

Over 325 entries are expected in this year's annual 'spring break' of desert races, and 306 of them entered in time for last Friday's computerized drawing for start positions held in the Los Angeles headquarters of SCORE International. Racing will be held in 27 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

"We were so excited to do this in a new car in Laughlin, it's unbelievable," said Herder, who returned to the winner's circle for the first time in a SCORE race since he won the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in 1998. "Looks like were there again, but we'll just have to see because it will be another long, tough SCORE racing season. We didn't win the overall in Laughlin, but we are more than happy to leave a fun two days with the Class 1 win and the 2007 SCORE Overall point lead. We can't wait for San Felipe. We have some work to do to get ready, a minor motor issue and I drove the last two laps in Laughlin with very little power steering left, but our new Jimco is an incredible race car."

SCORE points are determined both on final finishing position and number of vehicles that started the race within the individual class.

Third in overall points with 65 after winning the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division for high-tech, 800 horsepower unlimited production trucks for the second straight year is Las Vegas' B.J. Baldwin in the Baldwin Motorsports No. 1 Chevy Silverado. Baldwin's truck is prepped and the crew provided by Collins Motorsports of Las Vegas.

Fourth in overall points with 64 is Las Vegas' B.J. Richardson, who is second in Class 1 in a Bunderson-Chevy, while fifth is Matt Gumz, Barstow, Calif., who is second in Class 1-2/1600 with 62 points in a Lothringer-VW.

Just four points separate the next five drivers in SCORE Overall points, led by Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., who is sixth overall and third in Class 1 with 60 points in another Jimco-Chevy. Garron Cadiente, Mesa, Ariz., is seventh overall and second in SCORE Trophy-Truck just one point behind Wilson in his No. 38. G&R Racing Ford F-150.

Eighth overall and third in Class 1-2/1600, just one point behind Cadiente with 58 is Las Vegas' Aaron Hawley, who drives a Sea Grove-VW.

Just one more point back with 57 each, tied for ninth overall after Laughlin are the team of Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif./Dan Worley, Encinitas, Calif., who lead SCORE Lite in a Jimco-VW and Josh Baldwin, Newport Beach, Calif., who is fourth in Class 1 in a Jimco-Chevy.

Baldwin is a regular in SCORE Trophy-Truck in the No. 86 Baldwin Racing Ford F-150, and isn't expected to run the full SCORE season in Class 1. Baldwin is sixth in SCORE Trophy-Truck points after Laughlin.

The Hall family of Reno, Nev., opened the season in Laughlin with a pair of class wins to lead their respective classes. Ageless wonder Rod Hall, who has 12 SCORE season class point titles in his career, won the Stock Mini class in his Hummer H3 and his son Josh Hall won the Stock Full class in a Hummer H2.

Besides B.J. Baldwin and Rod Hall, other defending 2007 SCORE season point champions who have taken the early lead in their respective classes this year by virtue of their class wins at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge are: George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5, VW Baja Bug), Mike Horner, Mission Viejo, Calif. (Class 7S, Toyota Tacoma), John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif. (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger) and Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix (Class 8, GMC Sierra).

Pre-race festivities at the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 will include the colorful SCORE Midway and tech inspection on the Malecon beachfront in downtown alongside the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday (March 9).

At 9 p.m. on Saturday (March 10), the awards celebration will be held in front of The Beachcomber Night Club on the Malecon.

The 2007 SCORE Desert Series also includes the chase for the $75,000 Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several 2007 SCORE Class point champions along with the run for the $12,000 Toyota True Grit and Toyota Milestone Awards.

The season-opening 13th annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge was sponsored by the Laughlin Tourism Committee, the Laughlin Visitors Bureau, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in association with Las Vegas Events. The race was sanctioned and produced by SCORE International of Los Angeles.

Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/Bryant Petroleum-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, American Racing ATX Series-official wheel, Slime-official tire sealant, Airstar America-official space lighting provider and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Communications, Kartek Off-Road, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bendix, American Suzuki, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

For more information, 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.

-credit: score