Points update 2007-08-06

Steele extends lead in SCORE Lite
3 points separate Vegans B. J. Richardson (Class 1) & B.J. Baldwin (SCORE Trophy-Truck) in 2007 SCORE Desert Series Overall points

Computerized Start draw Wednesday for Round 5--SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, Sept. 7-9, in Primm, Nev.

LOS ANGELES--With a second place finish in the recent SCORE Las Vegas Terrible's Cup III, B.J. Baldwin kept his SCORE Trophy-Truck season point lead while inching to within three points of fellow Las Vegan B.J. Richardson's Class 1 point lead in the hunt for the SCORE Overall point championship in the 2007 SCORE Desert Series.

After the unique stadium-style event held July 20-21 for six SCORE car at truck classes at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Richardson has 284 season points while B.J. Baldwin has earned 281 total points after four of six 2007 SCORE races.

All 18 SCORE Pro and 2 Sportsman classes for cars and trucks are now preparing for the 12th Annual SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300 desert race, to be held Sept. 7-9 in Primm, Nev., 35 miles south of Las Vegas at the California border. The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, will be held this Wednesday at the SCORE International headquarters in Los Angeles.

Richardson continues to hold the Overall and unlimited Class 1 point lead through four events in the 2007 SCORE Desert Series schedule. Following a second in Class 1 at the 13th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, a fourth in Class 1 at the 21st Tecate SCORE Baja 250, a first at the 39th Tecate SCORE Baja 500, and a 10th place in Las Vegas, the veteran Richardson continues to be the leader of the record-setting pack in the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series. Richardson, 41, drives a Valley Performance-prepped, Chevy-powered Bunderson open-wheel desert race car sponsored by John Gaughan's Las Vegas Dissemination Company.

A total of just 54 points separate the top 20 overall point leaders after the popular SCORE Las Vegas Terrible's Cup III.

Hovering right behind Richardson in in the Overall standings just three points back with 281 points is defending series SCORE Trophy-Truck point champion B.J. Baldwin, who is also from Las Vegas.

Three other Las Vegas drivers are co-drivers in the third, fourth and fifth place teams in the SCORE Overall Point Standings and the two are also second and third in the SCORE Trophy-Truck points.

After winning in Las Vegas, still in third place is the team of Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, with 278 points while fourth overall and third in SCORE Trophy-Truck is the team of Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz./Brian Collins, Las Vegas with 264 points.

While Post/MacCachren, who drive the No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150 has two race wins this season, B.J. Baldwin, who drives the No. 1 Baldwin Motorsports Chevy Sivlerado and Ragland/Collins, who drive the No. 12 Collins Motorsports Chevy Silverado, have each captured one of the Overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins so far this season.

Fifth overall and leading Class 1-2/1600 after a second place finish in Las Vegas is the team of L.J. Kennedy, Orange, Calif./Sammy Ehrenberg, Las Vegas, in a VW-powered ChenoSPF open-wheel desert race car.

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

A mere two points separate the next five drivers in SCORE Overall points. Tied for sixth overall with 259 points after four races are Bill Gasper, Dave Caspino and Steven Eugenio. Gasper, Chino Hills, Calif., is second in Class 1 in a Porter-Chevy while second and third in Class 1-2/1600 are Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., in a Lothringer-VW and Eugenio, El Centro, Calif., in another Lothringer-VW.

Ninth in overall points and fourth in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 258 points is Hawaii's Alan Pflueger in the No. 28 Pflueger Racing Chevy Silverado while 10th overall with 257 points is SCORE Lite point leader Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif., in a Desert Assassin-VW.

The only two racers in 4-wheel vehicle classes started the 2007 season with three straight wins to lead the points in their respective classes are Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix (Class 8, Chevy Silverado) and Lobsam Yee, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 10,Jimco-Honda). Class 8 did not run in Las Vegas while Yee finished fifth and easily kept his Class 10 point lead.

With motorcycles and ATV classes joining the cars and trucks in SCORE races in Mexico, the overall point leaders after two of three races are the Robby Bell-led team in motorcycles and the Danny Prather-led team in ATVs.

Bell, Murrieta, Calif. and teammates Kendall Norman, Santa Barbara, Calif./Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., have 180 points on the No. 1x American Honda Racing CRF450X. The trio defeated a motorcycle race-high field of 24 starters in Class 22 at the SCORE Baja 500, the most starters in the open motorcycle class in over a decade. It was the second straight win over the SCORE season.

Prather, Ramona, Calif., and his teammates Mike Cafro, Carlsbad, Calif., Levi Marana, Hemet, Calif. and Marc Spaeth, Warner, Calif., have two wins and 169 points to lead Class 25 on their Honda TRX450R.

Among the other motorcycle classes, veteran Jim O'Neal, 60, Chatsworth, Calif., and his put together two teams of talented riders and leads the points in both age group classes. O'Neal and his merry men lead both Class 30 (riders over 30 years old) on a Honda CRF450X and Class 50 (riders over 50 years old) on an O'Neal Racing Honda XR650R. O'Neal's teams have won both races this year in Class 30 and one in Class 50.

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.

-credit: score