Western Motorsports signs Klauer for Baja 1000

Tom Klauer Signs to Drive for Western Motorsports in Famed Baja 1000
Klauer completes Trio of Drivers for Pro Truck Entry

Western Motorsports Baja 1000 Drivers Escondido, California -- It may be five-months away, but the most grueling long distance off-road race known to man takes months of preparation. Western Motorsports began preparing today by announcing the driver lineup and primary sponsors for their Pro Truck Ford entry into the 43rd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. Veteran road course racer Tom Klauer will make his off-road debut in the event along with team regulars Dave Mason and Rick Backus. Primary sponsors for the #1265 Pro Truck Ford will be Pick-n-Pull Self-Service Auto and Truck Dismantlers and Eleven Western Builders.

The race will begin in Ensenada, Mexico on November 17th and competitors will drive under the clock attempting to finish in La Paz, Mexico located at the bottom of the Baja California Peninsula. Dave Mason is a former winner of the prestigious motorsports event and carries over 20-years of Baja Racing experience. Rick Backus is a long time team owner-sponsor, who has taken over as a driver and racked up impressive finishes over the last several years at the Pro Truck level. Tom Klauer was added to form a trio due to the long enduring race. Although it will mark Klauer's first-ever Baja off-road race he's no stranger to the terrain or to driving race cars.

Klauer's passion for race cars began with driving Indy-Lite style race cars. He's graduated at an advanced level from two of the most recognized driving schools in the country (Russell School of Auto Racing and Bondurant). Klauer has over 50-career race starts with 15 of those finishes on the podium. An avid collector of vintage race cars, Klauer houses 10 historic NASCAR's that he actively races. But for Klauer there are a few events he has wanted an opportunity to compete in. One is a professional NASCAR event, which he's entered into on July 18th at Portland International Raceway and the other is the Baja 1000.

"In past years I have had the opportunity to gain some off road experience in the varied terrain of the Baja Peninsula. I started my Baja experience in the early 80's when Cabo San Lucas was barely a mark on the map. It's such a combination of beautiful landscape and challenging rugged terrain," said Klauer. "Who wouldn't want to race in the Baja 1000? I look forward to being a participant in this year's event racing for Western Motorsports."

The Western Motorsports team has already begun planning for the enormously large logistical challenges of such a long event in a foreign land. Leading up to the race the three drivers and their navigators will conduct a series of test days and pre-running events. In between his role as President of Pick-n-Pull Self Service Auto and Truck Dismantler's Klauer will fit in the test days in addition to his debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on July 18th at the Portland International Raceway. He will be piloting the #25 Schnitzer Steel Industries (Cascade Steel Rolling Mills & Pick-n-Pull) car.

"We are excited to be racing again this year in the Baja 1000. It's the ultimate challenge of man and machine. There simply is not another off-road event that has the prestige and mystic of the Baja 1000," said Backus. "Dave [Mason] and I aren't getting any younger and we thought it would be good to add another driver. But he'd need to be a fit for our team, not just competitively, but would need to fit our culture and our group. Tom [Klauer] was like one of the team from our first meeting and we knew right away he would be a great addition. We are really looking forward to having a fun and competitive event."

-source: www.WesternMotorsports.org