April 2, 2009 - Off road racing veteran driver/team owner Mark Porter teams up with gunslinger Jerry Whelchel in the yellow FORD #2 truck as Whelchel splits the atom running in both TORC and BITD for CHM and now LOORS with Mark Porter's PRO2 campaign.
"I'm happy to participate this year with Mark. With a championship here and there between us in the desert we've known each other a long time, there's allot of good history between us.." stated Whelchel.
"Chet (Team CHM owner) is concentrating his efforts understandably to his Aerospace business while still maintaining the #1 championship winning BITD campaign and now the TORC series with the #1 Pro2. This in itself, even in a great economy is a full "all hands on deck" commitment and I'm just lucky I can "do it all" as a driver.
"I called Jerry and started talking before either series had even taken shape looking to capitalize on the moment and I'm happy to say it worked. Jerry is a deadly threat to anybody in off road racing and we finally get to combine and corral that talent together" said Team Owner/Driver Mark Porter.
Mark is president and COO of Rotor Way Intnl of AZ. In addition to his business ventures Mark Porter who's passion is racing is a long time Drag-Racer who also runs a Trophy Truck with such wins as the Laughlin Desert Challenge as well as the 2004 Best-In-The-Desert series championship in a Trick Truck with his partner Gary Dircks. His love of the sport started at an early age with drag racing. "It's hard not to be in the seat myself this year but having Whelchel in there for me I can live vicariously while I concentrate on my primary Aerospace / Helicopter company in its day to day operations."
As manager of a race team Mark honed his skills as a master mechanic and crew chief. His enthusiasm in whatever he does has been a major factor in his, and his team’s success running both PRO2 and PRO4 with Adrian Cenni in the CORR series in 2008.
Jerry Whelchel’s off-road racing career has spanned over 30 years. Jerry started racing off-road at age 14, in a Class 1 car with his father at the Carlsbad off-road track. By 1984, the now-legendary Mickey Thompson series had begun drawing thousands of fans. Jerry jumped head first into the series as Class 1 morphed into the Super 1600 Class. In 1993, Jerry got the opportunity he had been waiting for, the chance to race for a Ford-backed Grand National sport truck team. Jerry went on to win the Mickey Thompson series four times and holds the title for most main event wins. After the demise of the Mickey Thompson series, Jerry went on to race both trucks and Super 1600 buggies in the PACE series. In 1994, Riviera Racing team owner and driver Mark Post asked Jerry to co-drive his brand new Class 1 car in the SCORE and Best in the Desert Series. The team did well winning first in class at the SCORE Laughlin Challenge and San Felipe 250. Jerry quickly made the jump into the ultimate off-road class, the unlimited world of Trophy Trucks. The Riviera team blazed their way through the competition, winning four SCORE races including the San Felipe 250 twice, Terrible’s Primm 300, Henderson’s Terrible 250 and the Laughlin Challenge. In addition to winning the Laughlin Challenge, Jerry held the record for the Laughlin leap at 160.5 feet until 2009. In 2006, Jerry returned to short-course racing, earning 7 podiums and 1 first place win at the legendary Bark River track. In 2007, Jerry had another outstanding year, finishing first overall twice and racking up 7 podiums earning him the overall Pro2WD point championship. Currently, Jerry Whelchel is campaigning his Chet Huffman Motorsports Pro2WD truck in the TORC series and with Mark Porter in the LOORS. In addition to shortcourse racing, Whelchel /Huffman won the 2008 "Trick Truck" B.I.T.D championship. IN 2009 Jerry will also be running the Chet Huffman Motorsports Trophy Truck in S.C.O.R.E #40 and the #1 plate in the Best in the Desert Series. “I have done this my whole life. A day at the office for me is sliding sideways in the dirt." Now with "back to back" championships in both Desert and Shortcourse disciplines I am more motivated than ever to continue to defend those #1 plates! It just keeps getting "better and better"!
