ENSENADA, Mexico—Pistol Pete Sohren drew the number one position off the line at this year's SCORE Baja 250, a race that was originally slated for battle on the shores of San Felipe, Baja California, but later changed to Ensenada, Baja California on the Pacific side. The veteran off road racer will drive his No. 2 Trophy Truck out of Ensenada on brand new MAXXIS tires.

Driving a stout (no pun intended Clyde) Geiser-built trophy truck, Pistol Pete is in position to make a historic run as he leads a record-field of off road racers out of Ensenada into the wilds of the Baja Peninsula.

Only days ago, Pistol Pete Sohren made a decision that perhaps is yet the next step in the ever competitive tire battle as he left the company that is synonmous with winning off road racing championships for a company that is just breaking into the desert racing scene.

The No. 2 Trophy Truck is now wearing MAXXIS tires instead of the bomb-proof BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR.

Granted, MAXXIS Tires has been around for a long time and they have made their mark in the off road world of competitive motorsports, however they've yet to make a mark at the level of top off road racers in the elite Trophy Truck division.

SCORE Trophy Trucks feature massive amounts of horsepower and over two feet of suspension front and rear allowing the 4800 lbs unlimited production race trucks to float across the desert at 125 miles an hour. With that said, it is imperative to have the best components made involved in your race program. Desert racing is a test of man and machine against the course first, and the fierce competition second.

The past two decades of desert racing has seen BFGoodrich Tires rise to the top of the off road racing world and dominate by winning 20 consecutive SCORE Baja 1000 championships and Pistol Pete Sohren has run on the ever so popular, BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR tire.

Although, racing a Trophy Truck in the desert is a very expensive proposition.

More than most could ever believe and all for a winning purse that is far from off setting the cost of simply prepping the truck for the race.

Undoubtedly, economics has played a big part of Pistol Pete's decision to switch from BFGoodrich to MAXXIS.

It was only three years ago, when PCI Racing's Scotty Steinberger, owner and driver of the very popular No. 7 FABTECH Trophy Truck weighed the opportunity to take the step to Toyo Tires from BFGoodrich, after then-Toyo Tires Marketing Director, Travis Roffler, drove Toyo Tires from nothing to something in only two years. As we now know, Steinberger was the first Trophy Truck driver to take the opportunity venturing to Toyo Tires and was followed the following season by 2006 SCORE Baja 1000 winners, Robby Gordon and Andy McMillin, who gave Toyo Tires their biggest win in off road racing in winning last season's big race.

All eyes will be on Pistol Pete Sohren at this SCORE Baja 250 this weekend as he ventures into Baja's wild territory on virgin Trophy Truck rubber while charging through 200-miles of harsh terrain. The big question is whether or not Pistol Pete's number one draw off the line will be hindered by the untested and unproven MAXXIS rubber while the freight train of BFGoodrich sponsored teams chases him down.

Stay tuned for live reports right here on DIRTnewz on race day, Saturday, March 10, 2007.