Record entry field reaches 403

Former race winners R. Gordon, Miller, Pflueger, Ragland leading Record 40 SCORE Trophy-Trucks to 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500

Seven of 12 SCORE Trophy-Truck winners including
MacCachren, LeDuc entered in June 2-4 race in Ensenada, Mexico

Los Angeles, California (May 17, 2006)

With a race-record field of over 400 already guaranteed for next month's 38th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, the second-oldest desert race in the world, attention quickly re-focuses on the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division. Since its debut in 1994, SCORE Trophy-Trucks have captured the overall victory in the popular race in nine of 12 years, including the first seven and the last two.

The talented class-record field of 40 SCORE Trophy-Trucks will showcase the spectacular 800-horsepower, high-tech, unlimited production trucks that comprise the featured SCORE racing division.

The former SCORE Trophy-Truck Tecate SCORE Baja 500 race winners entered this year are: Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C. (2005), No. 83 Chevy CK1500; Alan Pflueger, Honolulu (2004), No. 28 Chevy Silverado; Mark Miller, Carefree, Ariz. (2002 with Larry Ragland and in 2003 with current teammate Ryan Arciero, Foothill Ranch, Calif.), No. 88 Chevy Silverado; Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz., (2000 solo and 2003 with Miller), No. 12 Chevy Silverado with current teammate Brian Collins, Las Vegas; Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, (1996), No. 4 Ford F-150 with current teammate Gus Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico; and Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., (1995), No. 3 Ford F-150 with current teammate Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Of that distinguished group, Gordon, Pflueger, Ragland (2000), MacCachren and LeDuc also earned the overall victories in this summer desert racing classic in the same year the won the SCORE Trophy-Truck class.

Round 3 of the six-race 2006 SCORE Desert Series, the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series, featuring a race-record of over 400 entries competing in 25 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held June 2-4 in Ensenada, Mexico. Traditionally one of the most popular events on the SCORE schedule, over 150,000 spectators are expected to enjoy the world's best desert racers in action around the picturesque deserts, beaches and forests of Baja California at this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500.

With late entries accepted up until race morning, entries have been received from 27 U.S. States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan and New Zealand, all preparing to challenge the very technical and rugged 424.29-mile course. Pre-running, or repeated practice driving and riding the course began last Saturday and will continue until the day before the race (Friday, June 2).

NASCAR team owner/driver Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., will defend his overall 4-wheel vehicle and SCORE Trophy-Truck crown as will last year's overall motorcycle and Class 22 winner Mike Childress, Wrightwood, Calif., who is racing this year on the American Honda A team with Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., and Josh Frederick, Moapa, Nev., the defending Overall ATV champion.

"It'll be another busy week for us but, hopefully, I won't be so sick like I was last year," said Gordon, a second-generation desert racer who has four class wins, including three overall titles, in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500. "Our schedule with NASCAR is so hectic, we haven't finalized our pre-running or our total race plans yet, but you can be sure Team Gordon will be ready to defend its title. The SCORE Trophy-Truck class is a unique and awesome racing class in all of motorsports and there are tons of excellent drivers and teams. We won't take any of them for granted, but if we want to be on the top of the podium, we have to first beat another one of those infamous SCORE Baja race courses that are so challenging to maneuver through."

Gordon, who will pull double duty by racing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup race the same weekend in Dover, Del., has entered two trucks in the class. Gordon, who won the 1996 SCORE Trophy-Truck season point championship, will drive the No. 89 SCORE Trophy-Truck and Andy McMillin, a third-generation SCORE desert racer, is running the entire 2006 SCORE Desert Series schedule in the No. 83 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500. Team Gordon is reportedly considering reducing to a one-truck effort in the No. 83 SCORE Trophy-Truck with Gordon driving the first half of the race before turning the wheel over to Andy McMillin and flying back to Dover.

The SCORE Trophy-Truck division for the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 includes 17 drivers who have combined to win 54 of the first 73 races in the 12-plus year history of the class along with eight of the 12 season point champions the class has had since its debut in 1994.

Leading that group of drivers is the Terrible Herbst Motorsports duo of brothers Ed and Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, No. 19 Ford F-150. The talented brothers lead all racers in SCORE Trophy-Truck history with 11 race wins and four season point championships (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003). Ironically, their only class win in this race was in Class 2 in 1989.

Following the Herbst brothers, the other SCORE Trophy-Truck race winners who will be in the starting grid in Ensenada are: Ragland (8), R. Gordon (5), LeDuc, MacCachren, Miller and Post (4 each), Arciero (3), Pflueger and Collins (2 each). Seven entries with one career SCORE Trophy-Truck win each are: B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, No. 97 Chevy Silverado; Garron Cadiente, Mesa, Ariz., No. 38 Ford F-150; Marty Coyne, El Centro, Calif., No. 5 Ford F-150; Dale Dondel, Cathedral City, Calif., No. 11 Chevy Silverado; Juan C. Ibarra, Ensenada, Mexico, No. 32 Ford F-150; Bob Shepard, Phoenix, No. 1 Chevy CK1500; and Vildosola.

After back-to-back wins in 2004 in SCORE Trophy-Truck at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and the SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, Alan Pflueger is currently sixth in class points in 2006 and eagerly looking to earn his first win since then.

"The SCORE Baja 500 is a tough race, but we know what it takes to win," said Pflueger, the 2002 SCORE Rookie of the Year who is President of the Pflueger Automotive Group in Hawaii. "We won this race in 2003 in the Protruck class and we won the overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck title in 2004. The course is a true SCORE Baja-type course. It is technical, rough and fast, but Pflueger Racing is pumped and ready to race."

With a first and a second so far this season, B.J. Baldwin is leading the SCORE Trophy-Truck point standings with 126 points. In second is Shepard, the defending class point champion, with 107 while third is Carl Renezeder, Laguna Beach, Calif., with 104 in the No. 17 Chevy Silverado. The Herbst brothers are currently fourth in points with 101 followed by Cadiente with 98 to complete the top five.

Pflueger is sixth in SCORE Trophy-Truck points with 91, followed by Cameron Steele in seventh with 87, Post/LeDuc in eighth with 84 and Mike Voyles in ninth with 83.

Steele, the action sports sportcaster who is also a pit reporter for the Champ Car World Series, has entered in three classes for the second straight race. He drives the No. 16 Ford F-150 and will also race in the SCORE Lite class as well as Class 22 for open motorcycles.

Voyles, Temecula, Calif., drives the No. 62 Ford F-150, and drew the first starting position for the race.
The SCORE Trophy-Truck field also includes several prominent racers who have moved up to the class more recently. These drivers include former unlimited Class 1 stars Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif. (Andy's father), who has five class wins and two overalls in this race, who will drive the No. 31 Chevy CK1500, noted car builder Mike Julson, Descano, Calif., in the No. 20 Chevy Silverado, John Herder, Tucson, Ariz., in the No. 52 Chevy Silverado, Kory Scheeler/Larry Job, Las Vegas, in the No. 51 Chevy Silverado, and MGM/Mirage Resorts CEO/President Bobby Baldwin, Las Vegas (B.J. Baldwin's father) in the No. 96 Chevy Silverado.

Another second-generation desert racer, Chad Ragland, Phoenix, continues to follow in his father Larry's successful tracks and will drive the No. 80 Chevy Silverado that he finished fourth in SCORE Trophy-Truck and seventh overall in last year's Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Crossover driver Rhyss Millen, San Juan Capistrano, a Pike's Peak International Hill Climb champion and Drifting national champion, will split driving time in the No. 40 Chevy Silverado owned by Chet Huffman, Northridge, Calif.
Starting and finishing in Ensenada on the majestic Baja California peninsula, this year's tight and technical course will run in a clockwise direction, running East into the middle of the peninsula, then South, followed by a West travel section, turning north, then East, North and back West for the final charge back into Ensenada.

The green flag will drop for the race at 6 a.m. on Saturday (June 3) for the motorcycle and ATV classes in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 9 a.m. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race, with an 18-hour time limit to become official finishers.
Entries have come from every state in the Western U.S., Hawaii, and Texas, from across the Midwest including South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as New York, Ohio and Massachusetts in the East and Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama in the South. A race-record total of 403 official entries have been received to date, an increase of 76 more entries since the April 22 drawing for start positions.

As of today, the Pro classes with the most entries are: Class 1 (44), SCORE Trophy-Truck, with a class-record 40, SCORE Lite, with a class-record 32, Class 1-2/1600 (27) and Class 22 (17). Leading the Sportsman classes is SPT Motorcycles over 250cc with a class-record 48 for the relatively new class and SPT ATV with a class-record 23 all-terrain vehicles entered.

The starting line area will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in downtown Ensenada, Mexico. The finish line will be at the softball and soccer field complex at 11th Street near Guadalupe Avenue in Ensenada. It is located approximately 1.7 miles east of the start line area.

Pre-race festivities for the 38th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held in Ensenada on Friday (June 2). Traditionally drawing approximately 50,000 spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer's Midway and display of every race vehicle will be held adjacent to the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday (June 2). The post-race awards celebration will be held at the San Nicolas Hotel on Sunday (June 4) at 10 a.m. Racer and media registration will be held on Thursday (June 1) from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday (June 2) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Nicolas Hotel.

The 2006 SCORE Desert Series includes the chase for the $50,000 Kartek Off-Road contingency bonus to be awarded to several qualified 2006 SCORE Class point champions.

The 2006 SCORE Desert Series also includes the hunt for the annual Toyota Milestone and $12,000 Toyota True Grit Awards. The prestigious Toyota Milestone Awards are presented to every racer who completes every required mile of every race in the 2006 SCORE Desert Series. The $12,000 Toyota True Grit purse is split among the SCORE season point champions who are also Toyota Milestone award winners in several non-factory-backed classes.

Current SCORE official 2006 sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/C.L. Bryant-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Airstar America-official space lighting provider. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Kartek Off-Road, Centrix Financial, NAPA Chassis, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Suzuki, SignPros, Cotuco, Fideicomiso Publico para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, 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 2006 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

38th Tecate SCORE BAJA 500
OFFICIAL SCORE Trophy-Truck ENTRIES
(By Class Starting Order-as of 5/16/06)

(Unlimited Production Trucks)

No., Driver of Record, Co-Driver, Vehicle

62 Mike Voyles, 43, Temecula, Calif./Dwaine Walters, 45, Valley Center, Calif., Ford F-150
39 Ron Whitton, 62, Maricopa, Ariz., Ford F-150
27 David Scaroni, 20/Matt Scaroni, 23, Heber, Calif., Ford F-150
7 Scott Steinberger, 38, Signal Hill, Calif./, Ford F-150
76 Jesse Jones, 40, Litchfield Park, Ariz., Ford F-150
86 Josh Baldwin, 29, Newport Beach, Calif., Ford F-150
88 Ryan Arciero, 32, Foothill Ranch, Calif./Mark Miller, 44, Carefree, Ariz., Chevy Silverado
83 Andy McMillin, 19, Poway, Calif./Robby Gordon, 37, Charlotte, N.C., Chevy CK1500
2 Pete Sohren, 42, Glendale, Ariz., Ford F-150
38 Garron Cadiente, 30, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150
53 Jeff Stowers, 46/Jeff Broughton, 46, Mission Viejo, Calif., Chevy S-10
3 Mark Post, 48, Laguna Beach, Calif./Curt LeDuc, 51, Cherry Valley, Calif., Ford F-150
26 Chris Robinson, 48, Riverside, Calif./Michael Robinson, 20, Riverside, Calif., Chevy Silverado
17 Carl Renezeder, 41, Laguna Beach, Calif., Chevy Silverado
20 Mike Julson, 48, Descanso, Calif., Chevy Silverado
41 Roger Norman, 43, Reno, Nev./Jerry Whelchel, 45, Las Flores, Calif., Ford F-150
97 B.J. Baldwin, 26, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
1 Bob Shepard, 48, Phoenix, Chevy CK1500
32 Juan C. Ibarra, 29, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford F-150
80 Chad Ragland, 35, Phoenix, Chevy Silverado
21 Roger Gray, 29/Robert Gray, 62, Cupertino, Calif., Chevy C1500
4 Gus Vildosola, 52, Mexicali, Mexico/Rob MacCachren, 40, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
52 John Herder, 37, Tucson, Ariz., Chevy Silverado
25 Enrique Legaspy, 32/Abraham Legaspy, 31, Punta Colonett, Mexico, Ford F-150
58 Frank Thing, 48/Tony Cortes, 54, El Cajon, Calif., Chevy Silverado
28 Alan Pflueger, 39, Honolulu, Chevy Silverado
12 Brian Collins, 43, Las Vegas/Larry Ragland, 62, Cave Creek, Ariz., Chevy Silverado
89 Robby Gordon, 37, Chevy CK1500
11 Dale Dondel, Cathedral City, Calif./Mike Dondel, 39, Homeland, Calif., Ford F-150
16 Cameron Steele, 38, San Clemente, Calif./Ed Stout, 40, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150
5 Marty Coyne, 49/Travis Coyne, 26/Brandon Coyne, 24, El Centro, Calif., Ford F-150
40 Chet Huffman, 45, Northridge, Calif./Rhyss Millen, 33, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Chevy Silverado
55 Luis Wallace, 30, Juarez, Mexico, Ford F-150
96 Bobby Baldwin, 56, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
51 Kory Scheeler, 44/Larry Job, 44, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
15 Jim Beaver, 25, Parker, Ariz., Ford F-150
19 Ed Herbst, 45/Tim Herbst, 43, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
31 Scott McMillin, 46/Andy McMillin, 19, Poway, Calif., Chevy CK1500
50 Jerry Larimore, 30/Buff Harmon, 32, Escondido, Calif., Ford F-150
75 Jerry Zaiden, 33, Huntington Beach, Calif./Jason Campbell, 33, Costa Mesa, Calif., Ford Ranger

Tecate SCORE Baja 500
SCORE Trophy-Truck Winners
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

1994: Ivan Stewart
1995: Curt LeDuc
1996: Rob MacCachren
1997: Ivan Stewart
1998: Ivan Stewart
1999: Ivan Stewart
2000: Larry Ragland
2001: David Ashley/Dan Smith
2002: Mark Miller/Larry Ragland
2003: Mark Miller/Ryan Arciero
2004: Alan Pflueger
2005: Robby Gordon

2006 SCORE DESERT SERIES
SCORE Trophy-Truck Point Leaders
(thru Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 3/11)

SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (36 Total Racers, Wins)
1. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado (1), 126
2. Bob Shepard, Phoenix, Chevy CK1500, 107
3. Carl Renezeder, Laguna Beach,Calif., Chevy Silverado, 104
4. Ed Herbst/Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 101
5. Garron Cadiente, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150 (1), 98
6. Alan Pflueger, Honolulu, Chevy Silverado, 91
7. Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif., Ford F-150, 87
8. Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Ford F-150, 84
9. Mike Voyles, Temecula, Calif., Ford F-150, 83
10. Scott Steinberger, Cypress, Calif., Ford F-150, 79
10. Kory Scheeler, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 79
12. Bobby Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 72
13. Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150, 71
14. Josh Baldwin, Newport Beach, Calif., Ford F-150, 67
15. Luis Wallace, Juarez, Mexico, Chevy Silverado, 65
16. Andy McMillin, Poway, Calif., Chevy CK1500, 63
17. Marty Coyne, El Centro, Calif., Ford F-150, 62
18. Gus Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150, 61
19. Jerry Larimore, Escondido, Calif., Ford F-150, 57
20. Mike Julson, Descanso, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 55
21. Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico, Ford F-150, 54
22. Chet Huffman, Northridge, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 40
23. John Marking, El Cajon, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 39
24. Wayne Lugo, Bakersfield, Calif., Ford F-150, 38
25. Jesse Jones, Litchfield Park, Ariz., Ford F-150, 31

SCORE Trophy-Trucks
(debuted in 1994, for 800 horsepower unlimited production trucks-
73 total Desert races, 1 Stadium-short course)

All-Time SCORE Trophy-Truck Race Winners
(through Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250-March 11, 2006)

Wins Driver(s), Years
11--
Ed/Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 1997, 1998, 1999(3), 2000(2), 2001, 2002, 2003(2)

9--
Dan Smith/David Ashley, Riverside, Calif., Ford F-150, 1998(2), 2000, 2001(3), 2002(3)
Ivan Stewart, Alpine, Calif., Toyota SR5, 1994(3), 1995(2), 1997, 1998(2), 1999

8--
Larry Ragland, Phoenix, Chevy, 1995(2), 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 (w/ Mark Miller), 2005 (w/Brian Collins)

5--
Robby Gordon, Mooresville, N.C., Ford F-150, 1996(4), Chevy CK1500, 2005

4--
Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1995, 1997(3)
Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 1994, 1996(2), 2003 (w/ Gus Vildosola)
Mark Miller, Carefree, Ariz., Chevy Silverado, 2002 (w/ Larry Ragland), 2003(2), 2004 (w/ Ryan Arciero)
Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Ford F-150, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 (all w/ JerryWhelchel)
Paul/Dave Simon, Fallbrook, Calif., Ford F-150, 1994(2), 1995(2)
Jerry Whelchel, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Ford F-150, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 (all w/ Mark Post)

3--
Ryan Arciero, Foothill Ranch, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 2003(2), 2004 (w/ Mark Miller)

2--
Alan Pflueger, Honolulu, Chevy Silverado, 2004(2)
Brian Collins, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 2001, 2005 (w/Larry Ragland)

1--
B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 2006
Jason Baldwin, Laguna Beach, Calif., Ford F-150, 2005
Garron Cadiente, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150, 2006
Brian Coats, Huntington Beach, Calif., Chevy C1500, 1997
*Marty Coyne, El Centro, Calif., Ford F-150, 2005
Gary Dircks, Anthem, Ariz., Ford F-150, 2004
Dale Dondel, Hemet, Calif, Chevy Silverado, 2005
Juan C. Ibarra, Ensenada, Mexico, Chevy C1500, 1998
Larry Roeseler, Hesperia, Calif., Chevy K1500, 1999
Bob Shepard, Phoenix, Chevy CK1500, 2005
Jim Smith, Orange, Calif., Ford F-150, 1994
Gus Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico, 2003 (w/ Rob MacCachren)

*non-points stadium-short course race

12 Years of SCORE Trophy-Truck Season Champions

1994--Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
1995--Ivan Stewart, Alpine, Calif., Toyota SR5
1996--Robby Gordon, Orange, Calif., Ford F-150
1997--Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., Jeep Grand Cherokee
1998--David Ashley/Dan Smith, Riverside, Calif., Ford F-150
1999--Ed & Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
2000--Ed & Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
2001--David Ashley/Dan Smith, Riverside, Calif., Ford F-150
2002--Ed & Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
2003--Tim & Ed Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
2004--Jason Baldwin, Laguna Beach, Calif., Ford F-150
2005--Bob Shepard, Phoenix, Chevy CK1500