LAKE FOREST, CA (January 22, 2008) — Coming off of the most successful season of his career, Carl Renezeder is ready for the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge this weekend (Jan 24-27) in Laughlin, Nevada.  After 21 wins in short-course off-road racing in 2007, Renezeder capped off his season by driving for Riviera Racing, winning the 40th SCORE Baja 1000 overall with Mark Post and Rob MacCachren in their SCORE championship winning Trophy Truck.

“I was honored when they asked me to help them drive at the 1000,” commented Renezeder.  “They had a lot at stake, and they trusted me to deliver the race truck in good position and in good shape to Mark Post, so he could race the final third of the course.  That’s exactly how it worked.  They won the overall championship and we won the race.”

The championship truck will be on display with all three drivers, as well as SCORE Mechanic of the Year, Jim Blackmore, at 1:00pm on Friday, January 25th, at the start/finish line for photo and interview opportunities.  Qualifying for the Trophy Truck division for the Laughlin Desert Challenge will immediately follow at 1:30pm. 

“This is the most I’ve ever looked forward to getting back to racing,” continued Renezeder.  “Most years the off-season feels entirely too short, but after the season we had in ’07 and the way our Lucas Oil Trophy Truck tested the past couple of weeks, I’m fired up.”

The event kicks off with the infamous Laughlin Leap contest on Thursday night at 6:00pm, where drivers compete against one another in a long jump contest with their race trucks.  Renezeder was the winner in 2006 with a distance of 159’.  The event will continue on Friday morning with pre-running beginning at 8:00am and qualifying at 1:30pm.  The racing on both Saturday and Sunday for the Trophy Truck division will begin at 1:00pm.  Each day, the Trophy Trucks will leave the line two-at-a-time and complete eight six-mile loops.  The combined times of both days will determine the overall winner.  Renezeder’s best finish in Laughlin was in 2006 when he won the first day, finished second overall and won the Laughlin Leap.

Quick stats on Carl:

Birth date: April 16, 1964
Residence: Laguna Beach, CA
Hometown: Montebello, CA
Family: Wife: Kelley; 4 Children
Education: UCLA graduate, 1987; All-American Water Polo player
Hobbies: XTERRA triathlon, swimming, cycling, skiing, snowboarding, surfing

65 Career Short Course Wins
2007: CORR Pro-4 Champion; 8 CORR Pro-4 wins, including the Jason Baldwin Memorial Cup; 7 CORR Pro-2 wins (3rd in Pro-2 points); 3 WSORR Pro4x4 win, including the FCP Chairman’s Cup; 3 WSORR Pro2WD wins; Winner of the 40th SCORE Baja 1000 (overall and Trophy Truck) with Riviera Racing
2006: CORR Pro-2 Champion; 6 CORR Pro-2 wins; 2nd in CORR Pro-4 points; 4 CORR Pro-4 wins; Won SCORE Laughlin Leap (159’), Won Day 1, 2nd overall at the
SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge; 3rd in SCORE Las Vegas PRIMM 300
2005: CORR Pro-2 Champion; 9 CORR wins, including the Nissan Nationals in Pro-4; 2nd in CORR Pro-4 points
2004: 8 CORR wins; Governor’s Cup Champion; 2nd in CORR Pro-4 points; 3rd in CORR Pro-2 points
2003: CORR Pro-4 Champion; 8 CORR wins; Borg Warner World Champion; 2nd in CORR Pro-2 points
1994-2002: 9 CORR wins and multiple podiums in CORR; Won SCORE Baja 1000 (Class 1 – 1994); 2 podium finishes in SCORE Baja 500