Racing his newly built Trophy Truck, “Ballistic” BJ Baldwin reined havoc on the huge field of racers at the Laughlin Desert Challenge winning in 1 hour, 45 minutes 44 seconds averaging 54.47 miles per hour to take the overall win in addition to the Trophy Truck win. This win marks the first SCORE win for the personable trophy truck driver affectionately known as “Ballistic” B.J. Baldwin. He took time to talk with DirtNewz as he climbed out of the driver’s seat of the #97 Trophy Truck.
The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge race featured two days of racing over the 8-mile race course located at the Laughlin Events Park situated on the shores of the Colorado River. Entries peaked at 233 entries from 12 states, Mexico, Canada and Japan all vying for the $400,000 purse.
In front of a record crowd of more than 40,000 wild fans from the dirt nation, Baldwin charged hard in his quest to secure a win early in the season. Consistency is what paid off for the veteran off road desert racer, who’s been racing in the desert since 1997.
This impressive victory comes at a time when the SCORE Unlimited Production Trophy Trucks often battle with the raging fast Class 1 cars all vying for the overall victory. However, in this year’s race, the top three overall finishers were all Trophy Trucks. Finishing in second position was Carl Renezeder driving the #17 Lucas Oil Trophy Truck followed by Ed Herbst in the #19 Terrible Herbst Trophy Truck.
Finishing first in Class 1 was the TSCO Class buggy of Gary Weyrich who finished fourth overall and was followed by his brother, Mark Weyrich, in fifth overall. Early in the race, Mark Weyrich, dominated the field in his TSCO buggy, however he suffered a mechanical failure that sidelined him in the pits taking him out of the top spot.
Major Performance Racing Engines was a big winner over the weekend in Laughlin as Ken Major’s motors were victorious in Class 10 and Class 12. Leading the charge in Class 10 was Darren Hardesty who drove his AlumiCraft-built buggy to victory after the fans watched ESPN Commentator – Cameron Steele takes his Class 12 – Major Performance Racing Engines car across the finish line to capture the checkered flag for victory. DirtNewz was fortunate enough to catch up with Ken Major at the race.
In the wide-open 1-2 1600 class, Rob MacCachren put on a clinic at the Laughlin Desert Challenge as he schooled the field with a blistering pace that no other 1-2 1600 racer could challenge. MacCachren fielded a new race car for this race, a Bunderson-VW powered 2-seat machine. Handling co-driving duties was JP Vildosola, the 16-year-old son of Gustavo Vildosola, team owner of Mexicana Logistics. MacCachren raced in three classes over the two-day racing event.
MacCachren raced in three classes, which included Trophy Truck, 1-2/1600 and Class 10. Among the other class winners crowned Sunday were: Victor Herrera Jr., Tijuana, Mexico, Ford Ranger (Class 7), Danny Ledezma, El Centro, Calif., VW Baja Bug (Class 5/1600); Michelle Bruckmann, Lemon Grove, Calif./Michael Loomis, Del Cerro, Calif., Unlimited VW Baja Bug (Class 5), Tyler FOX, Ramona, Calif., Ford Ranger (Class 7S), Greg Foutz, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-250 (Stock Full), and Gus Vildosola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico, Toyota Tundra (Protruck).
The event wasn’t without drama as the weather conditions took a turn for the worse about the time the SCORE Unlimited Production Trophy Trucks started wheel-to-wheel racing. A desert storm formed over the Colorado River as winds blew up to 40 mph turning the infield of the Laughlin Events Park to a dust bowl likened to dust roaring across the plains of the Oklahoma. With limited visibility racers charged through the dust at over 100 miles per hour searching for the best lines.
Pro Comp sponsored – Marty Coyne suffered a wild end-over-end crash that took the highly successful racer out of the racing action. The spectacular crash stunned the crowd. Coyne exited his Trophy Truck a bit dazed, but suffered no injuries in what is a testament to the fantastic engineering and fabrication skills of Coyne Motorsports.
Not but a few minutes later, Baldwin Racing’s Josh Baldwin lost the right front spindle of his #86 Trophy Truck in the infield of the Laughlin Events Park resulting in a crash. His co-driver was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The field of the nation’s top off road racers in both Class 1 and the Trophy Truck class were decimated by the difficult conditions of this year’s Laughlin Desert Challenge course. Of the 33 starters in the Trophy Truck class only 11 trucks finished the race. In Class 1 the starting field of 37 only saw 11 finishers come across the line. A total of 70 teams in the combined classes of Class 1 and Trophy truck saw the starting line, but only 22 finished this 96-mile race.
Round 2 of the 2006 SCORE Desert Series will be the 20th Annual Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, March 10-12 in Baja California, Mexico.
Complete Results | Full Coverage | Audio Interviews | Photos
TOP OVERALL FINISHERS
1. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1 hour, 45 minutes 44 seconds, 54.47 miles per hour
2. Carl Renezeder, Laguna Beach, Calif., Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:46:14, 54.220
3. Ed Herbst/Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:46:47, 53.941
4. Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:47:09, 53.756
5. Randy Wilson, Lakewood, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:47:15, 53.706
6. Brian Parkhouse, Bell Gardens, Calif, Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:50:25, 52.166
7. Gus Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico/Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:51:05, 51.853
8. Darren Hardesty, Ramona, Calif., AlumiCraft-VW, Class 10, 1:51:52, 51.490
9. Cameron Steele/Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., Desert Assassin, SCORE Lite, 1:52:47, 51.071
10. Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif./Dave Mason, Valley Center, Calif., Jimco-BMW, Class 1, 1:54:24, 50.350
11. John Cooley, Santee, Calif., AlumiCraft-VW, Class 10, 1:54:27, 50.328
12. Ron Dalke, Tucson, Ariz., Tatum-Toyota, Class 10, 1:54:33, 50.284
13. Jason Batulis/Jeff Lothringer, San Clemente, Calif., SCORE Lite, 1:54:45, 50.196
14. Rick Ellison, Selma, Calif./Bill Witt, Henderson, Nev, Jimco-Honda, Class 10, 1:55:03, 50.065
15. Tim Noe/Tom Watson, El Centro, Calif., Jimco, SCORE Lite, 1:55:21, 49.935
16. Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif./Dan Worley, Encinitas, Calif., Jimco, SCORE Lite, 1:55:54, 49.698
17. Will Higman, Newport Beach, Calif., Kreger-Honda, Class 10, 1:55:59, 49.662
18. Richard Boyle, Ridgecrest, Calif./Ron Brant, Oak Hills, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:56:08, 49.598
19. Bill Gasper, Chino Hills, Calif./Dave Gasper, Goleta, Calif., Porter-Honda, Class 10, 1:56:23, 49.492
20. Bob Shepard, Phoenix, Chevy CK1500, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:56:36, 49.400
21. Dan Myers, Newport Beach, Calif., Porter-Chevy, Class 1, 1:56:51, 49.294
22. Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif./Ed Stout, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:57:32, 49.007
23. Gus Vildosola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico/Bryan Freeman, Henderson, Nev., Toyota Tundra, ProTruck, 1:58:07, 48.765
24. Dale Ebberts, Canyon Lake, Calif./Ernie Castro Jr., Newport Beach, Calif., Jimco-Toyota, Class 1, 1:58:13, 48.724
25. Ken Stroud, Alpine, Calif./Chris Harrold, Chula Vista, Calif., Jimco, SCORE Lite, 1:58:22, 48.662
