Dean leading Class 1

Mexico’s Vildosola patiently waits as early race leaders break to take

SCORE Trophy-Truck lead at 14th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge


Race finishes Sunday as Harrold, Watson, Boyer, Nunez, Chamlee, R. Hall, Holmes all leading classes

LAUGHLIN, Nev.—Mexico’s Gus Vildosola Jr. patiently waited his turn Saturday as the early race leaders all fell off the pace to take the first day Overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck class lead after the first of two days of racing in the season-opening 14th annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

Sixth after the first of 8 laps over the surprisingly rugged 6.25 mile race course, Vildosola patiently waited his turn to finish the lead with a time of 1 hour, 16 seconds, averaging 49.78 miles per hour in the No. 4 Vildosola Racing Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck.

Racing concludes Sunday for 17 Pro and 2 Sportsman classes for cars and trucks with racing starting at 7 a.m. and lasting to 5 p.m. Running 8 more laps each, the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division will start the final portion of its race at 1 p.m., followed by the unlimited Class 1 at 3 p.m. The start/finish line area is located at the Laughlin Events Park at Edision Drive and Bruce Woodbury Drive in the heart of the Laughlin resort district.

Round 1 of the 2008 SCORE Desert Series features 141 starters from 19 states, Mexico and Germany competing for nearly $400,000 in prize money and contingency postings.

Vildosola crashed severely during Friday’s qualifying run but the crew was able to work until early Saturday morning to complete chassis repairs and pass tech of the vehicle wouldn’t have been able make the starting line.

One of the top Mexican desert racing teams, Vildosola Racing is based in Mexicali, Mexico. Gus Vildosola Jr. and his father Gus Vildosola finished second in SCORE Trophy-Truck in last year’s legendary 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Vildosola was ninth after the first lap, hoping to run consistently and got much more than he had planned. He ran consistent laps of 7:23, 7:30, 7:29, 7:30, 7:28, 7:34 and 7;54 to take a 44 second lead in SCORE Trophy-Truck going in to Sunday’s final half of the race.

Second in SCORE Trophy-Truck is Rich Ronco, Peoria, Ariz., in a Chevy Silverado while third is Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., in another Chevy Silverado, two minutes and one second behind Vildosola.

The unlimited Class 1 race was the closest of the day with Las Vegas’ Pat Dean and B.J. Richardson only one second apart and two-time race winner Dale Ebberts third just four seconds behind Dean.

Both part of the Las Vegas Dissemination Company team, Dean and Richardson drive near-identically Chevy-powered Bunderson open-wheel desert race cars. Ebberts, Whitlow, Calif., is driving a Porter Chevy.

Vildosola outlasted early leaders Robby Gordon, Chet Huffman and Brian Collins to take the leading heading into Sunday’s final half of the popular race. Gordon, Huffman and Collins all broke down and Gordon’s first lap, turned in 6:55 was the fastest of the day. Gordon and Huffman went out on lap 4 while Collins was sidelined on lap 6.

Among the other class leaders after Saturday included: Corey Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif. (Class 1-2/600, Lothringer-VW), Marcos Nunez, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 5/1600, VW Baja Bug), Ramon Fernandez, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 11, VW Sedan), Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger), John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif. (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger), Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico (Class 8, Ford F-150), Rod Hall, Reno, Nev. (Stock Mini, Hummer H3), John Griffin, Mission Viejo, Calif. (Stock Full, Ford F-350), George Seeley, Glendale, Calif. (Class 5, VW Baja Bug), Chris Harrold, Chula Vista, Calif., (Class 10 AlumiCraft-Honda), Tom Watson, El Centro, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Prill-VW).

Besides Class 1, several class leaders are less than a minute ahead of second place.

In Class 1-2/1600, Boyer leads Adam Pfankuch by just one second heading into Sunday’s finale. In Class 5/1600, the top three vehicles are only 20 seconds apart. Second by 12 seconds behind Nunez is Enrique Zazueta Jr. and eight seconds behind Zazueta is Jose Alonso.

In SCORE Lite, Tom Watson has a 46-second lead over David Callaway.

The stadium seating area includes the immensely popular SCOREvision large-screen LED display, showing live footage from nearly the entire race course.

More event information is available at www.visitlaughlin.com

14th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge

Round 1, 2008 SCORE Desert Series

Jan. 26-27, Laughlin, Nev., 6.25 miles per lap

Total Starters: 141



Top Overall Leaders

Pos., Driver(s), Vehicle, Class, 8-lap, 50-mile time (miles per hour)

1. Gus Vildosola Jr./Gus Vildosola Sr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1 hour, 16 (49.778 mph)

2. Rich Ronco, Peoria, Ariz., Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:01:00 (49.18 mph)

3. Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, (1:02:17 (48.166 mph)

4. Pat Dean, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy, Class 1, 1:02:27 (48.038 mph)

5. B.J. Richardson/John Gaughan, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy, Class 1, 1.02.28 (48.025 mph)

6. Dale Ebberts, Wilton, Calif./Brad Etter, Villa Park, Calif., Porter-Chevy, Class 1, 1.02:31 (47.987 mph)

7. Kory Scheeler/Mike Costello, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:02:34 (47.948 mph)

8. Bobby Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:02:49 (47.758 mph)

9. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:03:01 (47.606 mph)

10. Robbie Pierce, Santee, Calif./Brent Gustin, Seal Beach, Calif., Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:03:50 (46.997 mph)

11. Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Ronnie Gillespie, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 , SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:04:24 (46.583 mph)

12. Steve Barry, Jamul, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:04.5 (46.248 mph)

13. Steve Martz, San Marcos, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:04:56 (46.201 mph)

14. Todd Wyllie, New River, Ariz., Chevy C1500, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:07:44 (44.291 mph)

15. Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif., HMS-Chevy, Class 1, 1:07:56 (44.16 mph)

16. John Harrah, Reno, Nev., Jimco-Dodge, Class 1, 1:08:16 (43.945 mph)

17. Brian Parkhouse, Bell Gardens, Calif./Tom Ridings, Los Alamitos, Calif. Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:09:27 (43.196 mph)

18. Bill McBeath, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, SCORE Trophy-Truck, 1:10:13 (42.724 mph)

19. Jeff Farris, Kerman, Calif., HMS-Chevy, Class 1, 1:11:55, ( 41.714 mph)

20. Josh Baldwin, Newport Beach, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, Class 1, 1:12:01 (41.657 mph)

21. Dale Lenk/Brett Lenk, Costa Mesa, Calif., Penhall-Chevy, Class 1, 1:12:03 (41.637 mph)

22. James Scott, Hemet, Calif., RPS-Chevy, Class 1, 1:12:43 (41.256 mph)

23. Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-BMW, Class 1, 1:14:13 (40.422 mph)

24. Eric Chase, San Diego/Stuart Chase, Burbank, Calif., Penhall-Chevy, Class 1, 1:16:37 (39.155 mph)

Class Leaders after Saturday:

SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (Unlimited Production Trucks, 8 laps, 50 miles, 30 entries, 24 starters, 10 finishers) - 1, Gus Vildosola Jr. /Gus Vildosola Sr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150, 1 hour, 16 seconds (49.778 miles per hour); 2, Rich Ronco, Peoria, Ariz., Chevy Silverado, 1:01:00 (49.18 mph); 3, Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 1:02:17 (48.166, mph).

CLASS 1 (Unlimited single or two-seaters, 8 laps, 50 miles, 30 entries, 27 starters, 14 finishers) - 1, Pat Dean, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy, 1:02:27 (48.038 miles per hour); 2, B.J. Richardson/John Gaughan, Las Vegas, Bunderson-Chevy, 1.02.28 (48.025 mph); 3, Dale Ebberts, Wilton, Calif./Brad Etter, Villa Park, Calif., Porter-Chevy, 1.02:31 (47.987 mph).

CLASS 1-2/1600 (VW-powered, single or two-seaters to 1600cc, 6 laps, 37.5 miles, 18 entries, 16 starters, 13 finishers) - 1. Cory Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif./Rick Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., Lothringer, :52:20 (42.993 miles per hour); 2, Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif., Mirage, :52:21 (42.979 mph); 3, Hiram Duran, Chula Vista, Calif., Amplified :53:14 (42.266 mph).

CLASS 3 (Short Wheelbase 4X4, 5 laps, 31.25 miles, 1 entry, 1 starter, 1 finisher) - 1, Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif./Ken Moss, Marysville Calif., Ford Bronco, :53:52 (34.808 miles per hour).

CLASS 5 (Unlimited VW Baja Bugs, 7 laps, 43.75 miles, 3 entries, 3 starters, 3 finishers) - 1, George Seeley, Glendale, Calif., 1:03:02 (41.644 miles per hour); 2, Carlos Albanez, Calexico, Calif./Luivan Voelker, Mexicali, Mexico, 1:04:25 (40.75 mph); 3, Kevin Carr, San Diego, 1:04:31 (40.687 mph).

CLASS 5/1600 (1600cc VW Baja Bugs, 6 laps, 37.5 miles, 14 entries, 13 starters, 9 finishers) - 1, Marcos Nunez/Norberto Rivera, Ensenada, Mexico, 1:00:07 (37.427 miles per hour); 2, Enrique Zazueta Jr. /Enrique Zazueta Sr., La Paz, Mexico, 1:00:19 (37.303 mph); 3, Jose Angulo, Ensenada, Mexico 1:00:27 (37.22 mph).

CLASS 7 (Open mini trucks, 6 laps, 37.5 miles, 4 entries, 4 starters, 3 finishers) - 1, Dan Chamlee/Tom Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif., Ford Ranger, :53:58 (41.692 miles per hour); 2, A.J. Rodriguez/Miguel Medina, Orange, Calif., Ford Ranger, :55:59, (40.19 mph); 3, Chris Taylor, El Centro, Calif./Josh Quintero, Imperial, Calif., Ford Ranger, 1:16:38 (29.361 mph).

CLASS 7SX (Modified, open mini trucks, 6 laps, 37.5 miles, 5 entries, 4 starters, 3 finishers) - 1, John Holmes, Olivenhain, Calif./Mark Landersman, Temecula, Calif., Ford Ranger, :55:58, (40.202 miles per hour); 2, Gerardo Novelo, San Ysidro, Calif., Nissan Frontier, 1:01:05 (36.834 mph); 3, Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif./Tim Lawrence, Santee, Calif., Ford Ranger, 1:03:33 (35.405 mph).

CLASS 8 (Full-sized two-wheel drive trucks, 6 laps, 37.5 miles, 3 entries, 3 starters, 1 finisher) - 1. Juan C. Lopez, Tecate, Mexico/Beny Canela, Indio, Calif., Ford F-150, :45:21 (49.614 miles per hour).

CLASS 10 (Single or two-seaters to 1650cc, 7 laps, 43.75 miles, 10 entries, 10 starters, 4 finishers) - 1, Chris Harrold, Chula Vista, Calif., AlumiCraft-Honda, :54:53 (47.829 miles per hour); 2, Robert McBeath/Jessica McBeath, Las Vegas, :58:47 (44.655 mph); 3, Mike Lawrence, Brea, Calif./Chris Lawrence, Los Alamitos, Calif., Lothringer-VW, 1:03:10 (41.556 mph).

SCORE LITE (VW-powered, Limited single-1776cc-or two-seaters-1835cc, 7 laps, 43.75 miles, 12 entries, 11 starters, 10 finishers) - 1, Tom Watson, El Centro, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Prill, :59:17 (44.278 miles per hour); 2, David Callaway, Menifee, Calif./Scott Mapes, Riverside, Calif., Dunrite, 1:00:03 (43.713 mph); 3, Rick St. John, Encinitas, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif., Duvell, 1:00:47 (43.186 mph).

CLASS 11 (Stock VW Sedans, 3 laps, 18.75 miles, 5 entries, 4 starters, 3 finishers) - 1,Ramon Fernandez/Jesus Aras, Ensenada, Mexico :38:34 (29.17 miles per hour); 2, Todd Lucero, Anaheim Hills, Calif./Richard Nichols Jr., Placentia, Calif. :42:11 (26.669 mph); 3, Jake Mueller/Todd O’Dwyer, San Diego, :48:17 (23.299 mph).

STOCK FULL (Stock, Full-sized trucks, 5 laps, 31.25 miles, 4 entries, 4 starters, 3 finishes) - 1, John Griffin, Mission Viejo, Calif./Jeremy Spirkoff, El Cajon, Calif., Ford F-350, :50:30 (37.128 miles per hour); 2, Chad Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3Alpha, :52:08, (35.965 mph); 3, 879 Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va./Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn., Dodge Ram2500, 1:00:38 (30.923 mph).

STOCK MINI (Stock, Mini-sized trucks, 5 laps, 31.25 miles, 3 entries, 2 starters, 2 finishers) - 1, Rod Hall, Reno, Nev., Hummer H3, :56:34 (33.146 miles per hour); 2, Steve Kovach, Tempe, Ariz./Chip Carr, Gilbert, Ariz., Ford Ranger, 1:12:44 (25.779 mph).

PROTRUCK (Limited Production Trucks, 6 laps, 37.5 miles, 1 entry, 1 starter, 1 finisher) - 1, Jason Voss, Cupertino, Calif., Ford F-150, :48:33 (46.343 miles per hour).

SPORTSMAN

SPORTSMAN CAR (6 laps, 37.5 miles, 5 entries, 5 starters, 5 finishers) - 1, Rory Ward/Tracy Ward, Mohave Valley, Ariz., Chenowth-Chevy, :52:39 (42.735 miles per hour)

SPORTSMAN TRUCK (5 laps, 31.25 miles, 9 entries, 9 starters, 7 finishers) - 1, Dan Vance, Huntington Beach, Calif., Toyota Tacoma, :44:28 (42.166 miles per hour)
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