Bob Bondurant, Skip Barber, Wide Open Baja, "Pistol Pete"? 

While the first three are big names in the arrive-and-drive segment of motorsports competition, "Pistol Pete" Sohren is better known as the Trophy Truck racer with the flowing mullet hairstyle. However, Sohren will soon be joining their ranks with his new company, Baja Racing Adventures.

Starting in 2009 Baja Racing Adventures will offer an arrive-and-drive program for all TROPHYLITE, SCORE and BITD races in a specially prepared version of the TROPHYLITE chassis. Additionally, customers can rent a truck for any off-road series or single race in the United States and Mexico, including MDR, MORE, CODE, SNORE or even various Tuff Truck races.

That's the "what" and the "how" of it. The question then becomes, "Why?"

"Because I'm broke, or maybe because I'm not as smart a guy as people think," Sohren jokes, and then adds, "I'm trying to a build a program for people who don't have the wherewithal to experience off-road racing, where anybody in the world can come and do what we love at an affordable price."

The company has already purchased one TROPHYLITE truck now and plans to expand to four in time for the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 500 and then six for the 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, with even more on the horizon. The trucks will be sent as rolling chassis and finished out by Sohren’s team of mechanics. They will feature a larger 10-inch GPS, centrally located gauges, a longer brake pedal arm and other upgrades. For the longer Baja races the Baja Racing Adevntures crew has plans for a wider suspension kit to better deal with the rigors of racing in Mexico. A prerun package is also planned in which customers will drive a Baja Racing Adventures truck with Sohren - getting personal instruction and every truck will be loaded with Sohren’s custom GPS file and race notes straight from his Trophy Truck program.

Chase trucks will be loaded with spare parts, arms, spindles, even complete rear ends to meet Sohren’s goal of every customer truck finishing every race. That sounds expensive, but Sohren said he has a few things working for him to that end.

"We can keep our overhead low because we already have a facility to work on the trucks, and I think I have the knowledge to be able to put this together," Sohren said. "I've raced Baja 25 times, at least, in my life, so I think I have quite a bit of experience."

Rental prices are affordable, starting at $6000 for the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, $7000 for the Best in the Desert Parker 425. Packages for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are expected to be in the $30,000 range and will be all-inclusive. Season packages will also be available for SCORE, BITD, TROPHYLITE and any other series the customer wants to race. And repair and damage costs are reasonable as well. 

"There is going to be a sheet laminated to the roof so as you are crashing you can just look up and tell what you have just purchased and for how much,” Sohren jokes.  

Customers can bring sponsors for the truck to help offset the racing costs.

"We can have the entire vehicle wrapped for them, and we can paint the trucks any color they want - that's all just an e-mail away," Sohren said. "Everything is going to be possible."  

When renting for a full season the customer will have the advantage of racing in the same truck all season. Racers can even graduate and drive Sohren's Trophy Truck, although that will be more expensive than the TROPHYLITE.

Sohren is also a representative for the various mini vehicles and is working with SCORE’s Technical Director, Bill Savage, to create a fun and affordable class for the minis. This would allow TROPHYLITES, Mason Prorunners, Class 1 Lites and mini cars from any manufacturer or homebuilt to race head to head in their own pro class at the larger events. The current planned rules are simple: 111 inch wheelbase or less and a stock 2.2L Ecotec engine. Sohrenson said the lack of more rules opens up the competition for many vehicles and it help will keep costs down. 

"I've had so many people come to me and say, "I know this guy who has a bunch of money and he wants to go racing, but he want's to drive,'" Sohren said. "Well, you can't really drive my Trophy Truck if you have no experience, but if we could get guys experience in these and then have them step up to a Trophy Truck, that would be an option, although obviously that is going to be a lot more money. The bottom line is that I love off-road racing, and I want other people to be able to do it."

For more information, check out http://www.bajaracingadventures.com on the Internet. Look for Baja Racing Adventures trucks starting in January at Laughlin and Parker. They could just be the next big thing on the racing scene.