The races in the SCORE calendar will almost always fall into one of two categories: point to point races and lap races. Events like the Baja 1000 (where cars, trucks and bikes race from Ensenada to La Paz,) belong atop Column A in the point to point category. Races like the Terrible’s Cup, which is held on a short course in Las Vegas, live in Column B - the lap race category.

The Primm 300 is unique in that it can fit either "column". It is a lap race because the race is run on a loop, but on the other hand, comes off like a full-blown desert race because the laps are a whopping 72 miles long!

Up until two years ago, the start/finish line of the Primm 300 was within walking distance of the hotel strip. Even those who were too lazy to roll out of bed and walk down to the grandstands could watch the race from the comfort of their hotel window.

The new start/finish line is located in a dry lake bed a few miles north of the hotels. Although this makes it a bit harder for teams and spectators to access the area,  the past two years have gone off without a hitch.

Larger vehicles such as the team semi trailers and big motorhomes can take the Jean prison road to access the start/finish. The rest of the vehicles, however, have been bound to using a slow, dusty dirt road found out behind the Primm parking lots.  

Once again, there will be a two-race format this year. The small vehicles: buggies, VW based cars, Baja Bugs, Class Three, Stock Mini trucks and Sportsman Buggies will start at 6 a.m. By the time most of the first bunch will have finished (around 1 p.m.), the faster, heavier classes will take off.

This group includes Trophy Trucks, the rest of the trucks that didn’t race in the first run group such as Class Seven and Class One unlimited. Most classes will do four laps, some will do three or only two. But no matter how many laps they need to complete, they have only eight hours to finish their race.

Last year, a total of 168 racers took the green flag at the Primm 300. This year the number has grown to an unprecedented 191 registered racers. The field includes 30 Trophy-Truck entries and an even more impressive 38 Class One unlimited buggies.

The luck of the draw went to superstar Cameron Steele, who drew first starts in both the Trophy-Truck and SCORE Lite classes. The points leaders in Trophy-Truck and Class 1, BJ Baldwin and Larry Roeseler respectively, were lacking Mr. Steele’s good fortune when they both ended up within the last six starters for their class.

Big dog NASCAR driver Robby Gordon will be sitting this one out due to other obligations. There are, however, a few big names to make up for it such as Andy McMillin, Mark Post, Tim Herbst, “Pistol” Pete Sohren, and TV’s Jesse James.

The Primm 300 is regarded as the roughest race in the season’s calendar. At the crack of dawn the drivers and teams’ fierce and grueling battle against some of the roughest terrain in all of motorsports will begin. When the battle is finally over, the sun will be set, the wounded will return and the casualties will be tallied. As worn and weary as these brave soldiers will be, they will have one collective thought: “Only three months and nine days to Baja. Bring it ON!”

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