LOS ANGELES —Veteran racers Troy Herbst and Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas have used season-opening victories at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge to claim the top two overall point positions early in the 2004 SCORE Desert Series.

After Round 1 of the five-race 2004 SCORE Desert Series, Herbst, 37, and MacCachren, 38, lead their respective Class 1 and Class 1-2/1600 point races as well. Both earned class wins in the season-opening 10th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, Jan. 17-18, to put pressure on the rest of the SCORE racers for not only 2004 class titles, but the coveted SCORE Overall point championship as well.

America’s foremost desert racing series now heads to Mexico for the 18th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, Feb. 27-28, to be held in the tiny fishing village of San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez side of the mysterious Baja California peninsula.

With the $10,000 Kartek bonus also awaiting the 2004 SCORE Overall point champion, a total of just 13 points separate the top 11 overall point leaders after the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

In Laughlin, Troy Herbst, the youngest of the three Herbsts brothers that comprise Terrible Herbst Motorsports, overcame a blown engine in practice two days before the race to earn his 14th SCORE Class 1 win since 1997 as he begins his quest for his seventh SCORE Class 1 season point title in eight years and his fourth SCORE Overall point crown. He drove solo in the season-opener in his Smithbuilt-Ford open wheeler.

MacCachren, who has won seven SCORE Class point titles in five different classes (including the 2001 SCORE Overall point crown), had a career weekend at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge. MacCachren not only won Class 1-2/1600 in his Fraley-VW, his team used the same chassis with a larger motor and different transmission to help MacCachren win the SCORE Lite class as well. He capped his incredible weekend by leading the first half of the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck race. After turning the Vildosola Racing Ford F-150 to driver of record Gus Vildosola, the Mexican team owner/driver held on to bring the team a second place finish for the weekend. He is the first double-winner in the history of the Laughlin race.

SCORE points are determined both on final finishing position and number of vehicles that started the race within the individual class.

Troy Herbst has 57 points while MacCachren is just four points behind the leader with 53. Class 1 had a race-high 32 starters in Laughlin while Class 1-2/1600 was second with 28 starters.

Enjoying the fruit of his first SCORE victory in Laughlin, Gary Dircks, Anthem, Ariz., leads SCORE Trophy-Truck with 48 points and is fifth in overall points in his Ford F-150. The class had a race-record 23 starters.

“What our team went through during race week just to get to the start line was admirable, but to win the entire race in Class 1 and finish second overall is on the verge of being unbelievable,” said Troy Herbst, whose older brothers Ed and Tim Herbst struggled to a ninth place finish in SCORE Trophy-Truck. “The Terrible Herbst Motorsports crew definitely added to its reputation in Laughlin and for me, it makes racing all that much more fun. To know you have a crew behind you like the one that Mike Smith has put together gives me as a driver that much more confidence to push the envelope when I’m racing. In our class and in SCORE racing, you have to push it or you’ll just be an also-ran and that’s not why Terrible Herbst goes racing.”

Third in overall points and second in Class 1 with 51 points is the team of John Marking, El Cajon, Calif./Gary Cogbill, Boulavard, Calif., in a Jimco-Chevy. Fourth overall and leading Class 10 with 50 points is the team of Harley Letner/Kory Halopoff, Orange, Calif., in a Chenowth-Honda.

MacCachren will drop the SCORE Lite class from his racing schedule for the rest of the year and has picked up Las Vegas’ Danny Anderson, a two-time SCORE Class 10 point champ, to co-drive with him in Class 1-2/1600 while MacCachren spends half his racing time in Vildosola Racing’s SCORE Trophy-Truck.

A mere three points separates sixth through 11th place in the SCORE Overall point standings. Leading the group of three tied for sixth with 47 points is 1997 SCORE Overall Point champ Damen Jefferies, Oak Hills, Calif., who is third in Class 1 in his new Porter-Chevy. Tied with Jefferies, both tied for second in Class 1-2/1600 are Rick Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif./Steve Roberts, Bullhead City, Ariz. (Lothringer-VW) and Brian Jeffrey, Acton, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif. (Dunrite-VW).

MacCachren is ninth in overall points with 45 as the early SCORE Lite point leader in his Fraley-VW.

Tied for 10th in SCORE Overall points with 44 are Steve Melton, Buckeye, Ariz., who is fourth in Class 1 in a Jimco-Chevy and Charles Lathrem, Tucson, Ariz., second in Class 10 in a Jimco-Honda.

Second in SCORE Trophy-Truck points with 42 is the Vildosola Racing team of Vildosola and MacCachren, who won one race while finishing second in 2004 SCORE Trophy-Truck points and eighth in the SCORE Overall points in a Ford F-150.

Third in SCORE Trophy-Truck points for so far were 2003 Laughlin winners Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Jerry Whelchel, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (Ford F-150) with 38 points.

Capturing Class 5 for the sixth time in 10 years in Laughlin, class point leader George Seeley, Glendale, Calif., has won seven SCORE season point titles, including the last five straight in his unlimited VW Baja Bug.

Donald Moss, Sacramento, with two straight SCORE Class 3 season titles in a Ford Bronco, is ahead again this year in his class following his third straight win at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

Mexico’s Gerardo Iribe, Rosarito, Eric Fisher, Ensenada, and Eric Solorzano, Tijuana are all class leaders. Iribe, leads in Class 5/1600 in his limited VW Baja Bug while Fisher is ahead in Class 9 in his Garibay-VW and Solorzano, a three-time Laughlin winner, leads Class 11 in his stock VW Sedan.

After Round 1, other 2004 SCORE Desert Series point leaders include: Jason Jernigan, Imperial, Calif. (Class 7-Ford Ranger), Bob Graham, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Class 7S-Toyota Tacoma), Rich Severson, Mesa, Ariz. (Class 7SX-Ford Ranger), Dave Raimonde, Phoenix (Class 8-Chevy C1500) and Travis Walser, Hemet, Calif. (Stock Full-Chevy C1500).

The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, for the upcoming Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 will be held Saturday, Feb. 7, at the SCORE headquarters in Los Angeles. SCORE races in Mexico include 23 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

With over 250 entries expected, the green flag will drop at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 8:30 a.m. The start and finish line area for the 227.79 loop course will once again be the landmark San Felipe arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of the village. All vehicles will have a nine-hour time limit in the elapsed time race and vehicles will start in 30-second intervals.

Pre-race festivities in San Felipe will include the colorful SCORE Midway and tech inspection on the Malecon beachfront in downtown alongside the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

At 9 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 28), the awards celebration will be held on the Malecon across from The Beachcomber Night Club.

Also on Friday (Feb. 27), at the Hotel Las Misiones, driver/rider registration will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by the mandatory pre-race driver/rider briefing.

SCORE official sponsors for 2004 are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Southern California Ford Dealers-official vehicle, CL Bryant-official fuel supplier and Rental Service Corporation-official equipment supplier. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bilstein, Signpros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s, and Advanced Color Graphics.

Associate sponsors for the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 are the Tourism and Convention Bureau of Mexicali/San Felipe, Cotuco, El Dorado Ranch, and Hotel Las Misiones.

The race annually provides a greater economic impact to San Felipe than the entire month-long ‘Spring Break’.
For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2004 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

(Remaining 2004 schedule: Feb. 27-28--18th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250-San Felipe, Mexico; June 4-6--36th Tecate SCORE Baja 500-Ensenada, Mexico; Sept. 10-11--9th SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300-Primm, Nev.; Nov. 18-21--37th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000-Ensenada to La Paz, Mexico)

1. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, Smithbuilt-Ford (CLASS 1), 57

2. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 53

3. John Marking, El Cajon, Calif./Gary Cogbill, Boulavard, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (CLASS 1), 51

4. Harley Letner/Kory Halopoff, Orange, Calif., Chenowth-Honda (CLASS 10), 50

5. Gary Dircks, Anthem, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 48

6. Damen Jefferies, Oak Hills, Calif., Porter-Chevy (CLASS 1), 47

6. Rick Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., Lothringer-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 47

6. Brian Jeffrey, Acton, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif., Dunrite-VW (Class 1-2/1600), 47

9. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW (SCORE Lite), 45

10. Steve Melton, Buckeye, Ariz., Jimco-Chevy (CLASS 1), 44

10. Charles Lathrem, Tucson, Ariz., Jimco-Honda (CLASS 10), 44

SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK--1.Gary Dircks, Anthem, Ariz., Ford F-150, 48; 2. Gus Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico/Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 42; 3. Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Jerry Welchel, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Ford F-150, 38; 4. Jason Baldwin, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150, 35; 5. Roger Gray/Robert Gray, Cupertino, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 33; 6. Josh Baldwin, Irvine, Calif., Ford F-150, 32; 7. Michael Jakobson, Somis, Calif./Todd Sanderson, Leucadia, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 31; 8. Bucky Strunk, Tucson, Ariz./Bill Strunk, Bullhead City, Ariz., Chevy Silverado, 30; 9. Ed Herbst/Tim Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 29.

CLASS 1--1. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, Smithbuilt-Ford, 57; 2. John Marking, El Cajon, Calif./Gary Cogbill, Boulavard, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 51; 3. Damen Jefferies, Oak Hills, Calif., Porter-Chevy, 47; 4. Steve Melton, Buckeye, Ariz., Jimco-Chevy, 44; 5. Bob Lofton, Westmorland, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 42; 6. Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 41; 7. Richard Boyle, Ridgecrest, Calif./Ron Brant, Oak Hills, Calif., RPS-Chevy, 40.

CLASS 1-2/1600--1. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW, 53; 2. Rick Boyer, Bakersfield, Calif., Lothringer-VW, 47; 3. Brian Jeffrey, Acton, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, Calif., Dunrite-VW, 47.

PROTRUCK--1. Jeff Dickerson, Brawley, Calif./Geno Licitra, Bend, Ore., Ford F-150, 30.

CLASS 3--1. Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif./Kenneth Moss, Marysville, Calif., Ford Bronco, 30.

CLASS 5--1. George Seeley, Glendale, Calif., VW Baja Bug, 30.

CLASS 5/1600--1. Gerardo Iribe, Rosarito, Mexico, VW Baja Bug, 37; 2. Jeffrey Sack, Huntington Beach, Calif., VW Baja Bug, 31.

CLASS 7--1. Jason Jernigan, Imperial, Calif., Ford Ranger, 35.

CLASS 7S--1. Bob Graham, Yorba Linda, Calif. Toyota Tacoma, 30.

CLASS 7SX--1. Rich Severson, Mesa, Ariz., Ford Ranger, 30.

CLASS 8--1. Dave Raimonde, Phoenix, Chevy C1500, 31.

CLASS 9--1. Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico, Garibay-VW, 30.

CLASS 10--1. Harley Letner/Kory Halopoff, Orange, Calif., Chenowth-Honda, 50; 2. Charles Lathrem, Tucson, Ariz., Jimco-Honda, 44; 3. Mark Hutchings/C.J. Hutchins, Henderson, Nev., Jimco-Honda; 4. Bill Witt/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas, Jimco-Honda, 37.

SCORE LITE--1. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW, 45; 2. Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif./Dan Worley, Encinitas, Calif., Jimco-VW, 39; 3. Tom Watson/Tim Noe, El Centro, Calif., Jimco-VW, 35; 4. Blaise Jackson, Valley Center, Calif./Morley Williams, Bonsall, Calif., Meco, 32.

CLASS 11--1. Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico, VW Sedan, 30.

STOCK FULL--1. Travis Walser, Hemet, Calif., Chevy C1500, 30.