Three new hi-tech SCORE Trophy-Trucks
among nearly 150 Entries for
9th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge
2003 SCORE Desert Series opener
to celebrate 30 years of SCORE International
(Race to be held Jan. 16-19)

(December 31, 2002) LOS ANGELES-- Mike Dondel, Jim Beaver and Gary Dircks have officially entered new hi-tech race vehicles in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division, joining drivers from 12 U.S. States, Mexico and Japan in next month's increasing popular 9th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

Nearly 150 entries, competing in 16 classes for cars and trucks, are expected to be in the final starting grid for the race, which is split into two parts (Jan. 18-19). Round 1 of the six-race 2003 SCORE Desert Series will be held Jan. 16-19 along the banks of the Colorado River in the Southern Nevada resort destination of Laughlin, 90 miles south of Las Vegas.

America's Foremost Desert Racing Series will launch the year-long celebration honoring 30 years of championship desert racing produced and sanctioned by Los Angeles-based SCORE International.

Dondel and his older brother Dale, both of Hemet, Calif., are the defending overall champions in this race, but have moved up to SCORE's top racing division in their No. 11 Nye Frank-built Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck.

Beaver, a second-generation racer from Parker, Ariz., will debut his team's new No. 15 Ford F-250 SCORE Trophy-Truck.

Dircks, Anthem, Ariz., and team co-owner Mark Porter, Cave Creek, Ariz., will race their new No. 23 Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck in a talented field which included 14 entries at Monday's computerized drawing for starting positions within each class.

The best of the best desert racers will participate in the unique-format event, run on as seven separate daily multi-lap races over an abbreviated 13-mile desert course which includes the fan-friendly start/finish line area inside the Laughlin Events Park.

Racing action will run from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (Jan. 18-19) and the racing will be preceeded on Thursday and Friday (Jan. 16-17) by several exciting ancillary events. The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge will once again include the $26,000 Laughlin Leap and Pit Crew Showdown.

The unlimited Class 1, with 21 vehicles, had the most entries in the drawing, although entries will be accepted right up to race time. With 104 official entries in the drawing, SCORE officials are ancipating over 40 late entries will be part of the final field.

The early entry list includes eight reigning SCORE Desert Series point champions along with 10 of last year's SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge class winners.

George Seeley Jr., Glendale, Calif., returns in Class 5 in his unlimited VW Baja Bug and his five wins in Laughlin are the most by any driver in this race.

Three Las Vegas raceres-- Brian Collins, Ed Herbst and Tim Herbst, have all won their class four times each in this race and all will be in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division in 2003. Collins will drive the No. 12 Chevy Silverado while Tim and Ed will each drive one day in their No. 1 Terrible Herbst Motorsports Ford F-150.

Among the early entries in the unlimited Class 1 is six-time defending SCORE Class 1 point champion Troy Herbst, the youngest of the racing Herbst brothers, who will drive his No. 100 Ford-powered Smithbuilt open-wheel desert race car.

With a $16,000 purse, the Laughlin Leap will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, while the $10,000 Pit Crew Showdown is set for 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17. Both events will be held at the Laughlin Events Park in the shadow of the nine Laughlin resort hotel/casinos.

The colorful SCORE Manufacturer's Midway and pre-race tech and contingency of all race vehicles, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Laughlin Events Park.

New to this year's event will be SCOREvision-- a giant television monitor in front of the Laughlin Events Park grandstands with live race action from remote race course locations.

The Laughlin Events Park includes nearly one-half mile of switchbacks, woop-T-doos, the Laughlin Leap and the pit area for teams with tractor/trailers.

Daily general admission tickets for the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge are $10 for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday while admission is free to Friday's pre-race activities.

Tickets may be purchased
at the gate or via telephone at 800.227.5245.

The 9th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is sponsored by the Laughlin Tourism Committee, the Laughlin Visitors Bureau and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in association with Las Vegas Events.

The race is sanctioned and produced
annually by SCORE International.

For more race information, contact SCORE International at it's Los Angeles headquarters, 818.225.8402, or visit the official website of the 2003 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

Jim Beaver, who has moved up to the premier Trophy Truck division in 2003 in the #15 Ford Lightning entry, would like to thank all of his sponsors who made this victory possible: Goodyear Tires, Tube Service Co., King Shocks, MSD Ignition, RLH Communications, RiverInfo.com, Parker Motor Co., Autozone, Penn Sign Co., La Paz Pest, and the Kofa Inn. Any sponsorship inquiries, or anyone wanting further information on Jim Beaver or PMC Racing, can contact them through Info@JimmyBeaver.com or 1-800-266-2291.