Scott McMillin captures Class 1
Tim & Ed Herbst take Overall, SCORE Trophy-Truck wins Saturday
In Ford F-150 at 2nd SCORE HENDERSON'S TERRIBLE 250
Hometown racers claim four of top six finishing positions
In sun-baked Southern Nevada desert

BOULDER CITY, NV (July 12, 2003)-- Quietly building an impressive legacy to rival anyone in desert racing history, Las Vegas' Ed and Tim Herbst overpowered the gut-wrenching, energy-depleting, scorching sands of the Southern Nevada desert Saturday, roaring to the overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck division victories in the 2nd Annual SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250. The brothers used their home-desert knowledge and experience to a winning performance, powering their Terrible Herbst Motorsports' Ford F-150 to a winning time of 4 hours, 13 minutes and 30 seconds at an average speed of 56.38 miles per hour.

For Tim, 40, who drove the first two 79.4-mile laps, and Ed, 42, who drove the final lap, it was their 10th victory in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division, making them the winningest team in the 10-year, 60-race history of the high-tech class for unlimited production trucks. The SCORE Henderson Terrible 250 was the world's richest desert race with $500,000 in cash and contingency.

Sitting in third place after the first lap, Tim Herbst exploded on lap two to take the lead for good with the fastest lap of the day at 1:21:41, giving his older brother Ed Herbst the lead that he was able to hold onto to the finish. After the first lap, the Herbsts were 2:33 behind the Ford F-150 of early race leader Marty Coyne, El Centro, Calif., and just 24 seconds behind the Chevy Silverado of teammates Brian Collins of Las Vegas and Phoenix's Larry Ragland.

Co-Sponsors of the race through Herbst Gaming, the Herbst brothers also picked up the $10,000 bonus for their overall win.

SCORE's 30th anniversary season continued with 55 of 95 starters, competing in 17 Pro and 2 Sportsman classes for cars and trucks finishing within the eight-hour time limit in the elapsed-time race.

Round 4 of the six-race SCORE Desert Series, the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series, featured racers from 12 States and Mexico racing in extremely hot conditions as temperatures cooked the desert race course with readings as high as 120 degrees.

"It was a memorable win for us to say the least, and certainly won we could never have won without such great pit support and incredible prep work by Mike Smith to get our Ford F-150 race ready," said Ed Herbst, as he recovered from near heat-exhaustion after the race ended. "Tim was haulin', Troy was right on his tail and in the end I would have to say that our experimental 39" BFGoodrich Tires were the final difference."

"This was a wonderful race and an exciting race week of special events, something our sport really needs. Herbst Gaming was proud to help sponsor the race, but it was Sal Fish and his amazing SCORE staff and Bud Pico and his dedicated Henderson Convention Bureau teammates who really did all the work. All of his racers and crews were just happy to enjoy the fruit of all of their hard work."

In the battle for the overall victory, the Herbst brothers defeated veteran Scott McMillin, Poway, Calif., by just 42 seconds. McMillin, who drove solo in a Chevy-powered Porter open-wheel desert racecar, won the unlimited Class 1. Ironically, the victory margin was exactly the same as was the youngest Herbst brother-Troy-had in the last race, the 35th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in Mexico.

Collins and Ragland hung on to finish second in SCORE Trophy-Truck behind the Herbsts and a season-high third overall, just eight seconds behind McMillin and 50 behind the overall winners.

Just two seconds behind Collins in fourth overall and second in Class 1, 10 seconds behind McMillin, was the current class point leaders Dale Ebberts, Canyon Lake, Calif./Ernie Castro Jr., Newport Beach, Calif., in a Jimco-Toyota.

Finished third in SCORE Trophy-Truck and fifth overall were the class point leaders-Gus Vildosola of Mexico and Las Vegas' Rob MacCachren in a Ford F-150.

Troy Herbst, 36, who was first in Class 1 and second overall behind his older brothers after the second lap, finished third in Class 1 and sixth overall, giving Southern Nevada racers four of the top six overall finishing positions on their home desert.

Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., last year's overall winner, finished seventh overall and fourth in Class 1 in a Jimco-Chevy. Eighth overall and fourth in SCORE Trophy-Truck in a Ford F-150 was the team of Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif./Jerry Whelchel, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., last year's winner's in SCORE's top racing division.

Las Vegas' Steve Olliges won the Protruck class in a Ford F-150 for his first win of the year and Las Vegas' Bryan Freeman won his first SCORE race, capturing Class 1-2/1600 in a Fraley-VW.

In the closest margin of victory in any Class, defending Class 5 season champion George Seeley, Jr., Glendale, Calif., won by a scant three seconds over Joe Heger/Shawn McCallum, Imperial, Calif., in the class for unlimited VW Baja Bugs.

For the third straight race, John Griffin, Mission Viejo Calif., won Stock Full in his AM General Hummer.

Winning for the second time this season were Donald Moss, Sacramento (Class 3, Ford Bronco), Craig Turner, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger); Bob Graham, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Class 7S, Toyota Tacoma), Dan Fresh, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (Class 7SX, Jeep Comanche) and Dave Sykes, Del Mar, Calif. (Class 8, Chevy Silverado).

Also winning for the first time this season were: Rick Ellison, Selma, Calif./Bill Hernquist, La Mesa, Calif. (Class 10, Chenowth-Honda) and Vic Bruckmann, Lemon Grove, Calif./Kash Vessels, Tucson, Ariz. (SCORE Lite, Jimco-VW).

Starting with the $10,000 bonus to the first overall finisher (Tim and Ed Herbst), the World's Richest Desert Race included over $35,000 in added purse, a 50 percent payback of entry fees and significant contingency postings.

SCORE officials report that the final cash and contingency prizes reached the $500,000 mark.

For all Pro classes with a minimum 'Lucky Seven' starters, the winner will receive an added $1,000 and the runner-up will receive an added $500 from the bonus purse.

The race was also part of the annual Toyota Milestone Awards and $12,000 Toyota True Grit programs. The prestigious Toyota Milestone Awards are presented to every racer who completes every required mile of every race in the 2003 SCORE Desert Series. The $12,000 Toyota True Grit purse is split among the SCORE season point champions who are also Toyota Milestone award winners in four non-factory-backed classes. This is the 18th consecutive year that Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. has teamed with SCORE to present these prestigious awards.

Through a special marketing and sponsorship agreement, SCORE International of Los Angeles is producing the event and Las Vegas-based Herbst Gaming along with the Southern Nevada cities of Henderson and Boulder City are once again sponsoring the SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250.

SCORE official sponsors for 2003 are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Southern California Ford Dealers-official vehicle, 76 Racing Fuel-official fuel and Rental Service Corporation-official equipment supplier. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca Cola of Mexico, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Bilstein, Signpros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's, Off Road Innovations and Advanced Color Graphics. Associate sponsors for the SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 are Miller Beer and Red Bull energy drink.

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

Round 5 of the 2003 SCORE Desert Series will be the 9th Annual SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300, to be held Sept. 12-13 in Primm, NV, 35 miles south of Las Vegas at the California border..

For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official Optima SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com