Post/Whelchel lead SCORE Trophy-Truck
Thru Round 2, Jeffrey/Pfankuch lead three Class 1-2/1600 racers
To top of 2004 SCORE Desert Series point leaderboard
John Marking leading unlimited Class 1, fourth overall
Heading to 36th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, June 4-6

LOS ANGELES (March 17, 2004) -- Opening the season with a second, followed by a class win, Southern California's Brian Jeffrey and Adam Pfankuch have roared to the top of the overall and Class 1-2/1600 point-leader board in the 2004 SCORE Desert Series.

After Round 2 of the five-race 2004 SCORE Desert Series, Jeffrey, 41, of Acton, and Pfankuch, 22, of Carlsbad, finished second in their class in January's 10th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge before winning their class (which had a season-high 39 starters) in February's 18th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 in a VW-powered Dunrite 1600cc open-wheel desert race car. The pair has put some serious pressure on the rest of the SCORE racers for not only the 2004 class title in 1-2/1600, but also the coveted SCORE Overall point championship as well.

America's foremost desert racing series has some time off before heading to Mexico, June 4-6, for the 36th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada, Baja California, 65 miles south of the U.S. border at San Diego.

With the $10,000 Kartek bonus also awaiting the 2004 SCORE Overall point champion, a total of just 29 points separate the top 10 overall point leaders after the first two rounds of 2004. SCORE points are determined both on final finishing position and number of vehicles that started the race within the individual class.

In San Felipe, Jeffrey and Pfankuch drove hard enough when it was needed, beating a race and season-high field of 39 starters in Class 1-2/1600. They ened up with a victory margin of just 1 minute, 31 seconds over brothers Travis and Brad Fletcher, Westminster, CA, who are second in overall and Class 1-2/1600 season points in their Baja Shop-VW.

The Fletchers, who finished third in Class 1-2/1600 in Laughlin, have a 10-point deficit to Jeffrey/Pfankuch, who lead the SCORE overall and Class 1-2/600 points, 132-122.

This is the first season of the Jeffrey/Pfankuch tandem. Jeffrey, who won Class 1-2/1600 in the 2002 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 to win his first SCORE season point title, was third in his class points last season. Pfankuch won three races in his class last year as a rookie enroute to winning the 2003 SCORE Class 1-2/1600 season title with Eric Allen, San Marcos, CA, who was driver of record last season with him.

With a third in Laughlin prior to claiming the overall win in San Felipe, teammates Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, CA/Jerry Whelchel, Rancho Santa Maragarita, CA, are sixth in overall points and lead the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division with 109 points in the Riviera Racing Ford F-150.

"We have really blended well so far as drivers and our crew has meshed equally well, helping us quickly rise to the top of the very, very competitive Class 1-2/1600," said Jeffrey.

"Adam is a great young driver, fast on the throttle, but mature enough to not go over the limit. We have some strong racers in our class and to be where we are after two races is really an honor. When I won the season title in our class two years again, there were some very good racers too, but just not as many as we have so far this year. Consistency will be our key to winning the season championship from this point. If we win the SCORE overall title, that would be very cool, but first we must when our class to even be thinking about the other crown."

Third in overall and Class 1-2/1600 points so far is the team of Rick Boyer, Bakersfield, CA/Steve Roberts, Bullhead City, AZ, with 116 points in a Lothringers-VW. They have a seventh and a sixth so far.

Fourth in overall points and second in Class 1 with 113 points is the John Marking, El Cajon, CA, who has had different co-drivers in the two races so far in his Jimco-Chevy. Gary Cogbill, Boulavard, CA, drove part of the Laughlin race and Chris Harrold, Chula Vista, CA, drove part of the San Felipe race. Marking finished second in Class 1 in Laughlin and ninth in the unlimited class for open wheel desert race cars in San Felipe.

Fifth overall and third in Class 1 with 110 points is the family team of Andy McMillin and his father Scott McMillin in the McMillin Racing Jimco-Chevy.

A mere six points separates sixth through 10th place in the SCORE Overall point standings. Sixth overall are SCORE Trophy-Truck point leaders Post/Whelchel with 109 points.

Las Vegas' Rob MacCachren/Danny Anderson duo are seventh in overall points and fourth in Class 1-2/1600 with 106 points in a Faley-VW.

Tied for eighth in overall points with 105 are he teams of Rick Wilson, Long Beach, CA/Bekki Wik, Las Vegas (third in Class 1, Jimco-Chevy) and brothers Leonardo and Alejandro Navarrete of Mexicali, Mexico (fifth in Class 1-2/1600, Jimco-VW).

Completing the top 10 in SCORE overall team and second in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 103 is the team of Gary Dircks, Anthem, AZ/Mark Porter, Cave Creek, AZ, who won the Laughlin race in a Ford F-150.

Third in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 100 points is Jason Baldwin, Irvine, CA, in a Ford F-150.

The five undefeated class leaders after two races in 2004 are:
Dave Raimonde, Phoenix (Class 8, Chevy C1500), Donald Moss, Sacramento (Class 3, Ford Bronco), Bob Graham, Yorba Linda, CA/Mike Horner, Mission Viejo, Calif. (Class 7S, Toyota Tacoma), Rich Severson, Mesa, Ariz. (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger) and Eric Fisher, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 9, Garibay-VW).

After Round 2, other 2004 SCORE Desert Series point leaders in car and truck classes include: Craig Turner, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger), Jim Anderson, Claremont, Calif. (Class 10, Dunrite-VW), Stan Potter, Glendale, Ariz. (SCORE Lite, Jimco-VW) and Gerardo Iribe, Rosarito, Mexico (Class 5/1600, VW Baja Bug).

Among the motorcycle class leaders is the American Honda Class 22 team of Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, CA/Johnny Campbell, San Clemente, CA, who have now won eight straight SCORE races together on a Honda XR650R.

The overall and Class 25 ATV point leaders are Ruben Martin/Gilberto Santana, Tijuana, Mexico, on a Bombardier Baja X.

The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, for the upcoming Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will be held Saturday, April 24, 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 260 entries expected, the green flag will drop at 6 a.m. on Saturday (June 5) for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed by the car and truck classes two hours later at approximately 8:30 a.m. The starting line area will once again be adjacent to the Riviera del Pacifico Convention Center in downtown Ensenada. The finish line will be inside the Deportivo Antonio Palacios baseball stadium at 9th Street and Guadalupe Avenue in Ensenada. It is located approximately 1.5 miles east of the start line area. The admission will be free to this special SCORE finish line celebration. Vehicles will start in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race.

Pre-race festivities for the 36th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will center around the Riviera del Pacifico convention center in downtown Ensenada on Friday (June 4). Traditionally drawing thousands of spectators, the pre-race Manufacturer's Midway and display off all the race vehicles will be held adjacent to the San Nicolas Hotel, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday (June 4). The post-race awards celebration will be held at the Riviera del Pacifico on Sunday (June 6) at 10 a.m.

SCORE official sponsors for 2004 are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Southern California Ford Dealers-official vehicle and CL Bryant-official fuel 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 36th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 are the Fideicomiso Publico para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada and Cotuco.

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