Dale Dondel leading SCORE Trophy-Truck
Defending champ Adam Pfankuch leads Class 1-2/1600, Overall
Point standings after first round in 2005 SCORE Desert Series
Just 16 points separate top 12 SCORE overall point leaders
Heading to Mexico for 19th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250

LOS ANGELES, CA (January 28, 2005) -- Content as the relative unsung second-driver on two consecutive championship teams, Adam Pfankuch has stepped out of the shadows in a big way, assuming the Class 1-2/1600 and Overall point leads in the 2005 SCORE Desert Series. Pfankuch, 23, of Carlsbad, CA, drove his new VW-powered Ampfly 1600cc open-wheel desert race car past a race-record field of 46 starters in his class in the season-opening 11th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, Jan. 16-17.

After helping two different lead drivers win season point championships the last two years, Pfankuch is the primary driver of record this year. His victory this year in Laughlin provides ample proof of his significant contributions the last two years.

SCORE points are determined both on final finishing position and number of vehicles that started the race within each class. The competition is close and fierce as a total of just 15 points separate the top 12 leaders.

The World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series now heads south to Mexico for Round 2 of the 2005 SCORE Desert Series. The 19th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, the first of three SCORE races held annually on the Baja California peninsula, will be held Feb. 25-26 in San Felipe.

More than 275 entries are expected in San Felipe, competing in 23 Pro and 5 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, with be held at the SCORE offices in Los Angeles on Saturday, Feb. 5.

With four Class 1-2/1600 wins during the past two seasons, consistency helped Pfankuch help Eric Allen win the 2003 SCORE season point title and last year his efforts assisted veteran Brian Jeffrey to not only the Class 1-2/1600 point crown, but also the coveted SCORE Overall point championship as well.

By winning the season opener in Laughlin, Pfankuch has also put him at the top of the list in the chase for the $50,000 Kartek Off-Road bonus purse. The top three overall point leaders in the 2005 SCORE Desert Series will receive bonus money of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 from the Southern California aftermarket company.

In Laughlin, Pfankuch came from 26 seconds down after the first of two days of racing, defeating the Las Vegas team of Rob MacCachren and Bryan Freeman by two minutes, 25 seconds in his new race car built by Amplified Performance. Pfankuch leads the SCORE point standings with 60 points
“What a way to start my first season as driver of record and to come from behind to beat Rob MacCachren is humbling,” said Pfankuch. “On Sunday, my plan was to go as fast as I could for the first three of the four laps. If I couldn’t pass him, then I would take second. Bryan Freeman drove on Sunday for their team and he had some trouble so my plan worked out. There is no SCORE class with more competition than Class 1-2/1600, but it feels great to have a head start on our big field. We don’t have as many non-finishers in our class as most, so it’s very important to stay up front. Look what happened to MacCachren last year. He won four of five races, finished 23rd in one and Brian (Jeffrey) and I beat him for the season championship by only four points.”

Second in overall points with 58 after Round 1 is Class 10 point leader Kash Vessels, San Marcos, CA, who won in Laughlin in a Jimco-Toyota. A second-generation desert racer, Vessels beat a field of 33 starters in Laughlin, earning the $10,000 first place bonus in the $25,000 Jason Hunter Memorial Class 10 race.

MacCachren and Freeman, in their first season racing together, are second in Class 1-2/1600 and third in overall points with 54 in their Fraley-VW.
Fourth in overall points and second in Class 10 is Darren Hardesty, Ramona, CA, with 52 points in a Alumi-Craft-VW.

Leading the unlimited Class 1 after his win in Laughlin and fifth in overall points is Dale Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA, with 51 points in a Jimco-Toyota open-wheel desert race car. Ebberts, who splits the driving time in the rest of the SCORE races with Ernie Castro Jr., Newport Beach, CA, was the overall race winner in Laughlin for the second time in three years. Ebberts and Castro also won the 2003 SCORE Overall season point crown.
A total of just five points separate sixth through 12th place so far in the SCORE Overall point standings.

Sixth overall and third in Class 1-2/1600 is Travis Fletcher, Westminster, CA, with 50 points in a Baja Shop-VW.

Leading the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division after his first ever race win in the marquee class for high-tech, 750-horsepower unlimited production trucks is Dale Dondel. Dondel, Hemet, CA, drives a Chevy Silverado and is seventh in overall points with 48.

Tied for seventh overall and third in Class 10 points is the team of Rick Ellison, Selma, CA/Bill Witt, Henderson, Nev., in their Jimco-Honda.
Randy Jones, Simi Valley, CA, is ninth overall and fourth in Class 1-2/1600 points with 47.

Three racers are tied for 10th in overall points with 45 each after Laughlin. Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., is second in Class 1 while the team of L.J. Kennedy, Orange, CA/Brian Burgess, Riverside, CA, is fifth in Class 1-2/1600 in a Porter-VW and Jim Anderson, Clarement, CA, is fourth in Class 10 in a Dunrite-VW.

Six points behind Dondel in SCORE Trophy-Truck is Steve Sourapas, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, with 42 points in a Ford F-150 while third in the marquee SCORE racing division is Scott Steinberger, Cypress, CA, four points back of Sourapas in another Ford F-150.

This year’s season-opening SCORE Trophy-Truck race in Laughlin will be televised nationally as a half-hour special on the Speed Channel network on the new Lucas Oil…On The Edge show. Produced by NewWave Productions of Chicago, the green flag-to-checkered flag ‘race results show’ is scheduled to air on Saturday, March 26 at 6 p.m. (EST).

Both of last year’s point champions have taken the early lead in the SCORE Manufacturer Point Standings. Jimco is leading the Original Buggy Chassis points while FAT Performance is leading the Engine Builder points.

SCORE official sponsors for 2005 are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, C.L. Bryant-VP Racing Fuels-official fuel supplier. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance, Las Vegas Events, Herbst Gaming, Kartek Off-Road, Centrix Financial, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bilstein, Signpros, Cotuco, Fideicomiso Publico para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products, and Advanced Color Graphics.

For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official 2005 SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com

2005 SCORE Desert Series
Point Leaders

(After Round 1, 11th SCORE Laughlin (Nev.) Desert Challenge. Remaining schedule: Feb. 25-26--19th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250-San Felipe, Mexico; June 3-5--37th Tecate SCORE Baja 500-Ensenada, Mexico; July 28-30--SCORE Las Vegas Terrible’s Cup I-Las Vegas Motor Speedway*non-point’s race*; Sept. 9-11--10th SCORE Las Vegas Primm 300-Primm, Nevada; Nov. 17-20--38th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000-Ensenada, Mexico)

TOP 10 OVERALL (Position, Drivers, Vehicle-Engine, Class, Points)
1. Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, CA, Ampfly-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 60
2. Kash Vessels, San Marcos, CA, Jimco-Toyota (CLASS 10), 58
3. Rob MacCachren/Bryan Freeman, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 54
4. Darren Hardesty, Ramona, CA, Alumi Craft-VW (CLASS 10), 52
5. Dale Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA/Ernie Castro Jr., Newport Beach, CA, Jimco-Toyota (CLASS 1), 51
6. Travis Fletcher, Westminster, CA/Brad Fletcher, Garden Grove, CA, Baja Shop-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 50
7. Dale Dondel, Hemet, CA, Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 48
7. Rick Ellison, Selma, CA/Bill Witt, Henderson, Nev. (CLASS 10), 48
9. Randy Jones, Simi Valley, CA, Bunderson-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 47
10. Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Jimco-Chevy (CLASS 1), 45
10. L.J. Kennedy, Orange, CA/Brian Burgess,Riverside, CA, Porter-VW (CLASS 1-2/1600), 45
10. Jim Anderson, Claremont, CA, Dunrite-VW (CLASS 10), 45

CLASS LEADERS
(With Class wins in parenthesis)

Pro Cars and Trucks
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK--
1. Dale Dondel, Hemet, CA, Chevy Silverado (1), 48;
2. Steve Sourapas, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, Ford F-150, 42;
3. Scott Steinberger, Cypress, CA, Ford F-150, 38;
4. Josh Baldwin, Newport Beach, CA, Ford F-150, 35;
5. Bob Shepard, Phoenix, Chevy Silverado, 33;
6. Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, CA, Ford F-150, 22;
7. Gary Dircks, Anthem, Ariz./Jeff Darland, Tucson, Ariz., Ford F-150, 21;
8. Jason Baldwin, Laguna Beach, CA, Ford F-150, 20;
9. Luis Soto, El Paso, Texas, Chevy Silverado, 19;
10. Bobby Baldwin, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 18;
ALSO: 11. Alan Pflueger, Honolulu, Chevy Silverado, 17;
16. Gus Vildosola, Mexicali, Mexico/Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 12;
17. Tim Herbst/Ed Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150, 11.

CLASS 1--
1. Dale Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA/Ernie Castro Jr., Newport Beach, CA, Jimco-Toyota (1), 51;
2. Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Jimco-Chevy, 45;
3. Mark Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Jimco-Chevy, 41;
4. Rich Ronco, Glendale, Ariz., Tatum-Chevy, 38;
5. Mark McMillin, El Cajon, CA/Brian Ewalt, Chula Vista, CA, Jimco-Chevy, 36;
6. Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, Poway, CA, Jimco-Chevy, 35;
7. John Gould, Anaheim, CA, Playtech-Chevy, 34;
8. Josh Rigsby, Santa Fe, N.M., Penhall-Chevy, 33;
9. Kevin McMullen, Phoenix, McMullen-Chevy, 32;
10. John Marking, El Cajon, CA/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas, Jimco-Chevy, 31.
ALSO: 16. Brian Ickler, Poway, CA/Steve Sourapas, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, Jimco-Chevy, 16;
17. Corky McMillin, Bonita, CA, Chenowth-Chevy, 15;
22. Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, Smithbuilt-Ford, 9.

CLASS 1-2/1600--
1. Adam Pfankuch, Carlsbad, CA, Ampfly-VW (1), 60;
2. Rob MacCachren/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas, Fraley-VW, 54;
3. Travis Fletcher, Wesminster, CA/Brad Fletcher, Garden Grove, CA, Baja Shop-VW, 50;
4. Randy Jones, Simi Valley, CA, Bunderson-VW, 47;
5. L.J. Kennedy, Orange, CA/Brian Burgess,Riverside, CA, Porter-VW, 45.
ALSO: Sammy Ehrenberg, Las Vegas, Jimco-VW, 40.

CLASS 3--
1. Donald Moss, Sacramento, CA/Kenneth Moss, Marysville, CA, Ford Bronco (1), 30.

CLASS 5--
1. Chris Bowman, Upland, CA, VW Baja Bug (1), 30.

CLASS 5/1600--
1. Jeffrey Sack, Huntington Beach, CA, VW Baja Bug (1), 37;
2. Billy Gereghty, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., VW Baja Bug, 31;
3. Marcos Nunez/Roberto Rivera, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug, 27.

CLASS 7--
1. Craig Turner, Yorba Linda, CA, Ford Ranger (1), 37;
2. Victor Herrera, Tijuana, Mexico, Ford Ranger, 31;
3. Barry Karakas, Oak Hills, CA, Toyota Tacoma, 27.

CLASS 7S--
1. John Holmes, Olivenhain, CA, Ford Ranger (1), 32;
2. Tyler Fox, Ramona, CA, Ford Ranger, 26.

CLASS 7SX--
1. Cody Swanty, Kingman, Ariz., Jeep Comanche (1), 30.

CLASS 8--
1. Todd Wyllie, New River, Ariz., Chevy C1500 (1), 31;
2. Dave Raimonde, Phoenix, Chevy C1500, 25;
3. Greg Adler, Manhattan Beach, CA, Ford F-150, 21.

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

CLASS 10--
1. Kash Vessels, San Marcos, CA, Jimco-Toyota (1), 58;
2. Darren Hardesty, Ramona, CA, Alumi Craft-VW, 52;
3. Rick Ellison, Selma, CA/Bill Witt, Henderson, Nev., 48;
4. Jim Anderson, Claremont, CA, Dunrite-VW, 45;
5. Phillip Finch, Alpine, CA, Chenowth-Honda, 43.
ALSO: 12. Rudy Cortez/Carlos Cortez, Las Vegas, Kreger-VW, 36;
20. Bekki Wik, Las Vegas, Jimco-Honda, 18.

SCORE LITE--
1. Robert Naughton, Flagstaff, Ariz., Suspensions Unlimited-VW (1), 41;
2. James Golden, Costa Mesa, CA/Jason Hatz, San Diego, Jimco-VW, 35;
3. Tom Watson/Tim Noe, El Centro, CA, Jimco-VW, 31;
4. Vic Bruckmann, Lemon Grove, CA/Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Jimco-VW, 28;
5. Jake Batulis, San Clemente, CA, Prep By Jake-VW, 26.

CLASS 11--
1. Scott Pellerin, Romoland, CA, VW Sedan (1), 30.

STOCK FULL--
1. Terry Henn, Walnut, CA, Hummer H1 (1), 30;
2. John Griffin, Mission Viejo, CA, Hummer H2, 24;
3. Mark Handley, San Marcos, CA, Ford F-150 (2), 10.

PROTRUCK--
1. Jim Nuckles, Brawley, CA, Ford F-150 (1), 37;
2. Mike Voyles, Temecula, CA, Ford F-150, 31;
3. Al Hogan, Columbus, Mont., Ford F-150, 27

For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official 2005 SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com