Forty-Four of SCORE’s toughest racers still in hunt
For 2005 Toyota True Grit and Milestone Awards
SCORE International’s toughest desert racers preparing
for 37th Tecate SCORE Baja 500, June 3-5, in Ensenada, Mexico

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 29, 2005) -- Following two of five races in the 2005 SCORE Desert Series, 44 of SCORE’s toughest racers are still in the race to earn 2005 SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards. In addition, four of those racers could split this year’s $12,000 SCORE Toyota True Grit Award. Toyota is presenting these prestigious awards to the world’s toughest desert racers for the 20th consecutive year. The Toyota Milestone awards go to those drivers who finish every required mile of every race in the five-race 2005 SCORE Desert Racing Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series.

The $12,000 SCORE Toyota True Grit bonus purse will be split among the point champions in the non-factory supported classes of: Class 1-2/1600, Class 5, Class 10 and SCORE Lite. A total of 23 drivers in those four classes are still eligible in the chase for the 2005 SCORE Toyota True Grit bonus purse.

After two races over rugged desert terrain in the U.S. and Mexico, 44 racers in 14 classes are still in the hunt for 2005 SCORE Toyota Milestone awards.

“Toyota is proud to honor the world’s best desert racing drivers,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “For the past 19 years, we have had the privilege of presenting the SCORE Toyota True Grit and Milestone Awards to the toughest racers on the planet.”

Class 1-2/1600 leads the way, so far, with 11 racers still eligible for SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards, followed by Class 1 and SCORE Lite with six each and Class 10 2ith five.

Round 3 of the 2005 SCORE Desert Series will be the 37th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, June 3-5, in Ensenada, Mexico. A special live drawing for starting positions, by class, will be held Saturday, April 30, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the drag strip at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, Calif.

2005 SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards
(Racers who have completed every required mile for the season after two rounds in the five-race 2005 SCORE Desert Series--*SCORE Toyota True Grit Classes)

SCORE Trophy-Truck Josh Baldwin Bob Shepard Class 1 Dale Ebberts Gary Weyhrich Mark McMillin Andy McMillin Josh Rigsby John Marking Class 1-2/1600* Rob MacCachren Caleb Gaddis Travis Fletcher L.J. Kennedy Rick Boyer Scott Wisdom Arden Dennington Eli Yee Bobby Altamirano Rodrigo Ampudia Jr Hiram Duran Class 3 Donald Moss Class 5* Chris Bowman Class 5/1600 Marcos Nunez Ernie Negrete Steve Landis

Class 7 Craig Turner Dan Chamlee Class 7S John Holmes Class 8 Todd Wyllie Dave Raimonde Class 9 Eric Fisher Class 10* Kash Vessels Darren Hardesty John Cooley Travis Brookshire Rick Ellison SCORE Lite* James Golden Tom Watson Jake Batulis Ken Stroud Mike Belk Arturo Honold Stock Full Terry Henn Protruck Gus Vildosola Jr. Craig Smith

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