LOS ANGELES—With the 2011 season reaching the midway point, the competition in the SCORE Desert Series has never been closer as veteran SCORE Trophy-Truck driver Jesse Jones and young gun unlimited Class 1 racer Justin Davis lead their respective classes and are tied at the top of SCORE point leaderborad following the recent 25th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250.

SCORE points are based on starting, finishing, placement and number of official starters within each class, Jones, 45, of Litchfield Park, Ariz., and Davis, 17 of Chino Hills, Calif., not only lead their respective classes following Round 2 of the five-race 2011 SCORE Desert Series, they are tied for the SCORE Overall point lead with 139 point each.

Jones, the reigning SCORE Trophy-Truck and SCORE Overall point champion, has finished a very close second in both of the first two races of the season in the No. 1 Jones Motorsports Ford F-250 SCORE Trophy-Truck, while Davis, last year’s SCORE Lite point champion, has won Class 1 in both races in the Green Army Motorsports Chevy-powered ESM open-wheel desert race car.

SCORE racers are now preparing for the season’s next race, the 43rd annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 to be held June 2-5 in Ensenada, Mexico.  The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, for Round 3 of the world’s foremost desert racing series, will be held at SCORE’s Los Angeles headquarters on Saturday, April 23. The event will be the second of three SCORE races held annually on the majestic Baja California peninsula.

In starting defense of his impressive championship from 2010 when he won two races in SCORE Trophy-Truck, Jones, a prominent Arizona businessman, started the 2011 season finishing runner-up to Las Vegas’ Bryce Menzies by just 59 seconds in Laughlin and then got even closer to the top of the podium in San Felipe, finishing just 44 seconds behind Las Vegas’ Rob MacCachren.

“The key is to stay in the hunt early and be in a position to win it all at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in November and I would say we are on target so far,” said Jones, who also won the 2001 SCORE Class 8 season point title. “We could have won one or both of the first two races, but both Bryce and Rob did a better job and while we want to win races, it is equally gratifying to win the season point championship in SCORE Trophy-Truck—the most competitive class with the world’s best drivers in the entire sport of desert racing.”

Following his first SCORE Trophy-Truck race win in just his second race in SCORE’s marquee racing division for high-tech, 850-horsepower, unlimited production trucks, rookie Menzies finished sixth in San Felipe and is currently fourth overall and third in SCORE Trophy-Truck points this year with 135 points in the No. 70 Menzies Motorsports Ford F-150.

Picking up his eighth career SCORE Trophy-Truck race win in San Felipe, MacCachren, an eight-time SCORE season point champion, is third in overall and second in SCORE Trophy-Truck points so far after finishing fourth in Laughlin with 138 points, just one shy of Jones and Davis in the No. 20 MasterCraft Racing Ford F-150.

Following consistent seventh and fifth-place finishes in the season’s first two events, Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., is fifth in overall points and fourth in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 119 in the No. 98 TSCO Motorsports Ford F-150.

With extremely tight competition, just 40 points separate the top 25 overall point leaders following the first two rounds of the 2011 SCORE Desert Series. And SCORE Trophy-Trucks eight of the top 10 spots in overall points.

While 20 points separate the top five drivers in the SCORE overall point standings, just three points separate the next nine leaders.

After a strong third-place finish in SCORE Trophy-Truck in Laughlin and a 13th in San Felipe, Mexico’s Gus Vildosola Jr., who won last year’s legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 peninsula run with his father Gus Vildosola Sr., is tied for sixth in overall points with 118 in the No. 21 Vildosola Racing Ford F-150 with Adam Householder, Orange, Calif., who drives the No. 24 Blitzkreig Motorsports Chevy Silverado. The Vildosolas are fifth and Householder sixth in the SCORE Trophy-Truck division.

Second in Class 1 and eighth overall is Brian Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif., with 117 points in a Jimco-Chevy.

Two more SCORE Trophy-Trucks are ninth and 10th in overall points (seventh and eighth in their class) with Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., having 114 points in the No. 23 McMillin Racing Ford F-150 and Sohren, Glendale, Ariz., having 110 points in the No. 2 Speedway Motorsports Ford F-150.

Besides Davis in Class 1, five other racers have won both races to start the year and lead their respective classes: Kevin Carr, San Diego (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug), Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger), Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger), Jessica McMillin, National City, Calif. (Protruck, Ford F-150) and Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va. (Class 4, PSD-Chevy).

Out of Bristol, Tenn., the RPM Offroad team has come out of the box strong and with four entries in Laughlin with three class wins and five entries in San Felipe with two more class wins.

With two lead drivers, Justin Matney, of Bristol, Tenn., leads both Class 8 in a Chevy Silverado and Class 11 in a Stock VW Sedan while teammate Clyde Stacy, of Bristol, Va., leads Class 4 in a PSD-Chevy and he also is a rookie in SCORE Trophy-Truck. Matney’s father John Matney won the Stock Full class in San Felipe to go with Stacy’s second straight Class 4 win.

Jessica McMillin is one of two female drivers leading a class so far this season as Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif., leads Class 6 in a Ford Ranger following her class win in San Felipe.

Among the other 2011 SCORE point leaders in car and truck classes after their Laughlin wins are: Perry McNeil, Lemon Grove, Calif. (SCORE Lite, Lothringer-VW), Sergio Salgado, Mexicali, Mexico (Class 10, Jimco-Honda), Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif. (Class 3, Ford Bronco), Wes Bevly III, Corpus Christi, Texas (Stock Full, Ford F-150) and West Bevly IV, Corpus Christi, Texas (Class 7-2, BajaLite-Chevy).

Besides Jones (SCORE Trophy-Truck) and Davis (SCORE Lite but racing in Class 1 this year), Carr, Chamlee, Moss and Hanna are all defending SCORE season class point champions.

With motorcycles and ATVs racing in the three SCORE Baja races, the overall motorcycle and Class 22 leader with 68 points after their victory in San Felipe is the JCR/Honda team of Colton Udall/Jeff Kargola, both of San Clemente, Calif., on a Honda CRF450X.

Following their Class 24 ATV class win in San Felipe over a field of 17 starters, leading the overall and Class 24 ATV point standings with 77 points is the team led by Brandon Brown, Umatilla, Ore. on a Honda TRX450R. Brown’s co-riders in San Felipe were Jorie Williams, Longview, Wash., Kenny Sanford, Tacoma, Wash., and Robbie Mitchell, Price Utah.

Among the other motorcycle class point leaders are the teams led by David Gonzalez Jr, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 21, KTM 450XCW), Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas (Class 30, Honda CRF450X), Mike Prunty, Temecula, Calif. (Class 40, Honda CRF450X), Jim Dizney, Alpine, Calif. (Class 50, Honda CRF450X) and Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn. (Class 60, Honda CRF450X).

Leading Class 25 for open ATVs is the team led by Mike Cafro, Bonsall, Calif., on a Honda TRX450R.

After his San Felipe win, leading Class 26 (utility ATVs) on a Can Am Outlander 800 is the team led by Joe Rice, Lomita, Calif.

Round 2 of the 2011 SCORE Desert Series will be the 43rd anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, June 2-5 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

In addition to season class point championships, the racers are also competing for part of the nearly $400,000 in cash purse and contingency postings each race. Drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are attempting to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season.  Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 26th consecutive year, a total of 37 drivers remain eligible after Round 1 of the 2011 SCORE Desert Series. Racers are also competing for the annual SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year awards, including the MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Year award.

Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Sunoco Race Fuels -official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance and Slime-official tire sealant. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Blue C Advertising, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

While Tecate is title sponsor of the 43rd Tecate SCORE Baja 500, additional race sponsors are the Office of the Secretary of Tourism of Baja California and ProTurismo de Ensenada.

For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2011 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

Top 25 Overall Cars and Trucks

(Position, Drivers, Vehicle-Engine, Class, Points)
1. Jesse Jones, Litchfield Park, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 139
1. Justin Davis, Chino Hills, Calif., ESM-Chevy (Class 1), 139
3. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 138
4. Bryce Menzies, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 135
5. Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 119
6. Gus Vildosola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 118
6. Adam Householder, Orange, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 118
8. Brian Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 117
9. Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 114
10. Pete Sohren, Glendale, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 110
11. Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Jefferies-Chevy (Class 1), 108
12. Steve Appleton, Boise, Idaho, Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 107
13. Jesse Ashcraft, San Marcos, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 106
14. Perry McNeil, Lemon Grove, Calif., Lothringer-VW (SCORE Lite), 105
14. Kevin Carr, San Diego, VW Baja Bug (Class 5), 105
14. Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif., Ford Ranger (Class 7), 105
14. Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va., PSD-Chevy (Class 4), 105
14. Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford Ranger (Class 7SX), 105
14. Jessica McMillin, National City, Calif., Ford F-150 (Protruck), 105
20. Daniel McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 103
21. Ken Losch, Tempe, Ariz., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 101
22. Josh Rigsby, Santa Fe, N.M., Penhall-Chevy (Class 1), 100
23. Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn., Chevy Silverado (Class 8), 99
24. Noah Ostanik, Encinitas, Calif., Ford F-150 (Class 8), 99
25. Rafael Navarro IV, Temecula, Calif., Jimco-VW (SCORE Lite), 99

2011 SCORE Desert Series Class Point Leaders
(NOTE: Motorcycles, ATVs and SPT UTVs race in the three SCORE Baja races)

Pro Cars and Trucks

SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK—1. Jesse Jones, Litchfield Park, Ariz., Ford F-150, 139; 2. Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (1), 138; 3. Bryce Menzies, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (1), 135; 4. Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Ford F-150, 119; 5. (Tie) Gus Vildosola Jr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150 and Adam Householder, Orange, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 118; 7. Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif./Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., Ford F-150, 114; 8. Pete Sohren, Glendale, Ariz., Ford F-150, 110; 9 Jesse Ashcraft, San Marcos, Calif., Ford F-150, 106; 10. Ken Losch, Tempe, Ariz./Greg Nunley, Tulare, Calif., Chevy Silverado, 101; 11. Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix, Chevy Silverado, 94; 12. Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif., GMC Sierra, 85; 13. Lloyd Sproule, Canada, Ford F-150, 83; 14. B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado, 77; 15. Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va./Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn., Chevy Silverado, 75.

CLASS 1—1. Justin Davis, Chino Hills, Calif., ESM-Chevy (2), 139; 2. Brian Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 117; 3. Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Jefferies-Chevy, 108; 4. Steve Appleton, Boise, Idaho, Jimco-Chevy, 107; 5. Daniel McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 103; 6. Josh Rigsby, Santa Fe, N.M., Penhall-Chevy, 100; 7. Dan Martin, Monrovia, Calif., Racer-Chevy, 88; 8. Randy Wilson, Lakewood, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 82; 9. Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 77; 10. Conan Barker, Whittier, Calif., Jimco-Chevy, 76.

CLASS 1-2/1600—1. Luke McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., AlumiCraft-VW, 98; 2. Brad Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., Penhall-VW, 90; 3. Arturo Velazco/Abel Velazco, Banning, Calif., Porter-VW, 87; 4. Cody Robinson, El Cenro, Calif./Roberto Romo, Mexicali, Mexico, Romo-VW (1), 86; 5. (Tie) Arnoldo Ramirez, Ensenada, Mexico, Curry-VW and Brian Wilson, Long Beach, Kreger-VW, 72.

CLASS 3—1. Donald Moss, Sacramento, Calif., Ford Bronco (1), 40.

CLASS 5—1. Kevin Carr, San Diego, VW Baja Bug (2), 105; 2. (Tie) Victor Cesena, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, VW Baja Bug and Cody Kellog, Cypress, Calif., VW Baja Bug, 99.

CLASS 5/1600—1. Emilio Salcido, Mexicali, Mexico VW Baja Bug (1), 65.

CLASS 6—1. Heidi Steele, San Clemente, Calif./Rene Brugger, San Diego, Ford Ranger (1), 96; 2. Marc Burnett, Chula Vista, Calif., Ford Ranger, 83; 3. David Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., Ford Ranger (1), 74.

CLASS 7—1. Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif., Ford Ranger (2), 105.

CLASS 7SX—1. Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico, Ford Ranger (2), 105; 2. Rich Severson, Tucson, Ariz., Ford Ranger, 59.

CLASS 8—1. (Tie) Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn., Chevy Silverado (1), and Noah Ostanik, Encinitas, Calif., Ford F-150 (1), 99.

CLASS 9—1. Luke Babb, Monrovia, Calif., Jimco-VW, 45.

CLASS 10—1. Sergio Salgado, Mexicali, Mexico, Jimco-Honda, 93; 2. John Langley, Santa Monica, Calif., Racer-Chevy, 82; 3. Matt Cullen, Long Beach, Calif., AlumiCraft-VW (1), 78.

SCORE LITE—1. Perry McNeil, Lemon Grove, Calif., Lothringer-VW, 105; 2. Rafael Navarro IV, Temecula, Calif., Jimco-VW, 99; 3. Zak Langley, El Segundo, Calif., SmithFab-VW, 88; 4. Jaime Huerta, San Luis, Ariz., Curry-VW, 83; 5. Steven Eugenio, Alpine, Calif./Adam Pfankuch, Oceanside, Calif., Prill-VW (1), 75.

CLASS 11—1. Justin Matney, Bristol, Tenn., VW Sedan (1), 75; 2. Matt Cullen, Long Beach, Calif., VW Sedan, 66.

STOCK FULL—1. Wes Bevly III, Corpus Christi, Texas, Ford F-150 (1), 95; 2. John Matney, Bristol, Va., Dodge Ram2500 (1), 65.

PROTRUCK—1. Jessica McMillin, National City, Calif., Ford F-150 (2), 105.

CLASS 7-2—1. Wes Bevly IV, Corpus Christi, Texas, BajaLite-Chevy (1), 95; 2. Bruce Finchum, Mesa, Ariz., TrophyLite-Chevy (1), 65.

CLASS 4—1. Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va., PSD-Chevy (2), 105.

Pro Motorcycles

CLASS 22—1. Colton Udall, San Clemente, Calif./Jeff Kargola, San Clemente, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 68; 2. Shane Esposito, Lake Elsinore, Calif./Bobby Garrison, Hesperia, Calif./Steve Hengeveld, Oak Hills, Calif., Kawasaki KX450F, 62; 3. A.J. Stewart, Jamul, Calif./Bryce Stavron, Palmdale, Calif./Donald Stanley, San Clemente, Calif./Kyle Corfman, El Centro, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 58.

CLASS 21—1. David Gonzalez Jr/Carlos Casas, Chula Vista, Calif., KTM 450XCW (1), 67; 2. Adam Neuwirth, Los Angeles/Salvador Hernandez, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 61; 3. David Kleiman, Carlsbad, Calif./Mike Gress, Anaheim Hills, Calif./Chad Earl, Huntington Beach, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 57.

CLASS 30—1. Mike Johnson, El Paso, Texas/Steve Garnett, Carson City, Nev., Honda CRF450X (1), 67; 2. Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico/Jason Trubey, Henderson, Nev./Noe Ibarra, Banning, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 61; 3. Bill Witt, Henderson, Nev./Kevin Johnson, Boulder City, Nev./Jesse Sharpe, Escondido, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 57.

CLASS 40—1. Mike Prunty, Temecula, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 65; 2. Oscar Fazz, Yuma, Ariz./Randy Harmon, Peoria, Ariz./Derek Ball, Yuma, Ariz., Kawasaki KX450F, 59; 3. Jeff Kaplan, Thousand Oaks, Calif./Louie Franco, Sherman Oaks, Calif./Ron Wilson, Encinitas, Calif./Andrew Wilkinson, Temecula, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 55.

CLASS 50—1. Jim Dizney, Alpine, Calif./Doug Smith, Upland, Calif./Eric McKenna, Loomis, Calif./Steve Williams, Tehachapi, Calif./Paul Doebereiner, La Quinta, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 65; 2. Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./ Andy Kirker, Santa Ana, Calif./Tim Withers, Pepeekeo, Hawaii/Lee Scheffers, Riverside, Calif./Marc Prince, Malibu, Calif., Honda CRF450X, 59.

CLASS 60—1. Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn./Sam Dempsey, Lake Balboa, Calif./Bob Gates, Hesperia, Calif./Jim O’Neal, Simi Valley, Calif./Randy Dugan, Upland, Calif., Honda CRF450X (1), 65.

Pro ATVs

CLASS 25—1. Mike Cafro, Bonsall, Calif./Beau Baron, Atascadereo, Calif./Levi Marana, Hemet, Calif., Honda TRX450R (1), 70; 2. Roberto Ruiz, El Centro, Calif./Rodolfo Navarro, Mexicali, Mexico/Carlos Apdali/Ivan Mejorado, Tecate, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 64; 3. Christian Vera, Lemon Grove, Calif./Adolfo Arellano, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 60; 4. Craig Christy, Burbank, Calif./Dave Scott, Belen, N.M./Andy Lagzdins, Playa del Rey, Calif./Garren Fuller, Santee, Calif., Honda TRX700XX, 57.

CLASS 24—1. Brandon Brown, Umatilla, Ore./Jorie Williams, Longview, Wash./Kenny Sanford, Tacoma, Wash./Robbie Mitchell, Price, Utah, Honda TRX450R (1), 77; 2. Heriberto Marquez/Julio Gomez/Adrian Lopez, Ensenada, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 71; 3. Juan Sanchez/Raul Cano/Angel Sanchez/Danny Salazar, Chula Vista, Calif., Honda TRX450R, 67; 4. Felipe Velez, San Felipe, Mexico/Roberto Villalobos, Tecate, Mexico/Victor Lopez/Cesar Lopez, San Felipe, Mexico, Honda TRX450R, 64; 5. Guillermo Berenger/Alejandro Gomez/Jose Ramirez, Mexicali, Mexico, Honda CRF450X, 62.

CLASS 26—1. Joe Rice, Lomita, Calif./Tim Winiarski, Carson, Calif., Can Am Outlander800 (1), 65.

Sportsman

SPT TRUCK—1. Nick Tonelli, Huntington Beach, Calif., Ford Ranger (1), 90

SPT CAR—1. Peter Lang, Santa Rosa, Calif., Homebuilt-Buck (1), 65.

SPT UTV—1. Bill Morris, Bakersfield, Calif., Polaris RZR4 (1), 65.

SPT M/C 450cc<—1. Issac Cisneros, San Diego, Yamaha YZF450 (1), 69.

SPT M/C 450cc>—1. Ulises Fierro, Tijuana, Mexico, Honda CRF450X (1), 75.

SPT ATV—1. Ivan Espinoza, Mexicali, Mexico, Honda TRX45