The transformed Toyota Trick Truck will likely run an all-white, light bulb-looking paint scheme and be lacking of any significant graphics. Although the Toy is a born and breed desert machine, it is also being considered a runner (with Jefferies at the wheel) for the Protruck exhibition class at this year's CORR Crandon Brush Run short-course race.

The move to keep the championship Ford at home will allow HMS the opportunity to "pretty-it-up" for a sponsor "show-and-tell" at either the Off Road Expo or SEMA shows later this year. It will also allow the team time for an in-depth, down-to-the-frame prep job.

The Big Reason:Well, immediately after show-and-tell at SEMA, the team to navigate a victory pace at the year-end SCORE Baja 1000 peninsula run, a race seen as the highlight of the season after a BITD Nevada 1000 win just over a month ago. In other words, HMS is looking for back-to-back 1000 wins for the year.

Beyond the victories HMS has racked up so far in its open class truck's history, the strategy is clear: Keep the sponsors knocking on the door. From what we've heard so far, the team has got some "superb" prospects leading into the 2003 season. And, running something other than a Ford just might open up the doors to a few manufacturers that haven't been seen in the desert for quite some time. Are we saying that Dodge - or even Toyota - have been knocking on the HMS door? No. But, it's not out of the question.