SCORE Awards Saturday in Primm
Noe, Caspino split SCORE Toyota True-Grit Award; 22 SCORE racers earn 2007 Toyota Milestone Awards
2007 SCORE Desert Series covered 2,296.84 rugged miles in United States
and Mexico
LOS ANGELES--After 2,296.84 dusty and rugged desert racing miles,
22 of the world's best desert racers have survived the challenges of
the 2007 SCORE Desert Series to earn coveted 2007 SCORE Toyota Milestone
Awards.
Finishing every required mile in the World's Foremost Desert
Racing Series, two of those sturdy racers will split this year's
$12,000 SCORE Toyota True Grit Award.
They will all be honored Saturday night along with the 2007 SCORE
Desert Series point champions and 2007 SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year
winners in the showroom at Whiskey Pete's Casino in Primm., Nev.
Toyota is presenting these prestigious awards to the world's
toughest desert racers for the 22nd consecutive year.
"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 over two decades, we have had the privilege
of presenting the SCORE Toyota True Grit and Milestone Awards to the
toughest racers on the planet."
The $12,000 SCORE Toyota Truce Grit bonus purse is split among
Milestone winners with the most points in the non-factory supported
classes of Class 1-2/1600, Class 5, Class 10 and SCORE Lite. The two
milestone winners who will split this year's are Dave Caspino,
Woodland Hills, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600) and Tim Noe, El Centro, Calif.
(SCORE Lite).
Representing the largest number of Toyota Milestone winners in the
history of the award, Noe and his teammate Tom Watson, San Diego, won
their fourth consecutive Milestone and fourth straight SCORE Lite season
point championship. The total of 22 breaks the old mark of 21 set back
in 1992.
Billy Gasper, Chino Hills, Calif. and his brother Dave Gasper, Santa
Barbara, Calif., won their fourth Toyota Milestone award and first in
Class 1 after earning their first three in Class 5/1600 (1998, 1999 and
2000).
Earning their third straight Toyota Milestone in Class 1-2/1600 were
teammates L.J. Kennedy, Orange, Calif. and Sammy Ehrenberg, Las Vegas.
Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz., earned his third Milestone this
year, first in SCORE Trophy-Truck after winning his other awards in 1988
(Class 7) and 1991 (Class 8).
Earning their second straight Toyota Milestone awards this year were
third-generation desert racer Daniel McMillin, El Cajon, Calif. (Class
1-2/1600), B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas (SCORE Trophy-Truck), and Stan Potter,
San Marcos, Calif. (SCORE Lite).
John Griffin, Mission Viejo, Calif., (Stock Full) picked up his
second Milestone after earning his first in 2002.
2007 SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards
(22 Racers who completed every required mile in the six-race 2007 SCORE
Desert Series--*SCORE Toyota True Grit Classes)
-B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
-Garron Cadiente, Mesa, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
-Travis Coyne, El Centro, Calif.,Ford F-150hSCORE Trophy-Truck)
-Mark Post, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Ford F-150hSCORE Trophy-Truck)
-Larry Ragland, Cave Creek, Ariz, Chevy Silverado. (SCORE Trophy-Truck)
-Eric Chase, Burbank, Calif., Penhall-Chevy (Class 1)
-Billy Gasper, Chino Hills, Calif., Porter-Chevy (Class 1)
-Dale Lenk, Newport Beach, Calif., Penhall-Chevy (Class 1)
-Dan Myers, Newport Beach, Calif., Porter-Chevy (Class 1)
-Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1)
-Dave Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., Lothringer-VW (Class 1-2/1600)
-Hiram Duran, Tecate, Calif., Neth-VW (Class 1-2/1600)
-Eliseo Garcia, Ensenada, Mexico, Garibay-VW (Class 1-2/1600)
-L.J. Kennedy, Orange, Calif., JimcoSPF-VW (Class 1-2/1600)
-Daniel McMillin, El Cajon, Calif., Jimco-VW (Class 1-2/1600)
-Arnoldo Ramirez, Ensenada, Mexico, Curry-VW (Class 1-2/1600)
-Mario Reynoso, Tijuana, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (Class 5/1600)
-Rich Severson, Mesa, Ariz., Ford Ranger (Class 7SX)
-Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix, Chevy Silverado (Class 8)
-Tim Noe, El Centro, Calif., Jimco-VW (SCORE Lite)
-Stan Potter, San Marcos, Calif., Jimco-VW (SCORE Lite)
-John Griffin, Mission Viejo, Calif., Ford F-350 (Stock Full)
2007 Toyota True Grit Awards:
(The Toyota True Grit Award splits $12,000 between top point leaders who
completed every required mile of every race in Class 1/2-1600, Class 10,
SCORE Lites and Class 5)
Class 1-2/1600: Dave Caspino, Woodland Hills, Calif., Lothringer-VW
($6,000)
SCORE Lite: Tim Noe - El Centro, Calif., Jimco-VW ($6,000)
-credit: score
