| R. Gordon Facing Rugged Race Course, Stiffer Competition in Quest to ... - Who Won Posted: 13 Nov 2009 10:34 AM PST Friday, November 13, 2009R. Gordon Facing Rugged Race Course, Stiffer Competition in Quest to Win 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Desert Race
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by Dominic Clark
LOS ANGELES -- NASCAR Cup team owner/driver Robby Gordon faces tough competition every Sunday during his 'normal' pavement job, but in his desert racing career he will have to overcome a rugged course and the toughest competition he has ever faced next weekend in his quest to not only win the overall title at the 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, but also the 2009 SCORE Desert Series Overall point championship.
With racers competing in 32 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, the legendary race will be held Nov. 19-22 in Ensenada, Mexico. Completing its 36th year as the World's foremost desert racing sanctioning body, the event is the finale of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series. To date, 338 adventurers and the world's best desert racers have come from 39 U.S. States and 14 countries to gather on the majestic Baja California peninsula.
This year's 672.85-mile race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada. The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. PST (Friday, Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 14 hours. All vehicles will have a 31-hour time limit to become official finishers in the legendary adventure.
In his first season running the entire five-race series since he won the SCORE Trophy-Truck season championship in 1996, Gordon enters this year's granddaddy of all desert races with a comfortable lead in both the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division and the SCORE Overall point race in his No. 77 Team Gordon Chevy CK1500.
While racing part-time in the SCORE desert series, Gordon still has managed nine race wins in the marquee SCORE racing division for 850-horsepower, high-tech, unlimited production trucks.
This year's 672.85-mile loop race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada and Gordon will not only have to contend with the twists and turns, bumps and grinds of the body-pounding course, he will be racing against over 350 cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, including 35 vehicles in SCORE Trophy-Truck.
Not to mention he is also working the logistics for the final NASCAR Cup race of the year next weekend in Homestead, Fla., Gordon will be challenged by a SCORE Trophy-Truck field that, including himself, has 13 racers that have combined to win 57 of 92 races held since the super class was created by SCORE in 1994. The field also includes 11 of the 15 all-time SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champions.
Gordon is certainly no stranger to this race, as he has tried to run it every year while pursuing his pavement racing career, even if he can't run the full SCORE schedule. In fact, in 2006 he had to get back to a NASCAR race and split the driving with budding star Andy McMillin as the pair captured the peninsula run from Ensenada to La Paz.
McMillin, National City, Calif., will be the driver of record this year, with his father Scott McMillin as the other driver, in the No. 31 McMillin Racing Chevy Silverado.
Gordon also won this race in 1989 driving solo to La Paz in Class 8 and teamed for his other overall win in 1990 when he was the third driver in the family team led by his father "Baja" Bob Gordon and second driver Robyn Gordon, one of his sisters.
Having a stellar season this year in the desert, Gordon won both the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge and the SCORE Terrible's Primm 300 while finishing second at the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 and seventh at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
While the only thing that will keep him from winning the coveted SCORE Trophy-Truck and SCORE Overall point championship this year is if he has a did-not-finish in this race, to know Robby Gordon is to know that this pedal to the metal racer wants to win the race equally as much as he does the season crown.
While certainly keeping his eyes on the road, blocking the course ahead of him in the search for the SCORE Trophy-Truck race win is a list of who's who in desert racing, including one racer who has moved up from the unlimited Class 1 to the super truck class and should be a factor in the outcome as well.
While the unlimited Class 1 is only a 'boulders through' away from capturing the overall in this race, somewhat handicapped by starting behind the behemoth SCORE Trophy-Trucks in the elapsed-time race, SCORE Trophy-Trucks are the clear favorite to win the overall title.
Leading the field of contenders are SCORE Trophy-Truck race winners Tim Herbst, Rob MacCachren, Mark Post, Brian Collins, Curt Le Duc, B.J. Baldwin, Larry Roeseler, Roger Norman, Alan Pflueger, Rick D. Johnson, Andy McMillin and Gus Vildosola.
Terrible Herbst Motorsports, the winningest team in the history of SCORE Trophy-Truck with 11 race wins and four season point titles, returns with Las Vegas brothers Tim and Troy Herbst ready to pilot the new No. 19 Ford F-150. Running just the SCORE Baja races this season, Troy drove the new Smithbuilt race truck to a seventh in class in its first race in San Felipe and a fifth in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
Post, Laguna Beach, Calif., and Las Vegas' MacCachren, with seven career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins each, split the driving in Posts' No. 3 Riviera Racing Ford F-150, and together won the historic 40th annual race from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas in 2007.
Roger Norman, Reno, Nev., and Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif., are the defending race champions in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports Ford F-150. Last year was the first win for both Norman and Roeseler in SCORE Trophy-Truck in this race. In race history, Norman has three class wins while Roeseler has 17, including 13 overall wins (10 of which were on motorcycles).
Las Vegas' Brian Collins, who will split driving with veteran Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., has six career SCORE Trophy-Trucks wins including winning this year's Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 for the second straight year in the No. 12 Collins Motorsports Dodge Ram1500.
The 1997 SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champ, Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., has four career race wins in this class and will split driving this year with driver of record Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix, in the No. 84 Chevy Sivlerado.
Winning both the 2006 and the 2008 SCORE Trophy-Truck season point crowns, Las Vegas' B.J. Baldwin has three career SCORE Trophy-Truck race wins and was second in this race a year ago in the No. 1 Baldwin Motorsports Chevy Silverado.
With two career race wins in the class, Hawaii's Alan Pflueger will be another contender in the No. 28 Pflueger Motorsports Chevy Silverado.
Rick D. Johnson, Barstow, Calif., won this class in this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500 as he consistently runs among the leaders in the No. 71 Ford F-150. He also drew the second starting position in this year's race.
With a huge fan base and consummate knowledge of the course, the other driver with one career race win in SCORE Trophy-Truck entered is Mexico's Gus Vildosola, who will be the second driver for his son Gus Vildosola Jr. in the No. 4 Vildosola Racing Ford F-150. Together, they finished second to Post/MacCachren in the epic 2007 race to Cabo.
Because it is a race of the mind as well as the competition, there can always be surprise winners in SCORE Baja races.
Just patiently plugging along in desert racing's marquee division, Arizona's journeyman driver Pete Sohren received the first starting position during the Oct. 10 computerized drawing for the race. The grizzled veteran Sohren will pilot his No. 2 Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck.
Sohren finished fourth in June's race, tying his best career SCORE Trophy-Truck race finish.
Other entries among the veterans in the talented 35-truck field in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division include Robbie Pierce/Mike Julson, Santee, Calif. (30-Chevy Silverado), Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif./Rick Geiser, Phoenix (GMC Sierra), Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif. (23-Ford F-150), Ron Whitton, Mesa, Ariz. (39-Ford F-150), Mark Weyhrich/Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore. (9-Ford F-150), Jason Voss/Richard Voss, Cupertino, Calif. (35-Ford F-150), Scott Steinberger, Cypress, Calif./Dave Sykes, San Diego (7-Ford F-150), Ed Stout, Irvine, Calif. (13-Ford F-150) and Bobby Baldwin/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas (96-Chevy Silverado).
Mark McMillin, the older brother of Scott and uncle of Andy, is making his debut in this race in SCORE Trophy-Truck in the No. 23 McMillin Racing Ford F-150, but he is no stranger to the checkered flag in SCORE Baja races. Mark McMillin has eight career class wins in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, including five overall victories.
Drawing first start in the unlimited Class 1 is former German World Rally Championship driver Armin Schwarz and his second driver, Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif., in the All-German Motorsports Jimco-BMW
Chuck Dempsey, Oak Hills, Calif., is the defending Class 1 race winner and Randy Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., is currently leading the points in the class for unlimited open-wheel desert race cars.
Harley Letner, a third-generation desert racer, and his cousin Kory Halopoff, were second in Class 1 in this race last year and the pair were the overall winners of this year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500.
The unique Terrible Herbst Motorsports Class 1 'Landshark' has six class wins and two overall titles in this race with Troy Herbst as the primary driver. In this year's first two SCORE Baja races, Tim Herbst has driven the Smithbuilt legend solo to a second place and an 11th in Class 1.
While late entries are accepted up to race day, a total of 338 entries have officially been accepted for the race as of today which will put the starting field in the top 10 in the 42-year history of the storied event.
The car and truck classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (35), Class 1 (24), Class 1-2/1600 and SCORE Lite (15 each) and Class 10 (10).
Among the motorcycle and ATV classes, the open motorcycle Class 22 has the most entries to date with 19 followed by Class 30, riders 30 years old and over, which has 14.
Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which has 36 entries and Sportsman Motorcycle under 250cc which has 15 entries to date.
With massive crowds reaching nearly 250,000 anticipated to again be spread out along the rugged course that travels from Ensenada to Ojos Negros, east down Laguna Salada to San Felipe, down through the legendary Matomi Wash, around Mike's Sky Ranch, through both Rancho Las Truchas and Rancho El Coyote, down the infamous Simpson's Hill and back to the Pacific Coast below San Vicente and up through Santo Tomas, Uruapan and back to Ojos Negros, covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula to and from Ensenada.
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series.
This race also features the prestigious Sal Fish SCORE IronRider awards presented to each motorcycle or ATV rider who completes the course within the time limit while riding solo. To date, 30 individuals have officially declared that they will be attempting to complete the course riding solo.
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, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
Additional associate sponsors for the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are Proturismo de Ensenada and the State Tourism Department of Baja California.
For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.
2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Final round of five race 2009 SCORE Desert Series
Nov. 19-22 -- Ensenada, Mexico
TOTAL ENTRIES: 338 (39 States, 14 Countries)(as of 11/12/09)
Pro Cars & Trucks
SCORE TROPHY-TRUCK (Unlimited Production Trucks)--
2 Pete Sohren, Glendale, Ariz., Ford F-150
71 Rick D. Johnson/Brian Sallee, Barstow, Calif., Ford F-150
96 Bobby Baldwin/Sandy Stewart/Danny Anderson, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
7 Scott Steinberger, Cypress, Calif./Dave Sykes, Del Mar, Calif./Jimmy Knuckles, Brawley, Calif., Ford F-150
12 Brian Collins, Las Vegas/Chuck Hovey, Escondido, Calif., Dodge Ram 1500
84 Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix/Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif./Michael Vanderwey, Phoenix, Chevy Silverado
1 B.J. Baldwin, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
77 Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., Chevy CK1500
19 Tim Herbst/Troy Herbst, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
8 Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif., Ford F-150
24 Adam Householder/Terry Householder, Orange, Calif., Chevy Silverado
3 Mark Post, Laguna Beach, Calif./Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas, Ford F-150
9 Mark Weyhrich/Gary Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Ford F-150
16 Cameron Steele, San Clemente, Calif./Rick Geiser, Phoenix, GMC Sierra
23 Mark McMillin, El Cajon, Calif./Brian Ewalt, Bonita, Calif., Ford F-150
4 Gus Vildosola Jr. /Gus Vildosola Sr., Mexicali, Mexico, Ford F-150
59 Craig Potts/Curt Potts, Scottsdale, Ariz., Chevy C1500
28 Alan Pflueger, Honolulu/Mike Johnson, Santa Monica, Calif., Chevy Silverado
31 Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, National City, Calif., Chevy Silverado
74 Rob Bruce, Sublimity, Ore./Mark Witte, Silverton, Ore., Chevy Silverado
76 Jesse Jones/Tyler Laughner, Phoenix, Ford F-150
78 Jesse Ashcraft, San Marcos, Calif./Danny Ashcraft, Vista, Calif./Doug Siewert, Valley, Center, Calif., Ford F-150
51 Kory Scheeler, Las Vegas, Chevy Silverado
13 Ed Stout, Irvine, Calif., Chevy C1500
22 Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado
47 James Bult/Jacob Bult, Monee, Ill., Dodge Ram2500
30 Robbie Pierce/Mike Julson, Santee, Calif., Chevy Silverado
20 Rob MacCachren, Las Vegas/Mike Julson, Santee, Calif., Chevy Silverado
58 Ronnie Wilson, Glendale, Calif., Chevy Silverado
35 Jason Voss/Rich Voss, Cupertino, Calif., Ford F-150
39 Ron Whitton/Chas Danna, Mesa, Ariz./Todd LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif., Ford F-150
10 Greg Nunley, Tulare, Calif./Tom Carr, Visalia, Calif., Chevy Silverado
79 Mike Mastro, Scottsdale, Ariz,/Kevin James, Lemon Grove, Calif., Ford F-150
69 Francisco Cervantes/Ramon Castro, Ensenada, Mexico, Chevy El Camino
75 Jerry Zaiden/Jason Campbell/Steve Meyers, Newport Beach, Calif.
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| Baja 1000: Series pre-event ... - Motorsport.com Posted: 09 Nov 2009 11:54 PM PST Next week in Ensenada, Mexico Like Ampudia, Bio, Baldwin, Hall, Herbst, McMillin, Vildosola, Wilson--it's all about family at 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 326 Racers entered to date, including 35 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, from 39 States and 14 countries in internationally-televised Granddaddy of all desert races LOS ANGELES--From Ampudia to Wilson, desert racing is all about family ties and among the nearly 350 entries for next week's 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are over 30 entries with multiple-family members competing in the granddaddy of all desert races. With racers competing in 29 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, the legendary race will be held Nov. 19-22 in Ensenada, Mexico. Completing its 36th year as the World's foremost desert racing sanctioning body, the event is the finale of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series. To date, adventurers and the world's best desert racers have come from 39 U.S. States and 14 countries to gather on the majestic Baja California peninsula. While many entries have family members on support crews that can swell to as high as 50 people and some entries now have third-generation desert racers, the Ampudia, Bio, Baldwin, Hall, Herbst, McMillin, Vildosola and Wilson families are among the prominent SCORE Baja racers that have multiple family members competing either in the same vehicle or in separate vehicles this year in the world's most challenging desert race. "There is no sport in the world that attracts more family participants than desert racing," said Sal Fish, SCORE CEO/President since soon after SCORE International started in 1973. "SCORE is both humbled and honored to have so many of the greatest racing families in the world competing with us in the most incredible desert race in the world. To think with everything going on in the world today that we have nearly 350 entries heading to Ensenada is a true testament to the preeminent position this race holds in the motorsports world." It's the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the Granddaddy of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula. Because of the economics and logistics involved, some years it is a peninsula run while most years it is a loop race, starting and finishing in Ensenada. This year's 672.85-mile race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada. The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (PST, Friday, Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 14 hours. All vehicles will have a 31-hour time limit to become official finishers in the legendary adventure. Rodrigo Ampudia Jr., of Ensenada, splits driving in Class 8 with his father Rodrigo Sr. while Cisco Bio and his father Pancho Bio, of El Cajon, Calif., will share the driving in two classes--Cisco as driver of record in SCORE Lite and Pancho as DOR in Class 9. B.J. Baldwin and his father Bobby Baldwin, of Las Vegas, drive separate Chevy Silverado trucks in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division while Rod Hall will drive in two classes, one with each of his sons. The venerable Hall, Reno, Nev., is only individual who has raced in all 41 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races. The legendary Hall has a race-record 19 career class wins in this event and is the only driver to have competed every year (all in a car or truck class). Hall, who will turn 72 on Nov. 22, will be looking for two class wins this year as he is entered as the second driver for his sons Josh and Chad Hall in Hummer H3 vehicles in both the Stock Mini and Stock Full classes. The three-generation McMillin Racing family, who all live in the San Diego area, continue to follow in the racetracks of family patriarch Corky McMillin, who raced until shortly before he passed away at 76 in 2006. Corky's sons Mark and Scott will both drive in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division. Mark will share driving with longtime team member Brian Ewalt while Scott will be the second driver for his son Andy, who won the 2006 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 driving with Robby Gordon. Mark's sons Daniel and Luke McMillin will share the driving in a Class 1-2/1600 entry. McMillin Racing has 12 class wins in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, led by Mark McMillin's eight class wins which includes five overall titles. Another prominent Mexican race team, Gus Vildosola Jr. and Gus Vildosola Sr., share the driving in a Ford F-150 in the SCORE Trophy-Truck division. Wilson Motorsports of Long Beach, Calif., is another of the prominent multi-generational SCORE Baja race teams. In this year's race, Randy Wilson and his brother Ronny will team up in Class 1 where Randy is the current class point leader heading into the season finale. In Class 1-2/1600, cousins Brian Wilson and Brad Wilson will share driving with Las Vegas' Sammy Ehrenberg. Brian Wilson enters the race currently tied for the Class 1-2/1600 point lead. The only husband/wife combination entered as drivers of record this year are Cameron Steele and Heidi Steele of San Clemente, Calif. Cameron Steele races in SCORE Trophy-Truck while Heidi Steele is the Class 6 point leader in her Ford Ranger. Both racing in motorcycle classes, leading the brother and sister racers entered this year are Quinn Cody and Anna Cody. Quinn Cody, Los Olivos, Calif., is a team rider for Johnny Campbell Racing in the open Class 22 while Anna Cody, Simi Valley, Calif., is the rider of record for a strong team in Class 20. Among the other father/son teams competing together are Las Vegas' Rudy and Carlos Cortez (Class 1), Stuart Chase, Burbank, Calif. and Eric Chase, San Diego (Class 1), Mexico's Carlos and Gerardo Iribe (Class 1-2/1600), Mark and Shea McIntyre, Oakland, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600), Dan and Thomas Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7), Lee and Lee Banning Jr. (SCORE Lite), Luis and Luis Barragan Jr., Mexicali, Mexico (SCORE Lite), Brian and Cody Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite) along with Ron and Jeremy Purvines, Henderson, Nev. (Class 21). John Langley, the Producer of the popular COPS Television show, has two family vehicles entered in the SCORE Lite class. He is driver of record in one vehicle with his son Zak as a co-driver and his other son Morgan is driver of record in the second vehicle. This year's race also features two sets of twin brothers racing together. Arturo and Able Velazco, Banning, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600) and Matt and Max Eddy, Barstow., Calif. (Class 22) are the two sets of twins. Leading the brothers racing separately are England's Darren and Gavin Skilton. Darren Skilton races in Class 3 while Gavin Skilton competes in the Stock Mini class. The brothers each won their respective classes in this race last year. Among the other brothers racing together are: Phoenix's Nick, Larry and Mike Vanderwey (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Eric and Hiram Duran, Tecate, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600), Sacramento's Donald and Kenneth Moss (Class 3), Scott Wisdom, Lake Forest, Calif. and Brady Wisdom, Huntington Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite) and Ryan and Connor Penhall, Corona, Calif. (Class 22). The race will start and finish on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the historical Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada. Pre-running on the 672.85-mile loop course officially began this past Saturday. Pre-running is allowed from Ojos Negros and back, starting at race mile 43.3. One way pre-running from the start to Ojos Negros will be allowed only on Wednesday and Thursday of race week (Nov. 18 and 19). During the race, the first section of the course, approximately 40 miles, will be used both leaving the city and returning to Ensenada. While late entries are accepted up to race day, a total of 326 entries have officially been accepted for the race as of today which will put the starting field in the top 10 in the 42-year history of the storied event. The car and truck classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (35), Class 1 (24), Class 1-2/1600 (15) and SCORE Lite (14) and Class 10 (10). Among the motorcycle and ATV classes, the open motorcycle Class 22 has the most entries to date with 18 followed by Class 30, riders 30 years old and over, which has 13. Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which has 37 entries and Sportsman Motorcycle under 250cc which has 15 entries to date. The defending overall champions are all in this year's field: Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif., in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports BFGoodrich Tires Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck, the No. 1x Class 22 open motorcycle team led by Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif., on a Kawasaki KX450 and the No. 1a Class 24 open ATV team led by Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX. With massive crowds reaching nearly 250,000 anticipated to again be spread out along the rugged course that travels from Ensenada to Ojos Negros, east down Laguna Salada to San Felipe, down through the legendary Matomi Wash, around Mike's Sky Ranch, through both Rancho Las Truchas and Rancho El Coyote, down the infamous Simpson's Hill and back to the Pacific Coast below San Vicente and up through Santo Tomas, Uruapan and back to Ojos Negros, covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula to and from Ensenada. Pre-race festivities on Thursday, Nov. 19, for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, including the vastly popular tech and contingency of all vehicles and the SCORE Manufacturer's Midway will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral Room at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer and media registration will be held at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19. The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Survivor's Celebration will be held poolside at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22. This year's Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special, in association with SCORE and Aura360, for the sixth consecutive year. It is scheduled to air on NBC at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 19 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN International. In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series. This race also features the prestigious Sal Fish SCORE IronRider awards presented to each motorcycle or ATV rider who completes the course within the time limit while riding solo. To date, 28 individuals have officially declared that they will be attempting to complete the course riding solo. 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, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics. Additional associate sponsors for the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are Proturismo de Ensenada and the State Tourism Department of Baja California. -credit: www.score-international.com. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 326 Racers Entered to Date, Including 35 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, from 39 ... - Who Won Posted: 10 Nov 2009 06:20 AM PST Tuesday, November 10, 2009326 Racers Entered to Date, Including 35 SCORE Trophy-Trucks, from 39 States, 14 Countries
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by Dominic Clark
LOS ANGELES -- From Ampudia to Wilson, desert racing is all about family ties and among the nearly 350 entries for next week's 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are over 30 entries with multiple-family members competing in the granddaddy of all desert races.
With racers competing in 29 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, the legendary race will be held Nov. 19-22 in Ensenada, Mexico. Completing its 36th year as the World's foremost desert racing sanctioning body, the event is the finale of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series. To date, adventurers and the world's best desert racers have come from 39 U.S. States and 14 countries to gather on the majestic Baja California peninsula.
While many entries have family members on support crews that can swell to as high as 50 people and some entries now have third-generation desert racers, the Ampudia, Bio, Baldwin, Hall, Herbst, McMillin, Vildosola and Wilson families are among the prominent SCORE Baja racers that have multiple family members competing either in the same vehicle or in separate vehicles this year in the world's most challenging desert race.
"There is no sport in the world that attracts more family participants than desert racing," said Sal Fish, SCORE CEO/President since soon after SCORE International started in 1973. "SCORE is both humbled and honored to have so many of the greatest racing families in the world competing with us in the most incredible desert race in the world. To think with everything going on in the world today that we have nearly 350 entries heading to Ensenada is a true testament to the preeminent position this race holds in the motorsports world."
It's the oldest and most well known of all desert races, and it remains as the single most appealing accomplishment to a driver. Since 1967, the Granddaddy of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula. Because of the economics and logistics involved, some years it is a peninsula run while most years it is a loop race, starting and finishing in Ensenada.
This year's 672.85-mile race will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada. The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (PST, Friday, Nov. 20) with the car and truck classes starting at approximately 10:30 a.m., or three hours after the last ATV leaves the line. Vehicles will leave in 30-second intervals in the elapsed-time race and while the fastest finishers are expected to complete the course in approximately 14 hours. All vehicles will have a 31-hour time limit to become official finishers in the legendary adventure.
Rodrigo Ampudia Jr., of Ensenada, splits driving in Class 8 with his father Rodrigo Sr. while Cisco Bio and his father Pancho Bio, of El Cajon, Calif., will share the driving in two classes—Cisco as driver of record in SCORE Lite and Pancho as DOR in Class 9.
B.J. Baldwin and his father Bobby Baldwin, of Las Vegas, drive separate Chevy Silverado trucks in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division while Rod Hall will drive in two classes, one with each of his sons.
The venerable Hall, Reno, Nev., is only individual who has raced in all 41 previous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 races.
The legendary Hall has a race-record 19 career class wins in this event and is the only driver to have competed every year (all in a car or truck class). Hall, who will turn 72 on Nov. 22, will be looking for two class wins this year as he is entered as the second driver for his sons Josh and Chad Hall in Hummer H3 vehicles in both the Stock Mini and Stock Full classes.
The three-generation McMillin Racing family, who all live in the San Diego area, continue to follow in the racetracks of family patriarch Corky McMillin, who raced until shortly before he passed away at 76 in 2006.
Corky's sons Mark and Scott will both drive in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division. Mark will share driving with longtime team member Brian Ewalt while Scott will be the second driver for his son Andy, who won the 2006 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 driving with Robby Gordon.
Mark's sons Daniel and Luke McMillin will share the driving in a Class 1-2/1600 entry.
McMillin Racing has 12 class wins in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, led by Mark McMillin's eight class wins which includes five overall titles.
Another prominent Mexican race team, Gus Vildosola Jr. and Gus Vildosola Sr., share the driving in a Ford F-150 in the SCORE Trophy-Truck division.
Wilson Motorsports of Long Beach, Calif., is another of the prominent multi-generational SCORE Baja race teams. In this year's race, Randy Wilson and his brother Ronny will team up in Class 1 where Randy is the current class point leader heading into the season finale. In Class 1-2/1600, cousins Brian Wilson and Brad Wilson will share driving with Las Vegas' Sammy Ehrenberg. Brian Wilson enters the race currently tied for the Class 1-2/1600 point lead.
The only husband/wife combination entered as drivers of record this year are Cameron Steele and Heidi Steele of San Clemente, Calif. Cameron Steele races in SCORE Trophy-Truck while Heidi Steele is the Class 6 point leader in her Ford Ranger.
Both racing in motorcycle classes, leading the brother and sister racers entered this year are Quinn Cody and Anna Cody. Quinn Cody, Los Olivos, Calif., is a team rider for Johnny Campbell Racing in the open Class 22 while Anna Cody, Simi Valley, Calif., is the rider of record for a strong team in Class 20.
Among the other father/son teams competing together are Las Vegas' Rudy and Carlos Cortez (Class 1), Stuart Chase, Burbank, Calif. and Eric Chase, San Diego (Class 1), Mexico's Carlos and Gerardo Iribe (Class 1-2/1600), Mark and Shea McIntyre, Oakland, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600), Dan and Thomas Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7), Lee and Lee Banning Jr. (SCORE Lite), Luis and Luis Barragan Jr., Mexicali, Mexico (SCORE Lite), Brian and Cody Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite) along with Ron and Jeremy Purvines, Henderson, Nev. (Class 21).
John Langley, the Producer of the popular COPS Television show, has two family vehicles entered in the SCORE Lite class. He is driver of record in one vehicle with his son Zak as a co-driver and his other son Morgan is driver of record in the second vehicle.
This year's race also features two sets of twin brothers racing together. Arturo and Able Velazco, Banning, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600) and Matt and Max Eddy, Barstow., Calif. (Class 22) are the two sets of twins.
Leading the brothers racing separately are England's Darren and Gavin Skilton. Darren Skilton races in Class 3 while Gavin Skilton competes in the Stock Mini class. The brothers each won their respective classes in this race last year.
Among the other brothers racing together are: Phoenix's Nick, Larry and Mike Vanderwey (SCORE Trophy-Truck), Eric and Hiram Duran, Tecate, Calif. (Class 1-2/1600), Sacramento's Donald and Kenneth Moss (Class 3), Scott Wisdom, Lake Forest, Calif. and Brady Wisdom, Huntington Beach, Calif. (SCORE Lite) and Ryan and Connor Penhall, Corona, Calif. (Class 22).
The race will start and finish on Boulevard Costero adjacent to the picturesque Bahia de Todos Santos in front of the historical Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center in the heart of Ensenada.
Pre-running on the 672.85-mile loop course officially began this past Saturday. Pre-running is allowed from Ojos Negros and back, starting at race mile 43.3. One way pre-running from the start to Ojos Negros will be allowed only on Wednesday and Thursday of race week (Nov. 18 and 19). During the race, the first section of the course, approximately 40 miles, will be used both leaving the city and returning to Ensenada.
While late entries are accepted up to race day, a total of 326 entries have officially been accepted for the race as of today which will put the starting field in the top 10 in the 42-year history of the storied event.
The car and truck classes with the most entries to date are SCORE Trophy-Truck (35), Class 1 (24), Class 1-2/1600 (15) and SCORE Lite (14) and Class 10 (10).
Among the motorcycle and ATV classes, the open motorcycle Class 22 has the most entries to date with 18 followed by Class 30, riders 30 years old and over, which has 13.
Leading the six Sportsman classes in the race is Sportsman Motorcycle over 250cc which has 37 entries and Sportsman Motorcycle under 250cc which has 15 entries to date.
The defending overall champions are all in this year's field: Roger Norman, Reno, Nev./Larry Roeseler, Boulevard, Calif., in the No. 8 Norman Motorsports BFGoodrich Tires Ford F-150 SCORE Trophy-Truck, the No. 1x Class 22 open motorcycle team led by Robby Bell, Sun City, Calif., on a Kawasaki KX450 and the No. 1a Class 24 open ATV team led by Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., on a Honda TRX700XX.
With massive crowds reaching nearly 250,000 anticipated to again be spread out along the rugged course that travels from Ensenada to Ojos Negros, east down Laguna Salada to San Felipe, down through the legendary Matomi Wash, around Mike's Sky Ranch, through both Rancho Las Truchas and Rancho El Coyote, down the infamous Simpson's Hill and back to the Pacific Coast below San Vicente and up through Santo Tomas, Uruapan and back to Ojos Negros, covering much of the northern half of the majestic Baja California peninsula to and from Ensenada.
Pre-race festivities on Thursday, Nov. 19, for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, including the vastly popular tech and contingency of all vehicles and the SCORE Manufacturer's Midway will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Boulevard Costero in front of the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. The pre-race mandatory driver/rider briefing will be held Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral Room at the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Racer and media registration will be held at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.
The post-race Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Survivor's Celebration will be held poolside at the San Nicolas Resort Hotel at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.
This year's Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special, in association with SCORE and Aura360, for the sixth consecutive year. It is scheduled to air on NBC at 2 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, Dec. 19 on the NBC Television Network. It will also air on a delayed basis outside of the U.S. on ESPN International.
In addition to season point class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing to earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 24th consecutive year, a total of 16 drivers remain eligible after Round 4 of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series.
This race also features the prestigious Sal Fish SCORE IronRider awards presented to each motorcycle or ATV rider who completes the course within the time limit while riding solo. To date, 28 individuals have officially declared that they will be attempting to complete the course riding solo.
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, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.
Additional associate sponsors for the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are Proturismo de Ensenada and the State Tourism Department of Baja California.
For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.
2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Final round of five race 2009 SCORE Desert Series
Nov. 19-22 -- Ensenada, Mexico
TOTAL ENTRIES: 326 (39 States, 14 Countries)(as of 11/9/09)
All-Time Starters, Finishers, Race Sites
1967
Tijuana to La Paz
Total Starters: 68, Total Finishers: 31
1968
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 243, Total Finishers: 106
1969
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 247, Total Finishers: 96
1970
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 261, Total Finishers: 145
1971
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 222, Total Finishers: 116
1972
Mexicali to La Paz
Total Starters: 245, Total Finishers: 98
1973
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 143, Total Finishers: 73
1974
NO RACE (Fuel Crisis)
1975
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 235, Total Finishers: 86
1976
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 218, Total Finishers: 74
1977
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 346, Total Finishers: 123
1978
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 219, Total Finishers: 56
1979
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 244, Total Finishers: 121
1980
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 255, Total Finishers: 104
1981
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 250, Total Finishers: 85
1982
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 135, Total Finishers: 69
1983
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 248, Total Finishers: 76
1984
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 169, Total Finishers: 75
1985
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 211, Total Finishers: 111
1986
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 237, Total Finishers: 147
1987
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 314, Total Finishers: 180
1988
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 329, Total Finishers: 163
1989
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 286, Total Finishers: 176
1990
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 308 Total Finishers: 162
1991
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 271, Total Finishers: 124
1992
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 307, Total Finishers: 189
1993
Mexicali to Mexicali
Total Starters: 260, Total Finishers: 96
1994
Mexicali to Mexicali
Total Starters: 281, Total Finishers: 120
1995
Tijuana to La Paz
Total Starters: 283, Total Finishers: 160
1996
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 220, Total Finishers: 113
1997
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 221, Total Finishers: 130
1998
Santo Tomas to La Paz
Total Starters: 207, Total Finishers: 123
1999
Ojos Negros to Ojos Negros
Total Starters: 238, Total Finishers: 101
2000
Tecate SCORE Baja 2000
Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas
Total Starters: 262, Total Finishers: 184
2001
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 219, Total Finishers: 102
2002
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 234, Total Finishers: 151
2003
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 272, Total Finishers: 153
2004
Ensenada to La Paz
Total Starters: 284, Total Finishers: 198
2005
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 342, Total Finishers: 163
2006
Ensenada to La Paz
*Total Starters: 431, Total Finishers: 234
2007
Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas
Total Starters: 424, Total Finishers: 237**
2008
Ensenada to Ensenada
Total Starters: 347, Total Finishers: 227
*Event Record-Starters
**Event Record-Finishers
All-Time Start Sites
Times, City
34-Ensenada
3-Mexicali
2-Tijuana
1-Ojos Negros
1-Santo Tomas
All-Time Finish Sites
Times, City
19-Ensenada
17-La Paz
2-Mexicali
2-Cabo San Lucas
1-Ojos Negros
Top Total Starters
Year, Number (Finishers)
2006—431 Starters (234 Finishers)
2007—424 Starters (237 Finishers)
2008—347 Starters (227 Finishers)
1977—346 Starters (123 Finishers)
2005—342 Starters (163 Finishers)
1988—329 Starters (163 Finishers)
1987—314 Starters (180 Finishers)
1990—308 Starters (162 Finishers)
1992—307 Starters (189 Finishers)
1989—286 Starters (176 Finishers)
2004—284 Starters (198 Finishers)
1995—283 Starters (160 Finishers)
1994—281 Starters (120 Finishers)
2003—272 Starters (153 Finishers)
1991—271 Starters (124 Finishers)
Top Total Finishers
Year, Number (Starters)
2007—237 Finishers (424 Starters)
2006—234 Finishers (431 Starters)
2008—227 Finishers (347 Starters)
2004—198 Finishers (284 Starters)
1992—189 Finishers (307 Starters)
2000—184 Finishers (262 Starters)
1987—180 Finishers (314 Starters)
1989—176 Finishers (286 Starters)
2005—163 Finishers (342 Starters)
1988—163 Finishers (329 Starters)
1990—162 Finishers (308 Starters)
1995—160 Finishers (283 Starters)
2003—153 Finishers (272 Starters)
2002—151 Finishers (234 Starters)
1986—147 Finishers (237 Starters)
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| At Issue - Product Design & Development Posted: 09 Nov 2009 08:05 PM PST
By Roger L. Lundblad, Ph.D., Lundblad Biotech
I have been pondering the issue of creativity - or more accurately the lack of creativity over the past couple of years as I have compiled several encyclopedic works.
While science tends to remain clever, there seems to be an absence of creativity in the biological sciences; physics continues to be creative and such activity may increase if the Higgs boson is not discovered. I have a very bright nephew (Ph.D. Caltech) who is now pushing ultracold (nanoKelvin) Rubidium atoms around with lasers in ways which could revolutionize the way computing is done– but while basic physics is doing well, it does not seem to be translating into creative solutions to problems of water, environment, energy storage, etc.
On the other hand, innovation runs rampant giving me a phone that can do anything easily except make a phone call.
Early in my post-doctoral studies, one of my older and wiser colleagues observed that there were two sure ways to get famous in biological sciences; one was to discover a technique which is used (and cited) extensively such as a method for the measurement of protein concentration.
Another approach is to name a process or concept such as proteomics, biomarkers, systems biology, etc; it does seem to matter that the process, concept, material, etc., may not have changed – changing my name to Dick Butkus or Brian Urlacher or Bernardo Harris is not going to change me into an NFL linebacker. There is one protein (leukocyte protein 1) which has had at least four name changes in the fifteen year. There is a James Carville quote that I could use here but won't. Changing the name of a process, product, or concept does not mean improvement.
I attended two professional meetings last year; one was concerned with biosimilars in biotechnology while the other was a large multidisciplinary meeting which used to be held in Atlantic City.
The first convinced me that biotechnology, like the motion picture industry in Tinseltown, is stuck in a creativity crisis and is developing sequels rather than new productions. I should note that I grew up close to the studios in SoCal and have lived there on occasion in the past years. I was fortunate to be there during the era of extreme creativity.
At the second meeting, I attended a lecture which briefly discussed the role of serendipity in the evolution of medicine observing that while computer-guided combinatorial chemistry has greatly increased our ability to screen potential drug candidates, it is not clear that it has improved our creativity or productivity.
Likewise, the speaker observed that while text-mining for literature searches increases our ability to screen the increasing volume of literature, it does strip out context.
One of my distinguished colleagues has observed that while electronic journals enable us to do our scholarly reading in our pajamas with a glass of wine, does not necessarily mean that we are as effective as we were twenty years ago when I would walk into the library and sit a table with colleagues sorting through the new journals which had arrived that day.
The literature is full of articles and books on creativity and innovation sometimes not distinguishing between the two activities. After consulting several dictionaries, it would seem as if innovation is the alteration of current by the introduction of something new while creativity is the action of bringing something new into existence.
While a purist could argue that only the artist or musician can be truly creative. In my own discipline, I would argue that the Watson-Crick double-helix was creative while automated amino acid analysis was innovation. Both have contributed greatly to modern biotechnology.
In several of my previous lives, I have been involved in discussions of how to improve innovation or creativity, how to teach innovation or creativity, creating the impression that innovation and or creativity can be structured and that centers for innovation can be built.
First, I want to dispense with the idea that creativity can somehow be managed – it can't! In the United States, our educational process is intended to eliminate creativity from the first experience of being told to "color inside the lines!"
Creativity happens! – The discovery of the structure of benzene by Kekule and, more recently, the discovery of the polymerase chain reaction by Kerry Mullis are other examples of creativity. So, what can we say about innovation?
Professor Markus Pohmann of Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg published a thoughtful paper on the innovation process in 2005 which I recommend. This paper contained "The Six Rules of Innovation" – the best rule (in my opinion) is that there is no general rule.
The next is that innovation requires time, effort and money but provision of same is not a guarantee. I would also agree that you can't create an "innovation organization" and provision of incentives (money, awards, etc.) is actually counterproductive.
I would argue that the most important factor in innovation is the sincere and active support of senior management such as that in the fuzzy front end approach.
There usually is a disclaimer in articles acknowledging professional relationships; mine is that I am a "fuddy-duddy" of the slide rule generation as discussed in Science (July 4, 2008).
Dr. Roger L. Lundblad is recognized as an expert in the area of protein chemistry, biotechnology manufacturing process validation, GLP laboratory compliance, product development and cGMP issues. Dr. Lundblad is the author of some 120+ publications and is also the author of best-selling books in the area of protein chemistry.
For more information visit www.lundbladbiotech.com or contact Dr. Roger Lundblad at lundbladr@bellsouth.net. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Oshkosh Corporation Exceeds M-ATV Delivery Requirements for Fourth ... - Businesswire.com Posted: 09 Nov 2009 07:07 PM PST OSHKOSH, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) announced today it exceeded the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) delivery requirements for the fourth consecutive month. Oshkosh easily surpassed the October M-ATV production requirement by producing more than 150 additional M-ATVs over the contractual 385. The company set record production numbers for both the M-ATV and Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) programs at its manufacturing facilities in October, including a record 40 U.S. Marine Corps' LVSRs. In fact Oshkosh produced a total of more than 1,250 tactical wheeled vehicles, meeting all contractual obligations for the month including the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (FHTV) and Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR). The first M-ATVs and LVSRs have been delivered to Afghanistan in recent months to support ongoing combat and logistics operations. "We continue to increase our high-quantity M-ATV production levels while meeting our other contractual obligations," said Josef Matosevic, Oshkosh Corporation senior vice president of global operating systems and vice president operations - Defense. "Our top priority is making sure our customers' needs are met for our entire line of high-performance vehicles. We achieve this by continuously improving quality levels at our facilities through design innovations, lean manufacturing and assembly process improvements." Existing Oshkosh manufacturing facilities have available production capacity for all current and pending military vehicle programs, including M-ATV and the U.S. Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV), as well as any surges in production. To date, Oshkosh has received orders for 5,219 M-ATVs from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) as part of orders valued at more than $2.8 billion. The company will ramp production up to 1,000 vehicles per month in December. The Oshkosh® M-ATV uses the Oshkosh patented TAK-4® independent suspension system that also is featured on more than 10,000 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR), providing 16 inches of independent wheel travel and a 70 percent off-road profile capability. The TAK-4 system has undergone more than 400,000 miles of government testing and is being retrofitted on more than 2,400 legacy MRAPs for improved off-road mobility. It also is used on the Army's next-generation Palletized Load System (PLS). Oshkosh Defense teamed with Plasan North America to provide an advanced armor solution for the M-ATV. Plasan also developed the armor system used on more than 5,000 legacy MRAPs and thousands of Oshkosh MTVR Armored Cabs already in theater. The Oshkosh heavy-payload LVSR® has an on-road payload capacity of 22.5 tons and an off-road payload capacity of 16.5 tons. It uses the TAK-4 independent suspension system and mechanical rear-steer technology for superior mobility on demanding off-road terrain and unimproved roads. The vehicle also features Oshkosh's Command Zone™ embedded diagnostics to monitor major vehicle systems, including the engine, transmission and brakes. About Oshkosh Defense Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons. Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection. For more information, visit www.oshkoshdefense.com. About Oshkosh Corporation Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corp. manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Medtec®, Jerr-Dan®, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline™, SMIT™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, log on to www.oshkoshcorporation.com. ®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that the Company believes to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "should," "project" or "plan" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks related to the required increase in the rate of production for the M-ATV contract and the amount, if any, of additional orders for M-ATVs that the Company may receive; the cyclical nature of the Company's access equipment, commercial and fire & emergency markets, especially during a global recession and credit crisis; the duration of the global recession, which could lead to additional impairment charges related to many of the Company's intangible assets; the expected level and timing of U.S. Department of Defense procurement of products and services and funding thereof, including the outcome of the formal protests of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) award to the Company; risks related to reductions in government expenditures and the uncertainty of government contracts; the consequences of financial leverage associated with the JLG acquisition, which could limit the Company's ability to pursue various opportunities; risks related to the collectability of receivables during a recession, particularly for those businesses with exposure to construction markets; risks related to production delays as a result of the economy's impact on the Company's suppliers; the potential for commodity costs to rise sharply, including in a future economic recovery; risks associated with international operations and sales, including foreign currency fluctuations; and the potential for increased costs relating to compliance with changes in laws and regulations. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this press release. This content has passed through fivefilters.org.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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