Point leaders update 2010-06-29

L. McMillin leads Class 1-2/1600
A. McMillin leads Overall & SCORE Trophy-Truck, Halopoff Class 1 Point standings after Rd 3 of five-race 2010 SCORE Desert Series Class point leaders include Udall, Matlock, Septien, Brown, Davis, Caspino, Crosthwaite, Crinklaw,Carr;

Computerized draw for 15th SCORE Las Vegas Terrible's Primm 300 on Aug. 7 at SCORE headquarters

LOS ANGELES--With two wins in three races this season, third generation desert racer Andy McMillin not only continues to lead the point standings in the 2010 SCORE Desert Series but he has extended his lead following his win at the recent 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 500. McMillin, 23, is the SCORE Overall point leader as he leads the standings in the SCORE Trophy-Truck division after three rounds of the five-race 2010 SCORE Desert Series.

Starting the 2010 SCORE season off with an impressive victory in Laughlin in January prior to the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, McMillin win, of National City, Calif., he now has four career race wins in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck class for high-tech, 850-horsepower, unlimited production trucks in his No. 31 McMillin Realty Ford F-150. After winning in Laughlin driving solo, in Round 2 in San Felipe on March 13, he split the driving with his father Scott McMillin and they survived mechanical issues to finish sixth in class and then split the driving again in Ensenada on June 6 with his father to extend his SCORE Overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck point lead with 249 championship points.

Round 4 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will be the 15th SCORE Las Vegas Terrible's Primm 300, Sept. 10-12, in Primm, Nev. The computerized drawing for the 18 Pro and 3 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs will be held on Saturday, August 7 at SCORE's Los Angeles headquarters.

Second in overall points and in the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck standings is the San Felipe race winner Jesse Jones, Litchfield Park, Ariz., who is 24 points behind Andy McMillin with 225 points in his No. 76 Ford F-150.

Third in overall points and in SCORE Trophy-Truck following a third in Laughlin and an 16th in San Felipe and a fifth in class at the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 is Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix with 214 points in his No. 84 Vanderwey Racing Chevy Silverado.

With just 65 points separating the top 20 overall point leaders after the first three rounds of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series, the McMillin family actually has four racers among the top 12 point leaders after the first two races.

Mark McMillin, Andy's uncle, finished ninth in SCORE Trophy-Truck in Ensenada and is sixth in SCORE Overall points and fourth in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 208 points in his No. 23 McMillin Racing Ford F-150. Mark's sons Daniel and Luke McMillin are also in the top 12 overall point leaders after solid performances in the first three races of the season.

Daniel McMillin, 22, finished third in the unlimited Class 1 in Laughlin, second in San Felipe and sixth in Ensenada and is second in his class points and fifth in overall points with 209 in the McMillin Racing Chevy-powered Jimco open-wheel desert race car. Luke McMillin, the youngest of the McMillin racers at 17, finished fifth in Laughlin, second in San Felipe and fifth in Ensenada to lead Class 1-2/1600 in the new McMillin Racing AlumiCraft-VW and he is also 12th in the SCORE Overall point standings with 194 points after the first three races.

"As a family, we are proud to be continuing in the great legacy that my grandfather Corky (McMillin) established and my dad (Scott) and my uncle (Mark) have added since McMillin Racing began in 1976," said Andy McMillin. We are working so well as a team right now, I honestly have no doubt that we can win every race we start. On top of all the great crew work that is being done this year, my dad is an amazing driver and he is the best driving partner you could ever hope to have. Like my grandfather, my dad is also a great teacher and has shown and taught me a lot out here in the desert, about racing and about life in general. Myself and all the McMillins are truly having the time of our lives this year in the SCORE Desert Series."

SCORE points are based on starting and finishing as well as the number of starters in each class and placement position in every race.

Fourth in SCORE overall points and now in front in Class 1 is another third-generation Southern California desert racer. Kory Halopoff, 26 of Orange, who has 211 points in the Letner Racing Tatum-Chevy following his class win in Laughlin, a 10th in San Felipe and a third in Ensenada. After driving solo in Laughlin, he split the seat time in San Felipe and Ensenada with his normal teammate Harley Letner, 26, who is also of Orange.

The only car or truck racer who has won his class in all three races this season is David Caspino, Tarzana, Calif., who leads Class 6 in his Ford Ranger and is seventh in overall points with 202.

Defending SCORE Trophy-Truck and SCORE Overall point champion Robby Gordon, the NASCAR team owner/driver from Charlotte, N.C., is eighth in the overall SCORE point standings and fifth in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 200 points in the No. 1 Robby Gordon Motorsports Chevy C1500,

Ninth in SCORE Overall points and sixth in SCORE Trophy-Truck with 198 points is Las Vegas' Rob MacCachren in the No. 20 MasterCraft Racing Ford F-150.

Leading SCORE Lite in a Seagrove-VW and currently 10th in overall points is Justin Davis, Chino Hills, Calif., with 196 points.

While Caspino is the only car/truck racer undefeated so far in 2010, five motorcycle and ATV racers are unbeaten after two of their three SCORE Baja races in the SCORE Desert Series. There are also five Mexican nationals leading their respective Pro class point standings.

The Mexican nationals leading the 2010 SCORE point standings as driver/rider of record in their respective classes are: Gustavo Avina, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 5/1600, VW Baja Bug), Elias Hanna, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger), Eduardo Laguna, Mexicali, Mexico (Class 9, TRfab-VW), Eric Solorzano, Tijuana, Mexico (Class 11, VW Sedan) and Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico (Class 30, Honda CRF450X).

Among the other 2010 SCORE point leaders in car and truck classes after two races are: Alex Crosthwaite, Chula Vista, Calif. (Class 10, Jimco-Honda), Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif. (Class 7, Ford Ranger), Gavin Skilton, Anaheim, Calif. (Stock Mini, Honda Ridgeline) and Reid Rutherford, Montrose, Colo. (Class 7-2, BajaLite-Chevy).

With motorcycles and ATVs racing in the three SCORE Baja races, the overall motorcycle and Class 30 (riders over 30 years old) point leaders is the all-Mexican team led by Francisco Septien, Ensenada, Mexico, on a Honda CRF450X with 157 points.

Following their Class 24 ATV class win in San Felipe, and second place in Ensenada, leading the overall ATV points with 167 is the team led by Brandon Brown, Umatilla, Ore. on a Honda TRX450R. Brown's co-riders for this race were Jorie Williams, Longview, Wash., and Mike Kelley III, Edgewood, Wash.

Winning Class 25 open ATV class in San Felipe and Ensenada was the team led by rider of record Wayne Matlock, El Cajon, Calif., to lead the class standings on a Honda TRX700XX with 151 points. His teammates are Josh Caster, El Cajon, Calif. and Wes Miller, Fallbrook, Calif.

Among the other motorcycle class point leaders are the teams led by Adam Neuwirth, Los Angeles (Class 21, Honda CRF250X), Jason Trubey, Henderson, Nev. (Class 20, Honda CRF250X), Jim O'Neal, Simi Valley, Calif. (Class 50, Honda CRF450X), Louie Franco, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (Class 40, Honda CRF450X), and Donald Lewis, Marlborough, Conn. (Class 60, Honda CRF450X).

The Trubey, O'Neal and Franco teams have won both of the SCORE Baja races so far this season.

Recording their first-ever SCORE win in San Felipe and backing it up with another class win in Ensenada, Chicago's Rob Ransford and team lead Class 26 (utility ATVs) on a Can Am 4X4. His teammates are Tim Winiarski, Carson, Calif. and Joe Rice, Lominta, Calif.

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 car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 25th consecutive year, a total of 22 drivers remain eligible after Round 3 of the 2010 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.

This year's Tecate SCORE Baja 500 will also feature the special $10,000 MasterCraft Safety cash contingency bonus for qualified racers in the car and truck classes.

-source: score