BFGoodrich Tires Preps for 23rd SCORE Baja 1000 Victory in 24 Years

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Nov. 16, 2009 – BFGoodrich Tires is preparing for its 23rd victory in 24 attempts at the granddaddy of off-road races, the SCORE Baja 1000. The 42nd running of the most well known of all desert races will begin on Friday, November 20 and end on Saturday, November 21 in Ensenada, Mexico. More than 325 racers will attempt to master the rugged terrain and dethrone last year’s Baja 1000 champions and BFGoodrich Tires’ drivers Roger Norman and Larry Roeseler by taking home the overall title.

BFGoodrich has raced the SCORE Baja 1000 for 34 years in order to prove the extreme capability of our tires,” said Roberts Kukainis, Motorsports Manager, BFGoodrich Tires. “The Baja T/A tire may grab the headlines, but a majority of our wins come from racers who compete with tires that are available off-the-shelf. That off-road BFGoodrich tire on your truck has won the SCORE Baja 1000. That’s proven, extreme capability in tires recognized by the people that choose our tires because they’re proven winners in extreme conditions.”

Each year, BFGoodrich teams compete on a variety of tires, including the BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A®KO tire, BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® tire and BFGoodrich® Baja T/A®KR tire. During recent years, teams driving on BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® tires have been near perfect in the Baja 1000. In 2008, BFGoodrich Tires took victories in 12 of the competing classes, including the overall title by Roger Norman and Larry Roeseler in a Trophy-Truck. BFGoodrich Tires also supported the entire Baja Challenge Class with Mud-Terrain T/A®KM2 tires.

“Ask any driver who was down in Baja last year (2008) and they will tell you that while not the longest course in race history, the 631-mile loop course was as demanding on the racers, equipment and tires as ever before,” said Frank DeAngelo, off-road motorsports manager for BFGoodrich Tires. “This year’s course is set up similarly to last year’s, but they’ve added an extra 40 miles to the course for good measure.”

BFGoodrich Tires will be lending pit and communications support to teams through its fleet of off-road motorsports vehicles. This immense undertaking involves more than 250 off-road enthusiasts and volunteers each year who are passionate about BFGoodrich and donate their time to help make the race an overwhelming success.

“We’ve been waiting to put our BFGoodrich Baja T/AKR and Mud-Terrain T/AKM2 tires to the test on this treacherous course since the end of last year’s race,” added DeAngelo. “Each Baja victory is sweet in its own shape or form and we hope to taste number 23.”

BFGoodrich driver Rod Hall knows what it’s like to taste victory in Baja. Hall is the only racer to have driven in all 41 SCORE Baja 1000 races and will be competing again this year hoping to capture his 20th victory at the 2009 SCORE Baja 1000. Hall is currently the all-time leader with 19 class wins.

Those unable to witness the 42nd SCORE Baja 1000 firsthand, International Racing Consultants (IRC)/Tracking International (TI) and BFGoodrich Tires have partnered to provide an online experience. Beginning at 9 a.m.ET on Friday, November 20, fans can log onto www.bfgoodrichtires.com and connect to a portal to follow their favorite drivers as they conquer the grueling race course. The site will feature a live tracking page that will show the location of all vehicles equipped with IRC tracking systems. The information on each vehicle will update at two-minute intervals throughout the race.

This year’s 672.85-mile race, to be held Nov. 19-22 in Mexico, will start for the 35th time and finish for the 20th time in Ensenada, Mexico while extending over a rugged course on both sides of the Baja peninsula. The motorcycle and ATV classes will start their journey at 6:30 a.m. (PT, 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.

More than 325 entries from 13 countries and 38 U.S. states are expected to compete in 29 Pro and six sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs will take part in this year’s SCORE Baja 1000. It is 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 mother of all desert races has been run over the mysterious Baja California peninsula every year except 1974 when the international fuel crisis forced a cancellation.

This year’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race will be televised on a delayed basis as a one-hour NBC Sports special for the sixth consecutive year, scheduled to air 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.

During the past 23 years, winners riding on BFGoodrich tires have included:
1986
Mark McMillin/Ralph Paxton
Chenowth Porsche
1987
Bob Gordon/Malcolm Smith
Chenowth Porsche
1988
Mark McMillin
Chenowth Porsche
1989
Robby Gordon
Ford Pickup
1990
Bob Gordon/Robyn Gordon
Chenowth Chevy
1991
Larry Ragland
Chevy Pickup
1992
Paul Simon/Dave Simon
Ford Ranger
1993
Ivan Stewart
Toyota SR5
1994
Jim Smith
Ford Pickup
1995
Larry Ragland
Chevy Pickup
1996
Larry Ragland
Chevy Pickup
1997
Larry Ragland
Chevy Pickup
1998
Ivan Stewart
Toyota Tundra
1999
Larry Ragland
Chevy Pickup
2000
Dan Smith/Dave Ashley
Ford Pickup
2001
Doug Fortin/Charlie Townsley, Jr.
Jimco Chevy
2002
Dan Smith/Dave Ashley
Ford Pickup
2003
Doug Fortin/Charlie Townsley, Jr.
Jimco Chevy
2004
Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler
Smith Built Ford
2005
Troy Herbst/Larry Roeseler
Smith Built Ford
2007
Mark Post/Rob MacCachren/Carl Renezeder
Ford F-150
2008
Roger Norman/Larry Roeseler
Ford F-150

Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 30 years, BFGoodrich Tires is involved in every type of racing, including oval, sports car, drifting, drag, desert, dirt, rally and extreme rock-crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle. Visit BFGoodrich Tires online at www.bfgoodrichtires.com.

ROD HALL RACING AT THE 2009 BAJA 1000

ROD HALL RACING RETURNS TO BAJA IN STOCK FULL AND STOCK MINI CLASSES
Friday, November 20th, the green flag will drop in Ensenda signifying the start of the 42nd Baja 1000. The Hall Family is known as the most winning family in Baja and once again, Rod Hall will make history as the only man on four wheels to race all forty-two editions of this famed race. However, this year he will focus on supporting his two sons who have an impressive history of their own in Baja.
Two trucks are fielded by Rod Hall Racing in two classes. The HUMMER H3 Alpha in the Stock Full class is piloted by Chad Hall. Chad has won the Baja 1000 seven times in class and is chasing his eigth victory. The H3 Alpha is a proven truck and has captured the 2007 Baja 1000, 2008 Baja 1000 and 2008 Baja 500. He also was the 2008 SCORE Class Champion and Toyota Milestone Award Winner.
Josh Hall will run Rod’s time tested, well-known H3 in the Stock Mini class. Josh Hall has four Baja 1000 class wins and helped his father grab the 40th Anniversary win in an exciting, tight race to Cabo San Lucas. He recently competed in the seven-day Australasian Safari rally across the Outback and is looking for his fifth class win and assist his Rod in grabbing an unparalleled twentieth Baja 1000 victory.
Mike Winkel and Emily Miller will be sharing driving duties with the Hall Family. Thad Stump, Sam Cothrun, Josh Ogg and Dana Morris will be taking the navigator seats. For more information on Rod Hall Racing log on to www.rodhallracing.com.

Team TROPHYLITE takes on Baja 1000

Chandler, AZ
November 15, 2009

Team TROPHYLITE is in final preparation to run a factory effort at this years Baja 1000. A last minute deal was formed to have a team run one of the General Tire TROPHYLITE house trucks at the Baja 1000, lead by TROPHYLITE president and owner Greg Foutz. Series Sponsor KC HiLiTES stepped up to be the race title sponsor on the truck for the special Baja 1000 event. Donning the bright yellow colors of the KC HiLiTES brand, one of the newest TROPHYLITE trucks in the stable will be showcased and driven through the roughest terrain known to off-road racing. Utilizing the spec tire used by all TROPHYLITE trucks, the General Grabber AT2, the team will battle the rugged and rocky terrain of the Baja peninsula.

“We got this deal put together very late for the 1000 this year. I really don’t like to do the last minute deals like this but we will pull it off. I think its very important to show how tough the TROPHYLITE trucks are. A finish at the Baja 1000 will show everyone what they can do. This is the first time the TROPHYLITE trucks have been entered in the Baja 1000. Even though the series started nearly 2 years ago this will be the first effort put together to run the biggest of all off-road races. We will bring our best effort and support just like we did last year for the Ford Raptor project we did. Look for a great finish from our group. I am excited for the effort and want to thank all of our series sponsors, General Tire, KC HiLiTES, MasterCraft Safety, Currie Enterprises, FOX Shox, and KMC wheels. Since this isn’t a normal TROPHYLITE points race, our series sponsors really stepped up to help. Especially Michael DeHaas from KC… “we are lucky to have the support we have from great people like Michael.” Commented Foutz about the effort

Driving responsibilities will be handled by 3 driving teams. Leading the way from the start line and driving to the Borego pit at mile 205 will be Mike West from BBQ Island www.bbqislandinc.com . Greg Foutz TROPHYLITE president will step in for the roughest section of the race and run the 200 miles from Borego down to Matomi wash and back to Borego through San Felipe. Greg will be joined by General Tire’s own Tony Talbert in the right seat to test the durability of the General Grabber AT2 tires in person. For the last leg Richard Cassey will take the wheel again, after his great finish at the last TROPHYLITE race in the TORC series, and do the final section all the way back to Ensenada.

You can follow the team on race day on the Internet at www.racetheworld.net . Look for us in the class 7.2 listing and look for driver of record Richard Cassey.

2010 looks promising for TROPHYLITE and team owners with a full desert racing schedule here in the United States, and a full short course race schedule. Full General Tire TROPHYLITE race schedule will be announced soon. In addition TROPHYLITE recently made its way down under for a 2010 full race schedule in Australia.

The 2010 Australian Schedule looks like this:

Donald 500, Victoria, Easter weekend, Loop Race
Finke Desert Race Northern Territory, 12/13 June Point to point race
Griffith, New South Wales, 24/25 July, Point to point race
Pines Enduro, South Australia, 4/5 September, Loop Race
Goondiwindi 400, Queensland, 16/17 October, Loop race

For more information www.TROPHYLITE.com

The final race of the General Tire TROPHYLITE® Series will be here before you know it! With a very close points chase and a purse of $65,500 on the line, the final round is sure to be exciting. Be sure to visit the TROPHYLITE® website often for the latest news, updates and photos!

General Tire and TROPHYLITE® – Making Headlines!
http://www.trophylite.com/frames/TROPHYLITE_News_06152009_DS.pdf

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