LAUGHLIN, Nev. — Third-generation desert racer Andy McMillin easily dominated a star-studded field of racers to capture the overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck victory during the season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.
With the race split into two days of eight laps each, McMillian covered the rugged 6.25-mile course in a combined time of 2 hours, 2 minutes and 3 seconds, averaging 49.16 miles per hour in his No. 31 McMillin Racing Ford F-150. Kory Scheeler finished second to McMillian in class and overall.
“It was a great day for us out there today,” said McMillin. “Once we got out in front of Pete (Sohren) about the first corner, I just wanted to make sure that we didn’t let him or B.J. (Baldwin) get around me. And then B.J. wasn’t there after the first lap so it was cruise control all the way.
“I just really enjoyed myself,” McMillin said. “I’ve never won here at Laughlin so it really feels good. It was an awesome way to end last year (with a win in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1,000) and a great way to start this year off. I think it just counts for the team and just feeling confident. Every time I go to the start line, I know I have a chance of winning in this truck as long as I don’t make a mistake. That says a lot about our team and the way they put this truck together and I couldn’t be happier.”
Third overall and in SCORE Trophy-Truck was Nick Vanderway in the No. 84 Chevy Silverado, followed by Mark McMillin (fourth overall and in Trophy-Truck).
Another third-generation desert racer, Kory Halopoff, survived tremendous attrition caused by the difficulty of the course, defeating 23 racers in the unlimited Class 1 to win his class and finish fifth overall.
In Class 1-2/1,600, seven-time SCORE point champion Rob MacCachren scored the victory margin in his AlumiCraft-VW over Cory Boyer. In SCORE Lite, Mexico’s Francisco Villagomez scored his first SCORE victory, moving from fourth place Saturday to defeat a sturdy group of 20 racers in his Pabloff-VW.
Other class winners were: Dave Caspino (Class 6, Ford Ranger); Mike Lawrence (Class 10, Jimco-Honda); Elias Hanna (Class 7SX, Ford Ranger); Juan C. Lopez (Class 8, Ford F-150); Kevin Carr (Class 5, unlimited VW Baja Bug); Joe Bacal (Stock Full, Lexus LX570); William Eriksen (Class 2, PredatorX18-Chevy); Robert Morton (Class 9, DesertDynamics-VW); Reid Rutherford (Class 7-2, Ford Ranger); and Troy Vest (Pro Truck, Chevy Silverado).
Sportsman car race winner was Rory Ward (Chenowth-Chevy) and Sportsman truck winner was Nick Tonelli (Ford Ranger).
Sixty-one of the 126 starters finished the challenge, for a 48.4 percent finishing rate.