#13 Trophy-Truck Guns for Event Win and SCORE Season Championship
Newport Beach Calif., — OC Motorsports Trophy-Truck driver Ed Stout has much on the line in November—a victory at the Granddaddy of all desert races and a possible SCORE points championship. Stout, currently third in the SCORE Desert Series Trophy-Truck points standings and a mere two points from second, will start from the 24th position in his quest for a title at the 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, scheduled to begin on Nov. 20 in Ensenada, Baja California Mexico.
Stout, an Irvine, Calif., resident, will set out on the world’s longest non-stop desert race on November 20 at 10:30 a.m. in his OC Motorsports prepared Chevrolet Trophy-Truck. Respected navigator, Jim Riley, who is the CEO of Azuñia Tequila will start the race with Stout and run for the first 160 miles. It will then be up to Jake Batulis to keep the car in tact and on time for the next 200 miles as he relieves Stout. Jake has been a trusted friend and integral part of Stouts program for several years now. When Stout gets back in the car it will be with his trusted mechanic Brian Lopez, as they race for the finish attempting to capture their first Trophy-Truck win and hopefully, their first SCORE championship.
Jim Riley (left) and Ed "Clyde" Stout (right)
Stout has been a force in the Trophy-Truck ranks throughout the 2009 season by consistently finishing races and racking up valuable points. Stout drove to a solo third-overall finish at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge and tenth-overall at the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250. A triumph by Stout at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 would be his first victory at the event in Trophy-Truck, the premier class in the SCORE Desert Series. In 2002, Stout won the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in the 1-2/1600 class. Riley, Batulis and Lopez, fully aware of the significance of a Baja win, have logged long hours training and anticipating every challenge before pre-running the rugged Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 course.
“A win at this race would be incredible, and to take home the championship would be an awesome way to end the season,” said Stout. “Jim, Brian and Jake have been working hard and doing their homework. Everyone feels really comfortable and confident and we can’t wait to get down there, bring home a win and celebrate responsibly with Azuñia Tequila.”
Riley, a seasoned off-road veteran and three-time Baja 1000 navigator comes to the OC Motorsports Trophy-Truck team as part of the Azuñia Tequila support initiative—but to Riley and Stout, the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 also has a personal significance. Riley along with a group of racers including Stout intend to give back to the people of Baja California Mexico by donating 1000 cans of food and supplies as part of a special relief project organized by a consortium of passionate off-road enthusiasts including; Marty Fiolka from Dirt Sports Magazine, Nick Baldwin of the AOK organization, (AOKnick.org) Wahoo’s Fish Taco owner Wing Lam plus Blue C Advertising counterparts Eric Morley and Jeff Bentley. The relief project, which was spearheaded years ago, is intended to help support the villages and farms of Baja California Mexico who’s incomes have been affected by the lack in tourism as a result of the recent news emanating from the drug related violence occurring in Mexico’s border towns.
“We’re very proud to be involved in the SCORE Baja 1000 this year and to be giving something back to the citizens of Baja California Mexico,” said Riley. “Mexico has a fond significance to us because we are proud of the land and the people. The families who work the land are the heart of Azuñia Tequila and we enjoy helping them out whenever we can.”
42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 race event details:
The 42nd annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 is scheduled for Nov. 19–22. More than 275 entries (including 32 from the Trophy Truck class) from 34 U.S. states and 12 countries, competing in 28 Pro and 7 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs will battle along the Baja California peninsula. Crowds nearly 300,000 strong will line the course.
Thursday, Nov. 19 will feature the always-popular SCORE Manufacturer’s Midway from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST. The first motorcycle and ATV competitors will leave at 6:30 a.m. PST on Friday, Nov. 20; car and truck classes will depart at 10:30 a.m.
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, 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.
Azuñia Tequila will be hosting a post race party to raise money for the 2010 charity relief project at Cafe Maiz in Mission Viejo, Calif., for more details go to www.azuniatequila.com www.cafemaiz.com
Supporting Sponsors: Azuñia Tequila, ReadyLift, General Tire, King Shocks, Uni Filters, Kreed sunglasses, Lucas Oil, BCR Wheels, Ancra Tie Downs, LightFORCE.
About Azuñia Tequila
Intersect Beverage, located in Newport Beach, CA, imports Azuñia Tequila (ultra-premium tequila). Azuñia Tequila is produced from the finest quality hand-selected 100% Weber blue agave plants, grown and harvested by one of the oldest and most experienced growers in the Jalisco Region of Mexico. Azuñia’s Tequila portfolio includes: Platinum Blanco, Reposado and Anejo. Azuñia Tequila is currently distributed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Azuñia Tequila also provides sponsorship support for Robbie Pierce and Rob MacCachren, Team Mastercraft and Cameron Steele as they set out to win the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in their respective classes. To learn more about Azuñia Tequila check out www.azuniatequila.com follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/azuniatequila and Facebook http://bit.ly/tX8N0
