Doing Well is the Best Revenge For MasterCraft Racing At 2010 SCORE Primm 300

The situation was looking grim for MasterCraft Racing coming into SCORE International’s Terrible’s Primm. MasterCraft Safety CEO and race team owner, Robbie Pierce, was still busted up from a horrific short course accident a month prior and racing legend, Rob MacCachren, was arbitrarily disqualified by the Nevada Bureau of Land Management for allegedly pre-running a closed (yet unmarked) race course. Given the dire circumstances, most race teams would have conceded defeat before the green flag had even dropped. The Rockstar Energy Drink / MasterCraft Racing Team has a reputation for never shying away from a challenge and that reputation was further solidified this weekend in Primm.

Just one month after a spectacular crash behind the wheel of his Pro 2 Unlimited truck in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORS) at Glen Helen Raceway, Robbie Pierce climbed back behind the wheel of the No. 30 SCORE Trophy Truck for the Terrible’s Primm 300 race. Starting the competition in the fifth position, Pierce was just three weeks out of the hospital and recovering from two broken collarbones and a nasty gash on his knee requiring more than 40 stitches.

In the first race after his crash, Pierce was able to gain valuable time and track position during his 137 miles behind the wheel. After two laps, Pierce handed the truck over to his co-driver, Mike Julson, just 50 seconds behind race leader, Jesse Jones. Upon exiting the truck, Pierce remarked, “That Jimco was running absolutely flawless! That is probably the best that truck has ever run! I wish I could have stayed in it for the entire race but I do not think I could have remained competitve for all four laps.”

Mike Julson, owner of Jimco Racing and chassis builder for the No. 30 SCORE Trophy Truck, ran at a pace consistent with Pierce’s and ultimately crossed the finish line in an elapsed time of 4 hours, 50 minutes, and 8 seconds. With less than five minutes separating the No. 30 MasterCraft Racing SCORE Trophy Truck from race winner, Jesse Jones, the duo of Pierce and Julson claimed the second place podium in the SCORE Trophy Truck class and also successfully claimed the second overall position out of 115 competitors.

The unforgiving Primm course, located just 30 miles south of Las Vegas, is a combination of rough, squared out ruts or smooth, burned-in terrain with some cleverly placed rocks. This is a sprint race that can be won or lost over a tire change. With absolutely no flats on the BFGoodrich tires, the No. 30 SCORE Trophy Truck was able to stay up front all day.

Starting towards the back of the pack in the 27th position, the No. 42 SCORE Trophy Truck, owned and driven by Will J Staats, was looking for a little redemption after experiencing a disappointing DNF just 45 miles from the finish at the SCORE Baja 500.

Completing a nearly flawless first lap during the Terrible’s Primm 300, the No. 42 suffered a crank position sensor issue shortly after passing the main pit on the second lap. Unable to reach a speed greater than 40mph, Will J Staats limped the truck to the second pit where the crew was able to switch out the sensor and get the truck back on course and running at a competitive speed again. Crossing the finish line with an elapsed time of 5 hours, 8 minutes and 44 seconds, Will J Staats and navigator, Greg Shapiro, claimed a respectable 7th place class finish and an 11th overall finish among 115 competitors.

This past weekend, the Rockstar Energy Drink sponsored team of MasterCraft Racing would have been campaigning three SCORE Trophy Trucks had it not been for the unjustified and unfounded disqualification of Rob MacCachren. On Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) handed down the unprecedented and arbitrary action of disqualifying Rob MacCachren from this weekend’s Terrible’s Primm 300 race.

Team owner, Robbie Pierce, fully supports MacCachren and remarked, “I believe this governmental agency was overzealous in their actions against Rob. The BLM’s claim and their subsequent decision is completely unfounded. There are no clearly defined rules and BLM representatives, Bob Dieli and Chris Linehan, certainly could not provide a record of these stipulations to MasterCraft Racing when requested. The Primm area BLM officers took this issue too far by denying my teammate a chance to compete in this event and thereby limiting his ability to carry out and honor his sponsor contracts and commitments. The BLM’s ruling has destoyed Rob’s chance of earning the season points championship he was in contention for and certainly has the proven talent to claim.”

As the consummate professional, Rob MacCachren and his family attended the race as spectators and watched the events unfold from the MasterCraft Racing main pit. When asked if it was difficult to stand-by and watch Rob remarked, “As any competitor knows, it is hard to be on the sidelines as your peers compete. It is both disappointing and frustrating but I am very proud of the team and their efforts. MasterCraft Racing has assembled an incredible crew and they were just as disappointed as I was. Fortunately, they didn’t let it get them down and were able to go out there and do a great job for the other two trucks.”

The next stop for the MasterCraft Racing Team is the SCORE season finale; the 43rd annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. This year’s legendary race returns as a “peninsula run” and commences in Ensenada on November 18th, 2010 and finishes in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.

MasterCraft Racing is Sponsored by:
Rockstar Energy Drink • BFGoodrich • Gargoyles Eyewear • Jimco • Fox Shox • Walker Evans • Rancho Drivetrain • MSD Ignition • Palomar Communications • Canidae • KC HiLites