SCORE INTERNATIONAL BAJA 1000
Lofton Sixth in Baja
DENVER, N.C. (November 28, 2008) Justin Lofton returned to his desert racing roots behind the wheel of the No. 20 Lofton Cattle Chevy Trophy Truck in the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. In Lofton’s first ever Baja 1000, an endurance event of 629.74-miles split between a team of two drivers. His teammate was his father, Bob Lofton.
The elder Lofton has been competing in desert racing for over 22 years and has claimed victory in his division in three Baja events.
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Justin was named the 2004 Best in the Desert (BITD) Rookie of the Year and also claimed the 2004 BITD Class 1000 Championship, winning the Parker 400, Vegas 200, and Henderson 300 with teammate Matt Loiodice. The father and son team finished an impressive sixth with a course time of 14:51:08.
2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Official Results
Four Wheel Vehicle Class Results; Published November 26, 2008 |
| CLASS |
OVR |
NUM |
DRIVER |
STR |
FIN |
TIME |
MPH |
| 6 |
16 |
20 |
Lofton |
10:48:30 |
25:39:38 |
14:51:08 |
42.5 |
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SCORE INTERNATIONAL BAJA 1000
Justin Lofton Baja Bound!
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Justin Lofton at the wheel with navigator Matt Loiodice at his side. |
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DENVER, N.C. (November 20, 2008) – Justin Lofton returns to his desert racing roots this weekend behind the wheel of the Lofton Cattle Chevy Trophy Truck in the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
"We had a great pre-run last weekend" said Lofton. "The truck handles amazing. A lot of the course that is run this year hasn't been run since the mid-90's so most of the field will be running it for the first time. I'm really looking forward to running this thing. It has been a lot of fun practicing and preparing for the race."
The Baja 1000 is an endurance event; 629.74-miles split between a team of two drivers. In Lofton's first ever Baja 1000, his teammate is his father, Bob Lofton. The elder Lofton has been competing in desert racing for over 22 years and has claimed victory in his division in three Baja events. In 1993, Bob Lofton and JIMCO Racing CEO-Mike Julson won their first SCORE 1600 Championship and in 1995 the pair claimed the SCORE Class 1 Championship. Justin was named the 2004 Best in the Desert (BITD) Rookie of the Year. With Matt Loiodice as his teammate, Lofton claimed the BITD Class 1000 Championship that same year, winning the Parker 400, Vegas 200, and Henderson 300.
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"I'm really excited to race again with my dad, ...I think we have a good shot at winning this race."
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Justin Lofton will pilot the Lofton Cattle Trophy Truck for the first 400 miles with friend and former teammate, Loiodice, as his navigator. Bob Lofton will take over at mile marker 400 with Rusty Szymanski riding as his navigator. The Lofton men will race against the clock under sun and stars. You can track the Lofton Cattle truck's position on the course on www.ionearth.com. Click on "Strobel Motorsports" for the tracking beacon.
"I'm really excited to race again with my dad," added the younger Lofton. "He has been a huge supporter of mine and has been my sounding board throughout my career and especially this year. I think we have a good shot at winning this race and sharing the podium with him would be such an honor."
The 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 kicks off on Friday, November 21st. Motorcycles and ATVs leave the start line in Ensenada at 6:30 a.m. The approximate start time for four-wheeled vehicles, including the Trophy Trucks, is 10:30 a.m. Course closure time is Saturday, November 22nd at 6:00 p.m. following the 31-hour time limit. Posting of unofficial results will be at 7:00 p.m. at the San Nicholas Hotel. The awards presentation takes place Sunday, November 23, 2008 poolside at the San Nicholas Hotel. All times listed are Pacific Standard Time (PST). |
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SCORE INTERNATIONAL BAJA 1000
Lofton Takes to the Desert
Testing for Baja 1000
DENVER, N.C. (October 24, 2008) – With the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season in the rearview mirror, Justin Lofton climbed behind the wheel of a completely different No. 20 Lofton Cattle vehicle yesterday and transitioned from asphalt to sand. Lofton will drive the Lofton Cattle Chevy Trophy Truck in the 2008 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
"The truck is amazing!" said Lofton after his first day of testing. "It is definitely different than the stock car I have been racing all year. We put about 200 miles on the truck yesterday testing out in Plaster City [California]. We stayed out late so that we could set up the lights and practice running 100 mph in the dark. We also practiced changing tires in the middle of the desert with no light."
Lofton is no stranger to desert racing and has an ace up his sleeve: his teammate and father, Bob Lofton. The elder Lofton has been competing in desert racing for over 22 years and has claimed victory in his division in three Baja events. In 1993, Bob Lofton and JIMCO Racing CEO-Mike Julson won their first SCORE 1600 Championship and in 1995 the duo claimed the SCORE Class 1 Championship in JIMCO's first front a-arm suspension car.
"My dad is probably one of the best racers in the dark and has been teaching me how to win this event, said Lofton. "I will be driving the first 400 miles with Matt Loiodice in the navigator seat. At mile 400, my dad will be getting into the Lofton Cattle Trophy Truck and taking it to the finish line with Rusty Szymanski riding as his navigator."
Despite being his first run at the famous "Baja 1000", Lofton has raced in the desert and has managed to rack up some pretty nifty accolades of his own. In 2004, Lofton was named the Best in the Desert (BITD) Series Rookie of the Year. With Loiodice as his teammate, Lofton claimed the BITD Class 1000 Championship that same year, winning the Parker 400, Vegas 200, and Henderson 300.
Unlike the races in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, the Lofton duo will be racing against the clock and not beating and banging for position with a fellow competitor. With a time limit of 31 hours to run the 629.74-mile course, drivers run at top speeds under the sun and under the stars. Race dates for the Tecate Baja 1000 are November 20-23, 2008 in Ensenada, Baja California.
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The Loftons |
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"I think we have a good shot at winning this race," added Lofton. "I'm really excited to race again with my dad. He has been a huge supporter of my dream to race professionally and has been my sounding board throughout my career and especially this year."
Stay tuned for updates on the Lofton desert adventure!
| FAST FACTS |
| The No. 20 Lofton Cattle Trophy Truck Team |
| Drivers: |
Justin Lofton / Bob Lofton
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| Navigators: |
Matt Loiodice / Rusty Szymanski |
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| Chassis: |
JIMCO Trophy Truck
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| Transmission: |
Optional Automatic and Manual Configurations available
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Wheelbase: |
127"
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| Track Width: |
92"
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| Wheel Travel: |
Front: 26" Rear: 30"
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| Shocks: |
Fox 4.3" Bypass
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Front: |
Fox 2.5 Coil Over
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| Rear: |
Fox 3" Coil Over
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| Rear End: |
TubeWorks / Gear Works 3rd Member
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| Steering: |
Howe Performance Rack
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| Jack: |
Howe Hydraulic Jack System
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| Tires: |
39" BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR
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| Brakes: |
Alcon Engineering
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| Body: |
Rusty's Race Car & Truck Prototype Bodies |
For more information on the Baja 1000, log onto www.score-international.com. |
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