Race Car Prototypes of San Diego, Ca, (RCP), unveiled two new body designs at the 44th running of the infamous Baja 1000. The winning truck of Andy and Scott McMillin was clad in a new RCP Raptor body that incorporates the great looks of the factory design while fitting impeccably on their Geiser Bros. chassis. Not to be outdone, All German Motorsports took the wraps off of their unique BMW X6 Trophy Truck that also has RCP designed bodywork.

Andy McMillin saw the beautiful Ford Raptor body that John Tripp of RCP just completed for Stewart Raceworks’ Luxury prerunner and knew right away he had to have RCP update his truck’s looks to resemble the Ford Raptor also. The new look of the familiar McMillin Racing Trophy Truck got plenty of double-takes as they covered the brutal Baja 1000 course faster than anyone else.

To say that the BMW X6 of All German Motorsports is out of the box thinking for a Trophy Truck is an understatement. True to form for RCP, the X6 body is totally purposeful without compromising the beautifully sculpted curves of the production BMW. The team is still sorting out the new car but they successfully finished 20th overall on a Baja 1000 course that many people where saying was one of the toughest ever.

All RCP body designs share common traits, functionality and stunning beauty. A good example is the realistic headlight decals from Bink Designs that look seamless on the body but in fact are removable to expose powerful driving lights underneath. You can have the most highly engineered chassis built by the best fabricators in the world but people will always be drawn to how the vehicle looks. John Tripp has the skills needed to design and sculpt beautiful forms but he also has the first hand mechanical knowledge that comes from his experience as a fabricator, a co-driver, someone who has had to work on vehicles in the field. RCP bodies are lightweight where practical and braced where they need to be strong. They have plenty of tire clearance and mount soundly but without losing proportion or flow, that’s where the artistry comes in.

Race Car Prototypes stays true to their name. “I like to concentrate on design”, says John Tripp, “I do the design work and create the molds and then turn them over to the team so they can make replacements. We do several large scale projects a year and in the interim we make Lexan bodies for 1/5th scale RC cars. Our Lexan RC bodies are known for their sleek designs and the fact that they are almost indestructible. Designing and building a full-size body is a lot of work, but we always look forward to new projects that challenges our creativity.”

If you want an RCP body designed for your car, you better get your order in soon. Judging by the way the McMillin TT, All German BMW and the Stewart Raceworks Luxury Prerunner turned out; RCP’s services are going to be in high demand.

Photography By Brian Binkert
Bink Designs – www.binkdesigns.com

About Race Car Prototypes
Started in 2008 Race Car Prototypes has quickly become well known within the off-road and R/C industries to service, concept, design & develop. Producing Lexan 1:5th scale bodies for companies such as HPI Racing and custom bodies for top tier race teams All German Motorsports, McMillin Racing, TSA Motorsports, Stewart’s Race Works.

For more information about Race Car Prototypes, please visit www.rcprototypes.com

About Bink Designs
Bink Designs is a premier graphic design company located in San Diego, CA. Since 2003, Bink Designs has been committed to providing cost-effective solutions for clients’ high-end graphic needs. Bink Designs will work with you to develop a strategy that matches your goals. Bink Designs offers a number of services, including: Identity, Print Design, Vinyl Graphics, Web Design, Photography & Apparel.

For more information about Bink Designs, please visit www.binkdesigns.com

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Question: “Armin, the time has now come for the AGM-Jimco X6 SCORE Trophy Truck to be unleashed. How exciting is that?”

Armin Schwarz: “Unbelievably exciting. But I’m even more looking forward to testing the vehicle. The truck runs very quietly, just like the WRC cars I used to drive. We did a great deal of work on the geometry and on the pivot points of all axles. It seems almost like a hybrid between a buggy and trophy truck. It’s very agile and manageable, but still it demonstrates excellent resilience in tough terrain – and that’s exactly what a SCORE Trophy Truck should have.”

Question: “How long did it take from the first drawings to the premiere of the Trophy Truck?”

Armin Schwarz: “Martin and I drew up the first plans back in mid-2009 when we were both feeling frustrated at having to start behind all the SCORE Trophy Trucks. In June 2010 the first drawings were completed. We then developed the first components. But only when we sold our very successful Class One Buggy to Australia after clinching overall victory at the 2010 Baja 250 and a superb racing season could we concentrate totally on our Trophy Truck project. That was in November 2010.”

Question: “When can we see the Trophy Truck in action for the first time?”

Armin Schwarz: “Our first race is in November this year at the Baja 1000. But, we don’t have any race strategy whatsoever. For us it’ll be more a major test outing, perhaps the biggest test that you can possibly put a race car through. Martin, our team and I all think that we can conduct test kilometres in a competition environment. Our partners support us wholeheartedly and they know that we’ll be going for victory in 2012.”

Question: “What will now become of the AGM Buggy with which you were so successful in the US SCORE Championship to now? And how does your crew line-up look for 2012?

Armin Schwarz: “Martin sold the Buggy to a successful racer from the Australian Offroad Championship who is very happy with the car. For 2012 we are obviously planning some important steps in further developing the truck. And we will also work on the reliability because that’s the most crucial factor if you want to win. And we have many other innovative ideas in mind, but we won’t share these ideas for the time being.
Moreover, AGM still has another Class One Buggy with which Armin Kremer was so successful in the last years. I don’t want to say too much about that either – but I will say this: Armin is in the AGM team and he’ll be staying there. We have a great time together and Armin is a fighter. He complements our team very well.”

Question: “What are your goals for the 2012 season?”

Armin Schwarz: “We aim to finish all races and win as many as possible. Martin, the team and I have one very clear goal and that is to win the Baja 1000 – regardless of whether it’s in 2012 or 2013. The main thing is to win this awesome race! In all the years that Sal Fish has run the SCORE Organisation, and all his helpers have found unbelievably beautiful and tough tracks, never before has a non-North American won. Only in 2010 did a Mexican, let’s say an ‘almost’ North American, manage this feat – and that was our friend from the Vildosola team. We want to be the first Europeans to do this and that is our aim.
I want to express my thanks to my friend who has virtually ‘carried’ me after my active WRC time: Wilfried Eibach, whose company celebrated its 60th anniversary a fortnight ago. Dear Wilfried, you really sorted out a wonderful “post-WRC” activity for me. And man, is it fun. There are very few of these types – people like Wilfried Eibach, Sal Fish, Yves Morizot and of course my friend and team mate Martin Christensen. To you all, and my family of course, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and patience.”

Information on the AGM-Jimco X6 SCORE Trophy Truck

All German Motorsports built the Trophy Truck in the USA in close collaboration with Jimco, the most experienced and best chassis manufacturer in the international offroad scene. Jimco is responsible for the chassis and the construction of the vehicle. TriStar Metals, a US subsidiary of AGM partner Stammcut, supplied premium quality material for the new chassis under the BMW X6 silhouette.
The design of the new Trophy Truck was developed in close cooperation with the creative team of Achim Storz. DESIGN STORZ based in Zell am See (Austria) developed the silhouette of the Trophy Truck with the body of the BMW X6 as an inspiration.
Another partner is Meziere Enterprises, a long-standing supporter of AGM that specialises in machined and lathed parts for racing. Team boss Christensen worked with the engineers from Meziere to develop calculations, drawings and CAD data. An incredible amount of machined parts feature on the Trophy Truck, made Meziere from lightweight material like aluminium, magnesium or titanium. All carbon-fibre components on the vehicle, for instance the internal parts that are exposed to strong vibrations, are supplied by partner Lynx Composites.
With the suspension, All German Motorsports places it trust in partners Eibach (springs) and Fox (shocks). Powering the AGM-Jimco X6 Trophy Truck is a 725 hp V8 Denzio BMW engine. The filter system and the air ducting were set-up by K&N in Riverside, California. Partner Remus built an ultra-lightweight exhaust with a multi-flow 4-in-1 exhaust system – giving the unmistakeable sound that fans so love to hear. Liqui Moly is the supplier of all lubricants which have been specifically developed for the hot, sandy and difficult conditions of offroad racing in the desert. Fuel comes from the long-standing partner F&L Fuels that delivers virtually all high-performance petrol to the SCORE Series.
Fortin delivers the gearbox: A four-speed sequential shift automatic gearbox. At the rear axle All German Motorsports works with Drexler Motorsport, experts in the field of differentials. The team selected a differential which gives considerably better vehicle handling on the twisty and rolling tracks than a rigid drive. And the tyres are supplied by the reliable partner, BF Goodrich. AGM now use an Alcon 6-piston brake system.
All German Motorsports get all the safety systems, like the Recaro seats, the Schroth harness system, race wear, helmets and the Stand21 HANS system, as well as all the small parts like switches and so forth, from their partner Off Road Warehouse ORW. The monster features a Powerstride battery system. With the software, the team has launched a development project in conjunction with B&M Tricon. IT solutions were found that are intended to contribute to simplifying and optimising the set-up of the vehicle in the future.

October 11th is the day: Armin Schwarz and the All German Motorsports squad invite you to the official presentation in Leipzig of the AGM-Jimco X6 Trophy Truck

Dear Friends,

I am very happy and proud to present the following press release to you, that we sent out to the international media just a few hours ago. Our AGM-Jimco X6 Trophy Truck is rapidly taking shape, and we are looking at conducting first test runs in August. It’s all very exciting. But read yourself:

For months now the offroad scene has eagerly awaited the premiere of the AGM-Jimco X6 SCORE Trophy Truck. Now it’s all go: In late September the new desert monster will be presented in Germany, with which rally ace Armin Schwarz and the All German Motorsports team tackle the US SCORE Championship. Here are the first impressions and technical description of the vehicle for those who simply can’t wait any longer.

Team boss Martin Christensen and his crew are working flat out round the clock on the new vehicle. All German Motorsports assemble the Trophy Truck in the USA in close collaboration with Jimco, the most experienced and best chassis manufacturer in the international offroad scene. Jimco is responsible for the chassis and the construction of the vehicle. TriStar Metals, a US subsidiary of Stammcut, supply premium quality material for the new frame under the X6 silhouette.

A real stunner – we all can’t wait to fire up the V8 for the first time

The design of the new Trophy Truck was developed in close cooperation with the creative team of Achim Storz. DESIGN STORZ based in Zell am See (Austria) developed the silhouette of the Trophy Truck with the body of the BMW X6 as an inspiration. The team found the greatest challenges in realising the idea of this special shape while incorporating the technical features of a Trophy Truck.

Another partner is Meziere Enterprises, a long-standing supporter of AGM that specialises in machined and lathed parts for racing. Team boss Christensen spent many nights with engineers from Meziere, developing calculations, drawings and CAD data. “There is an incredible amount of machined parts on this Trophy Truck. We rely on the lightweight construction – whether it’s aluminium, magnesium or titanium – that Meziere has made for us,” says Armin Schwarz. All carbon-fibre components on the vehicle, for instance the internal parts that are exposed to strong vibrations, are supplied by partner Lynx Composites.

With the suspension, All German Motorsports places it trust in partners Eibach and Fox. They equip the Trophy Truck not only with springs and shock absorbers, but also contribute to the planning. In conjunction with Eibach and Fox, team boss Christensen calculated what the suspension must withstand and provide taking the weight of the vehicle into consideration.

The cockpit: on the dashboard the positions of the instruments are marked. Between the seats you can see the front mid engine and gearbox and the special AGM desert jack (red/blue cap)

Powering the AGM-Jimco X6 Trophy Truck is a 725 hp V8 Denzio BMW engine. The filter system and the air ducting were set-up by K&N in Riverside, California. Partner Remus built an ultra-lightweight exhaust with a multi-flow 4-in-1 exhaust system. “This provides the unmistakeable sound of the Trophy Truck. That’s exactly what our fans love to hear,” said Schwarz. Liqui Moly is the supplier of all lubricants which have been specifically developed for the hot, sandy and difficult conditions of offroad racing in the desert.

Fortin delivers the gearbox: A sequential shift automatic gearbox. “At the rear axle we work with Drexler Motorsport for the first time. They are experts in the field of differentials. We selected a differential which gives us considerably better vehicle handling on the twisty and rolling tracks than a rigid drive,” explains Schwarz. “And as far as tyres are concerned, we are sticking with our good and reliable partner, BF Goodrich. Their rubber is a must.”

All German Motorsports get all the safety systems, like the Recaro seats, the Schroth harness system, race wear, helmets and the Stand21 HANS system, as well as all the small parts like switches and so forth, from their partner Off Road Warehouse ORW.

Weighs close to nothing, can take close the everything: the super rigid tubular frame made by Jimco. TriStar Metals, a US subsidiary of Stammcut, delivered the special steel tubes

But it’s not just about hardware in the AGM-Jimco X6 SCORE Trophy Truck, it’s also about the software. In conjunction with B&M Tricon, the team launched a development project. IT solutions were found that are intended to contribute to simplifying and optimising the set-up of the vehicle in the future.

For August, All German Motorsports plan comparison tests with the new vehicle, which stands out from other Trophy Trucks through its low weight and substantially better aerodynamics. In September, the AGM-Jimco X6 SCORE Trophy Truck will celebrate its public launch in Germany. As part of the presentation, new partners will be announced.

The men behind the project: Jimco’s Mike Julson (l.) and AGM boss Martin Christensen

“Our first race with the AGM-Jimco Trophy Truck will be in November at the BAJA 1000,” says Schwarz. “We’re regarding the BAJA 1000 more as a test run and as a good preparation for the 2012 season in the US SCORE Offroad Championship. That’s when we want to secure our first wins.”

Tech Specs: AGM-Jimco X6 Trophy Truck

Chassis:          Tubular frame, AGM-Jimco design
Body:               AGM/ BMW – X6 carbon body
Total weight:   2,200 kg (without fuel)
Engine:            V8 Denzio – BMW special engine, 7.0-litres, 725 hp, 780 Nm torque
Engine mounting: Meziere bulkhead for motor and aggregates like lightflow-water and oil pumps
Exhaust:          Remus multi-flow 4-in-1 sound system
Electronics:      Motec engine and control electronics
Gearbox:          Fortin 4-speed sequential automatic
Rear axle:        Drexler Motorsport variable limited split differential
Wheelbase:     314 cm
Wheel travel front:    80 cm
Wheel travel rear:    100 cm
Shock absorbers:      3.5 inch FOX Bypass – TT Shocks
Springs:            Eibach special offroad springs linear
Anti-roll bars:    AGM special anti-roll bars
Brakes:             Alcon 355mm inner-vented discs/ 6 piston callipers
Rims:                Method Offroad Racing rims, 17 inch, 6.5 x 17″
Tyres:               BFGoodrich KRT 37/13.50×17″
Suspension:     Meziere special offroad, upright, suspension & hub
Seats:              Recaro Profi SPA
Safety Equipment:    Stand21, HANS system, Schroth harness, ORW Racing equipment
Special:                     AGM hydraulic jack, Soltec lights

Armin Schwartz & Bryan Lyttle Off the Start Line in Ensenada

AGM #111 Jimco Class 1

The All German Motorsports #111 Jimco Class 1 race car (better known as the “Chevy Car”) was 11^th off the start line with a total of 27 Class 1 cars in class. Driver Armin Schwarz and Navigator Bryan Lyttle took on the first 230 miles of the race with Driver Armin Kremer and Navigator Sam Osman finishing the remaining miles of the course. As is typical with Baja racing gremlins always seem to appear when least expected.  At RM6 the Chevy car lost its first of 2 serpentine belts forcing Bryan Lyttle to exit the car before fully getting into a groove on course. At RM60 the car would lose its second belt. From there the race was on, with plenty of cars and trucks to chase down AGM team drivers Armin Schwartz and Armin Kremer did their best to put the AGM #111 Jimco Class 1 on the box. While they would fall short of a podium finish the team’s never give up attitude carried the car through to take a 10th in class finish in just over 12 hours.

 

AGM Team Owner Martin Christensen Being Filmed For The New 3D Show w/ Langley Productions

A highlight of the weekend was the 3D filming of a new Langley Productions special to air on a Discovery Channel owned 3D network.  With 3D camera crews following the team throughout the weekend in Baja and throughout the race both in-car and above in helicopters AGM is very excited to be apart of this new feature show to be aired sometime in the future.  Coming up this month on June 23rd at 8:00 PM Pacific Standard Time on Spike TV will be another Langley Productions show featuring AGM called “Road Warriors”.  This show was filmed throughout the 2009 SCORE Baja 1000 race. Make sure to tune in to catch all the action from that memorable event!

 

All German Motorsports would like to thank our all volunteer team for their hard work and dedication that allowed us to make it to the finish. AGM would also like to send a big thank you to all our sponsors that help make this happen:

B&M Tricon – Stammcut – BFGoodrich – Jimco – Remus Exhaust – K&N Air Filters – Bilstein Shock Abosrbers – Meziere Enterprises – Fortin Transmissions – Lucas Oil Products – Eibach Springs – Stand 21 – Recaro Seats – Collisions Plus – All German Auto – Off Road Warehouse (ORW) – Danzio Performance – Method Race Wheels – Alcon Braking System – Schroth Racing Belts – Baja Designs / Soltek Light Systems – Spy Optics – F&L Racing Fuels – Powerstride Batteries

 

All German Motorsports 2011 SCORE Baja 500

Race-dezert.com caught up with Bryan Lyttle from All German Motorsports about their involvement with Western Motorsports at the BITD events. The latest about the new AGM Trophy Truck. And some info about this years Baja 300 Powerdays event put on by Armin Schwartz.

Check out the Baja 300 Powerdays web site. www.baja300-powerdays.com

Race-dezert.com spent the day at the 2011 Best in the Desert Silver State 300 contingency event and captured highlights and driver interviews.

Bryan Lyttle from All German Motorsports talks about his and Martin Christensen’s involvement with Western Motorsports this season, the new AGM Trophy Truck, and the Baja 300 Powerdays race in Germany.

Chuck Hovey talks about qualifying first and about his plans for race day.

All German Motorsports teams up with Pistol Pete Sohren to take on the 2011 SCORE San Felipe 250.

All German Motorsports Suspension Sliders

Leave it to the folks over at All German Motorsports to impress me yet again. When I first heard they created a new slider design for shocks, I was a little skeptical whether I would really see any value in switching over, but then after a closer look at their new design, I wondered weather these sliders would help me with issues I have experienced in the past.

AGM Slider Insert

For those whose prerunners have cages incorporated into the body or suspension components mounted on heims instead of bushings, you can agree that the excessive rattle can get quite annoying at times, especially on the highway. I have noticed that some of this extra noise is the result of the coil springs and sliders.

I have found that one problem with stock sliders is they have a loser fit around the shock body and can slide on the body at an angle causing premature wear, which also causes the extra noise. Stock sliders can also deform or break when the springs don’t sit true to each other and the shock body, or if they make contact with the crossover rings. I find that with the AGM slider, there is a tighter fit and the stronger material they use will resolve these issues.

AGM 2.5 Slider installed on a Fox shock

I just returned from an 8 day trip for the Baja 1000 where I put over 2000 miles on my truck. I found that the AGM sliders worked great. I had no problems and experienced no noticeable wear. In general, I didn’t hear the usual noise coming from the springs and sliders that I have noticed in the past. Though the noise issue might not be a problem in race vehicles or in all prerunners, for me, I found a noticeable difference from switching over to the new sliders.

Examples of worn and broken sliders

AGM sliders are currently available for 2.0 and 2.5 shocks for all major brands. If demand is high enough they will make them for 3.0 shocks.

Price:
2.0 slider $103.99
2.5 slider $108.99
2.0 replacement insert $26.99
2.5 replacement insert $29.99

For more info:
All German Motorsports
www.allgermanmotorsports.com
760-738-4626
Sliders can be purchased through All German Motorsports, Off Road Warehouse, Kartek and Gen-Rite.com

The 2010 SCORE Primm 300 was this past weekend and it started off with a bit of controversy. Earlier in the week teams were assessed penalties for testing on or near the race course prior to race day.  Rob Mac was DQ’d from the race while BJ and Bobby Baldwin were given a time penalty of 30 minutes, which was later changed to a fine.

Primm is Primm.  Hot, dusty, rocky, and beat up from being run on a few times a year.  Jesse Jones would take the overall win giving Geiser another win, while Jimco who is newer to the Trophy Truck business would capture 2nd and 3rd with Robbie Pierce and TSCO respectively.

- Jesse Jones gets his second win of the year, which will make the points chase more interesting.   After his win in San Felipe Jesse sold the truck to Menzies, will he continue his good luck charm?

- Justin”Bean” Smith probably put in the most miles of the day, racing a few laps in his 16 car, then jumping in and driving the entire race in the COPS Class 1 car.

- Wilson Motorsports had 5 cars in all racing on Saturday, getting podium finishes for 4 of them.  Ronnie Wilson would see his name twice in the top 25, finishing 7th OA in his Class 1 car, and finishing 22nd OA spliting driving duties with LJ “Won’t race a mountain bike” Kennedy in Class 12.

- Dave Crinklaw was the first physical vehicle to finish, which was Dave’s first race in not only the Trophy Truck class, but the first time in the truck.

1. Jesse Jones, Litchfield Park, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 4:46:39 (57.44 miles per hour)
2. Robbie Pierce/Mike Julson, Santee, Calif., Alpine, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 4:50:08 (56.75 mph)
3. Armin Schwarz, Germany/Martin Christensen, Escondido, Calif. (Denmark), Jimco-BMW (Class 1), 4:51:30 (56.48 mph)
4. Gary Weyhrich/Mark Weyhrich, Troutdale, Ore., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 4:59:17 (55.01 mph)
5. Dave Crinklaw, Reedley, Calif./Mike Thurlow, Kingsburg, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:01:51 (54.54 mph)
6. Kory Scheeler, Las Vegas, Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:02:12 (54.48 mph)
7. Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif./John Herder, Tucson, Ariz., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 5:06:40 (53.69 mph)
8. Josh Daniel, Canyon Lake, Calif./Allen Hickerson, Vista, Calif., Racer-Chevy (Class 1), 5:06:50 (53.66 mph)
9. Justin Smith, Capistrano Beach, Calif., Penhall-Chevy (Class 1),  5:07:39 (53.52 mph)
10. Pete Sohren, Glendale, Ariz., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:07:51 (53.48 mph)
11. Will Staats, Valencia, Calif./Greg Shapiro, Canyon Country, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:08:44 (53.33 mph)
12.Terry Householder, Orange, Calif./Chris Elmer, Yorba Linda, Calif., Playtech-Chevy (Class 1), 5::09:51 (53.14 mph)
13.  Andy McMillin/Scott McMillin, National City, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:12:40 (52.66 mph)
14. Scott Whipple/Scott Gailey, Norco, Calif., Chevy C1500 (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:13:00 (52.60 mph)
15. Cody Parkhouse/Brian Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 5:19:20 (51.56 mph)
16. Adam Ashcraft, Carlsbad, Calif., Ashcraft-Chevy (Class 1), 5:20:52 (51.31 mph)
17. Adam Householder, Orange, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5::22:18 (51.08 mph)
18. Perry McNeil, Lemon Grove, Calif./Alfie Bueno, El Cajon, Calif., Lothringer (SCORE Lite), 5:24:22 (50.76 mph)
19.  Armin Kremer, Germany/Andreas Aigner, Austria, Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 5:28:05 (50.18 mph)
20. Justin Davis, Chino Hills, Calif./Daniel Folts, La Habra, Calif., Seagrove (SCORE Lite), 5:30:20 (49.84 mph)
21. Randy Wilson, Lakewood, Calif./Jeff Quinn, Irvine, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1), 5:35:55 (49.01 mph)
22. Ronny Wilson, Long Beach, Calif./L.J. Kennedy, Orange, Calif., Jimco (SCORE Lite), 5:36:48 (48.88 mph)
23. Nick Vanderwey, Phoenix/Curt LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif./Larry Vanderwey, Litchfield Park, Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:37:34 (48.77 mph)
24. Cody Freeman/Kenny Freeman, Henderson, Nev., Fraley (SCORE Lite), 5:38:43 (48.61 mph)
25. Damen Jefferies, Apple Valley, Calif., Chevy Silverado (SCORE Trophy-Truck), 5:41:45 (48.18 mph)

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Photos by HighRev Photography

Dear Colleagues,
At the 42nd running of the notorious SCORE BAJA 1000, Armin Schwarz and his AGM teammate Martin Christensen shot over the finish line in second with their 640hp prototype Buggy after a thrilling chase over Mexico’s Baja California. With this result they celebrate the vice-championship title in the SCORE Series – the world’s best supported and most competitive offroad racing series. The second AGM crew with Armin Kremer and Andreas Aigner put in a breathtaking performance to reach the finish despite experiencing technical hiccups.

Attached you will find the latest press release as well as three photographs highlighting Armin Schwarz’s PROJECT BAJA.
Further information on www.armin-schwarz.com For any other queries please contact baja@armin-schwarz.com

Best Regards
Reiner Kuhn

BAJA 1000 – German rally aces ready for punishing tour
• Rough ride: Baja California stages ultimate offroad chase
• Make way: All German Motorsports turn loose two top-manned Buggys
• Early start: AGM teams Schwarz/Christensen and Kremer/Aigner at pre-run

12 Nov. 2009. Buckle up and hold on tight: Almost a week from now the countdown begins to the infamous BAJA 1000, the ultimate offroad chase through Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. From 19th to 22nd November, another very special challenge awaits competitors. When the flag drops on Friday morning on the 20th November in the Mexican city of Ensenada, the most punishing of all desert rallies takes off over exactly 672.85 miles (ca. 1082 km) on the most brutal gravel tracks – non-stop day and night!
And that couldn’t be better for the experienced rally professionals from All German Motorsports (AGM). Germany’s Armin Schwarz and Armin Kremer as well as their teammates, the young Austrian Andreas Aigner and AGM team owner Martin Christensen travel highly motivated to the fifth and final round of the American SCORE Series, the world’s best supported and most fiercely-contested offroad race. At the dress rehearsal on the occasion of the SCORE PRIMM 300 on the outskirts of Las Vegas, the AGM top pairing, Schwarz/Christensen, thundered home first in their ‘Class 1 Unlimited’ Buggy. Previously at the SCORE BAJA 500 in May, the German/Austrian AGM duo Kremer/Aigner gave a demonstration of their offroad prowess at their first race together, only narrowly missing out on a podium result in their ca. 640 hp prototype.
There is no wilder west: The interest in the SCORE BAJA 1000 is massive. Many television stations are back this year, including major American TV stations, to report on the world’s oldest and most famous offroad race. Entries are received until shortly before the start. Already at this stage, 325 teams from 13 countries have entered. Competing alongside the US elite, which includes Robby Gordon, B.J. Baldwin, Roger Norman and Mexico’s top pilot Gus Vildosola in their 850 hp Trophy Trucks are two teams from All German Motorsports in their “Class 1 Unlimited’ Buggys. “Behind us we have an experienced squad. We certainly don’t have to hide though,” said a confident Armin Schwarz. “We are well prepared and have a clear goal. Martin and I are fighting for the SCORE title and so we have to keep a close eye on our class rivals, Harley Letner and Randy Wilson. Behind the Trophy Trucks I’m the first ‘Class 1’ Buggy to take off. There is a chance we could clinch the overall win but having set our sights on the Class 1 title we won’t be taking any unnecessary risks.”
Meanwhile, the second AGM duo Armin Kremer and Andreas Aigner are looking for a clear run. “If that’s at all possible with a 30 second gap between starters,” said start driver Kremer, putting the situation into perspective. “But first we have to eat the dust of the Trophy Trucks, not to mention Armin’s, who starts two minutes in front of us.” His young teammate is less perturbed about the challenge: “Okay, the BAJA 1000 is tough, but I learned a lot at the 500 event, mostly how to conserve the power of man and machine. Moreover, of everyone in the team I’m the one with the most time to prepare myself physically for the extreme stresses.”
Before the two AGM Buggys take off from the Mexican harbour city of Ensenada to tackle the BAJA 1000, there is first the pre-run for competitors to familiarise themselves with the route. For the first time, the AGM crews will go their separate ways. Team boss Martin Christensen explains: “We now will come with two ‘pre-runners’. The two Armins and their navigators who do the first stint will drive their bit. Andi and I plus our navigators share the second four-seater pre-runner to check out the second 500 kilometre route.” The Californian with Danish roots secured a class win at the BAJA 1000 in the early nineties and knows what he is talking about: “I basically know the route and its worst stumbling blocks. Our main focus during practice is therefore any changes made due to weather conditions.”
Armin Schwarz knows about 70 percent of the route. That leaves the former works pilot, who has 121 WRC rounds under his belt, a good 200 unfamiliar miles – that’s the same as the entire special stages of a WRC rally. “Even if the others have roared up and down the track for days or even weeks, we’re not worried about it,” said the Bavarian. “We have top navigators who, like us Europeans, can quickly and precisely adapt the pace notes if necessary.” Armin Kremer already knows what he’s facing after his mad solo dash at the SCORE San Felipe 250 at the beginning of the year: “This time the BAJA 1000 route runs from Ensenada in the northwest over to the southeast part of the Baja California and down to San Felipe. It’s important that we pace ourselves. At the speed we go, you simply must be able to correctly judge each and every bump, hump, and crest not to mention the holes, rocks and stones, as well as the ultra-soft silt passages.” A good pre-run is the basis for success – a reliable and fast machine and you’re half way there.
For this reason, a final test will be conducted near the AGM headquarters in southern California. “Martin and his team have further developed the Buggys,” smiled Schwarz. “Thanks to a hydraulic clutch we can do without the vulnerable torque limiter and minimize the stresses on the power train and transmission in the extreme terrain. Moreover, we’ve refined the suspension with Bilstein and Eibach. All in all, it should now be softer and more agile. That takes the pressure off the chassis, the suspension and the engine and also provides better traction. I’m very curious – particularly heading to the BAJA 1000. The race is really the craziest you’ll ever encounter. Anything is possible – for us hopefully the SCORE title.”

Facts and figures
• 42nd Tecate SCORE BAJA 1000 – the race
- notoriously famous classic on the Mexican Baja California peninsula
- oldest offroad race in the world, inaugurated 1967, over 672.85 miles
- driven nonstop day and night. Service is permitted anywhere and anytime
except from the air – the clock’s ticking mercilessly
- Start and finish in Ensenada (MEX), first car starts on 26 Nov. at 09.00 hrs
• All German Motorsports (AGM) – the team
- The AGM team has its headquarters in Ensenada, near San Diego in southern California
- At the BAJA 1000 a good dozen service vehicles are on hand for the two AGM race Buggys and a total of 80 AGM team members
• A strong quartet – the AGM pilots
- sharing the #100 AGM Buggy are
Start driver Armin Schwarz (46) with navigator Bryan Lyttle (29)
followed by Martin Christensen (41) with navigator Tyler Irwin (24)
- sharing the #104 AGM Buggy are
Start driver Armin Kremer (40) with navigator Sam Osman (22)
followed by Andreas Aigner (25) with navigator Greg Grassman (39)
• AGM Buggys – the race vehicle
- “Unlimited Class-1” Buggy prototypes with RWD
- Top speed ca. 220 km/h, 0 – 100 km/h ca. 4.7 sec, weight 1750 kg
# 100 Jimco-Chassis with mid-engine BMW V8, ca. 640 hp
# 104 Jimco-Chassis with rear-engine Chevrolet V8, ca. 640 hp

The start. From here it’s all or nothing

Dear Friends, Partners and Sponsors,

This year’s Primm 300 was hot! And the heat was on shortly after I checked into my hotel in Nevada. First I felt really hot, then I began to shake badly. I’d picked up a bad cold somewhere along the way from Europe to the States. Before the start of the race I spoke to Martin Christensen: “Martin, it could be that I’ll fall out of the car after the first lap. Then you have to take over.” Martin replied with good humourt: “Okay, after what we’ve coped with during this last week, that sounds quite easy to me.”

What Martin meant was that the US customs had taken a very close look at our cars after they returned from the Baja 300 Powerdays Germany. And when the US customs take a good look that can take some time. Only on the Friday before the race week our Buggys were released. Our team had just four days (including the weekend) to get the cars ready to race. The crew’s performance was simply stunning. They reminded me of a perfectly running gearbox. Everything ran perfectly. For this I want to thank you all at AGM!

Desert express, bound for class victory

The day of the start: A healthy 42 degrees centigrade in the Nevada desert – my body temperature wasn’t much less than that. I drove the start and had almost an entire Grand Prix distance to tackle on Nevada’s most brutal desert tracks. And friends, I can tell you it was tough! Above all, I’ll never forget the “Powerline Service Road”. That is a dirt track used by a power company to check on the power lines in the desert. The rest of the time the wind, sun and torrential rains play havoc on the track. These 25 miles of the worst jumps and hardest landings almost made me give up. It took my breath away. I saw many competitors sidelined at this early stage of the race. The route was hard, and I have the feeling some of the guys were too hard on the accelerator.

But during the second lap I felt much better. I’d found my rhythm. The organiser had banned any pre-running, so we had to improvise. And that was obviously to our advantage. Our navigator Bryan Lyttle again did a super job. I finished the second lap leading our class. Martin leapt in the car and brought victory home after the second half of the distance of almost 280 miles in his unique way: ultra fast and unbelievably smooth.

Our class win was super. Third in the overall classification caused a furore. We were only 11 minutes behind overall winner Robby Gordon in his 800 hp Trophy-Truck. Again we proved that with a good handling racer you can beat most of the horsepower monsters. I strongly believe, that Class 1 Buggys are potential overall winners at the Primm. I hope we can prove this in 2010.

The winning three: Martin, Bryan, and me (l-r)

One thing became clear again on those tough miles. You can only succeed in an event like the Primm 300 if you have the best partners. It’s unbelievable what the BF Goodrich tyres withstood, and what the Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs can take. The exhaust system from Remus worked perfectly without problems, just like the K&N Filters in the thickest dust. And with Liqui Moly we have a partner onboard that supplies only the best quality when it comes to everything from cleaning products to gearbox oil. Ingo Bender, the boss of Stammcut, brought 20 guests to Las Vegas and into the desert. And it was brilliant how their enthusiasm and fun were contagious. Several of them asked if we could organise something at the Baja 1000…

Now we rank second in the championship, just five points behind the leader Hurley Letner. Ronnie Wilson is breathing down our necks. One of us three will be Class 1 champion after the Baja 1000 (19 to 22 November).

Back here in two weeks with all the news from our preparations for the highlight of the year.

Until then
Best regards,
Armin Schwarz

Dear friends, partners and sponsors,

Here’s a little story that I love. It might happen like this at the Baja 500, or at every SCORE race. As great news we have Andreas Aigner, the reigning Production Car World Rally Champion, onboard our team. Andreas teams up with Armin Kremer, and I share the second AGM Buggy with my friend and team boss Martin Christensen. But first, have fun reading this!

Regards,

Armin Schwarz

Start of Baja 500 for Team AGM

   Maria has done this job for many years. Without computer but with lots of fervour. In front of her is a thick file. In the file she sees whether team boss Joe has paid the entry fee for the Baja 500. He has. Bueno, then he can compete. So he pushes his desert monster to the technical inspection. In 20 years of the Baja, the gentlemen there have never seen anything like Joe’s ideas. “Hey Joe, what have you got there?” 

Sal Fish CEO of SCORE International in Media Conference

   Joe explains that he’s got a new idea for the shocks and with the weight distribution and, well, with the entire frame. “Aha,” says Carlos, as he picks up the phone and calls Sal. Sal is the boss of the SCORE International Offroad Series, with the same status as Bernie Ecclestone in F1. And he says: “That sounds okay, we just have to create a new class for Joe.” No sooner said than done. Joe rolls his monster to the start of the Baja 500 on June 6th and competes in his own class. After all, everyone deserves the chance to rocket through over 860 high-speed kilometres of desert.

   But first up we celebrate. Because if the Baja 500 isn’t reason enough to party then what is? At sunrise the Costero Boulevard comes to life – the four-lane highway of the starting place Ensenada on the Mexican Pacific coast – is buzzing with people. The mayor is, of course, a fan of motorsport and has closed the Boulevard to traffic so that fans and race teams can party undisturbed. And it’s huge. All the teams – and that’s almost 400 competitors in 2009 – have to push their race vehicles along the Boulevard, first past Maria’ desk and then to the technical inspection. If you don’t get in before sunrise you have to calculate at least six hours of waiting in the queue to reach the five-minute inspection.

Baja 500 contingency row

   For everyone, the fans, the racers, the SCORE people, this “Contingency Row” and technical inspection is like a huge Mardi Gras, a cross between the Oktoberfest and the Le Mans 24 Hours under the Pacific sun. The jamboree goes late into the night, which means not all the fans, that enthusiastically drank margaritas and cervecas all day, will make it on Saturday morning to see the motorbikes and ATV head off into the desert and 6am, followed by the Buggys and Trucks from 10am. Martin and I take off as the second Buggy team behind 24 Trophy Trucks. Andreas and Armin follow eight start positions later.

   Ten hours of driving through the desert is what the top teams calculate for this Baja 500. If you want to be classified you have to be back in Ensenada within 20 hours. And it pays to be fit. Because on Monday morning from 10am they award the prizes. And that has to be celebrated.

Follow Armin Schwarz on his website.