The 2009 desert racing season started out with a bang. Nothing says welcome back like seeing Greg Nunley in a SCORE Trophy Truck flying 140ft with fireworks exploding in the background. SCORE did a great job welcoming race fans to the 2009 SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.
The weather was perfect, no wind, no rain. The stands were packed with fans in anticipation of watching racers push their cars to the limits as they tried to jump further then their competitors. The jumps started out with Brian Burgess flying his 1600 car 95.6ft followed by Justin Smith setting a record at 101.6ft, this was a sign of what was to come.
The Laughlin Leap appeared to be bigger then years past and the length of the jumps proved it. Danny Anderson jumped Pat Deans Class One car 139.6ft before a motor mishap caused him to coast over the leap on his second try.
Travis Coyne exploded his rear bedside on landing sending fiberglass everywhere and photographers ducking for cover.
Justin Lofton was running a pony statue on the roof of his trophy truck and it was rumored to have a small video camera inside it.
The night ended on a sad note when Rick Geiser was taken by ambulance after his second attempt with back pain. He did get out of the vehicle on his own and last reports from Heidi Steele he was waiting on x-rays and was in minimal pain. Our thoughts are with him tonight.
Some other noted distances. Jump were measured in 6” Increments.
Results:
1603 – Brian Burgess 95.6ft
1649 – Justin Smith 101.6ft
1600 – Adam Pfankuch 91.6ft
1612 – Rick Boyer 94.6ft
1614 – Hiram Duran 84ft
1602 – Justin Davis 90ft
700 – Dan Chamlee 108.6ft
706 – AJ Rodriquez 116ft
1502 – Jonathon Libby 117ft
719 – Chris Taylor 126.6ft
108 – Richard Boyle 113.6ft
101 – Josh Rigsby 122.6ft
119 – Byron Ashley 137.6ft
110 – Brendan Gaughan 137ft
117 – James Scott 156ft
109 – Danny Anderson 139.6ft
1 – BJ Baldwin 156ft
16 – Rick Geiser 140ft
8 – Roger Norman 151ft
88 – Larry Roeseler 161.6ft
20 – Justin Lofton 140ft
35 – Robbie Pierce 141.6ft
5 – Travis Coyne 154ft
12 – Brian Collins 150ft
13 – Clyde Stout 133.6ft
24 – Adam Householder 145ft
89 – Rusty Stevens 131.6
