Terrible's Cup Stadium Race - Off-Road Events

Terribles Cup Stadium Race Blue Truck Catching Air

It's been said that the Baja 1000 is the best race that's never been seen. While the Baja locals would certainly take exception to that statement, it is true that the average American fan hasn't been on-site in Baja during the granddaddy of all desert races. For the second year in a row, the Best Bad Guy in the West, Terrible Herbst, decided to bring "a chunk of Baja" to the fans in Las Vegas.

Terribles Cup Stadium Race Temperature Reading

"Scorching" is the most fitting description for the temperatures. It's easy to see why the advent of air conditioning made life possible in places like Las Vegas and Phoenix.

"Scorching" is the most fitting description for the temperatures. It's easy to see why th

Built on the dirt track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the SCORE Las Vegas Terrible's Cup II course was filled with jumps, turns, high-speed straightaways, and even a bit of high-speed pavement. The terrain was a true test of vehicle ability, but some quintessential Baja features were notably absent. Then again, how would you go about importing a bottomless silt bed, a steep, long, rocky uphill, or a booby trap? Terrible's Cup II was more like a happening than a mere race: Thursday night kicked off with a Pit Crew Challenge under the Viva Vision canopy at Fremont Street, and fans had the chance to meet their favorite drivers before the racing began on both Friday and Saturday nights. After each evening's racing was done, Terrible Herbst treated everyone to a spectacular fireworks show.

A typical SCORE event in the United States or Mexico has well over 20 Pro and Sportsman classes to offer; Terrible's Cup showcased a sample of those classes and put the buggies of Class 1, Class 10, SCORE Lite, and Class 1-2 1600 on the track. Representing the truck classes were Class 7, 7S, 7SX, and the marquee Trophy Trucks. The weather seemed directly imported from Baja, although not from the Baja 1000. During the 1000, which is held in November, the mercury huddles in the lower reaches of the thermometer. During Terrible's Cup, the sun scorched fans, photographers, and racers alike with daytime temperatures soaring over 120. After the sun set, the temperatures retreated a few notches to 110. A far cry from the fabled "dry heat" of the desert Southwest, the hot temperatures combined with dripping humidity. Sunblock, shade, and gallons of Gatorade went from amenities to essentials.

A winning race effort would require charging hard from the green flag and not letting up until the checkers flew six laps later. The tight quarters and short race lengths meant that "settling in" and pacing oneself in the race would be a sure way to lose. The time to hit the gas was NOW.

Tyler Fox's Friday night ended early thanks to failed ball joints. Fortunately, the Ford Ranger's rugged platform meant that the damage wasn't extensive, and he would be ready for the next night's racing. On Saturday night, Fox took home the 7S crown to Ramona, California.
Tyler Fox's Friday night ended early thanks to failed ball joints. Fortunately, the Ford R

Darren Hardesty's Class 10 buggy harks back to the early days of Baja racing when many considered water-cooled engines and their fragile radiators to be a liability rather than an asset. Hardesty's "10 car" uses an air-cooled VW engine for lightweight simplicity, and its single-seat configuration further reduces the payload. He narrowly missed the Class 10 win at Terrible's Cup. Keep an eye out for this guy - in Baja, he's usually near the front of the entire buggy and truck field.
Darren Hardesty's Class 10 buggy harks back to the early days of Baja racing when many con
Scorching times require desperate measures, like a portable swimming pool and a giant fan in the pits.
Scorching times require desperate measures, like a portable swimming pool and a giant fan

So, who won? After conceding to friend and fellow competitor Marty Coyne on Friday night, Robby Gordon came back with a vengeance during Saturday's main event to take the Trophy Truck win. Rounding out the truck class winners were: Broc Ross of Deer Island, Oregon, who held off a hard-charging Larry Roeseler for the Class 7 crown; Perry McNeil Jr. of La Mesa, California, who won Class 7SX; and Ramona, California's Tyler Fox, who took home top honors in Class 7S.

Big thanks are in order for the Best Bad Guy in the West. The Herbst family has been venturing into the deserts of Baja since family patriarch Jerry Herbst took to the Baja 500 in 1970. With an oil and gaming empire funding their racing efforts, the Terrible team has the resources to spend as much time in Baja as they desire. The Red Team is familiar not only with Baja's terrain, but also with the adventure and fun that come with a visit south of the border. Instead of remaining content with their own Baja exploits, Team Herbst chose to bring Baja stateside and share the action with fans who might not otherwise witness the excitement firsthand. We're looking forward to a Terrible future.

In Baja, it's usually tree stumps and boulders that wreak this kind of havoc on race vehicles.
In Baja, it's usually tree stumps and boulders that wreak this kind of havoc on race vehic
At Terrible's Cup, Chet Huffman was "helped" into a concrete barrier, subsequently grenading his left-side steering knuckle. Huffman will line up at the SCORE Baja 1000 with a set of redesigned knuckles and A-arms thanks to the brain trust at Engineering Innovations.
At Terrible's Cup, Chet Huffman was "helped" into a concrete barrier, subsequently grenadi
Troy Herbst's Class 1 shark-motif "truggy" blurs by on a high-horsepower note. Pavement was part of the course, allowing racers to wind out their machines before hitting the dirt once again.
Troy Herbst's Class 1 shark-motif "truggy" blurs by on a high-horsepower note. Pavement w

Many of us take open land for granted. ORBA, the Off-Road Business Association, knows that we need to be united as off-roaders or we'll get forced out of the areas in which we play, one closure at a time. To raise funds for land access, ORBA is raffling off this well-equipped Toyota FJ Cruiser. For more information, check out www.orba.biz
Many of us take open land for granted. ORBA, the Off-Road Business Association, knows tha
Replaceable fiberglass body panels are the key to keeping a race vehicle looking good race after race. Alan Pflueger came prepared.
Replaceable fiberglass body panels are the key to keeping a race vehicle looking good race
This slippery lefthand sweeper gave competitors fits all weekend.

Here, Ed Herbst's Smithbuilt Ford goes head-to-head with Alan Pflueger's Monster Energy Drink Chevy Silverado.
Here, Ed Herbst's Smithbuilt Ford goes head-to-head with Alan Pflueger's Monster Energy Dr
The Herbst F-150 has a full-time four-wheel-drive system, and the superior directional control let Herbst guide his red Trophy Truck through this corner to take a heat race win on Saturday night. Very nice.
The Herbst F-150 has a full-time four-wheel-drive system, and the superior directional con
Marty Coyne exults after beating a hard-charging Robby Gordon on Friday night. Coyne Motorsports came into Terrible's Cup II with a historical advantage, as Marty swept both nights of Terrible's Cup in 2005.
Marty Coyne exults after beating a hard-charging Robby Gordon on Friday night. Coyne Motor

Off-road speed runs in the Coyne family: Monster Energy Drink recently signed young gun Travis Coyne to represent it in both the CORR Pro 2 and SCORE racing series.
Off-road speed runs in the Coyne family: Monster Energy Drink recently signed young gun Tr
Fans usually get the best view of Robby Gordon, as most of his competitors see him charging their rearview mirrors or disappearing in a cloud of dust. Robby's trademark aggressive driving took home the Trophy Truck win on Saturday night.
Fans usually get the best view of Robby Gordon, as most of his competitors see him chargin
Racers staged on the dark pavement by the pits. Although driving lights weren't required, they were a big asset on the course's shadowy sections outside of the infield.
Racers staged on the dark pavement by the pits. Although driving lights weren't required,

Trophy Trucks are pure unobtanium for almost all of us. If the real thing is out of reach, consider scaled-down excitement in a Trophy Kart.
Trophy Trucks are pure unobtanium for almost all of us. If the real thing is out of reach
Perry McNeil Jr.'s bright-yellow Ford Explorer has been a fixture at past short-course races, but he recently built this super-clean Class 7SX Ranger for both short and long-course races. Perry took advantage of daytime practice sessions to get ready for the evenings' competitions.
Perry McNeil Jr.'s bright-yellow Ford Explorer has been a fixture at past short-course rac
Why build and race a midsize truck? Robert Anderson's Ford Ranger offers a few clues. Instead of race-only exotica, Anderson uses commonly available fullsize running gear attached to the Giant Motorsports suspension on the front and rear of number 704. That's a Dana 60 rear axle built by Full Tilt Off-Road hanging from the Giant suspension links.
Why build and race a midsize truck? Robert Anderson's Ford Ranger offers a few clues. In

Brandon Walsh skipped the normal stepping stones of Class 7S or local racing circuits such as MDR and lined up with the big boys of Class 7. While his Total Chaos front end never skipped a beat, his shock tuning wasn't optimal, and he struggled to keep his Tacoma at race pace. Still, we applaud him for building a truck and showing up on the starting line - Brandon must have learned to swim by jumping straight into the deep end.
Brandon Walsh skipped the normal stepping stones of Class 7S or local racing circuits such