“Mexican American underdog racers unite to take on the SCORE Baja 2013 Season and represent the folks of Michoacan & Guanajuato Mexico, Norway and Laredo, Texas.”
The SCORE International Baja races are the toughest, most spectacular off- road desert races in the Americas since 1962, and now owned and promoted by Roger Norman Motorsports. Ponce, the Minority Racer, plans on using all the skills he has acquired from past multi world class motorsports where he managed to finish even though he had zero experience in those motorsports; such as the UROC Super Crawl 2006, MXRRA 2007-2009, Nordic Trial 2007, WRC Mexico 2008 & 2010, Euro Trial 2008, Venezuela Extreme Fun Race 2009, King of the Hammers 2011, and the GORM (German Off Road Masters) 24 Hour Race in 2012.
Ponce has partnered up with Arturo N. Benavides, owner of Laredo Choppers Inc. and the 2011 SNORE VORE Class Champion, to take on the BAJA 250, 500 and 1000 in a Class 8 2wd Full Size FORD Truck. These two Mexican American Minority racers will be a team to watch during the Baja 2013 season.
So how did Ponce end up coming back to race in Mexico since he now resides in Norway since 2010? Well, story has it that while Ponce was drag racing a Limo with Carlos Casanova Jr. in Laredo Texas last year, he was approached by drag racer Tano of Tano Motorsports who later introduced him to Arturo Benavides after talking that Ponce wanted to race the Baja. Soon after, Ponce and Arturo formed a partnership and will now be racing the mean green machine together to try and finish the 2013 Baja season against top drivers from Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and from all over the USA. They plan on adding other international European drivers to help them at the 500 and 1000, which include Norwegian Formula Off-Road Champion Finn Erik Loberg, and Nordic Trial Champion Tore Hansen to name a few. Co-driving for them at the season opener 250 is Edgar Garcia, chief mechanic and drag racer, this venture is a whole new challenge for Edgar but he is very eager to race with the team. The pit crew is formed by mechanics from GAS Auto Service in Laredo Texas. Local Baja veteran racers Pablo Torres and Jose Arzate also join the team as co-drivers. On Saturday March 9 will be show time for these small town guys who will travel many miles to race in the desert and rocky terrain of the San Felipe desert in Baja California. Keep an eye out for Team Laredo Choppers Inc. / World Rally Team #809 on the live coverage...
Team Laredo Choppers Inc. / World Rally Team * SCORE Baja 250 * Team #809 * Benavides/ Ponce / Garcia
From Left to Right Edgar Garcia, Josue, Arturo Benavides, Jose Manuel Ponce, and Gabriel Hernandez.
The FORD CLASS 8 TRUCK alias the “GREEN MEAN MACHINE”
The team plans to use the same racing strategy that proved to be successful at the King of the Hammers 2011, along with some new tricks that Ponce has learned from rally racing and the German 24 hr endurance event, and Arturo Benavides’s desert racing and motocross experiences will all be thrown into the blender to help them finish. The team will be using Arturo’s platinum colored FORD Pre- Runner pictured below to pre run and his “Green Mean Machine” pictured above to race.
Official Entry List for the SCORE Baja 250 *
The team will also continue promoting the Lopez Foundation and the Summerland – Tierra de Verano project to help the youth of Guanajuato Mexico as part of the team’s Philanthropy. Click here to find out more about their different causes.
Ponce would like to thank Arturo Benavides of Laredo Choppers Inc. for this opportunity on driving for the team for 2013. The team also would like to thank their wives, family, friends, and partners who continue supporting them, such as ANB Cattle, Method Wheels, BFGoodrich, GAS (Garcia Auto Service), SCORPION MEZCAL, Raceline Wheels, PRP Race seats, CASANOVA Motorsports, VEHO Muvi Action Cameras, KC HiLites, IRC tracking, Tom Woods Custom Driveshafts, Dynomax, FOA, Northstar Motorsports, Thrandur Arnthorsson of 4x4 Offroads, King Shocks, Tecate Beer, Ruben Reyes of Quartermile Graphics and Tano Motorsports.
Follow Arturo Benavides, Ponce, Garcia, and Torres at the Score Baja 250
Pre Run Video here:
And keep updated on their 2013 racing escapades at www.MinorityRacer.com, www.LaredoChoppersInc.com, and www.facebook.com/WorldRallyTeam
by Perla Vallecillo
World Rally Team Media
