Coyne draws pole position in Trophy Truck division

Friday, July 11, 2003 | 9:44 a.m.

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Veteran Trophy Truck racer Marty Coyne drew the pole position Thursday night in the live drawing for starting positions for Saturday's second annual SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 desert race.

Coyne, of El Centro, Calif., will start the race and turn it over to his son Travis after either the first or second of three laps on the 79.4-mile course. NASCAR Winston Cup driver and former off-road champion Robby Gordon originally built the team's 750-horsepower truck.

"This is great timing for us because I really think we have a truck for this race that can finish on the podium and, with a few racing breaks, maybe even win it," Coyne said. "Starting first certainly changes our strategy. We definitely won't be as patient on the first lap as we would have if we started in the middle of the pack.

"With a clear, dust-free track, we will try to put as much distance as possible on the rest of the field."

Mark Post and Jerry Whelchel, who won the Trophy Truck division in last year's inaugural SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250, drew the fourth starting position.

In the unlimited Class 1 for open-wheel desert racecars, class points leader Dale Ebberts and co-driver Ernie Castro Jr. drew the first start in Class 1. Defending Henderson Class 1 and overall champion Chuck Hovey will start eighth in Class 1.

Trophy Truck or Class 1 produces the overall winner in nearly every SCORE race.

The SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 is the world's richest desert race with nearly $500,000 in cash purse and contingency postings. Nearly 150 entries, competing in 17 Pro and two Sportsman classes for cars and trucks, are expected to take the green flag Saturday morning.