by Crowdog on 03/12/09 at 3:39 pm

LOS ANGELES—After 1,713.76 dusty and rugged desert racing miles, 14 of the world’s best desert racers have survived the challenges of the 2009 SCORE Desert Series to earn coveted 2009 SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards. The 14 drivers earned their presitigious honors by finishing every required mile in the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series.

All 14 drivers will receive their special awards Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas during the annual SCORE Awards Night celebration honoring the 2009 SCORE Desert Series point champions and the winners of the 2009 SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year awards.

Leading the way are two racers in the featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division along with five in Class 1-2/1600 for 1600cc VW-powered open-wheelers.

The two SCORE Trophy-Truck drivers who have completed every race mile so far this season are: Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C. (No. 77 Chevy CK1500) and Ed Stout, Santa Ana, Calif. (No. 13 Chevy Silverado).

Toyota is presenting these prestigious awards to the world’s toughest desert racers for the 24th consecutive year. The Toyota Milestone awards will go to those pro car and truck drivers who finish every required mile in the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series.

“Toyota is proud to honor the world’s best desert racing drivers,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “For over two decades, we have had the privilege of presenting the SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards to the toughest racers on the planet.”

Including both Gordon and Stout all of this year’s award recipients are receiving the SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards for the first time as driver of record.

Two however, Randy Wilson in Class 1 and Eric Duran in Class 1-2/1600 shared the awards once previously when their respective brothers Ronny Wilson and Hiram Duran each earned the honor in 2007.

The 2009 SCORE Desert Series featured two races in Southern Nevada and three in Baja California, Mexico, covering a total of 1,713.76 vehicle-pounding, body-punishing rugged race miles. During the five-race series, a total of 578 different racers started at least one race.

The challenging 2009 season began with the 15th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in January and ended with the 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 in November. The season-ending granddaddy of all desert races had the largest field of the year with 328 starters competing in 30 Pro and 6 Sportsmen classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and atvs.

2009 SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards

(14 Racers completed every required mile in the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series)

Robby Gordon, Charlotte, N.C., Chevy CK1500 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)

Ed Stout, Santa Ana, Calif., Ford F-150 (SCORE Trophy-Truck)

Randy Wilson, Lakewood, Calif., Jimco-Chevy (Class 1)

Brian Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., Kreger-VW (Class 1-2/1600)

Justin Smith, Capistrano Beach, Calif., Fraley-VW (Class 1-2/1600)

Cody Robinson, Calexico, Calif., Romo-VW (Class 1-2/1600)

Eric Duran, Tecate, Calif., Neth-VW (Class 1-2/1600)

Samuel Araiza, La Paz, Mexico, Fraley-VW (Class 1-2/1600)

Alonso Angulo, Ensenada, Mexico, VW Baja Bug (Class 5/1600)

Dan Chamlee, Carpenteria, Calif., Ford Ranger (Class 7)

Clyde Stacy, Bristol, Va., Chevy Silverado (Class

Mike Lawrence, Banning, Calif., Lothringer-VW (Class 10)

Scott Gailey, Norco, Calif., GET-VW (Class 10)

Brent Parkhouse, Long Beach, Calif., Moulton-VW (SCORE Lite)