CANIDAE Racing Trophy Truck

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Canidae Racing Looks to Take on Las Vegas Terrible's Primm 300

Canidae Trophy Truck After a rough and tumble Vegas to Reno race only two short weeks ago, the Canidae Off Road Race Team has had their work cut out for them as the start of the Primm 300 draws near.

The truck needed major repairs after the last event and the Canidae crew, with expert assistance from Geiser Bros. Design and Development, has been working around the clock to make it to the start line of this prestigious event. Sitting 17th place in the 2010 SCORE Championship (out of 46) with two races left, the team needs all the points they can get to keep the battle close. Just making it to the race will be a major victory for the team, but waiting for them is 300 miles of relentless Nevada terrain that will surely separate the men from the boys. If any team is up to the task, it is the Canidae Racing Team.

Team Canidae Racing would like to acknowledge and thank Geiser Brothers for dropping everything they were doing and helping Team Canidae get the race truck well prepared for Primm in only four days.

The race starts at 1:00 PM on September 11, 2010 and fans can follow the team's progress in real time from the comfort of their homes by visiting the Canidae Racing and Ion Earth websites.

The Ion Earth website (www.ionearth.com) will provide real time tracking, letting all race fans monitor the speed and position of the Canidae race truck and other competitors through out the event. After clicking on the “Race Tracking” tab on the main page of Ion Earth, race fans can click directly onto the Canidae Racing tracking page.

Race fans can also visit the Canidae Racing Team's own website (www.canidaeracing.com) during the race to follow the team's progress with live reports and photos coming in from the field directly from team members.

Canidae Racing is supported by Canidae Pet Foods, Lucas Oil, BF Goodrich Tires, KC HiLites, Fox Race Shox, K&N Air Filters, McKenzies, MasterCraft Safety, Torco Race Fuels, XRP Hoses and Fittings, Specialty Fasteners.

CANIDAE Racing Takes on the Silver State at BITD Vegas to Reno Race

CANIDAE Trophy Truck The CANIDAE Off Road Race team is putting the final touches on the #95 Trophy Truck for the 2010, Best in the Desert, Vegas to Reno Off Road Race. This amazing event is the longest off road race in the United States at just over 534 bone jarring miles. Just to finish it would be a huge accomplishment but the CANIDAE team is prepared to win it!

Starting in the desert heat of Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday the 20th, 150 plus competitors will begin the long trek north along Highway 95 all the way to Reno, Nevada. During the race, they will endure 110 plus degree heat, severe dust, sharp rocks and so much more as they make their way to the finish line. UFOs are not out of the question as the racers get a close-up view of Area 51 before climbing up to over 8000 feet in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. For racers managing to get to the halfway point of the race, the second half becomes an all out sprint to the finish. Smooth graded roads take the place of rough washes as these talented drivers throw these huge trucks around like rally cars. It will certainly be exciting.

You can follow the CANIDAE team’s progress in real time from the comfort of your home by visiting www.ionearth.com. By clicking on the “Race Tracking” tab on the main page you can then click directly onto the CANIDAE Racing tracking page from there. You can see the speed of the race truck during the race as well as other competitors in the field. Don’t miss a second of the action.

CANIDAE Racing is supported by CANIDAE Pet Foods, Lucas Oil, BF Goodrich Tires, KC HiLites, Fox Race Shox, K&N Air Filters, McKenzies, MasterCraft Safety, Torco Race Fuels, XRP Hoses and Fittings, Specialty Fasteners.

LIVE BLOGGING ANNOUNCEMENT: Race fans can visit www.canidaeracing.com all weekend to follow the CANIDAE Trophy Truck Team's progress with live reports and photos coming in from the field. Don’t miss a second of the action!

CANIDAE Racing Trophy Truck Featured in Dirt Sports Magazine

The CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods Trophy Truck is featured as a Masterpiece in Metal in Dirt Sports Magazine, the "voice of off-road motorports". Below is an excerpt from the article. The issue is also available for purchase through the Dirt Sports website at http://dirtsportsnation.com.

"To reach the top is the overriding desire of almost every competitor alive. Very few of us don a helmet and firesuit without the intention to wind up in the winner's circle. Whether it is behind the wheel of a racecar or behind a desk, this ethos usually spreads to all aspects of a racer's life. Competitive by nature, nobody want to be left behind in the desert or in the world of business.

A perfect example of this tenet is Scott Whipple. Now a successful co-owner of CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods, Whipple literally helped build CANIDAE from the ground up, going door to door to sell his product. Lots of hard work finally paid off, as Whipple no longer had to make house calls and the brand has become a widely recognized leader in natural pet foods.

Whipple parlayed that business success into a successful Top Fuel sand drag racing team, even setting a world record of 2.221 seconds at 172 at the aptly named CANIDAE Pet Food Nationals. Long-time friend Scott Gailey then asked Whipple to come ride in his Class 10 car (a former Masterpiece in Metal), and he became hooked on desert racing. The duo spent the next two seasons racing the buggy.

Now the desire to go faster has led to the construction of this beautiful Trophy-Truck. Bought as a roller from Geiser Bros., it was taken to Gene Toweler at Get Performance to finish all the chassis mounts and tabs. From there, the truck made its way to RPO Motorsports where Gailey and his team poured countless hours into its construction.

The long nights and huge were obviously worth it as the results are stunning. "This truck is just a dream to drive . . . it just handles so nicely," notes Whipple. "Compared to a Class 10 car, it is almost easier to drive because you have so much power to get out of situations. It is just an awesome piece to drive, but definitely takes time to get used to the speed. You are going way faster than you think you are going. Getting the sense of speed down and building confidence in the truck were the hardest part for me, but we have come a long way in just four short races, so we are excited as a team." With ever-increasing speed and ever-improving results, Gailey and Whipple may become Trophy-Truck's newest top dogs, and the meticulously constructed racer they hope will take them there is this month's Masterpiece in Metal."

CANIDAE Racing Trophy Truck Team Turns in Excellent Performance in Baja 500 Despite Rollover

The CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods Trophy Truck team took on all comers this past weekend at the 42nd annual SCORE Baja 500 outside of Ensenada, Mexico with good results.

Scott Whipple started the day in the #95 CANIDAE Trophy Truck, leaving the start line in the 22nd position out of 41 entries. Whipple battled the rough Baja terrain and thick dust, steadily moving the truck up towards the front of the pack. Whipple and Co-Pilot Patrick Gailey had a perfect truck. From the awesome performance of the BFG’s, the incredible gear reduction by Tubeworks worked in unison with Cullhane turbo 400 running flawlessly. The Fox Shox were set up perfect enabling the T/T to fly over the gnarly Baja terrain. Lucas Oil fluids were ran in the entire truck from the rear end all the way to the 800hp LSX, all working without a glitch and never overheated. We never once touched the K&N filters that kept the beast clean and free of dirt and contaminants. The only unscheduled stops were when a front wheel blew apart when the truck hit a huge rain rut created by the intense Baja rains. By out-driving and through attrition, Whipple put the Chevy up as high as 7th place before turning driving duties over to Scott Gailey and Co-Pilot Johnny Stroschein at the halfway point of the race. Gailey kept up the swift pace and pointed the truck towards the west, up near the Pacific Ocean and back towards Ensenada for the finish. With trouble-free running, the team got as high as 5th before they ran into trouble with less than 30 miles to go.

CANIDAE Trophy Truck Rollover As Gailey pushed hard for a top 5 finish, the #95 CANIDAE truck suffered a rollover in a section that racers were not allowed to see before the race started that was littered with ruts, rocks and washouts. With both the driver and co-driver unhurt and the damage to the vehicle assessed as “minimal,” and with the awesome help and support of the locals, the CANIDAE truck was put back on its wheels, replenished with Lucas Oils and back underway and almost home. Although several positions were lost during the incident, the team salvaged a solid 15th place finish in the 41 truck field and 21st overall out of 289 entrants. All in all, it was a great day for this young team, as the crew members were awesome and gelled together to make this great accomplishment possible.

View the CANIDAE Baja 500 Photo Album for some great pictures of the race and come back soon for updates on the team’s preparations for the next event, the BITD Vegas to Reno Race this August 19-21.

CANIDAE Racing Trophy Truck Team Ready to Take on Baja!

Mint 400 1 When the CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods Off Road team decided to compete in the Trophy Truck class for 2010, they built their tough as nails new truck with one track in mind... Baja! The Tecate SCORE Baja 500 is a magical place where legends are made and hearts are broken (along with expensive machinery).

Coming off a solid performance at the Mint 400, the CANIDAE Team has enjoyed their longest break between races to prepare for this event which runs for three days beginning June 4, 2010. They will need every moment as this course will take them over 500 miles of the roughest terrain that Baja has to offer. Starting in Ensenada, Mexico the course will run through the scenic wine country then down to the desolate Valley de Trinidad where temperatures can reach 115 degrees. Things begin to cool down as they head toward the Pacific Ocean and then back to Ensenada. An epic adventure to say the least.

With almost 300 entries already signed up in 19 different classes, team driver Scott Whipple drew the 22nd starting position for the 42nd running of this event. He will have to battle more than 40 other Trophy Trucks as well as Mother Nature and Baja itself.

LIVE BLOGGING ANNOUNCEMENT: Race fans can visit www.canidaeracing.com during the race to follow the CANIDAE Trophy Truck Team's progress with live reports and photos coming in from the field. Don’t miss a second of the action! Fans can also follow the team's progress in real-time by visiting www.ionearth.com. After clicking on the “Race Tracking” tab on the main page one can then click directly onto the CANIDAE Racing tracking page where fans will see the speed and position of the Trophy Truck during the race.

CANIDAE Trophy Truck Team Achieves Top 10 Finish at the Mint 400

Mint 400 4 The CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods offroad Trophy Truck team finished the Mint 400 in seventh place this past weekend despite tough competition, treacherous terrain, and little experience with their brand new motor.

What started out as a fun filled event in Las Vegas turned into an all out war come race day. The weekend began with the historic Mint 400 "Fan Fest" on Freemont Street on Thursday. The entire Canidae crew was able to spread their message of Responsible Pet Ownership to all of the race fans and pet owners gathered for this famous race. Team members handed out thousands of free samples and coupons for super premium Canidae dog and cat foods. Fans and crew had a great time together, enjoying the festivities and music well into the night.

Mint 400 1 Friday brought qualifying, contingency and tech inspection. Scott Whipple drove the Canidae Trophy Truck to a 29th place qualifying position out of 59 vehicles -- a great spot to be in considering the team was breaking in their brand new motor. The rest of the day was filled with pre-race activities enjoyed by the entire crew.

As the sun came up on the Nevada desert Saturday morning, there was tension in the air among the crew as fun times had given way to the seriousness of the task ahead. Team Canidae was competing against some of the fastest race vehicles anywhere, and over some very tough terrain, and would need to perform at their peak to even finish the race.

Mint 400 3 Each team would have to endure four laps on a 104 mile course that was littered with rocks as big as refrigerators, enormous jumps, holes that you could lose a locomotive in, and more than 250 other racers. Dust was a major factor as the top teams made their way through the field and towards the front. Team Canidae co-drivers Scott Whipple and Pat Gailey set a solid pace for the first two laps. As competitors began to fall by the wayside, it became apparent who the players were going to be and the Canidae team was right in the thick of it.

With just over 100 miles to go, Whipple began to make his push towards the front and moved inside the top 10. Somehow able to fight through the dust and difficult terrain, Whipple saved his best for last and turned in his fastest lap of the day in the worst conditions -- an amazing feat by a truly excellent team. Whipple crossed the finish line with a time of 9:27:38.015 which put him in 7th place for the day and gave the Canidae All Natural Pet Foods team their first finish of the 2010 season. Great job guys!

For a recap of the weekend, race fans can visit the Canidae Team's Mint 400 blog where reports and photos were posted live during the event. The team's photo album contains great snapshots of the crew and truck before during and after the race.

After four races in a short amount of time, the Canidae team will finally get a break as the next race is the Baja 500 scheduled for June 4-6 in Ensenada, Mexico. In the interim, the team will have time to prep the race truck, ready the team and pre-run for the 500. To keep up to date on this, or any of the other Canidae All Natural Pet Foods sponsored teams, please visit www.canidaeracing.com to make sure you do not miss a minute of the action.

Team Canidae would like to extend a very special thank you to the Missing Lenk Motorsports team for their help and support during the race. This great group of dedicated racers made their pit and supplies available to the Canidae crew.

CANIDAE Pet Foods Racing Looks to Bite Back at the Mint 400!

Scott whipple The CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods Trophy Truck team has developed a new plan of attack for next week's Mint 400 race in Nevada. By working around the clock since returning from the Baja San Felipe 250 race, the Canidae team has implemented several changes to ensure that mechanical problems do not prevent them from achieving victory.

Thursday night, March 25th will officially kick off the 2010 SNORE Mint 400 with a huge FanFest party on Freemont Street in Las Vegas starting at 6:00PM. The Canidae race truck will be on display with team drivers Scott Whipple and Scott Gailey signing autographs along with other drivers. The FanFest party is free, so all race fans are invited to come down and hang out with the Canidae Team.

Friday morning will come quickly after the FanFest party and the Canidae truck will leave the start line just after 7:00AM for qualifying. The team drew the 3rd place starting position for qualifying so the track will be ideal for putting the truck in a great starting position for Saturday’s race. Contingency will start at 9:00AM on Friday and will be held on the famed Freemont Street just as the original Mint 400 did years ago. All 300 plus competitors and their vehicles will push their way down through the vendors on their way to tech inspection. Canidae Pet Foods is proud to be a contingency sponsor for the Mint 400. Any racer, in any class, can win a bag of premium Canidae pet food, $50.00 or even $100.00 cash if they win their class. It is a huge street party and fun for the whole family. Don’t miss out!

Saturday morning at 7:00AM is when all teams get down to business. As the trucks and cars take the green flag for the first of four laps for the 2010 Mint 400, hundreds of thousands of race fans will watch the race from several designated “spectator areas” around the 106 mile loop. These areas are free of charge and will offer a great vantage point to watch these amazing vehicles traverse the rough Nevada desert at incredible speeds. Come and witness this spectacle for yourself. You can get a list of “spectator areas” at www.snoreracing.net.

Race fans can visit www.canidaeracing.com to follow the Canidae Trophy Truck Team's progress before, during and after the race with live reports and photos coming in from the field. Fans can also follow the team progress in real-time by visiting www.ionearth.com. By clicking on the “Race Tracking” tab on the main page one can then click directly onto the Canidae Racing tracking page where fans will see the speed and position of the race truck during the race. Don’t miss a second of the action.

CANIDAE Pet Foods' own Scott Whipple Interviewed in This Month's Dirt Sports Magazine

In an interview for the March 2010 issue of Dirt Sports magazine, CANIDAE Trophy Truck and world-record sand drag driver Scott Whipple, who is also co-founder of CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods, was asked about the relationship between motorsports and pet food.

"It's simple. Motorsports groups are, by nature, very passionate about their lifestyle and their pets. No pet food company has ever considered marketing to that arena. We are able to market our brand to a new group of consumers who maybe aren't aware of the better natural pet foods out there. lt's a great arena for us to do multiple things in."

Whipple went on to say that motorsports teams and sponsorships "...created a huge response from a group of fans and racers we have never been able to reach. We don't have huge budgets for television ads, so we are able to touch a lot of people."

For the full interview, be sure to check out the March edition of Dirt Sports magazine on sale now. To read the full interview online head to dirtsportsnation.com.

CANIDAE Trophy Truck Does Not Go Far, But Reaches a Long Way!

Canidae Trophy Truck San Felipe The CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods team has developed a sort of “Bermuda Triangle” North of San Felipe just past the infamous Zoo Road crossing. Within feet of the exact spot that CANIDAE's Class 10 car broke an axle in the 2009 Baja 1000, the CANIDAE Trophy Truck rolled to a stop with a blown motor at this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250. A huge disappointment for the team considering how well the truck was running with driver Scott Whipple behind the wheel. The weekend was not a total loss however.

On Friday, the day before the race, members of the CANIDAE Racing team dropped in to the ZAPP’s Animal Clinic near San Felipe to meet the owners and doctors as well as some of the volunteer staff that make this amazing facility work. Not even open a year, this no kill animal shelter has performed over 6000 spay and neuter procedures and rescued thousands of animals.

ZAPP’s Animal Clinic 2 After being given a tour of the facility the crew left, only to return shortly with over 500 pounds of CANIDAE dog food and FELIDAE cat food for the hospital. For team member Carl Boley, it was a proud moment. “I first learned about these wonderful people and their mission a year ago before the doors even opened. To see what they have accomplished here in such a short time and to see what a difference it has already made in the community is simply amazing.” The CANIDAE team will continue to support this wonderful effort and is already working on a way to help the clinic when the team returns in June for the Baja 500.

The weather was perfect for Saturday’s start and with each truck getting the green flag in 30 second intervals, the #95 Trophy Truck was the last truck off the start line in the 31 car field. Before the race course turned North, only 4 miles away, Scott and co-driver Pat Gailey had passed one truck and had their sights on the next. As the course got rough, the CANIDAE Trophy Truck began to shine as Whipple picked off another driver before the 7 mile mark. By the 18 mile mark the CANIDAE Chevy had moved up five spots and was in some clean air for the first time and really starting to move when the oil pressure dropped and the engine expired. Such a tragic day for a team that is looking to show they are major factors in this, the pinnacle of off road racing. They have the speed, they have the talent, they have the team, they have the sponsors -- they just need some luck.

There is little time for the team to rest as they look to rebound in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 27th for the Mint 400. Log on to www.canidaeracing.com to see how the CANIDAE Pet Foods team does in the biggest and roughest off road race in the USA.

CANIDAE Sponsored RPO Motorsports Trophy Truck Heads to Baja for San Felipe 250

Team CANIDAE and the CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods RPO Motorsports Trophy Truck are ready to take on the harsh conditions of the Baja peninsula as well as the top drivers from around the world in the 2010 SCORE San Felipe 250.

As the pieces fall into place for the 23rd running of the San Felipe 250, the CANIDAE Racing team finds itself ahead of schedule with the preparation of the race truck. To race at this level the CANIDAE Trophy Truck, driven by Scott Whipple and Scott Gailey, is being stripped all the way down to the bare frame and rebuilt from the ground up. This process takes hundreds of man hours to disassemble, inspect, rebuild or replace and reassemble every component of the truck. None of this would be possible without a great working relationship with parts suppliers and sponsors.

Canidae Trophy Truck With competitors from 24 states and eight countries, the highlight will be the 34 entries in SCORE Trophy Truck, the marquee racing division for high-tech, 800-horsepower unlimited production trucks. Held in Mexico’s picturesque fishing village of San Felipe, located 120 miles south of the U.S. border, 275 vehicles will compete in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes in the 248 mile race.

The green flag will drop at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific time, Saturday the 13th of March. The start and finish line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. One vehicle will start every 30 seconds in the elapsed-time race, with an 11-hour time limit to become an official finisher. This course will prove to be one of the toughest races of the year with endless miles of huge holes and hidden rocks challenging the racers.

Race fans can visit www.canidaeracing.com to follow the CANIDAE Trophy Truck Team's progress before, during and after the race with live reports and photos coming in from the field. Fans can also follow the team progress in real-time by visiting www.ionearth.com. By clicking on the “Race Tracking” tab on the main page one can then click directly onto the CANIDAE Racing tracking page where fans will see the speed of the race truck during the race as well as other competitors in the field. Don’t miss a second of the action.

The “Legend” Wins Yet Again

Known as the “Legend” because of its toughness and prestige, the Parker 425 has won yet another battle. With over 239 starters and less than 100 finishers, the 2010 Parker 425 was a great event that had something for everyone.

Canidae Trophy Truck Starting with qualifying on Thursday for the big guns, Scott Whipple, behind the wheel of the #95 CANIDAE Trick Truck, was able to improve his starting position by 10 spots with a clean qualifying run in the rough, sandy Arizona Desert. After qualifying for starting positions, the CANIDAE Team headed down to the “Downtown Parker Experience” where the drivers signed autographs for race fans and the team handed out stickers, brochures and every kid got a “Responsible Pet Ownership” wristband just for stopping by. A great time was had by all and it was a nice break from the seriousness of racing at this level.

Friday came and everyone was treated to perfect weather for Contingency and Tech inspection. CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods had a booth to promote Responsible Pet Ownership and to launch the new CANIDAE Contingency Program which offers prizes for a top three finish for racers supporting CANIDAE. The booth was packed all day with people getting CANIDAE samples and swag and well over 200 people signed up to win one of three remote controlled cars that were donated by Losi Products. The main attraction was the new Losi Strike that was created by the Losi special promotional department to be a replica of the CANIDAE race truck. The performance of this 1/10 scale race truck is amazing and we hope that someday we can buy one right off the shelf at our local Losi Dealer.

Canidae Trophy Truck Saturday started well before sunrise as the team headed to their positions to await the #95 CANIDAE Truck. Whipple started behind the wheel and set a blistering pace, picking off cars immediately. By the end of the first of three 138 mile loops, Whipple had gained several positions. As the course became rougher, the CANIDAE Truck began to show off its might as it devoured the terrain. By now the rain had began to fall and the conditions worsened but Whipple had placed the big dog inside the top 10 before pulling into Midway for a routine tire change where he turned the truck over to Scott Gailey. Gailey continued to charge, moving up two positions before the word came over the radio that Gailey was down with trouble. Just before the end of lap 2, the truck shut off with no warning of malfunction or distress. Because of the abruptness of the halt, it was thought that the ignition boxes were to blame so Gailey switched over to the backup units on the truck but to no avail.

Canidae Trophy Truck As it turns out, the day was done for the CANIDAE Truck team due to a broken cam shaft. It was very disappointing for a team that was well on its way to a podium finish, but as they say, “that is racing.” This team can look back with great pride and accomplishment of the weekend’s events and look forward to the next event at the SCORE San Felipe 250 on March 12.

CANIDAE Racing is supported by Lucas Oil, KC HiLiTES, Simpson Race Products, MasterCraft Safety, BF Goodrich Tires, Torco Race Fuels, Fox Race Shox, K&N Air Filters, XRP Hoses and Fittings, Redline Race Engines, Jim Conner Racing and Losi R/C Products.

CANIDAE and Losi R/C Cars Team up at the BITD Parker 425

CANIDAE Racing has partnered with Losi, the leader in RC car and truck innovation and design, to promote CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods and the amazing car and truck line by Losi. To celebrate the beginning of this partnership, Losi built an accurate replica of the CANIDAE Pet Foods Trophy Truck. The replica was on display at the Best in the Desert Parker 425 this past weekend in Parker, AZ, where the CANIDAE Trophy Truck entered into its second race of the off road season.

Losi also produced a 1/18 scale Mini Desert Buggy and two 1/36 scale Micro High Roller off road trucks, all of which were raffled off to the enthusiastic fans at the Parker 425.

“To see a replica of your very own race truck is a childhood dream of any racer. I cannot believe the looks and performance of this Losi Strike and I could not be more proud of the truck,” said Team Owner and Driver Scott Whipple. “I cannot wait until I can go into my local Losi dealer and pick one up right off the shelf,” he added.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods set up a booth at “contingency row” to support its ongoing mission of promoting Responsible Pet Ownership and to give away free samples of its super-premium pet foods as well as offer information on Losi products. The CANIDAE booth was the place to be all day and over 200 race fans signed up for their chance at winning the Losi trucks or car.

It was announced that 9 year old Jon Lafferty from Wildomar, CA won the Mini Desert Buggy, while Vanessa White, 29, from Blythe, CA and 11 year old Tyler Nusbalum from Lake Havasu City, AZ each won a Micro High Roller Truck! Congratulations to all three winners!

CANIDAE Pet Foods Racing Takes on the “Legend”

"No one knew that what started in 1972 as the Big River “400” would turn into the legend that has become the Parker 425. Through its many changes, the Parker 425 has been the unofficial start to the off-road race season. It is the first “true” desert race of the year (SCORE’s Laughlin Desert Challenge is a short course style desert race in January) and everyone who is anyone will be there! Best in the Desert took the race over in 2004 and it has continued to become the premier desert race in the United States. There’s no better way to start your racing year then with the Bluewater Resort & Casino Parker "425", The Legend!

CANIDAE Racing, fresh off of their impressive finish at the Laughlin Desert Challenge with their brand new #95 Trophy Truck (also known as “Trick Truck” in BitD races) has decided to enter the Parker 425, even though the race was not originally part of the team’s hectic schedule. “We ran so well at Laughlin that we wanted to see how we stacked up at a true desert race before heading to San Felipe,” said team co-driver Scott Gailey. “We need to get this team some practice in a real world race scenario if we are going to challenge for the Championship,” he added.

Hard charging Scott Whipple will start the race and hand the truck over to Gailey at the halfway point. The team will evaluate their position at that point and do what they need to do for the win. “This is a long, tough race that is won with consistency and team work,” said Whipple. “No question that we have to be fast, but it is never the guy that leads at Check Point 1 that ends up winning,” he added. "I guess that is what they mean by 'to finish first, you first must finish.'"

Unlike the Baja races, “chasing” is not allowed at US races. Chasing is where the team’s support vehicles “leap frog” around the course to catch the race truck as it flashes by to offer mechanical aid and fuel at predetermined positions. If the truck has a mechanical failure, the support vehicle can actually run on the race course to get to the race truck to help get the truck back in the race. In the Parker 425, the chase teams will be stationed at one of five pits located around the course and if the truck breaks and cannot make it to the pits, the race is over for the team. CANIDAE Racing has come up with a great plan and has entered a second vehicle in the race to carry extra parts and the ability to tow the vehicle to the next pit if needed. Driven by two time Parker 425 winner, Jason Cobb, this Class 1 car (Class 1500 in BitD) has been specially equipped with a spare transmission, 3rd member, axle and other parts for the Trophy Truck to help ensure a finish for CANIDAE Racing. “While it is hard to not be racing for a top finish in my own class, it is a privilege to be part of such a great team and to be able to have this unique opportunity,” said Cobb. “If the #95 truck has a great day like I think they will, that will make it all worth it. This is a big picture scenario and it is clear that we are a team and all pulling on the same end of the rope,” he finished. Cobb is working hard to finish a brand new CANIDAE Class 6 truck to be unveiled at this year’s Baja 500.

CANIDAE Racing asks you to join them on their adventure at the Bluewater Resort & Casino Parker "425" in person. Please stop by the main pits and say "hi" and get your dog a treat. If you cannot make it, you can tune into live race coverage at www.bitd.com starting on Thursday and lasting throughout the race on Saturday. Please join us as we strive to take the checkered flag at this historic event.

Ion Earth will provide real-time tracking of the race overlaid on a course map. Follow the progress of Team CANIDAE live as they go for the win. The Ion Earth website connects to the GPS transmitters installed in the vehicles allowing race fans to pin-point the location of each truck as they traverse the 425 mile course. Head to www.ionearth.com and click on the CANIDAE Racing link.

CANIDAE Racing is supported by Lucas Oil, KC HiLiTES, Simpson Race Products, MasterCraft Safety, BF Goodrich Tires, Torco Race Fuels, Fox Race Shox, K&N Air Filters, XRP Hoses and Fittings, Redline Race Engines, and Losi R/C Products.

CANIDAE Pet Foods Trophy Truck Unveiled, Debuts This Weekend at SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge

VIEW THE LAUGHLIN RACE BLOG HERE WITH UPDATES AS THEY HAPPENED DIRECT FROM THE RACE

"SCORE Trophy Trucks are designed to race across rugged terrain at speeds of over 100MPH so they have to be tough. They are also some of the most technologically advanced race vehicles on the planet. The brand new CANIDAE Geiser Bros. Trophy Truck is custom built from the ground up with exotic metals, composites and electronics to form a piece of art," said Jason Cobb, member of the Team CANIDAE Off Road crew.

The Laughlin Desert Challenge in Nevada begins Friday, January 15th and is the opening race of the SCORE Desert Series. Co-drivers Scott Whipple and Scott Gailey will pilot the #95 CANIDAE Trophy Truck for the 6 mile loop race course including the famous Laughlin Leap which is a large jump set up in the middle of the course that sends trucks and cars flying over a hundred feet in the air, lap after lap.

Live updates of the event and Team CANIDAE's progress will be available here at the CANIDAE Racing website. Race fans will see videos, photos and blog reports sent in from the CANIDAE crew directly from the race. Live video streaming will be available at Tracking International, the exclusive provider of live media coverage for SCORE International and the SCORE Desert Series.

The CANIDAE Trophy Truck team will be working all season to support independent pet food retailers, and to share the message of promoting "Responsible Pet Ownership" through proper care and nutrition to race fans and pet lovers everywhere. To celebrate the debut of the new Trophy Truck, CANIDAE Pet Foods has announced that any race fan who subscribes to the CANIDAE Responsible Pet Ownership blog will automatically be entered to win a free 6 month supply of the CANIDAE dog food or FELIDAE cat food of their choice. Conditions apply. The CANIDAE Responsible Pet Ownership blog offers free daily helpful tips and advice for caring pet owners. Race fans can subscribe here until January 23, 2010 to be eligible.

Gailey and Whipple will drive the CANIDAE Pet Foods Geiser Bros Trophy Truck for the 2010 SCORE Desert Series with support from the seasoned CANIDAE Off Road Crew including many of the talented men who helped make the Class 10 races in 2009 such a success, and who turned in a great performance in the Class 10 category at last year's Baja 1000. Team CANIDAE Off Road was one of only a handful of teams to earn the prestigious Toyota Milestone Award last year.

The CANIDAE Geiser Bros Trophy Truck is sponsored by CANIDAE Pet Foods, Lucas Oil, KC HiLiTES, Fox Racing Shox, K&N Filters, McKenzie's Performance Products, Racepak Data Systems, CALTEX Freight Brokerage, Torco Racing Fuels, Matco Tools, Redline Performance, and Get Performance’s Gene Towler.

After Laughlin, the SCORE Desert Series heads to Mexico for the 24rd Annual Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250.

Team CANIDAE Working Hard to Complete Geiser Bros. Trophy Truck in Time for Laughlin

We are finishing our first sponsored Trophy Truck [see videos] for entry in the SCORE Desert Series. With the 2010 season opener at Laughlin, Nevada just around the corner, the CANIDAE Pet Foods Off Road Racing Team is working around the clock to get our 2010 Geiser Bros. Trophy Truck in race condition for its debut at the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in Nevada on January 15th.

"Everything must go perfectly in order to make this race," said team owner/co-driver Scott Whipple. "We haven't even hit our first race yet and I'm already very proud of the CANIDAE Off Road Team. They've been working around the clock giving it everything they've got to get this incredible trophy truck primed and ready for Laughlin."

Co-driver Scott Gailey commented, "There will be about two dozen entries in the Trophy Truck class for Laughlin. This will be our first race, but we will be pulling from our experience in Class 10 as well as drag racing to bring in not just a great crew but a lot of horsepower as well."

Both Whipple and Gailey realize the tough competitiveness as well as experience that this class has, and their only expectation is to just go out there and have fun!

The CANIDAE Trophy Truck team will be working all season to support independent pet food retailers, and to share the message of promoting "Responsible Pet Ownership" through proper care and nutrition to race fans and pet lovers everywhere.

The CANIDAE Geiser Bros Trophy Truck is sponsored by CANIDAE Pet Foods, Geiser Bros., Lucas Oil, Racepak Data Systems, KC HiLiTES, Fox Racing Shox, Torco Racing Fuels, K&N Filters, Matco Tools, Redline Performance, and McKenzie's Performance Products.

Gailey and Whipple will drive the new Geiser Bros Trophy Truck in 2010, with support from the seasoned CANIDAE Off Road Crew including many of the talented men who helped make the Class 10 races such a great success.

Off road racing is no stranger to Team CANIDAE who turned in a great performance in the Class 10 category at last year's Baja 1000 and were one of only a handful of teams to earn the prestigious Toyota Milestone Award.

After Laughlin, the SCORE Desert Series heads to Mexico for the 24rd Annual Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250.

Stay tuned for more updates and please check out the build videos of our Trophy Truck work over the past months.

See you at the races!