Gale Banks Set to Drive for Team Donahoe in 2005 Score Tecate Baja 1000

Anaheim, CA (10/19/05) -- Two powerhouses in the Ford truck aftermarket have teamed up to tackle the Baja 1000, the world’s toughest off-road race. Banks Power and Donahoe Racing are out to win the Baja 1000 in a brand-new F-350 Super-Duty Power Stroke diesel pickup that will compete in the Stock Full class.

Banks Power, known for its power-producing products – and Donahoe Racing, known for its quality suspension components – have formed an alliance that has put Banks products on the truck and Gale Banks in the driver’s seat of Donahoe Racing’s brand-new Ford Super-Duty Race Truck.

Banks, who has competed in many forms of racing, but never in the Baja 1000, will start the race. After Banks’ stretch at the wheel, Donahoe’s secret weapon, Steve Kreiger, will take over and drive to the 360-mile mark. Kreg’s father and off-road racing legend, Bill Donahoe, is actually coming out of retirement to put in a few hundred miles at the wheel to help the team to win. Finally, at the 560-mile mark, Kreg Donahoe, defending Baja 1000 champion, will jump in and take the truck to the finish.

Coming off of their Baja 1000 and Class championships in 2004, Team Donahoe is thrilled to have the legendary Banks join its team of drivers. Banks, having created the power for numerous land-speed and marine national and world champions, has earned legendary status in many racing circles. Team Donahoe is certain that his skill will help them put another win on the shelf for the 2005 effort and add to Gale’s long list of accomplishments in the motorsports arena.

“When we decided to run a diesel, the first name that came to mind was Gale Banks. We are proud to have Gale Banks Engineering as part of our team for the 2005 Baja 1000,” says Kreg Donahoe.

No race is more difficult to win, or even finish, and this year’s course is a tough, technical loop that will start and finish in Ensenada. For extra power, the Ford Super-Duty Race Truck is powered by a 6.0-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel featuring a Banks Big Hoss Bundle for an additional 138 horsepower and 231 lb.-ft.!

Donahoe revised the stock suspension with off-the-shelf, Donahoe Racing 2-1/2” dual-rate leveling coil springs up front, and gigantic new 4-1/2” by-pass shocks with remote reservoirs that will run with Deaver leaf springs in the rear. Suspension travel is now 11-inches in front and 14-inches in the rear, which should make a huge difference over the stock suspension.

“When I got the call from Kreg Donahoe to provide power products for his new Baja 1000 truck, I was honored. Then, when he asked me to drive, I was thrilled,” Gale Banks said.

Team Donahoe is an active participant in the Ford Truck Motorsports "Technical Exchange" program. Ford Trucks’ Cliff Irey says of the Ford Trucks-Team Donahoe relationship: “… We are particularly excited to have Team Donahoe on board with us. They are extremely competitive racers, members of SEMA, and they have staff engineers already knowledgeable about Ford products. Ford Motor Company’s positive relationship with Team Donahoe makes perfect sense for us. Technical feedback we receive helps us maintain our "Built Ford Tough" status.”

Come on down to watch the race, celebrate and get yourself some DR and Banks Power "steeeekers"!

For more information on Team Donahoe, Kreg Donahoe, or Donahoe Racing products, please visit www.donahoeracing.com or call (714) 632-3033. For more information on Gale Banks or Gale Banks Engineering products, please visit www.bankspower.com or call (626) 626.969.9600.

For information contact:
SCORE International at its Los Angeles headquarters
(818) 225-8402 or visit
the official 2005 SCORE Desert Series website at:
www.score-international.com