Controversy clouds Trophy Truck race

But they walked off the stage with a first-place trophy after a controversial finish in the final race of the night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s dirt track before a crowd of 8,371.

Las Vegan B.J. Baldwin was first to cross the finish line and appeared to be the winner. But moments after celebrating, Baldwin had to hand over the trophy to MacCachren, who replaced Post as driver for Riviera Racing in the six-lap finale.

The switch was made after SCORE officials determined Baldwin passed MacCachren under a partial-course, yellow-flag condition caused by a stalled Trophy Truck near the entrance to the infield portion of the track.

Baldwin, who maintained his three-point lead over Post/MacCachren in the season standings, said he did not see the flagman. “I can’t see over hills,” he said, referring to high mounds that bordered that portion of the track. “I put all that work in.

“Rob’s the best in the desert. He’s the best driver out there. And I think I beat him today. But, apparently, I’m mistaken.”

MacCachren did not protest the lack of a call initially but said his spotter told him the yellow flag was out. Post, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., drove the truck in the night’s heat race.

“Honestly, it’s terrible,” said MacCachren, also of Las Vegas. “I hate for anything like that to happen. In B.J.’s defense, he was behind me; he knew he had only a few corners to get inside me (to pass). He dove to the inside, but there was a yellow flag there.

“If we could, we’d go out there and run another (lap) … just put me and him out there on the track and settle it again.”

Meetings with drivers, crew and officials lasted into the early hours of Sunday, but SCORE maintained Baldwin deserved the penalty and MacCachren/Post the victory.

Baldwin took the lead on the first lap among the 19 Trophy Trucks that started the race. MacCachren moved to second on the first lap and remained within a few truck lengths of Baldwin for most of the race on the 1.5-mile course.

MacCachren took the lead on the high-speed backstretch on the last lap before the yellow-flag confusion.

Other event champions determined Saturday night were: Robert Ross of Chula Vista, Calif., Class 1; Adam Wik of Las Vegas, Class 10; Steven Eugenio of El Centro, Calif., Class 1/2-1600; Barry Karakas of Oak Hills, Calif., Class 7; and Cameron Steele of San Clemente, Calif., SCORE Lites.

Wik and Eugenio were undefeated over the two-day event, winning two heat races, Friday’s semi-main event and Saturday’s main.