Jessica McMillin / Chelsea Magness RACE To 3rd in UNLIMITED Class
At The 2009 CODE Mexicali 500 Desert Race
McMillin-Magness Ladies TAKE 4th OVERALL Behind CODE 500 OVERALL Winner - Gary Magness

San Diego, California (April 6, 2009) McMillin Racing’s Jessica McMillin once again joined forces with Chelsea Magness in the Mango Racing Pro Truck for the 2009 CODE 500, held in the northern Mexico city of Mexicali, Baja California.

The dynamic all-girl team crossed the border with an agenda, which was to race hard in search of victory. The two ladies were not far off after a tremendous performance across the barren Mexican desert.

The young women set the bar high, proving to an international contingent of off road racers, that the formula for success in off road racing doesn’t always have to be rough and tumble. The all girl team demonstrated their own version of grit and determination, which is often only associated with wily desert racing veterans of the male persuasion. There is no argument that these are two of the prettiest desert racers ever seen in the desert.

After 400 rugged miles, the girls crossed the finish line in 6 hours, 45 minutes and 57 seconds, averaging 59.12 miles per hour claiming the third and final spot on the podium for the CODE 500 Unlimited Class. The smiling ladies just missed making the podium for the third position OVERALL by a mere 3 minutes. Gary Magness, Chelsea’s father, won the OVERALL victory in the #70 race truck with a winning time of 6 hours, 13 minutes and 58 seconds while averaging 64.50 mph.

Charging the #32 Mango Racing Pro Truck first off the line was Chelsea who flawlessly piloted the race truck for the first 200 miles. Magness had no problems whatsoever while running a rapid pace across the torturous Baja Peninsula. By the halfway point, when she handed the truck off to Jessica McMillin at the Main Pit, she was only fifteen minutes off the lead truck driven by her father, Gary Magness.

The young lady racer crawled out of the dusty race truck, allowing Jessica to climb into the driver’s seat of the Mango Racing Pro Truck. With dad, Scott, buckling up his daughter for the second half of the race, McMillin Racing’s Crew Chief, Greg Williams, fueled the race truck as the crew looked over the vehicle, which was in near perfect condition.

Jessica vaulted the race truck from the pit and headed south into the unforgiving Baja Peninsula desert, focused on blazing a solid pace while ripping off miles across El Saldana between Mexicali and San Felipe.
Taught to race by her grandfather, Corky, and her father, Scott, Jessica McMillin is a third-generation off road desert racer who has been heavily involved in the family tradition of off road racing since she was very young. Over the past two decades, she has raced and participated in prerunning activities with her parents and her brother, Andy McMillin, a SCORE Baja 1000 Champion, as well as all her relatives, who make up McMillin Racing.

Countless times she has forayed along the Baja Peninsula, as well as the remote California deserts, learning to drive off road racing vehicles from the best racers in the world.

Jessica is the first female racer to ever represent McMillin Racing. She maintains a professional career as an executive with McMillin Realty. Jessica juggles her busy schedule in order to allow her to fulfill a passion that has followed her since birth.

In the two days leading up to the race, the two racing ladies, Jessica and Chelsea, extensively pre-ran the 200-mile loop race course in Scott McMillin’s FORD F150 Prerunner truck.

“Racing is a passion and an outlet from my busy daily routine. Chelsea and I have raced together several times before and we have a great time together. Racing in Baja is something that I’ve grown up with. We pre-ran the racecourse together looking to stay away from the deep silt and big rocks that Baja is well known for. I’m very comfortable in the Pro Truck and racing with Mango Racing is like racing with my family,” regarded the young San Diego, California executive.

Jessica charged into the Baja wilds behind the wheel of the Mango Racing Pro Truck fitted with the Baja proven 35-inch BFGoodrich Baja T/A tire that served both of the drivers well. They survived the entire race without having a single flat tire.

“My uncle, my cousins, my brother and of course my dad, have all raced on BFGoodrich Tires for decades and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My grandfather, Corky, won many races in Baja on BFGoodrich Tires and I’m thrilled to follow in the footsteps of one of off road racing’s legends, my grandfather, Corky McMillin,” regarded Jessica McMillin.

Chasing the Mango Pro Truck throughout the 400-mile race in the McMillin Chase truck was Scott McMillin.

“We were able to get to them at both race mile 35 and 155. They both ran a very clean race and finishing in the top three overall is a great accomplishment. I’m proud of Jessica and Chelsea, they pushed the race truck hard and overcame the elements of the Mexican desert. Finishing on top of the podium in third overall is a great accomplishment for these two young ladies. Jessica will continue racing throughout the season in selected races. She continues to excel while racing at top speeds across the desert,” commented a smiling Scott McMillin.