SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1342270
ASSEMBLY REQUIRED McMillin Racing’s Roger Pereira Voted 2020 SCORE Mechanic of The Year By Dan Sanchez Photos by Caleb Norman It’s not always easy being the team mechanic, but it’s one of the jobs that is just as important to a race team as the person behind the steering wheel. When Luke McMillin won the 2020 SCORE Baja 1000 and the SCORE Trophy Truck Class Championship, Roger Pereira knew his efforts were not in vain. As the team mechanic, Pereira believes the role takes more than simply making sure bolts are properly torqued and that parts have been disassembled, cleaned, and put back in order. “I believe team members need to take pride in their work, and that’s what makes a difference in winning,” says Pereira. Being mechanically inclined since his youth, Pereira became a mechanic when he was 15 years-old working at a prep shop with off-road racer Mark Cowan. “I learned a lot when I was there, moved on to other shops, and then progressed in the industry,” said Pereira. “A friend of mine was working on Luke McMillin’s team and notified me there was an opportunity there. I met with Luke and have been with the team now for three years.” During his time with McMillin, Pereria noticed that the team was “figuring stuff out” and trying to get the right combination for Luke’s SCORE Trophy Truck. “I came in and helped figure out some of the issues they were having, and knew it was only a matter of time before the team would be more successful.” Despite the limited racing during the 2020 pandemic, Pereria and McMillin made some personnel changes— and that’s when everything started to come together. “We finally got some things sorted out on the truck and in every aspect of the racing program,” said Pereria. “We found the right guys that allowed everyone to work together. It wasn’t that the other people were bad at what they did, but the team needed more camaraderie, and as a result, the effort and pride in the work came out.” According to Pereria, one of the influencers for helping the team as well as Luke as a driver was Larry Roeseler. “Larry helped Luke with his driving skills, but Larry also went out with us to do a lot of testing,” said Pereria. “His input and feedback on the truck really helped me understand what needed to be done, as the driving skills are different for both drivers. I also navigate and have ridden with Luke for almost two years and he has learned a lot from Larry as well. During the SCORE Baja 1000 in 2019, I pre-ran the course with Larry, and I can tell you he is like a pigeon with an internal GPS, and the memory of an elephant. We would pass an area on the course, and he could tell me the year, the race, the motorcycle he was riding, and who was behind him at the time. It’s amazing.” While the McMillin team is a serious off-road racing competitor and has generations of history in Baja, Pereria says Luke and the family are great to work with. “Luke gets along with everyone and is always thinking about the race, the truck, and the team,” he said. “Luke is always looking to improve and provides details that can make everything better, including the team, the shop, the truck, pre-running, and more.” Pereria believes Luke and the team have reached a point where their hard work and dedication are showing results. This first SCORE Trophy Truck win at the SCORE Baja 1000 demonstrated how their efforts are coming to fruition. “I believe it takes hard work, dedication, and pride,” says Pereria. “Everybody on the team right now is clicking just right, and we have lots of good people in the shop, as well as volunteers that are dedicated and motivated to put in the time and effort to win.” For the 2021 SCORE season, Pereria and the McMillin team will have their 2WD truck that Luke won the 2020 SCORE Baja 1000 in, as well as a new AWD truck that they are still testing. “Before the 2020 season, we were planning on using the new AWD truck on some specific races, but with the date changes, COVID, and other factors, we’re sticking with the #83 2WD truck for now and will see how it goes towards the end of the 2021 season. As time progresses, however, we feel it will be necessary to compete with the AWD truck. It has its advantages and we believe it will be the dominant type of truck in Baja for the future. For now, the #83 truck is working flawlessly and it will be defending the SCORE Trophy Truck Championship title.” SJ