"Pistol" Pete Sohren

Since 1983 “Pistol” Pete Sohren has been a staple figure in the off-road racing world. For 23 years Sohren has been racing SCORE off and on. However it was his recent victory in the Trophy Truck division at Best In The Desert “Terrible’s 400” in December that has Sohren and his crew excited about the 2006 season.            

Long before the days of Trophy Trucks, Dust to Glory, multi-millionaire sponsored race teams, and 800 hp desert beasts, were 3 wheelers, Broncos and Baja bugs. From this world emerged veteran racer Pete Sohren. At 16, way back in 1982, Sohren was tearing it up on then popular Honda and Yamaha three wheelers. In 1983, “Pistol” Pete entered his first SCORE race, the Parker 400. With success and the desire for more speed Sohren Sr. spied a good deal on a class 5 car and from then on the Sohren’s truly began their off-road racing legacy. After an upgrade to a Class 7s truck in 1998 “Pistol” Pete settled into three years of consistent racing that landed him a race best 2nd place. In 1991, however a race ending wreck at the Phoenix PIR SCORE Short Course race destroyed Sohren’s truck and Pete himself was disabled for a short period due to a serious concussion.            

Six years later and reverting back to the Class 5 category Sohren began racing again in 1997. Instilled with a true desire to win, Sohren pushed the class 5 car to victory at the 97’ San Felipe 250. Again personal obstacles arouse as Pete began family life and put a noteworthy cause, raising a family, in front of his hobbies. As time and money permitted Sohren re-entered racing in 2001. Again at the 2001 SCORE San Felipe 250 Sohren stole glory with an amazing twist, Sohren raced the exact same Class 5 car he used in 1997, same tires, engine and all. Although victory was sweet, the little car that couldn’t any more and 50 yards from the finish the engine blew and at the finish line it sat in a 5ft pool of oil.            

In 2003, Sohren sold the remnants of the class 5 car and 7 months into the establishment on the Speedway Raceway indoor cart facility Sohren contracted the Geiser Bros. to build him a Trophy Truck. One year later and one day before 2004 Laughlin Desert Challenge Sohren received his truck and went racing. The result can be seen in Desert People 3, a disappointing wreck in his first lap.            

However, the 2004 San Felipe 250 was kind to Sohren again as he stole third place in his third race ever in a Trophy Truck. In the 2005 SCORE Tecate Baja 1000 Sohren had minor technical problems that prevented him from finishing the race. So with a finely tuned truck in the garage, Sohren and the Speedway crew headed to the 2005 Terrible’s 400 where they won a hard earned 1st place in a Trophy Truck, and 2nd place overall. Four flats out on the course made the race one of the most difficult races for the Speedway group.            

With the sweet taste of victory in their mouth, Sohren and the Speedway crew have their goals set on the 2006 season.