IRVINE, Calif., December 3, 2003 - All season long Team Kia has shown grit and determination in the Best in the Desert race series. Racer Darren Skilton and the entire Kia team have finished every series race this season, even when onlookers had written them off. And now the season, and the chance for series gold, comes down to one last race -- the Las Vegas 200, taking place this weekend.

“Going into the season, many people felt we were outgunned,” said Kia driver Darren Skilton. “But here we stand going into the final race in second place, poised to steal the championship away.”

The Las Vegas 200 is a lap race -- three laps of 75 miles, to be precise. It's a sprint type race with many sections covering long, straight dry lakebeds. While sprint type races aren't necessarily the Sorento Trick Truck's forte, Skilton seems unfazed.

"Yes, we're making less power than the other trucks, and yes, it's going to be tough to keep up with them on the long straights, but there are also very rough mountain passes," noted Skilton. "We're going to look to take back the advantage on those brutal sections."

What's more, the team plans to pit only once, while the fuel-thirsty V8s will need at least two stops. The Sorento Trick Truck could potentially drive to the finish line on a single tank, but Skilton's not taking any chances with the series championship on the line.

There are currently six vehicles in the Trick Truck class for this last race of the season, and Team Kia will start fourth, and will be looking to make up ground quickly. This is the same course as years prior, but it will run backwards this year.

"We're going to drive smart and put pressure on the guys out there so they make a mistake," said Skilton. "We have to run very fast the last two laps, but the car's as strong as it's ever been."

The team has made tweaks to the ECU and replaced a connector for the throttle position sensor since the Baja 1000. A ride height adjustment may still likely be made prior to the race to help get the nose up, but other than that, Sorento Trick Truck is more than ready for the fight for the championship.

"We're excited at the opportunity to win the championship for Kia," said Skilton. "It's been a long season, we've continually put forth a never-say-die effort, and now we're only three laps away from the winner's circle."

Winner of the SCORE Class 3 championship (short-wheelbase SUVs) four times in four attempts – 1997 through 2000 – and a frequent winner in Best in the Desert Silver State events, Skilton’s Kia team is competing in the premier class of desert racing against the likes of Ford, Chevrolet, and Jeep. In just four seasons at the Class 3 level, Skilton drove the Sportage to 19 victories, including two Baja 1000 wins and a Baja 2000 victory.

The Kia Sorento Trick Truck is powered by the V6 engine that is currently used in the 2003 Kia Sedona minivan and 2003 Kia Sorento SUV. The racing version of the engine produces more than 400 horsepower at 6,200 rpm.

The Trick Truck sits on a prototype tubular chromoly chassis with a 118-inch wheelbase. To support the race vehicle over the array of terrain, the four-wheel, double A-arm suspension features three-inch coil-over shock absorbers in both the front and the rear.

“Going into the last race of the season with a real shot at the championship is downright exciting, and what better place to hit the jackpot than in Las Vegas,” said Peter M. Butterfield, Kia’s president and chief executive officer.

Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea.

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