Posted on: Friday, June 25, 2004
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ATHLETES
Pflueger captures 4-wheel off-road race
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Advertiser Staff
Alan Pflueger, president of Pflueger Acura, won the four-wheel vehicle division of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500, a 482.52-mile off-road race through the northern part of Mexico's Baja California peninsula on June 6.
Pflueger finished the race in 9 hours, 4 minutes and 5 seconds, averaging 47.25 miles per hour on his No. 28 Pflueger Racing Chevy Silverado.
"I was surprised in the manner that we won," said Pflueger. "To just be there, be in the hunt and fight for that win, that would've been success in itself."
Pflueger said the racing team he has assembled for these events focuses on winning.
Pflueger said the course varied from gravel roads to rough and rocky terrain with cinders and sharp rocks.
"You need to have to the right preparation and the right kind of luck," said Pflueger. It just happened to be our day."
Despite being relatively new to the off-road racing, Pflueger, 37, has already made his mark. Last year, he was the protruck season point champion and the previous year, he was named Rookie of the Year in the race truck division.
Prior to off-road racing, Pflueger raced motorcycles. His first venture into off-road racing was in 2000 when he did a 48-hour, 2,000-mile race on his motorcycle with a group from Hawai'i.
"We didn't realize how crazy it was," said Pflueger. "From that, I realized it's a whole lot safer in a truck."
— Stanley Lee
VOLLEYBALL
• Ku'ikahi 18s capture division championship: The Ku'ikahi Volleyball Club 18s won the silver division of the Southern California Volleyball Association's Junior Boys Classic at Anaheim, Calif., last weekend.
The Hawai'i team outlasted Central Cal Gold, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13 in the championship match at the American Sports Center. Seeded 12th, Ku'ikahi finished seventh overall (the top six teams went into another division) out of 30 teams.
Team members are Brandon Caban (Mililani), Nick Fujii (Hawai'i Baptist), Kawika Lopez (Damien), Ainoa Miyashiro (Kamehameha), Jeremy McDown (Waimea), Corey Spence (Seabury Hall), Kyle Teves (Kealakehe) and Todd Blankenship, Mike Contee, B.J. Takushi and Tiff Wells (Iolani).
The team, coached by Teoni Obrey, next competes at the Junior Olympics, June 30-July 3, at Austin, Texas.
SOCCER
• Pearl City Rhinos in 5-aside nationals: The Pearl City Rhinos will be playing in the U.S. Futsal National Championships in Anaheim, Calif., July 8 to 11.
The Rhinos accepted an at-large bid, the first for a Hawai'i team. Futsal is the word used internationally for 5-aside soccer, and is the only short sided game recognized by FIFA, soccer's worldwide governing body.
Achievements by athletes in Hawai'i. Photo/story submissions to TotalRec@HonoluluAdvertiser.com
