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BARK RIVER -- Matt Ives looks like the fresh faced rookie on the Traxxas Off Road Racing's Stock Truck Circuit, but you'd be wrong to assume that.  The Stephenson driver has been at it for about eight years now.

Ives has had plenty of success, too, amassing 6 wins and 26 podium finishes in his career.

The 23 year old finished second in the points standings each of the last two years and is right there again this year, just ten points behind the "real" rookie of the series, Iron River's Winter Olympian, Nick Baumgartner.

Ives says despite the race track rivalry, he counts Baumgartner among his friends.

"He came in with an awesome truck.  We've been racing that truck a lot of years," said Ives.  "It's cool to be friends with him, but yet he's super competitive and that's exactly what you want as a racer."

But all that friendliness off the track doesn't mean Ives is letting the rookie run away with a championship.

"I want to win that points championship.  We wanted to the last two years, came a little bit short, and every time you come up short, you just want it that much more," the Stephenson native said.  "So this year we're doing good, and hopefully we'll keep it up and get that points championship."

Both drivers go head-to-head Saturday (8-13) and Sunday (8-14) starting at noon eastern both days in the Stock Truck race.  Among the many local drivers are Chad Hord in the AMSOIL Pro 2WD race, plus cousins Danny and Scott Beauchamp hit the dirt in the Super Stock Truck race at 3:30 Saturday and 2:30 Sunday.

Click here for a complete schedule of this weekends events