SAN FELIPE 250: BRYCE MENZIES CAREER FIRST
ISSUE 5 VOL 2
The Voice Of Off-Road Motorsports
MAY 2021
NORRA RETURNS TO BAJA INSIDE THIS ISSUE: THE MASONS: FINDING SUCCESS
www.dirtsportsworld.com
+ TECH: USING RECOVERY BOARDS TO GET UNSTUCK + COOPER WEBB WINS SECOND SUPERCROSS TITLE
MASTERPIECE IN METAL: RICKY’S NEW RIDE
KING OF THE TRIMMERS: NOT YOUR AVERAGE LAWN MOWER RACE
WINNING starts with having the right PARTS. When your passion meets our inventory, you can do anything. Go to EBAYMOTORS.COM to buy or sell millions of high-quality parts and accessories for street, racing and off-road. Congratulations to Dave Mason Jr. on WINNING Round 2 of the 2021 Great American Shortcourse Series
TABLE OF CONTENTS REGULAR DIRT>
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4
WORD
5
NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIRT
8
NEW RIDES
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12 DIRTWORLD
34
FEATURES>
16 14 66 67
KIDS KORNER CAPTURED CHAPPY’S PIT STOP CALENDAR
18 COVER STORY: NORRA RETURNS TO BAJA
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28 THE MASONS: FINDING SUCCESS 34 SCORE SAN FELIPE 250 38 SOHREN STRENGTH: RACING IN MEMORY OF PISTOL PETE 42 COOPER WEBB WINS SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP 44 CHAMPS REMAIN UNDEFEATED IN BEST IN THE DESERT 53 KING OF THE TRIMMERS
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56 MASTERPIECE OF METAL: RICKY’S NEW RIDE
TECH> 62 USING RECOVERY BOARDS TO GET UNSTUCK Publisher Contributing Photography DirtSports Inc. Shaun Ochsner Extreme E Editor-In-Chief Eric Minks Shaun Ochsner Honda Associate Editor KTM La-Chelle Halliday Husqvarna Sales and Management Vague Industries Dave Arnold Dan200 Contributing Editors Harlen Foley Chris James Stellantis Media Steve Hanson Feld Entertainment KC Steiner Printed at: Sutherland Printing FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA DIRTSPORTSWORLD
DIRTSPORTSWORLD
DIRTSPORTSWORLD
DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 3
WORD
HAVE WE LOST OUR NEVADA?
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as anyone been paying attention to what is happening to off-road racing in Nevada. For years we have been warned by activists racing has been threatened in the Southern Nevada desert. A mysterious the Desert to secure a dust permit to hold shutdown of SNORE’s McKenzies event qualifying at Apex? The list goes on. It’s time at Primm in December blamed on COVID. to wake up and fight! Series are having an Reschedule of the Mint 400 to December on increasingly hard time securing permits in top of another race. Reno to Vegas switched the state of Nevada. The flags are flying red back to Vegas to Reno. Then there is Caliente. everywhere and we need to act now and help Only two permits a year issued out of the those coalitions that fight to keep our off-road BLM office in that district forcing SNORE lands open. This needs to be front and center to cancel its Caliente race next month. today. New government red tape forcing Best in Shaun Ochsner Editor-In-Chief DirtSportsWorld
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NEWS Yamaha Continues Essential Support for Public Lands Last year the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative contributed over $350,000 to public land conservancy. This year, that funding through the Outdoor Access Initiative,” said continues. Yamaha issues quarterly grants to non-profit organizations that support the Steve Nessi, Yamaha Motorsports Marketing needs of riding groups, outdoor enthusiasts Manager. and land stewardship organizations. Some of those grant recipients include the BlueRibbon Coalition, East Branch Sno-Rovers and “Public land belongs to everyone and we ATV club, Reno Area Dirtriders, Swampsiders all have a responsibility to take care of it. Yamaha is proud to continue supporting our Snowmobile Club and Idaho Single Track riders’ favorite outdoor activities, including Alliance. OHV riding, hunting, camping and fishing,
Jeep Announces Charging Stations at Off-Road Trailheads You can now charge your 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid right before you hit the trail. Jeep’s charging network will expand to popular Jeep trailheads across the United States. Jeep is positioning these charging stations in places like Moab, Utah, the Rubicon trail and Big Bear, California. More locations are expected to be added by the end of 2021. The stations can be connected to a power grid or in some locations utilize solar power. The charging stations can fully charge a Jeep Wrangler 4xe in two hours. Jeep
owners can unlock the free charging stations via a custom mobile app made by Electrify America. The idea behind the charging stations is to allow electric Jeep owners to top off their vehicle before or after they hit the trail.
DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 5
NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIRT
Big Oly Up for Auction
One of the most iconic off-road vehicles is up for auction in Indiana this month. The original Big Oly Ford Bronco owned and raced by Parnelli Jones will be auctioned off by Mecum Auctions. Jones raced Big Oly in Baja during the 1971 and 1972 Baja 1000 winning back to back victories. It is the single most significant Bronco-inspired vehicle ever built. The Mecum auction will run from May 1422nd at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Wild West Motorsports Park Closes
Wild West Motorsports Park has announced the property will be permanently closing. The park located in Sparks, Nevada north of Reno was a favorite for short-course off-road racing and Ultra4 rock crawling events. The track was known for its extreme elevation changes. The venue closure was announced in a post last month via its Facebook page. It read: “This message is to inform all the race fans, promoters, sponsors and racing family. We are sadly announcing that Wild West Motorsports Park will be closing due to unfortunate circumstances. We would like to thank all of our fans, sponsors, promoters and race teams that have helped us put on amazing and action-packed events for the last 9 years.
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We ask that you support all of our partners, promoters and race teams that have helped make the last 9 years possible.” Both the newly formed Great American Short Course Series and Ultra4 had events scheduled at Wild West Motorsports Park this year.
SNORE Forced to Cancel Caliente Race Southern Nevada enthusiasts has been forced to cancel the Weddle Industries Caliente 250 due to permit issues. The race was scheduled for June 4th – 5th in Caliente, Nevada. The Caliente BLM office only allows two truck/ car races each year. With permit applications from three from three different race series, a drawing was held. The BLM worked with SNORE to move one of the competing series permits over to the Tonopah office because their race did not come close to town of Caliente and very little of the race course was actually in the Caliente BLM area boundaries. The decision was ultimately left to the Ely district manager who denied SNORE’s request to hold the Caliente 250 race, forcing the series to cancel the event.
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NEW RIDES
Honda’s Special Edition Side-by-Sides
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re-installed aftermarket accessories are becoming more common on side-by-sides. Customers are increasingly going with special edition models and trim levels that already have the things they want installed. Honda recognizes that demand and are expanding the line-up of Talon 1000 and Pioneer 1000. The special edition models feature an exclusive Viper Urban Camo graphics package. The graphics are made possible by a special collaboration with True Timber. Specific upgrades on the Talon include a front bumper and winch kit along with a vented windscreen. The special edition Talons also come with light assembly, rear view mirror and door lowers. The special edition upgrades come on both the two and four seat versions of the Talon. On the Pioneer, customers will find an aftermarket roof, windscreen, fender flares, winch kit, rear view mirror and LED light bar. The special edition Pioneer is available in both three and five seat Pioneer 1000 models. The special edition versions of the Talon and Pioneer will be available at dealers this summer.
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NEW RIDES
New Bikes Arrive in Time for Outdoor Motocross Season
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TM and Husqvarna have announced their 2022 line-up of motocross bikes in time for the Outdoor Motocross Season. You can ride the same model bikes your favorite riders are racing on the track. KTM’s line-up was designed by engineers receiving direct information from the paddock of its top racers. With updated livery and graphics, the KTM SX-F comes in three models in the 4-stroke range that include traction control, launch control and variable engine mapping.
The KTM 450 SX-F puts out 63-horsepower. All three models are designed with speed and agility in mind. KTM also offers three 2-stroke models as well. In 2020, KTM 2-strokes occupied 12 top spots in the EMX125 European Championship. 10 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
2022 MOTOCROSS BIKES
Over at Husqvarna, they are bringing their new Swedish-inspired dark blue and white graphics. Husqvarna is launching nine new motorcycles in the 2-stroke and 4-stroke range. All are based off competition bikes that have raced a number of series throughout the world.
rider skill levels. Both the KTM and Husqvarna models are currently being delivered to dealers worldwide.
All of the models are equipped with WP Suspension helping to deliver precise handling of the bike. The forks are highly adjustable and feature a capsulated air spring and pressurized oil chamber. The result is consistent damping across the roughest of terrain. The engines are compact and high performing. The bikes are lightweight helping with maneuverability. The 4-strokes have traction and launch control. The triple clamps are CNC machined and the bodywork is optimized for the best ergonomics. The bikes were developed for all
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Photo: Dan200
DIRT WORLD area bfe beatdown
norra mexican 1000
It’s good to see our buddy Coco doing well. More powerful than regular hand sanitizer
Sssshhh!!! Don’t wake the baby!
A visit to check out the “unofficial” team wear is a must!
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Alien or Lucho Libre? You be the judge
norra mexican 1000
score san felipe 250
It’s better in Baja!
area bfe beatdown
norra mexican 1000
THE WORLD IS A DIRTY PLACE
gas victorville
norra mexican 1000
Yes, he is still single. Danny enjoys long drives through the desert, carne asada tacos, but can’t handle a margarita.
norra mexican 1000
Living that Baja retired life!
norra mexican 1000
area bfe beatdown
Teaching the young guys how to be cool
Dogs always make Jeeps that much cooler!
SU B YO MI T PH UR OT O SEND US YOUR CRAZY PHOTO OUT IN THE DIRT AND WE MAY FEATURE IT HERE IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE.
So, tell us how this secret “shock juice” works.
Email to: Dirtsports@dirtsportsworld.com DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 13
CAPTURED
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MARVELOUS MACADU: Mark McMillin behind the wheel of the iconic 1979 Chenowth “Macadu” buggy at the NORRA Mexican 1000.
MAKING A SPLASH: Harley Letner blasts through a water crossing at the Best in the Desert Silver State 300. Photo: Harlen Foley
DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 15
KIDS KORNER
Trey Eggleston | Age: 15 | Mod Kart & UTV Pro Photos Courtesy: Mod Kids USA
PRESENTED BY:
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself, your family, and any obstacles that you may have to deal with that makes you, you. A: My name is Trey Eggleston and I’m from Riverside California. I am the youngest of 2 in my family. I have an older brother (Brody) and we’re 14 months apart. I started racing Go-Karts when I was 5 and have been racing Off-Road since I was 7. My driving coach Troy Adams was the one who introduced me to the sport. Ever since then I’ve loved Off-Road Racing. The past year with Covid has had its obstacles. Not being able to go to school or have my normal schedule. But my family and I have tried to keep it as normal as possible. Just trying to find some positives from it, with change comes growth. Hoping things will get back to normal in the coming year. At least with all this racing there has been a constant for my brother and I. We have been fortunate enough to have that and family for support. Q: What is it about Off-Road that brings you the most joy? A: What brings me the most joy in the sport is the people in the sport. They will sacrifice a lot just to get you racing. And when we do well (as a team) it makes all the hard work worth it. It’s very rewarding for all of us. Q: What are your favorite tracks? A: One of my favorite tracks has to be Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland Missouri. My goal for 2021 is to get the GAS (Great American ShortCourse) Championship and get my feet wet in some desert racing. 2021 is going to be a transition year for us. Q: What are you going to change tomorrow to make yourself better than today? A: I’m always trying to keep my skills sharp and focus on my training; and make sure I have the right diet to perform the best I can. Q: How does your school work help you in sports? A: If I don’t have my school work done then I can’t race. So to me it’s extremely important to do my school work. Q: Where do you see yourself in five years? A: I see myself racing in a trophy truck or just being part of the sport like owning a business in the racing world. Eggleston Shout Outs: Thanks to my family for all the support they give me; to my friends and everyone that has been there ‘for me & my career’ along the way. I also can’t thank my team and sponsors enough: Above All Construction, Mod Kids USA, CBR Radiators, Sparco USA, CSD Racing Products, Rugged Radios, Troy Adams Coaching, Walker Evans Racing, and Altura Credit Union.
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NORRA RETURNS TO BAJA
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Story By: La-Chelle Halliday Photos By: Shaun Ochsner, La-Chelle Halliday
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unlight filtered through the palm trees as a coastal breeze wandered into the rolling hills that encase the legendary Rancho San Juanito, or better known today as Horsepower Ranch. Originally an oasis resort catering to Hollywood and wealthy Mexican crowd during the 60’s and 70’s, spending weekends lounging poolside, singing along with the piano player before carousing in nearby Ensenada. After sitting dormant for two decades following an ownership exchange, Horsepower Ranch emerged with a new identity succeeding full restoration to its former glory. Today the Ranch, with its vast beauty encompassing the grounds, alluring travelers and racers alike, firmly planted roots into the racing community by continuously hosting pre-race parties for the historic NORRA 1000 and the grueling SCORE Baja 1000. Early documentation is hard to come by however, the first records indicate 1962 as the first motorcyclist to race from Tijuana to La Paz before the fascination grew exponentially over the next few years. A blitz advertising and publicity campaign from Chevrolet in the closing months of 1962, after a small fleet of specialty built trucks by Bill Stroppe finished intact in La Paz. The slogan “The Roughest Run Under the Sun” and resultant publicity, gave Baja instant fame, creating a challenge worldwide.
COVER STORY
The coming years saw legends in the making, iconic builds, designs never seen before as curiosity overflowed in every backyard shop around the world. In April 1967, Bruce Meyers, creator of the infamous Meyers Manx glass bodied dune buggy, set out to test a theory of a faster route to La Paz. After 34 hours and 45 minutes, they discovered that it was indeed quicker, as they established the first record for a four wheeled vehicle. Private individuals, as well as major automotive companies were now trying the Baja. “I knew there was a challenge down there. There was a mystique growing amongst the off-roaders about Baja. I was determined to do something about organizing it into a race of some kind.” - Ed Pearlman
Tijuana to La Paz, was born with the first designated race day on October 31, 1967.
Pearlman and NORRA ran the Baja races until 1973 when SCORE took over all races previously run by NORRA to include the The National Off-Road Racing Association, Mexican 1000 that would later become better known as the Baja 1000 and the more affordable formed by Ed Pearlman, NORRA as it Baja 500. would become known across the world, would become the official record keeper of For many years, the NORRA organization sat Baja with full cooperation of the Mexican idle on a garage shelf until 2009 when Mike government. As Mexican officials were looking ahead to a boom in tourism, NORRA Pearlman, son of the late Ed Pearlman, decided to dust off the long-forgotten family legacy. began to plan a major event open to any Since its reintegration, NORRA has been the vehicle that wanted to try to race from guiding light in the opening of new offroad form Tijuana to La Paz. The Mexican 1000 off of motorsport, vintage Baja desert racing. For road race, named for the 1000 miles from over a decade, race teams and drivers young and old have been digging up and restoring vintage machinery gearing up for the four-day, 1000mile odyssey, veterans refer to as “The Happiest Race on Earth.” “The multiple day, rally-style format makes the trip down Baja a more scenic adventure, not a dangerous straight run. There are social gatherings at every stop, and our finish-line parties are the best in motorsports. It’s all about the fun.” - Mike Pearlman 20 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
This year had various alterations due to the worldwide pandemic including the wearing of masks, social distancing, temperature checks and onsite COVID testing. After strenuous discussions with southern cities who could not facilitate the race due to concerns of the health and safety of its inhabitants during the health crisis, the typical point to point race was altered. This alteration changed the race into a loop styled course starting and ending at Horsepower Ranch. After the postponement and later cancellation of the 2020 Mexican 1000 last year, many teams were thankful NORRA was able to organize the journey down to Baja while adhering to local and worldwide safety precautions to ensure the health and safety of everyone. Changes were made to refuse admittance to spectators at contingency, tech inspection and to the start and finish lines.
NORRA RETURNS TO BAJA
DAY THREE / RALLY DAY ONE
Santo Tomas to San Felipe – 181.90 mi.
Day one in the dirt began with a wave from the green flag underneath the NORRA arch in Santo Tomas as all teams were planning their routes through, San Vicente, La Calentura, Mike’s Sky Ranch, and El Diablo dry lakebed. The course consisted of tight and technical sections through the mountains. Every team would then finish the day at El Dorado Ranch in San Felipe along the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez after being greeted with food and drinks at the Volcon finish line celebration. Similar to any other race, a handful of problems plagued the vintage classes traveling the 181.90 miles to the end of day checkpoint. Reid Rutherford assumed he lost an alternator causing his truck to stall 12 miles from the finish but found a broken wire similar to Richard Bartell whose Vintage 6 cyl Ford Ranger broke a wire to the coil only 1 mile from the finish. Dennis Hollenbeck’s Vintage
DAY ONE & TWO Horsepower Ranch
During the first two days, Horsepower Ranch was overrun by race vehicles, filling the area with the robust sound of race vehicles, cheerful conversations between friends old and new and the lingering feeling of happiness. “The Happiest Race on Earth” was underway with the celebration just beginning at the Rigid Welcome Fiesta. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 21
COVER STORY
Class 11 VW Sedan suffered a rare failure when his fan came apart but was able to fix the fan to make it into San Felipe to fight another day. The bikes were running their own course with all lead positions held by older experienced riders. After a few cold beers, and a few tall tales over lunch, those who had no problems were free to enjoy San Felipe. DAY FOUR / RALLY DAY TWO
San Felipe to Bahia De Los Angeles – 243.80 mi.
Day two of racing consisted of faster sections to include deep sand, whoops and terrain NORRA has never explored before. With the closure of Baja California Sur, NORRA Race director Eliseo Garcia saw an opportunity to explore new terrain where the Mexican 1000 does not usually go providing new challenges, touching both coasts and heading south of Bay of LA. Majority of the teams that were out due to mechanical issues succumbing to silt, sand and rocks, were all seasoned Baja racers. Seasoned racer and heir to Parnelli Jones, son PJ Jones dawned his Can AM X3 in “Big Oly” livery to honor his father, Bill Stroppe, and Dick Russell. The Can AM X3 was draped in OG gold color looked as great today, as it did in the 1960’s. After blowing up a fan in the first stage, Dennis Hollenbeck’s Vintage Class
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11 stock VW Sedan was lying in a pile of broken parts in the dirt, yet the team persevered and continued on. Wiley Davis driving his Ford Ranger, had bent the driver side spindle and smoked the bearings. Thankfully another team had the assembly necessary, and they began repairs in the parking lot in the Bay of LA with winds at 60mph attempting to interfere. DAY FIVE / RALLY DAY THREE
Bahia De Los Angeles Loop – 257.20 mi.
Baja is captivatingly beautiful and exotic, however, she devours celebrities and offroad icons alike, leaving no one untouched by her bite. This section of fast graded roads and unmaintained rocky trails left many suffering her wrath with multiple eaten up tires. The first stage out of Bahia De Los Angeles heading west towards the Pacific covered 167 miles before the stage ended in Villa Jesus Maria, 13.3 miles of transit to La Trinidad. Second stage brought teams from La Trinidad 63.60 miles to Agua De Higuera before turning back to Bahia De Los Angeles for a final 13.3 miles for the day.
DAY SIX / RALLY DAY FOUR
NORRA RETURNS TO BAJA
Bahia De Los Angeles to San Felipe – 246.80 mi.
The race had been tough up to the morning of our departures out of Bay of LA, however they quickly became troublesome as uncertainty lingered when a previously dry lakebed had been flooded. Officials quickly routed all teams and racers through a change of course adding to the challenges of navigating the race. Unlike other Baja races, the Mexican DAY SEVEN / RALLY DAY FIVE 1000 has no markings on the course, ensuring San Felipe to Horsepower Ranch – 211.30 mi. the difficulty is felt evenly throughout all The final leg to the rally encompassed miles of classes. By this day, some competitors have rough and technical terrain out of San Felipe, fallen, whilst some dodged a bullet. Reid then pacing 46 miles to begin their sprint Rutherford’s Trophy Lite ended up rolling through Diablo dry lakebed. After transitioning while transitioning from dirt to pavement. to the highway all racers headed towards the With a quick assessment and assistance from entrance of Mike’s Sky Rancho, aligning the Palapa Boy Racing chase team, the Trophy with special stage number two over to Piedras Lite was back on all four wheels showcasing a Gordas. After the special transit, there were stylish duct tape repair job as they trudged on only 8 miles left standing between competitors to cross the finish line. Dave Moore, driving and capturing a win. Wiley Davis in his Ford his Vintage 4x4 Ford Bronco hit a large rock Ranger crossed the finish line, holding a firsthard enough to sheer four bolts off the left place class position but only after going through read beadlock, somehow without causing the 3 tires, a wheel, a broken driveshaft, hitting tire to flatten. a tree, a shattered windshield they kicked out themselves, and ultimately, the motor failing. The Mexican 1000 five-day rally through the back country of Baja California is a one-of-a-kind experience housing a vast plethora of classic iconic chassis, driven by legendary icons hailing from all styles of motorsports. The slower paced odyssey grants the scenic route, allowing teams down time to rest, socialize, and fix ailments before the following days jaunt. Friendships are forged as teams assist one another helping change tires, patchwork from a roll over, or simply cheering each other on as they cross the daily finish line. The 2021 NORRA Mexican 1000 was one for the books with a change in course adding in brand new terrain, yet still providing the best and happiest atmosphere for all racers. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 23
SHORT COURSE
Get on the GAS!
Great American Shortcourse hosts inaugural race at Victorville Fairgrounds Story and Photos: Shaun Ochsner
T
he Great American Shortcourse Series (GAS) was formed after Lucas Oil Off Road Racing shut down operations in November. Former Lucas Regional series director Lee Perfect and Ultra4 racing promoter Dave Cole saw a need to continue short course off-road racing on the west coast. The inaugural event was held at Victorville Fairgrounds in the high desert of Southern California. Perfect has used the venue in the past for regional races during his time at Lucas Oil, so the existing dirt already had jumps and rhythm sections built in. The facility also has existing grandstands which helped to keep costs to a minimum. Fans were allowed to buy tickets
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ABOVE: Lee and Poppy Perfect received a custom trophy from Louie Toszer Designs for their efforts in helping to save short course off-road racing on the west coast.
THE GREAT AMERICAN SHORTCOURSE SERIES
and watch the races, which is something that hasn’t been allowed since the start of COVID in 2020. The race-day line-up had a hybrid regional and “big series” feel to it. Track action was packed with a whopping eighteen classes running throughout the day. The mood among the drivers was upbeat as Lee Perfect led the drivers meeting in the morning of the first day. The grandstands were nearly full of teams
learning about how the event would be run. If the packed drivers meeting was an indication of how many racers were at the event, a cruise through the pits confirmed motor-homes, haulers and tents sprawled across almost every inch of the fairground’s property. There were the usual Pro-2, Pro-lite and Pro-buggy classes. Still absent was Pro-4. Sadly, there still aren’t enough of the big trucks left on the west coast to justify running them.
ABOVE: The Kart classes help groom the future stars of short-course off-road racing. G3 Argyros swept the podium in J2. LEFT: 1600 desert buggy is mixed in with the limited buggy class. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 25
SHORT COURSE
Also, on the line-up was the growing Class 11 race. More and more classic VW bugs are showing up to race, and GAS seems to be a perfect venue for them. You can always count on the Trophy Karts as well. The Kart classes are the future generation of short course off-road. As UTV’s continue their popularity growth, classes are added for them. GAS had six UTV classes. Two of those were geared towards youth. The 2021 GAS season will include eight rounds of racing across three venues that include Victorville Fairgrounds and Glen Helen Raceway. A third venue has yet to be announced after the recent closure of Wild West Motorsports Park in Reno, Nevada.
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While the series does not have a television package, races were streamed all weekend across social media and the web using a live drone and multiple fixed camera angles.
THE GREAT AMERICAN SHORTCOURSE SERIES
ABOVE: Dave Mason Jr. finished 2nd in Round 1 and took a win in Round 2. With two podium finishes, he has the points lead for the season.
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THE MASONS FINDING SUCCESS
Story and Photos: Shaun Ochsner
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e has had a successful offroad racing career. Dave Mason has been blessed with good racing opportunities. He was bit by the off-road racing bug at 21 years old. Mason watched his first off-road race at Riverside Raceway. “I saw the most incredible thing ever, the place was packed with forty thousand people,” Mason says. That race he was watching was part of the SCORE International Off-Road racing series. He arrived there with a four-wheel drive pick-up truck and dog. It was right then and there, Mason made the decision he was going to figure out how to get into offroad racing. Fast forward three years later, sometime at the end of the 1970’s, Mason was on the line with his very own class 9 car. He snagged the holeshot and learned his very first lesson of off-road racing after five laps. The
FEATURE STORY
transmission broke. His race was over. Mason never gave up and worked on getting to the next race. He soon entered the Mickey Thompson series and spent two years racing there. It wasn’t long before Mason found himself racing on the Herzog Motorsports Team. Sponsorships began to roll in and Mason was part of the Ford team racing with BF Goodrich tires. He had quickly rose through the ranks with the top-level team. Mason recalls passing 67 cars at a Barstow race, starting in the back and leading after the first 100 miles. Mason also has won championships and has countless podiums on his resume. Of course, the most important accolade he has achieved was winning the Baja 1000, the granddaddy of all races. Mason’s son, Dave Mason Jr. followed right in his dad’s footsteps of racing. Mason Jr, just a young boy, watched his dad win all of these championships and races. He had big dreams of one day doing the same. Mason Jr was right there in the pits helping his dad become successful. When he became old enough to race, the Trophy Kart class was just getting started. Mason Jr. jumped in a Jr 2 kart and began to race at the CORR series at famed tracks like Chula Vista. Much like his dad did at Riverside Raceway at his first race, Mason Jr got the holeshot. He went on to win the race. His dad was also racing Class 30 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
1 that weekend at the same track. CORR had created a desert exhibition class. Mason Senior went from 86 miles an hour on the track to zero instantly after a collision with two other vehicles into the k-rail. He was still happy his son had a better day than he did.
Dave Mason Jr continued to move up the ranks in Trophy Kart. He got second in the championship standings on his last year in the class. Next up was the limited buggy class, racing an Alumicraft-built buggy. Dave Mason Jr continued to develop his short-course
career. The buggy class had a full field and in his second season, Mason Jr found himself second in the championship standings. Mason Jr learns quickly, and his next career move was the Pro-buggy class. His limited buggy competitors were also moving up in class with him. He knew their driving styles and used that to his advantage. In his second year, Mason Jr had a historic streak of eleven straight podiums. In his three years in the class, he got at least twenty total podiums. The Masons took a break from short-course to focus on the family business. One thing you have to understand about them is when they do something, they go all in. They needed to be 100% focused to make it successful. Today, San Diego area based Tri-State General Contractors is one of the leaders in commercial retail construction with an impressive list of big-name clients.
The success of the family business has allowed Dave Mason Jr to get back into off-road racing. Once you start off-road racing, you can’t stay away for long. He raced a handful of local motorcycle events in the desert and Class 10 in Baja. Mason Jr would share driving duties with his dad. In 2019, the Mason’s purchased Bryce Menzies Pro-2. Mason Jr first raced the truck during the Lucas Oil Challenge Cup. He jumped right in, with zero test time. His dad spots for him at the races. The two communicate very well together. Dave Mason knows exactly what his son wants to hear on the radio.
THE MASONS
Mason Sr recalls a conversation at the Challenge Cup Race as Mason Jr lined up on the front row next to Rob MacCachren. “Dad, I don’t know what gear to start the truck in.” The senior Mason replied, “I bet Rob Mac knows what gear he is starting in.”
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FEATURE STORY
The Lucas Oil Off Road racing series announced major rule changes for the Pro-2 class in 2020 forcing drivers to upgrade motors to fuel injection. The cost to make the truck compliant with the rule package was too much, so the Masons decided it was cheaper to run a Pro-Lite. As the Corona virus forced the series to reschedule races, the Mason shortcourse program sat idle. When racing resumed, they ran the first half of the season in the newly acquired Pro-lite truck. Seat time was key for Mason Jr. The last two racing weekends of the season, he jumped back into the Pro-2 and had way more fun. In November, Lucas Oil dropped an unexpected bombshell that threatened Mason’s short-course program. The series announced it was permanently shutting its doors and would no longer hold racing events. The 32 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
Masons immediately decided it was time to switch back to desert racing and purchased a Class 1 car. They knew it would not be affordable to race a full short-course season in the Midwest for 2021. A couple months later Great American Shortcourse announced a west coast schedule. The
THE MASONS
Masons re-signed the deal with their title sponsor- eBay Motors to race the Pro-2 at the GAS series. eBay Motors also came on board to support the Masons in the desert as well. The first race for their new Class 1 car will be the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno. For Dave Mason Jr, he just likes being behind the wheel winning races. He already has his first Pro-2 win at the recent GAS Victorville event.
Dave Mason Jr has yet to win the Baja 1000. He hopes to very soon check that box on his to do list. He also has sights set on racing the Dakar Rally sometime in the future. Dave Mason Sr is also not finished yet. On his checklist is racing and winning the Baja 1000 with his son. That is one accomplishment he would like to mark off in the very near future. The two will team up to race this year’s Baja 1000. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 33
San Felipe 250: A Career First for Menzies
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Story by: LaChelle Halliday Photos by: Shaun Ochsner
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he dust had finally settled as the desert began to regain control after a chaotic and ever-changing year of events. The recent pandemic had spun the world upside down without anyone knowing how to recover. As teams took time to rebuild and wait out the uncertainty, off road racing finally returned in full force for the San Felipe 250. Attempting to regain normality through the pandemic, SCORE International worked closely with Baja California, Mexicali and San Felipe governments to ensure the safety of race teams, fans and local population. Notices were posted weeks prior allowing the distribution of all teams’ commitment to adhere to the strict bio security protocols. Similar to surrounding countries, Baja California applied continuous restrictions and precautions that were set into place for usage of hotels, restaurants, and all other events or services. The wearing of a face mask, safe distancing and sanitizing hands is fairly common in today’s post pandemic world; however, it was reiterated, urging the adherence to the important health measures. Along with the local governments’ guidelines, SCORE also restricted areas with no spectator admittance. Among the areas restricted to spectators, included SCORE compound during registration days, qualifying, tech and contingency, nor were they allowed at the start/finish line. The golden sun crested above the hilltops as its rays began to stretch across the desert floor at El Dorado Ranch. The grumble of bikes filled the crisp air as one by one they jumped off the starting line to begin their 280-mile journey through the dirt. As the sun began to rise higher, the louder the rumbling sounds coming from the ranch became as countless UTVs, Buggies and trucks rallied their way off the line. At 9am sharp, the first trophy truck, Bryce Menzies, rocketed from the line barreling down the course like a shark hunting his prey. Not far behind still in Menzies dust, Andy McMillin was pushing hard as Luke McMillin began forcing Andy to run up closer behind Menzies within the first 20 miles. Luke was heavy on the throttle of the two-wheel drive #83 trophy truck on its last race before it would retire from the big blue M team.
DESERT RACING BELOW: Cousins Andy and Luke McMillin at the 2021 San Felipe 250 battling for a podium win.
As the leading trucks came speeding into the Azufre Wash at RM50, Andy took a different line attempting to advance his current placing on the course to get ahead of the #7 Red-bull trophy truck. Unfortunately, Andy hit a rock hidden behind a bush causing heavy damage to his steering and right front tire. As Andy and co-driver, Johnny Nelson, began to assess the blown tire and bent sector of the steering shaft, Luke McMillin and Tavo Vildósola rushed past throwing Andy off his current podium position. After a flat and jack issues causing crucial time loss, Alan Ampudia had been passed by Robby Gordon and Ryan Arciero before the #32 trophy truck driver, Arciero, succumbed to driveline failures at RM46. As Ampudia recovered and began chasing down the trucks who had passed them, Andy
McMillin was back on the course attempting to keep trophy truck #31 straight. After the front end was heavily damaged by the rock, Andy’s steering floated on 4 inches of play that caused difficult maneuverability of the #31 truck. Tensions started to rise as the leaders of the race were rounding the course, fixated on the finish, in search of the checkered flag. By RM 140, Alan Ampudia had finally passed Tavo Vildósola positioning him behind Andy as he hammered down to attempt a pass running only 5 minutes behind in the dust. Following closely behind, a bright yellow trophy truck stickered as the “Student Driver” driven by a young 16 year old Jax Redline, zipped along the course running over 200 miles in dust. BELOW: Robby Gordon through RM 50
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SCORE SAN FELIPE 250
Kristen Matlock won the Naturally Aspirated UTV class after requiring a belt change at RM 186 while Brandon Schueler won the Forced Induction Pro UTV class. Jason Coleman, who made the decision to race only one month prior won the Trophy Truck Spec class while Shelby Reid takes gold in Class 1. BELOW: Shelby Reid won in class 1.
ABOVE: Brandon Schueler
Heavy dust plumbs signaled the quiet fanless crowd as the first finisher was en route to the finish line. Out of the thick brown clouds, emerged streaks of red and blue as Bryce Menzies made his way through the waving checkered flag, winning a career first only 16 seconds ahead of Luke McMillin in the twowheel drive #83 trophy truck. Andy McMillin rounded up the podium after multiple flat tires landing him 3rd merely seconds behind cousin, Luke. Just outside of the box, Alan Ampudia took a 4th overall while Jax Redline followed securing 5th after a penalty was applied.
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SAN FELIPE 250
SOHREN STRENGTH Resiliency to Continue Family Legacy After Tragedy
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Story By: La-Chelle Halliday Photos Courtesy of Paige Sohren and Brenda Bunch
wo years ago, and some change, the off road community was shocked as a wave was felt ripping throughout the tightly knit desert community, bringing everyone to their knees in disbelief. On that January day, time simply stood still as our lives in off road ultimately changed following the news of iconic trophy truck driver, Pete Sohren, succumbing to injuries while off-roading with his daughters in San Felipe, Mexico. Sohren was primarily known as “Pistol Pete”, with a 6’2” stature accompanied by an unconfined yet captivating brunette mullet and a loud straight forward approach, often getting himself “bannedforlife” from message boards.
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He was an average guy, racing in the prominent and expensive trophy truck class who made his voice heard not only through his comments but his driving skills on the course. In a world of Snap On Tools, Pete was the King of Harbor Freight. His truck the brightest shade of yellow was held together on hope, duct tape and bailing wire, yet he was a reigning champion in the desert. The only man to have not just one, but two codrivers in his truck, one on either side of the centered steering wheel, because two is obviously better than one. A great mentor, an unbelievably supportive father, yet Pete was always the opposing
SOHREN STRENGTH
On that fateful day, Pete, along with daughters’ Paige and Farrah, we’re driving their SXS in the sand dunes near the Cortez Hotel. It was the day before the San Felipe Desert Mayhem 275, that would have been Farrah’s first race with her dad as she had just become of legal racing age, and the last of the Sohren family to get behind the wheel. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, sending both young girls to the hospital as the accident claimed two other lives, one of those being their father. voice to any standard voice of reason. As a family man, Pete was dedicated and heavily involved with his children, teaching them to race, hunt, work on cars, but ultimately supporting any interests they had. He would dive in headfirst facilitating each child’s dreams to learn and create into a state of fruition. Moreover, the strong willed and often opinionated tenacity that flowed through Pete, was graciously passed onto his children because “Pistol don’t raise no wussies!”
Upon returning home, Cami Sohren informed Farrah that the truck she was to race in Mexico was brought back, put into the shop, and would sit there until Farrah decides if she wanted to race. Her dad had built, and prepped the truck for Farrah’s first race, and had put her name on the visor intending the truck be used as such. The truck sat.
Just before Christmas, Farrah felt more confident within herself and stated even though it was emotionally challenging, she wanted to race the San Felipe 250. After consulting with her siblings, Farrah began prepping for her first race. The trio began planning out graphics, reaching out to gain sponsors who originally were Pete’s, and a pit crew. Van began prepping the truck while Paige made all of the stickers, however working together became more of a way to honor their dad than being about Farrah’s first race.
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SAN FELIPE 250
As the race got nearer, tension began to rise as emotions were heavy with worries and doubt. Paige had stated, “we shouldn’t be doing this without dad,” or questioned why they were going to go racing as it was a dangerous sport. As the race was a week out, the family began testing when Farrah crashed and got a concussion, ultimately keeping her out of the driver seat. The family restructured their driving schedule with detailed trade offs to sufficiently allow everyone a chance in the truck while still competing with time to finish. Nerves were tense the morning of the race as the sibling began to ready themselves into the desert like Pete had done so many times before. The siblings jumped off the line, battling across the Mexican desert until the sun began to fade.
They crossed the finish line just as the sun had set with zero mechanical problems and zero flat tires. The siblings took 1st place in their class, standing atop the bright yellow truck as they sprayed the crowd with the winning champagne.
Will the kids carry on the Sohren Legacy and race themselves? Cami: After seeing them down there with them at the race, they know what they’re doing. They’ve been to enough races with their dad and have been to Mexico enough times. It is dangerous, they all know that. You accept that when you get into the truck. I have to accept that if they are aware of that, and they are making that choice, they are all adults now. The resiliency of the Sohren family to continue pushing forward while still keeping their father’s memory and passion for Baja alive is beautiful and far beyond what one would expect in similar situations. Unbeknownst to Cami, the impact made on thousands of people was exponential in comparison to her thoughts of quietly partaking in the race for only their family’s healing. Pete may not have won as many races as his competitors, but he definitely won raising smart, strong, and compassionate children alongside his amazing wife Cami. Farrah is still in search of her first race.
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SUPERCROSS
b b e W
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t the start of the 2021 Supercross season, Cooper Webb was off to a rocky start. His ninth-place finish at the opening round was nothing to write home about. In 2019, Webb was on fire, securing wins and podiums and eventually earning the championship. In 2020, Webb had a bad crash at the Arlington Supercross event. Fortunately, he would be ok but struggled the rest of the season on the track as Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac battled for the points lead. Webb managed to finish second in the point standings. Things got worse for Webb after he sustained a back injury early in the outdoor motocross
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Cooper Webb Secures second career 450SX Title
Story: Shaun Ochsner | Photos: Feld Entertainment
season. Webb was forced to sit out the remainder of the season. Webb’s return aboard his KTM 450 was questionable for the Supercross season. Webb powered
SEASON FINALE
“It’s been a heck of a year with everything in the world going on, but we dug deep this year and stayed the course. It’s been an incredible journey, a hard-fought season with a lot of hard races but this is all worth it right here. Being a two-time champion is incredible and to get the win tonight is the cherry on top. I’m speechless, this is incredible.”
through. He remained consistent towards the middle of the season, securing wins and top podium finishes. By mid-March, Webb moved past Roczen for the point lead. As the season rolled on, Webb began to stretch out his lead on Roczen. At the final round held at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, Webb had a twenty-two-point advantage over Roczen. Still, Webb couldn’t sit back and watch the race. He still needed to have his head in the game. When the gate dropped, Webb was on the move, positioning himself in second. Somehow Webb dropped to third with Chase Sexton and Roczen up front. Webb charged hard, first passing Roczen then Sexton. With seven laps to go, Webb had the lead and was ready to lock up the championship. He pushed on to the checkered flag, winning his eighth main event victory this season and his second career 450SX championship. Also winning season championships were Colt Nichols in the Eastern Regional 250SX class and Justin Cooper in the Western Regional 250SX class. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 43
Champs Remain Undefeated
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Harley Letner and Kevin Thompson take another victory at Best in the Desert Story: Shaun Ochsner Photos: Harlen Foley
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he Concrete Motorsports Team of Harley Letner and Kevin Thompson remain undefeated thus far in the Best in the Desert Series. Letner and Thompson locked up the 2020 season championship and wasted no time winning Best in the Desert’s first event of the year¬¬– the Parker 425 in January. With time trials canceled due unforeseen permitting issues, Letner and Thompson started out front based on point standings as stated in the rulebook. As the race got started, the Concrete Motorsports team took full advantage of their starting position. Letner hoped the 30 mileper-hour wind would keep his competitors further behind, eating his dust. Racing smart, the team built a good lead to keep them out front. Letner was careful to follow the marked course. He was penalized at last year’s event for shortcutting. Having owned up to his mistake
DESERT RACING
Letner pushed forward to help earn the team the 2020 championship. This year the team has been very careful not to jeopardize their success. Letner, known as a “wheel-man” knows how to drive the Trick Truck by making it slide through corners. He is on the gas when it counts. All of these carefully calculated moves allow a driver to make up time on the race course, or in Letner’s case, keep the competition at bay. Silver State has some tight terrain surrounded by lots of trees. One mistake and your truck ends up being stopped by a tree. Those don’t normally move. Letner and Thompson had to be laser focused with the help of their codrivers to navigate through the terrain. “The game plan was to hammer down and go” says Letner. He wanted to get the truck to the pits for a driver change with enough time for Thompson to get back out on course without getting passed. They had Adam Householder and Kyle Jergensen hot on their tail. The entire Concrete pit support team worked quickly and flawlessly with a timed stop of 33 seconds to change out driver and co-driver, splash fuel and service tires. In the end the team won the overall victory by three minutes. Kyle 46 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
Jergensen and Adam Householder finished within two minutes of each other. Letner and Thompson have sights set on their next victory¬: The Vegas to Reno race in August.
SILVER STATE 300
One of the closest races all day was in the 6100 class. Ray Griffith won by thirteen seconds over Justin Blower. Griffith’s competitors were all within a minute of each other. He started fourth in class and kept digging. Griffith fought through the dust and tight twisty turns of the Silver State course. Even with an issue with one of their jacks in the pits, Griffith kept pushing eventually reaching the first-place truck. His crew told him he was only five seconds back on Blower. Griffith went into overdrive, pushing past Blower during the last few miles of the race. UTV classes saw the highest number of entries with the Can-Am team of Phil Blurton and Beau Judge taking the victory in the UTV Turbo Pro Class.
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ELECTRIC OFF-ROAD RACING
Extreme E Holds Inaugural Event in Saudi Arabia
Story by: Shaun Ochsner Photos: Extreme E
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fter months of planning and buildup, the inaugural Extreme E race was successfully held in the desert of Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. The track was about five and half miles long. It wound through canyons, ravines and deep sand dunes well known in the Saudi Arabian desert. There were thirty-three total waypoints.
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EXTREME E
Things didn’t exactly go smoothly for the Ganassi racing team of Sara Price and Kyle Leduc. Leduc rolled the Hummer replica Extreme E electric vehicle during a Friday practice and qualifying session. The team thrashed all night to get the vehicle put back together for the next day’s race events. Rosberg X Racing duo Johan Kristofferson and Molly Taylor were the closely watched team all day. Even with a 60-second speeding penalty and less favorable starting grid spots, both drivers displayed excellent driving skill
and car control, winning them the first ever Extreme E victory. Things continued to get worse for Sara Price and Kyle Leduc. Both drivers continued to struggle. When Kyle Leduc got behind the wheel he made contact with competitor Claudia Hurtgen that ended the weekend for both teams. Dust was blamed on the collision and Extreme E organizers had already revised the event format once before.
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ELECTRIC OFF-ROAD RACING
The purpose of the series is to bring attention to endangered and damaged habitats around the world. While in Saudi Arabia, drivers helped clean beaches along the Red Sea and examined the habitat of the endangered Green turtle and Hawksbill turtle. Extreme E uses a floating ship called the St. Helena that moves around the world as their command post, leaving little footprint on land. The series is as sustainable as can be, using with no single-use plastic on-site. Everything is recycled and bio-degradable. Racing electric vehicles with 100 percent clean energy in hot and dusty environments is the attention the series wants to bring to a new style of racing. The vehicles run on a hydrogen fuel cell battery developed by AFC Energy. The next venue for the Extreme E Series will be Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal on May 29, 2021.
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WILDCARD
KING OF THE TRIMMERS Not Your Average Lawn Mower Race
Story by: Shaun Ochsner Photos: Courtesy of Vague Industries
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f it has wheels and motor, someone will find a way to race it. Even if it’s a lawnmower. The thing is, King of the Trimmers is not your average lawn mower race. Set in the woods of Epsom, New Hampshire. Josh Mazerolle, owner of Vague Industries puts on the King of the Trimmers. He calls it “the Ultimate Lawn Mower Race.” The King of the Trimmers started as a parody event to Ultra4’s King of the Hammers. Competitors basically race through the woods on souped-up lawnmowers. This race is about off-road endurance. Some competitors use
ABOVE: Josh Mazerolle, owner of Vague Industries runs King of the Trimmers. DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 53
WILDCARD
phony names and dressing up in wacky clothing is common. No expensive race suits here. Helmets are a must though, but even those have been painted with phrases and colors to match the drivers or rider’s wacky personality. The official version of the event hasn’t been run in the last nine years. There were forty trimmers entered into this year’s event. Their machines bear factory brand names such as Troy Bilt, Hydro, Craftsman, Kubota and
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Club Cadet. You really wouldn’t know those brands unless you had acres of lawn to mow or owned a local lawn mower shop. They all have one thing in common with the rest of the racing world. An engine that can be modified to race! It has everything you are looking for. Air Filter, Carburetor, spark plug– the list goes on. The one rule however is that mower cannot exceed nine miles an hour. This prevents a competitor from gaining an advantage by putting expensive turbo parts on their trimmer.
This year’s event came with all of the fun off-road obstacles, depending how you looked at it. It started with a “Le Mans-style” start forcing the competitors to run to their trimmers when the flag dropped. The engines on the trimmers don’t always fire up right away. Many models have a pull start, so you had better be in shape. Getting them running and grabbing the top spot in the race was half the battle. There was plenty of mud to slide around in or get stuck in. Since these modified trimmers had their blades removed, there was no easy way to chop through it. Some riders fell right off into the goop. Others spun their wheels and attempted to power through. Many got stuck. Lawn mowers don’t exactly have the best tires for navigating logs and dirt. They are meant for traction on wet grass. That was all part of the challenge. The course was part moto, part endurocross. Logs, dirt, mud, and rocks. Competitors received a zip tie for completing laps. There were 34 total laps. Once a competitor finished 17 laps forward, they had to turn around and run the course the other direction, all with other trimmers coming at them head-on! Competitors had a two-hour time limit to complete all of their laps. The winner- Sean Meyer made that deadline by just a mere two minutes. It wasn’t a walk in the park for Meyer. His belt fell off the machine almost every lap.
KING OF THE TRIMMERS
We just want to know how to make King of the Trimmers an official part of Hammers week out Johnson Valley.
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MASTERPIECE OF METAL
RICKY'S RIDE
G-Bros Unleashes New Beast on Short Course STORY AND PHOTOS: SHAUN OCHSNER 56 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
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he Mittag name is well-known among the short-course off-road circles. Chad Mittag builds and fabricates parts for dozens of Pro-2 and Pro-4 race trucks at his Custom Off-Road Designs shop. His son, Doug Mittag has championships and multiple short-course podiums on his resume. Chad Mittag knows what works and what doesn’t in short-course off road racing. It’s no surprise the G-Brothers off-road team tapped Mittag’s expertise when it came time for a new Pro-2 build for Ricky Gutierrez. Ricky G jumped into the Pro-2 class less than two years ago and is already building a name for himself in the class.
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Moving up from the Trophy Kart ranks early in his career, Ricky and his team are serious about winning races. To win, they need the best equipment. The new Mittag truck has a lower center of gravity allowing Ricky to dive into the corners and make clean passes on his competitors. It also is faster than his previous Pro-2 which will give him the confidence to go out and win races and put him closer to a possible championship. Ricky and his team will campaign the new Pro-2 at the upcoming Championship Off Road Racing Series in the Midwest.
G-BROS PRO 2
The key to the suspension package on the Pro-2 are King Shocks. The truck will see a significant amount of airtime and the Kings will help soften those harsh landings. Chad Mittag is known for his a-arm fabrication. Everything was built wide so the truck has a lower center of gravity allowing it to corner better on the track.
LEFT: Cooling is provided by a CBR Radiator system in the rear of the Pro-2.
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Ricky G has everything he needs at fingertips to control the truck. Computerized information pops up on a Motec Dash which he can quickly relay what his happening to his spotter and mechanics. Ricky can turn things on and off with the push of a button. Large icons make it easy to see what he needs while under caution during the race.
BUILD SHEET Vehicle: 2021 Pro-2 Builder: Chad Mittag (Custom Off Road Designs) Power Train: Adam Wik 410 Drive Train: Rancho Transaxle Turbo 400 Brakes: Brembo Suspension: King Shocks front and rear Steering: Howe Exterior: Fiberwerx Ford Raptor Fiberglass Body Interior: Motec Dash, Sparco Seat, MPI Steering Wheel.
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Performance Products
PERFORMANCE IS OUR MIDDLE NAME! CBR Performance Products Inc has a number of years of hands on experience from Motocross Racing, UTV Racing, Road Racing and Off-Road Racing. Many Teams and/or individuals who use CBR products are winning championships and seeing podium finishes. www.cbr-performance.com
TECH
How Not to Get Stuck Using Recovery Boards Story and Photos by: KC Steiner
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f you want to explore off the beaten path where exposure and consequences can conspire to rapidly escalate minor oversights into costly defeats success begins before you ever leave with a conscious driving state of mind. That simply means be aware, prepared, in communication or at least expected by someone, somewhere, sometime. Easy enough right? Caution and a healthy respect for terrain, weather, degree of remoteness, and vehicle condition are the most important and most often neglected keys to solo and
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small group movements. This is the heart of the getting stuck question. What is your exposure tolerance? Do you have a week’s supplies, travelling in a group, and in no particular hurry? You are perfectly equipped to be stuck and need not worry about the techniques below, you’ll have plenty of time to reread while you wait, or dig with sticks, or start fires to attract rescue aircraft. Maybe you’re a racer and time is money. Here is how not get stuck using recovery boards.
USING RECOVERY BOARDS
BE SAFE. This has the potential to be dangerous if done recklessly. Clear the vehicle recovery area of unnecessary people, don’t burn yourself on any hot exhaust pipes while working around the wheels, and stand back when the car starts to move. It’s always best if the driver has a co-driver / spotter to help with any vehicle recovery. One person in the driver’s seat, and one person outside watching to make sure the wheels don’t spin and to readjust the recovery boards if necessary.
First, attach your recovery leashes, piece of rope, scrap webbing, or whatever you have onto the recovery boards to make finding them and recovering them easier. Any piece of material that at least 4 feet long will be fine. The leashes will make them more visible and give you something to pull on when they are buried in sand, snow, or mud. Leashes aren’t critical, but they are a nice pro touch and you’ll be glad you have them if your boards get mired in mud or buried in fine Glamis sand. Ever lose a snow ski in the powder when you were a kid and look for it forever? Yeah, it sucks. Next, clear any debris, rocks, or extra sand, snow or mud away from your wheels that’s possible using the end of the recovery boards like a shovel. If you have ActionTrax, use the sawtooth end to make a lateral sawing motion back and forth and cut a small slot underneath the tire as far as you can. Every inch of tire tread you can contact the recovery board with is critical. Look underneath the vehicle and make sure it’s not high centered or hung DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 63
TECH
up on the differential housings. If you are rubbing in the dirt, you’ll have to clear away material, so all the vehicles weight is on the wheels. Insert the end of the recovery boards under the tires as far as they will go. Try to clear away material so that the boards lay as flat as possible. Flat equals easy escape. Recovery boards may be used either going forward or reverse. If at first the tires don’t grab, readjust, try a different wheel, or try going the opposite direction. SLOWLY accelerate and the recovery boards should be pulled under the tire and the vehicle will move forward. DO NOT SPIN YOUR TIRES, if boards don’t grab with the tires SLOWLY rotating stop and readjust them and try again. If you can’t get the boards to grab and suck under the tire you may have to use your vehicle jack to lift the vehicle a bit in extreme cases. An ActionTrax is strong enough to provide a solid platform on soft 64 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
ground for your jack in a pinch. Use one board to raise the car just enough to see daylight under the tire and insert the other board. This will really get the recovery board in there. Just don’t try this with import boards made from cheap materials, they will break. After you get moving DON’T stop until you are on solid ground. Now go back and recover your gear or keep leapfrogging your way out until you ARE on solid ground.
USING RECOVERY BOARDS
How to repair a melted traction board tooth. If you spin your tires and burn off the teeth, no worries. Just get a ¼ drill bit and drill out the burnt tooth from the back side of the recovery board. Take a knife or whatever tool you might have handy and remove the remains of the plastic tooth on the top side of the board. Now from the bottom side install a ¼” bolt x ¾” long with a 1/4” flat washer up through the top of the board. Then drop on another 1/4” flat washer over the bolt on the top side and install the Nylock nut. The nut is on the top side of the board. Now you have a metal toothed monster trax, so be careful! The bolt mod works great and really grabs the tires but can potentially cause tire damage if you were spin out excessively, so for the last time be careful and DONT SPIN THE TIRES!
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CHAPPY’S PIT STOP
DRIVER OF RECORD Words: Steve Hanson
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his Easter my boys were baptized which was one of the top events of my life. Did you know that at the start of Jesus’ ministry He also was baptized? When Jesus was baptized, God the Father spoke out loud for all to hear. MARK 1:10-11 NIV “As Jesus was coming up out of the water; He saw Heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from Heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” At this point it would have been fitting for God to have given his son some career advice on people or counseling or any number of ministry tips. But the Father wanted to touch on far deeper issues; things that He knew would be foundational throughout Jesus’ ministry. Things that are foundational to our lives. Who He was & where he stood with his father. God wanted to be very clear with Jesus – You are my son & I am proud! Has your father been that clear with you? Or are you searching for things to determine who you are and what your value is? Do you find your identity and value solely in your job, hobbies, racing, the way you look or is it in your possessions that you find your identity? Maybe the better question to ask is who’s God in your eyes or more importantly in your life? Is God your pit captain who fixes your racecar when it’s down, but when things are going good in life you just drive by and beep the siren? Or maybe his role is co-driver; you call on him when you get tired of driving and need a break, or don’t want to drive a particular rough section. Otherwise, he never hears from you. 66 | DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM
Maybe he has a more important role and is in the cab with you as your navigator giving you direction and discernment to the bumps in life’s road. You rely on Him to keep you alert and focused ready for whatever is ahead. When things go bad you count on Him to be the first to jump out and fix whatever needs fixed in your life. Or is God in the driver seat and you are in the right seat just hanging on for the ride. “Whatever & whenever;” is what you say to God because He truly is the Lord of your life. Think of it this way, if you wanted your team to win a championship, would you drive or would you let the best driver in the world drive? Jesus Christ is the best and He is asking if He can be the driver-of-record for your team. Will you let Him? Race analogies come easy; they allow me to relate God’s word to the Dirt Sport World in a familiar way. David did the same thing with his Old Testament writings. His analogy of God as our shepherd and we are His sheep because he knew how helpless sheep are without their shepherd. PSALM 23:1-6 NIV 1) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. 2) He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6) Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Follow @rfc_dirtsportministry
CALENDAR
UPCOMING EVENTS MAY
UTV Rally- Mormon Lake, AZ May 7th-8th
EVENT TO ATTEND Championship Off Road Season Opener
Legacy Racing- Baja Nevada (Alamo-Pahrump) May 12th-16th Best in the Desert World Hare and Hound Championship- Tonopah, NV May 21st-22nd Great American Shortcourse- Glen Helen Raceway- San Bernardino, CA May 22nd-23rd DP4 SXS Racing - Barstow, CA May 22nd VORRA Race 1- Yerrington, NV May 28th-31st
june Championship Off-Road- Langlade County Fairgrounds- Antigo, WI June 5th-6th M.O.R.E. McKenzies 250- Lucerne Valley, CA June 5th SCORE Baja 500- Ensenada, MX June 10th-13th
The Championship Off Road Season opener will be held at the Langlade County Fairgrounds in Antigo, Wisconsin. All of the big names in short-course off-road racing will be there. It’s a chance to see who did their homework in the off-season and who is ready to race. This will be a completely new track for the series and drivers will need to quickly get up to speed. Several drivers have also announced new sponsorships for the upcoming season.
UTV Takeover- Box Car Hill Campground-Coos Bay, OR June 23rd-27th Championship Off-Road Crandon Spring Brush Run- Crandon, WI June 26th-27th Have an event for our Calendar? Send us an email: dirtsports@dirtsportsworld.com DIRTSPORTSWORLD.COM | 67
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