BEDFORD, KY: May 13th, 2016: The third and final race in the ULTRA4 4WD Hardware Eastern Regional Series is moving locations from Sturgis, KY to Dirty Turtle Off Road Park in Bedford, KY. The race dates of July 29th and 30th will remain the same. Upon learning that the Sturgis, KY location was no longer an option, Dave Cole consulted with several parks in the region. and with East Coast teams at last weekend’s ULTRA4 race in Hot Springs, AR. After careful consideration of location, course and facilities, the Dirty Turtle Off Road Park was selected as an ideal location for an ULTRA4 race.
Category: Events/Competitions
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Dougans Racers Charge Best in the Desert’s Laughlin Desert Classic
RPM Off-Road’s Apdaly Lopez Wins Day 1 and Eduardo Laguna Earns a 3rd Place Overall Podium Finish
Desert racing returned to Laughlin, NV this past weekend with the inaugural Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic presented by Canidae Tap It. A two-day race, the Laughlin Desert Challenge was the first Best in the Desert race in recent years to separate the Trick Trucks into their own race separate of all other classes, allowing elite class to reach their full capabilities and terrorize the partially new 16 mile course that included the legendary Laughlin Leap and The Fly Over where race vehicles flew completely over Highway 162.
#5 Apdaly Lopez charged out of the gate to take the first day overall by +00:00:06 over Josh Daniel. On day 2, Lopez beat Daniel out of the infield and was leading out front for two laps before suffering a flat. At that point, there was only one speed for the Dougans powered #5 Trick Truck. The fearless Lopez hung everything on the line and completely soared the road crossing. “This is off-road and we don’t touch asphalt,” Lopez commented after the race. Unfortunately, in pushing the #5 to its limits, Lopez suffered a driveline failure that ended his day and hopes at the overall.
#17 Eduardo Laguna picked up the slack and earned Dougans a 3rd place overall finish on the podium. Laguna started in 10th place on day one and moved all the way to fourth on the road by the start of lap two. Soon after, Laguna lost an oil belt, forcing him to stop and repair the issue. On day two, Laguna averaged 60.6 mph and finished +00:00:43 off on the day and finished 3rd overall to secure Dougans Racing Engines yet another podium finish on the 2016 race season.
Of the 28 racers to start the race, only 8 made it to the finish line. After laying down a solid qualifying run, #184 Nick Vanderwey cruised to a 6th place overall finish. Vanderwey landed in 11th place overall after the first day of racing and finished +00:18:07 off the winning pace at the end of day two.
Justin “Bean” Smith and Tracy Graf shared driving duties in the #58 Trick Truck. Smith got off to a rocky start on Saturday and crashed a mile in to the race after jumping out front of Jason Voss. Smith lost 15-20 minutes getting it flipped over and redialed in with Graf who was navigating that day. Smith passed a few guys back and finished the day near the back of the pack. Graf piloted the #58 on Sunday and earned the duo a solid 7th place finish.
Hot off his second consecutive Mint 400 win, #41 Justin Lofton went to Laughlin looking to continue his successes in hopes of building another championship season. Lofton qualified third fastest on the 2.4 mile time trial course and lined up next to #5 Apdaly Lopez on day 1. The first day immediately set Lofton back after earning a flat on the first lap, a negligible roll over on the second lap, then another flat on the fourth lap. He finished the day second to last but came out blazing on day 2. Lofton went from 17th to 4th and had fun passing those vehicles trouble free. The flawless day 2 landed Lofton in 8th place overall at the end of the race.
Despite finishing a lap down, Jeff Terzo made it to the finish line in his first race in the #37 YouTheory Racing Trick Truck.
Nine Dougans Racers succumbed to the brutal Laughlin course and did not finish the race, including #16 Cameron Steele, #27 Steve Olliges, #38 Eric Hustead, #4 Justin Matney, #46 Troy Vest, #5 Apdaly Lopez, #54 Robert Johnston, #59 Cole Potts and #95 Scott Whipple.
2016 Method Race Wheels Laughlin Desert Classic presented by Canidae Tap Unofficial Results
3rd – #17 Eduardo Laguna
6th – #184 Nick Vanderwey
7th – #58 Tracy Graf
8th – #41 Justin LoftonPhotography by Jason Zindroski
About Dougans Racing Engines
Dougans Racing Engines (www.dougansracing.com) specializes in high performance engines for the top off-road competitions including the Best In the Desert and SCORE racing series. With over thirty-five years in the industry, Dougans offers high quality engine packages for trophy trucks, Class 1 trucks, and prerunners. We build complete engine packages that have gained a reputation in the racing world as consistent, powerful, dependable winners. Along with our engine packages, we provide dyno testing and personal track support to ensure that our customer’s needs are met all the way to the finish line. At Dougans Racing, customer satisfaction is our top priority and we strive to keep you running hard and winning races mile after mile.About Mad Media:
Mad Media (www.madmedia.com) is a San Diego based marketing and creative agency, with in-house film and television production. We craft authentic, culturally engaging brand messages, and deliver them across print, web, photography, and film platforms. Mad Media has been leading the online content revolution since 1995 producing major commercial, television, online content and viral film projects such as The Gymkhana Series and XP1K Series. -
LOORRS Heads to Utah for Rounds 5 & 6
Lucas Oil Off Road Racing leaves California and heads to Utah Motorsports Campus, formerly knows as Miller Motorsports Park, in Tooele, Utah on May 21 and 22, 2016. This is the seventh visit to the Utah track and it’s taking place a month earlier than in year’s past. This means it will be about 10 degrees cooler; perfect spectating weather to watch 900+ hp trucks battle door-to-door off jumps and big sweeping turns. This is the only time they come to Utah this season so there’s no excuse to miss out.
Rounds 5 and 6 are shaping up to be a must attend event. Highlights include a great track, three different grandstands to catch all of the action and open pits where you can get up close to all of the drivers for pictures and autographs. Recently added, the Young Dubliners will perform Saturday night after the racing action.
It is still early in the season so Utah could produce new contenders for the championship run. We might also see new drivers who moved up classes who are hungry for a win this year leave it all on the track. In short course racing, nothing is guaranteed. A dominant driver one year could struggle the next as evidenced by Kyle Leduc’s performance. Being early in the season still, he has plenty of time to turn that around in Utah.
PRO 4
Former champion Carl Renezeder has found his mojo again and placed himself on the top step of the podium in Round 4 and Bryce Menzies took the honor the round before. There are several other drivers who have been struggling but could win on any given weekend.
PRO 2
Bryce Menzies was stripped of his round three win after a DQ for contact after the checkered flag but came back in Round 4 to let everyone know he is not going away quietly. MacCachren, who took the Round 3 win, had problems in Round 4. RJ Anderson, a new driver to Pro 2, was battling to the end, finishing on the podium on Saturday and just missing out on Sunday. Anderson and MacCachren look to play spoilers for a Menzies Pro 2 championship.
PRO LITE
General Tire driver Jerett Brooks let the rest of the drivers in Pro Lite know that he is a serious contender for the championship in Lake Elsinore sweeping both rounds. Ryan Beat was banging on the door but could not get by Brooks and finished in the second spot both days. Brandon Arthur is another who won’t go out without a fight. He just missed the podium both days.
PRO BUGGY
Taylor Atchison is leading the points after four rounds but there are several racers like Garret George and Mike Valentine who are starting to show some consistency and could be taking over the points lead after Utah. Darren Hardesty will look to ruin the other’s chance at success as he gets his car figured out. -
PATRICK CLARK RACING Continues to set a great pace for the 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series
The season is quickly heating up for all competitors in the 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Patrick Clark started out with a rough opening round and was looking to push back this past weekend at Rounds 3&4 that took place at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park.
The stacked Pro2 class is the most anticipated race of each race weekend and with full stands from excited fans, they were all on the edge of their seats as the Pro2 class roared around the course preparing to take the green flag. (more…)
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RJ Anderson Captures Two Podium’s at Rounds 3 & 4
Drops Episode 2 “Earning A Spot” in the RJ37 Presented by Polaris RZR series
Riverside, CA 4/27/16 – RJ Anderson headed into rounds 3 & 4 of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series at Lake Elsinore, CA this past weekend tested and ready to compete. The RJ37 team entered the weekend prepared for anything with a goal of finishing on the podium in both rounds. Despite the usual race weekend challenges, the team met their goal taking home a 2nd & 3rd place finish, making a statement that RJ has the speed, the truck and the team to make a run for the 2016 Pro 2 championship. (more…)
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SPEED ENERGY AND STADIUM SUPER TRUCKS INTRODUCE INAUGURAL
“MIKE’S PEAK HILL CLIMB CHALLENGE”
First-Ever Hill Climb Race on Legendary Mike’s Sky Rancho To Bring World Class Racers to Baja in October 2016
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 26, 2016) – SPEED Energy and Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS today announced the inaugural Mike’s Peak Hill Climb Challenge at the legendary Mike’s Sky Rancho in Baja California, Mexico. In honor of 50 years of Baja Racing on the road to Mike’s, SST has partnered with the Ranch to invite all off-road vehicles – of the two, three or four wheeled varieties – to compete in this challenging hill climb competition.
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