JT Taylor #13 Torchmate Car adds BFGoodrich Tires and Azunia Tequila to Masthead
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO JANUARY 29, 2014 February 7th will mark the 8thgreen flag that JT Taylor has taken at Johnson Valley for what started as a small group of guys competing for a 6pack of beer in 2007, to a full blown week event with over 300 racers in the now Internationally known race: 2014 Griffin King of the Hammers presented by Nitto Tires. JT Taylor has notably driven the same car at 7 of the 8 events, with a 12th place finish in 2013. In 2011, he drove the Torchmate TTB car.JT Taylor has a couple of surprises in store for the 2014 season that he is ready to announce. ‘Ol Blue, which is the same car that he raced in the Original King of the Hammers in 2007 earning him an OG13 spot, will take on a new set of skins this year. The #13 Torchmate racer, that finished 12th in last years King of the Hammers, will now also host Azunia Tequila and BFGoodrich Tires. “I am so excited for this year. Putting on BFGoodrich Tires and partnering with Azunia Tequila is going to make this years season much different from years past,” said JT Taylor. “This year I will be racing ‘Ol Blue with the new graphics in Ultra4 and Dirt Riot, pit crewing for Jim Riley’s Azunia Tequila #6101 at BITD, Crew Chiefing for Mike Palmer at the SCORE Baja 1000 & 500 and co-driving for the BITD Parker 250. I will return as the Crew Chief for Brad Lovell in the TORC series, and last but certainly the most fun for me will be racing the NORRA Mexican 1000 and 500 in my new Class 11 car that I bought from Dirt Sports.”
Doug Nagy will jump into the co-driver seat for the third year at KOH. “We are a good team in the car, and we have a ton of fun while we are at it,” commented JT. The crew will be pre-running all week, then Thursday JT will Crew Chief Brad Lovell’s Legends Class effort, followed by a full prep on his car for Friday’s Race. JT will take his 8th green flag on Friday morning, the only one of 12 that can claim that.
“After many years of working with teams running BFGoodrich in the desert and short course, I am really proud to be part of the team,” said JT Taylor about moving to the BFG brand. “I will be running the 39” KRT-B at KOH and will be putting BFG Super Traction’s on the Bug for the NORRA Mexican 1000 & 500. Their support to all the teams is second to none. Being a Crew Chief I appreciate and respect BFG and their whole staff immensely.”
“Azunia Tequila, is well, the best tequila on the market, hands down. And beyond the tequila, Jim Riley and his commitment to the desert racing world is significant,” said JT Taylor. “I am proud to run the Azunia Tequila name on the car and am excited to help pit for Jim at the Best in the Desert races.”
JT Taylor will be on the lakebed to start pre-running for King of the Hammers on Sunday after co-driving in Mike Palmers Trophy Truck on Saturday at the BITD Bluewater Parker 450 race. He will be pitting with Brad and Roger Lovell in their AMSOIL / BFGoodrich Pit at 137 Spidertrax.
Many thanks are due to all of the companies and people who make every year of race effort possible: Torchmate, Azunia Tequila, BFGoodrich, Tube Shark, Raceline Wheels, Warn Winches, Power Tank, King Shocks, CTM Axles, Amsoil, Motive Gear, Howe Power Steering, JE Reel Driveshafts, Shirt Force, Crawlorado Graphics
About JT Taylor: JT Taylor is the epitome of “been there, done that”. A retired First Sergeant who returned from the Iraq conflict with a Bronze Star, Taylor uses the skills that he honed as a soldier to manage multiple racing teams needs. His strategic and mechanical capabilities have served him well in Crew Chief positions with Brad Lovell, winning the 2012 TORC pro light championship, Speed Technologies, Shannon Campbell, Dirt Sports, Chris Kemps Trophy truck, Mike Palmers Trophy truck and SuperLite #16 race teams. He was the Crew Chief for Speed Technologies 2008 Class 1 Baja 1000 win, 2009 Baja 500 Torchmate Racing finish, and co-drove and was crew for the 2009 Baja 1000 and the 2010 and 2011 NORRA 1000 win. It would be foolish to think that Taylor is only handy with a wrench, he is just as comfortable behind the wheel. JT Taylor is one of the original thirteen competitors of King of the Hammers who has raced every year, winning the 2011 Torchmate Stampede, placing 3rd at the 2011 Ultra4 Grand Prix and 12th at the 2013 King of the Hammers. JT Taylor consistently held a top ten position in XORRA for five years and is the two-year reigning champion of the XORRA Germany Series. He is the 3 time Colorado Hill Climb Association Ultra4 Champion and made history as the first Ultra4 competitor to run Pikes Peak, where he won the Exhibition class in 2010 and was 2nd in the Pikes Peak Open Class in 2011. JT Taylor added a 2012 NORRA 1000 win to his resume including the respect of being the first Rock Buggy to join the race. JT Taylor is the person you want on your team.
Photo Credit: Rise Above Photography
The post JT Taylor Only Racer to Take All 8 Green Flags for King of the Hammers appeared first on RockCrawler 4x4 and Offroad Magazine.
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