RCORP has tried very hard to keep our insurance costs low and cost effective. The time has come to increase our memberships due to increased insurance costs. We need to protect our park the correct way and by doing this comes with a cost. As a result, the following changes will be made to the fee schedule starting Jan 1, 2010:
The yearly membership fee will be $15.
The passenger fee will be $7. As before, when a passenger gets their membership, they do not pay the passenger fee that same day.
When the park opened in 2003, the membership fee was $10 and passenger fee $5. This is the first increase in these fees.
Everything else stays the same:
Driver fee $35
Frequent Driver Pass $125
Season Pass $300
Children 15 and younger are free.
We’d also like to announce a winter sale on the Frequent Driver Pass and Season Pass. Now through the end of January, 2010, the price of the Frequent Driver Pass will be $110 and the Season Pass will be $275. These are available for purchase at the office or contact me via pm or at lynn@rc4x4.org if you can’t get to the park.
Bruce and I thank everyone for your continued patronage. We have plans for improvements to the park in various stages of development, but such improvements require a lot of work and patience dealing with the landowner and government agencies. We think the time and effort is well worth it and hope all of you will think so too.
2010 Southern Missouri Off Road Ranch Qualifier Presented by Hammerking Productions
Live Coverage by Lance Clifford, Camo
Story and Photos by Nolen "Rock Midget" Grogan
This has been a banner year for Ultra4 racers wanting to compete in the 2011 King of the Hammers. Jeff Knoll and Dave Cole of Hammerking Productions have expanded the qualification events throughout the United States and Canada to put a qualifier within a days drive of anyone in the North America. Southern Missouri Off Road Ranch (SMORR) is the second stop in the KOH 2011 qualification events and the third and final stop for the new International Endurance Championships (IEC). The IEC is a point based race that combines King of the Hammers 2010, Rausch Creek Qualifier and SMORR. The racer with the most points after these three races will be the first ever IEC Champion. Being the last stop in this important point series was a major draw for some serious driving talent from around the country.
SMORR, is located in southern Missouri 45 minutes southeast of Springfield. SMORR has 930 acres of rolling rocky hills, with beautiful hardwood trees and flowing water. Having had the pleasure of wheeling some of the major private parks in the country, I can honestly say that the facilities at SMORR are the nicest I have ever seen. The main camp is equipped with everything from a full restaurant to air conditioned showers, camper hookups and bathrooms. These beautiful facilities are a wonderful compliment to an incredible network of well marked trails and roads that make SMORR one of the premier four wheeling destinations in the country. One of the best things about SMORR and the KOH Qualifier was the way SMORR owner Brandon Powell laid out the race course. Beginning and ending in the main camp, plus throwing in some extremely spectator friendly choke points made watching and covering this event a breeze. With the race course running next to and around the main gravel road, all of the spectators were able to take stock 4x4 vehicles into the deepest parts of the track without getting in the way of the racers. The course design was a mix of tight wooded trails, steep wet ledges and short go-fast sections that saw top speeds of 75 mph!
When the green flag dropped, we were waiting in the woods just 1/2 mile into the course where a fallen tree, steep ledge and a large stump made a natural tight spot that would surely entice the racers to try for a pass early on. Jeff Knoll told me to be there when the flag dropped and I would not be disappointed. As is usually the case, Jeff was spot on! Having roped off an easy bypass, the racers were either going to shift into low range and run straight up the ledge or try to stay in high and bounce around the stump.
Brandon David and Mike Colville duke it out
Levi Shirley making the pass
From there we loaded up the Rhino and headed across the park to watch the action on Double Whammy. Along the way, we watched racers coming out of a tight, wooded section and splashing through some Missouri mud!
Travis Watford pitches his Jim's Garage buggy into a tight turn
Shawn Fisher points directly at the mud and mats it!
The Bluetorch Fab buggy looks like a boat plowing through the deep muddy water
After this group passed, we arrived at Double Whammy for some of the best action of the day. Race leader (at the time) Rosco Rietdorf was plugging the left side of Double Whammy, blocking the only relatively dry line. Just then, Lucas Murphy tries to run up his left side and was also unable to get the needed traction. Both co drivers dive out and the winch race was on!
Lucas Murphy's Warn 8274 won the race!
Once Lucas cleared the way, Eric Miller high marked the trail and literally skipped passed Rosco as they searched the ground for their window net rod.
Derek West hunts for traction on the right side while Miller, Rosco and Murphy clog the line
When the line on Double Whammy was clear, the racers like Richie Keller below just launched up the left side staying high enough so the rear tire does not slide across the last ledge.
When the drivers did not carry enough speed up the hill, carnage almost always ensued. Word is Matt Overton and Levi Shirley had "rolls of the day" here that we will all be able to see when Speed airs the show on TV!
Mike Coleville does not carry enough speed on his first try on lap 3 and gets tippy!
We then took advantage of the excellent feeder road and headed over to Adventure Hill.
Brian Shirley enters the bottom of Adventure Hill running hard and making holes with his Trepadors
After 2 or 3 laps, most of the racers came up with a strategy for the deep ruts on Adventure Hill. Some racers hung to the right and floored the accelerator and bounced right up. Some started in the middle and ended up on the left. Finally, some racers nosed up the the ledge and jumped out and used the winch.
Rob Usnick winches the ledge on left
Erik Miller really struggled on this line. He tried the left and was in the process of running over a winching Shawn Fisher when Levi Shirley flew by on the left and spanked it. Miller backed up and followed Levi's lead and made the dirt fly all the way to the top.
The action on Adventure Hill was non-stop. Being the only on-course checkpoint, it was great viewing from here because you could check with the time keepers and see what lap people were on. While I was there, Lucas Murphy and Mike Coleville all came through on their 3rd and 4th laps while some racers were just making their 2nd laps! It was really amazing to see how fast the race leaders were making the laps. I think most of the pace setters were running 30-40 minute laps.
Derek West using all 50* of his Spidertrax steering to work his way up Adventure Hill. On his last lap, Derek rolled completely and landed on his wheels.
From Adventure Hill, we rode out watching the action on each side of the access road. We passed both Shannon Campbell and Loren Healy as they reentered the race after they had to drive back to the pits for repair. Although this was not exactly in the pre-plan for the race, Jeff and Dave wanted to make sure these racers that drove so far to race were able to get back on course. Both the "Kings" drove like they were possessed to try to work their way back to the top of the pack after loosing so much time in the pits.
Shannon Campbell tearing up the tight wooded track
Matt Enochs lays it down
One of the only real fast sections of the course was in the first mile. Racers drifted hard into the straight-away and hammered down. It was awesome being passed by the racers at speeds up to 75 miles per hour.
Ritchie Keller making dust
Cody Keller staying in the game
Shannon Campbell was untouchable in the speed sections
Travis Cook starting his 5th lap running hard in his brand new Lovell Chassis
After the race leaders passed us for their 6th and final lap, we all headed back to the finish line to watch them come across for the checkered flag. Because of the lap race format, all of us had heard the 20 racers all day and had gotten pretty good at recognizing their exhaust note. It helped a ton since no race numbers were visible through the caked-on Missouri mud. First to cross the line was Massachusetts racer, Lucas Murphy. Lucas drives a home-built buggy that is a bit too tall and a bit too narrow, with parts borrowed from here and there. That said, the combination of a tough, race-proven vehicle and superb driving ability allowed Lucas to edge out fellow north easterner Erik Miller for the win. Just behind these two was Mike Coleville who drove the entire course with his left hand in a cast! Rosco and Richie Keller rounded out the top 5 respectively, all crossing the finish line with very close times.
Lucas Murphy getting the checked flag from Dave Cole
DANVILLE, CA JULY 12, 2010 BFGoodrich has opened up a competition among its sponsored drivers to see who will be the lucky driver of the Wide Open Excursion (WOE) car for the 2010 SCORE Baja 1000. Jason Scherer, the 2009 King of the King of the Hammers, is in the hunt to add the Baja 1000 to his resume. The “Win a seat in WOE Challenge Car at Baja 1000” is the opportunity that Jason Scherer has been looking for to finally add the Baja 1000 to his racing career. “It has been a race that I have always wanted to drive in, and if BFGoodrich can give me that opportunity, then I am going to take it!” said Scherer. “Please go to the Nation of Go website and vote for me, it will be a great experience!”
Jason Scherer has stood on the podium at most events winning one of the most prestigious events: 2009 King of the Hammers. His consistency and race car set-up is also proven winning the Pro-Rock Championship in 2006, repeating in 2007. Jason’s growing list of high profile finishes have earned him the honor of being nominated for Dirt Sports “Driver of the Year” award two years in a row and Scherer is a Team BFGoodrich driver for 4 years in a row, an honor reserved for those who embody the image and determination to be the best. Scherer embraces his racing career with a very supportive wife and daughter who join him on the trails of Northern California.
BFGoodrich has raced the SCORE Baja 1000 for 34 years in order to prove the extreme capability their tires. “The Baja T/A tire may grab the headlines, but a majority of our wins come from racers who compete with tires that are available off-the-shelf. That off-road BFGoodrich tire on your truck has won the SCORE Baja 1000,” said Roberts Kukainis, Motorsports Manager, BFGoodrich Tires. Each year, BFGoodrich teams compete on a variety of tires, including the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO Tire, BFGoodrich® Baja T/A® tire and BFGoodrich® Baja T/A®KR tire. BFGoodrich Tires also supported the entire Baja Challenge Class with Mud-Terrain T/A®KM2 tires.
VOTE FOR JASON SCHERER: http://www.nationofgo.com/forums/?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3a793a6efd-1a75-49d3-9a4a-12b103eb7bc1Forum%3a07d6fd3e-7fac-43bd-a9cb-1b47b5b9fd79Discussion%3abf741759-c89b-41e2-b673-e4d27e5ad731
Sponsors: The Pelican Group, BFGoodrich Tires, IronClad Energy and Performance Wear, High Angle Driveline, PowerTank, High Performance Air Systems, Beard Seats, Shaffer’s Off-Road, www.Pirate4×4.com, AEM Filters, Red Line Synthetic Oil, ARB USA, CTM Racing
Posted on 07.14.10 by Charlene, Filed under Press Releases, and Tagged With:vorra
RENO,NV July 14, 2010: The fifth race of the 8 race series is this weekend in Fallon, NV. The desert heat of the day will be a minor issue as the night race falls under a half moon Saturday July 17th. The avid VORRA desert racers will take on the second half of the season where the overall points battle for the top 3 is within 6 points and every race to the end will matter.
The weekend will kick off at Stockman’s Casino where fans can see the vehicles and meet the drivers at tech and contingency on Friday night from 5pm to 9pm. On Saturday, the race takes a green flag at the Salt Wells gravel pit 15 minutes East of Fallon off Historic Highway 50.
“The Fallon 250 is the only night race held in the VORRA series, and is one we look forward to every year,” said Wes Harbor, VORRA Director. The course is a 41 mile loop that pro drivers must complete 6 times to finish within the allotted 8 hours. Quads will start at 2:30pm and should be clear of the course before the Classes 9, 11 and UTV’s start at 6pm, and the larger cars and trucks start at 7pm with the finish line closing at 3am. “If you finish this race on Saturday, you probably won the race,” laughed Harbor.
Car and truck drivers should have 2 full laps in daylight and the remaining 4 in the dark desert night. Drivers will be dependent on their pick of lights and will surely test their driving skills. The Nevada desert can be brutal in any race with the rocks and silt, but given the added challenge of half moon shadows and jack rabbits, this will be a blockbuster race for sure.
The class races are very close, and finishing one race well could knock off the current leaders. The battle for the Overall “Bragging Rights” will also be fought at every finish for the rest of the season. Patrick Timmons in Class 10 leads the points with 297, Sam Berri in Class 1 (defending his 2009 title) is not far behind at 293, and Mike Koenig in Group T is just 6 points off at 291. Ultra4 is 10 points back in its first season in the VORRA series, so anything could happen.
VORRA is in its 35th year of producing high quality yet affordable racing while also creating fun events around the race making it a great place to have friends and family enjoy a warm summer evening spectating or competing. The starting line grid is already shaping up with many of the VORRA family pre-registered. This race is a great opportunity to bring your desert racer, UTV or ATV out to race, be sure to pre-register today.
May 28 – 31, 2010 Desert Race – 300 Miles COMPLETED
JUNE 17-20, 2010 Xtreme Outlaws 250 COMPLETED
July 16 – 18, 2010 Desert Night Race – 250 Miles Fallon, NV
September 4 – 6, 2010 Desert Race – 225 Miles Hawthorne, NV
October 9 – 10, 2010 Short Course Prairie City, CA
October 30 – 31, 2010 Short Course – Halloween BBQ Prairie City, CA
November 13th, 2010 Awards Banquet TBA
** ATV’s are racing Saturday at the first two short course events, more dates TBA.
Valley Off Road Racing Association (VORRA) was established in 1975 as a family-oriented organization and is led by current promoter Wes Harbor who believes that “off road racing has its roots in people’s garages”. VORRA is the only organization to offer both four short course races and four desert races as part of its overall season championship. Each race draws over 60 racers between multiple classes available for Cars, Trucks, Pilots, ATV, UTV and Trophy Karts. In 2010 VORRA has added two additional truck classes and a stand alone ATV Race Series. More information can be found at www.vorra.net
10:00 am – 12pm Late Registration & Tech Inspection for Cars & Trucks – Start/Finish Area
12pm – COURSE CLOSED FOR INSPECTION
1pm Drivers Meeting – Start/Finish Area
2:30pm Quads Start of Race (4 hr time limit)
6pm Class 9, 11, UTV Start of Race (9 hr time limit)
7m Cars & trucks Start of Race (8 hr time limit)
Sunday, July 18th
11:00 am – Awards Presentation at Stockman’s Casino
Everyone at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park is excited to bring the news of "new land" to you. That's right, we are adding 1,250 acres to your wheeling pleasure starting in April (or sooner). RC has been able to work out a deal to use 1,250 acres across the street from our current location. This land has been used on a part-time basis for high speed racing. The master plan is to start cutting trails in the woods and adding a ton of additional mileage to the park's trail network. This area has some features that we don't have on our normal area (long hill climbs, washouts, open mud pit areas and much more). Part of this area will be closed from time to time for our RCrocs races and other events but these dates will be listed on our website ahead of time.
Now hear me out please!!!! With this increased land there is a cost. If you choose to wheel on this new area there will be a $10 fee to venture to the new 1,250 acres. To acquire this land there was a cost to RC and so that is why it is passed along to you the wheelers. So it is real simple. When you check in each day there is the normal fee of $35 for the current land we use or $45 for the current land and the added 1,250 acres.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO JUNE 30, 2010 - JT Taylor is the first ever Rock Racer allowed to compete in the world renowned Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. JT Taylor competed in the Exhibition class and took first place with a time of 14 minutes 7 seconds, and a top speed of 86mph. “I am so excited to be a part of this race, and then to have the fastest time in the class is awesome. If I could send in my entry fee for next year today, I would!” smiled JT Taylor.
Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb commenced on June 27, 2010 in Colorado Springs, CO after a week long practice and a fan appreciation day. The race itself is 12.42 miles long with 156 turns as it goes from 9,390 feet to the summit at 14,110 ft. “We got to practice the top section yesterday, the bottom section today and the middle section tomorrow,” said JT Taylor midweek. “Matt Magliacano, my co-pilot, and I are getting the communication down on the turns, and we found that cutting the corners takes out tires. We had to replace one of our Goodyear Tires, so we won’t be doing that during the race!”
Friday was host to the Fan Fest day where 30 thousand people came through to see the fastest qualifiers, racers and industry products. JT Taylor took his Tube Shark/Torchmate Rock Racer and put it on display with a Tube Shark Tube Bender and a Torchmate 2×2 Table. “We had lines of people wanting to ask us questions about all three, the positive response to us being there was overwhelming,” said JT Taylor.
When Sunday came it was time to race. “After running the course in sections, I think the best part was finally getting to run the whole course together at one time without stopping,” JT Taylor remembers. One of the biggest challenges drivers face is the altitude, as the air thins, it robs the vehicle of 30% of its power and also slows the reflexes of the driver, so just finishing this race is an accomplishment in itself. There were broken vehicles all over the mountain, and JT Taylor just missed hitting the vehicle ahead of him who had spun out.
The biggest challenge was the transitions from asphalt to dirt. “It was hard because on the asphalt you’re sticking and then as soon as you hit the dirt you are sliding,” commented JT Taylor. “This race was an absolute blast. The only thing that I can equate it to is crossing the finish line in Baja, it isn’t nearly as long, but it has its own set of obstacles.”
JT Taylor would like to specifically thank the organizers of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for allowing the Tube Shark/Torchmate Rock Racer to compete and accomplish another life-long goal.
Next Race:
XORRA Jellico, TN ; July 17-18, 2010
XORRA Cortez, CO ; August 7-8, 2010
Colorado Hill climb Association Lands End Hill Climb ; August 14-15, 2010
About JT Taylor : JT Taylor has accomplished multiple racing career successes across multiple disciplines of racing including maintaining a top ten position in XORRA for five years running and is the two year reigning champion of the XORRA Germany Series. He is the Colorado Hill Climb Association Ultra4 Champion, made history as the first Ultra4 to run Pikes Peak and won the Exhibition class, and is one of the Original 13 competitors of King of the Hammers who has raced every year including 2010 and 2011 with Roger Norman on his team. His strategic and mechanical capabilities allow him key Crew Chief rolls with Speed Technologies, Torchmate, Shannon Campbell and Dirt Sports race teams. He was the Crew Chief for Speed Technologies 2008 Class 1 Baja 1000 win, 2009 Baja 500 Torchmate team, and co-drove and was crew for the 2009 Baja 1000 and 2010 NORRA 1000, and consistently pit crews for Speed Technologies SuperLite #16 in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. JT Taylor realizes his dreams everyday as a retired First Sergeant who served in Iraq and returned with a Bronze Star. He has been featured in multiple magazines and websites for his great accomplishments on and off the track.
EL DORADO, CA MAY 12, 2010: The CalROCs third season will start this weekend, May 15th and 16th, at a new event site local to Reno, NV. With four courses running each day starting at 10am, and over 40 competitors, there are 160 high action spots to watch with no shortage of carnage, rollovers, and incredible displays of driving talent.
The natural rock formations in the Reno area aid to the excitement with steep climbs, vertical drop offs, and tight technical sections. The CalROCS series attracts competitors from the entire western region with some of the wildest, coolest and perhaps weirdest looking vehicles you have ever seen, from fairly stock looking jeeps to incredible “Moon Buggies”.
The competition was stiff in 2009 where four out of the five classes came down to the last day to determine the 2009 Championship Titles. It has already been confirmed that all of last years champions will be returning to defend their title including Brian Whitford in the Pro Mod class, Dan Patterson in the Stock class, Mike Bou in the Full Body class, Derek Trent in the Super Mod class and Brent Bradshaw in the Unlimited class.
The amphitheater gives spectators the ability to watch virtually all the rock courses from one location and also the Freestyle Moto-X that will be taking place. Monster truck rides will be available along with food and vendors, making it a great day outside for the family.
If the big rock crawlers aren’t enough, CalROCs has also set up a Radio Controlled Rock Crawling course that is open to the public to compete in. Space is limited so be sure to contact CalROCs of your intent to ensure a position at the starting gate.
Admission is $15 per day for adults, kids 8-15 are $5, and kids 7 and under are free. More information on all the CalROCs events is available at www.calrocs.com.
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2010 Event Dates/Locations:
May 15th-16th Reno, Nevada
June 5th-6th Reno, Nevada
July 10th-11th Donner Ski Ranch
August 21st-22nd Donner Ski Ranch
Directions to Reno Events: From Reno take I-80 East to Patrick Exit (Exit 28), bear right, onto Waltham Way, Turn RT onto Wildhorse Canyon Dr. (Address: 410 Wildhorse Canyon Dr, McCarran NV 89434)
Directions to Donner Events: From Sacramento take I-80 East to the Soda Springs/Norden Exit, stay right to 19320 Donner Pass Rd. (Address: s 19320 Donner Pass Rd, Norden CA 95724)
Sponsors:
BF Goodrich, Trail Tough Products of Oregon, Hall Style, ORI (Off Road Innovations of Reno), Raceline Wheels, South Shore Bail Bonds, POWERTANK, WFO Concepts, Pirate4×4.com, CTM Racing, Graphix Inc, Performance Automotive Group, Summit Racing, Trail Gear, Ruff Stuff, CKRC Crawlers, Laborers Local 185
About CalROCS
CalROCS is a grassroots rock crawling series that originated in Northern California’s intense natural rock formations and is sanctioned by W.E. Rock. The 2010 series consists of four events between Reno, NV and Donner Ski Ranch, CA. There are five classes to compete in: Stock Class, Full Body Class, Pro-Mod Buggy Class, Super Mod Class and Unlimited Class. All events also include Radio Controlled Rock Crawling Competitions and other event features.
For more information, visit www.calrocs.com
For Information on the series or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Glenn Bonner at <??> 530-391-2580 530-391-2580 (cell), <??> 530-620-7174 530-620-7174 (home) or Kurtis Harryman at <??> 530-329-2847 530-329-2847
Pirate4x4TV Live! - May Edition is Tomorrow! Hosted by Camo & Charlene Tuesday May 11th
6pm - 8pm PST
Watch LIVE at this link: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tv/live.php
(If you can't tune in live, we will have the recorded show along with a podcast on iTunes up next week!)
Highlights Include:
Derek West winner of Rausch Creek
Justin Hall from Crawlin' For Crohn's
Eddie Casanueva from SpiderTrax
Glenn Bonner from CalROCs
We go inside Advance Adaptors for a shop tour
Head to Baja for the NORRA 1000
Experience "coal dust" at the Rausch Creek Qualifier
Annouce winner of YummyJerky.com's giveaway
2010 Rausch Creek Qualifier Presented by Quadratec
Coverage by Lance Clifford, Camo, and Charlene Bower
A 9:00am staging time brings the welcome sound of idling engines from the pits up to the starting area for a 10:00am start. It is a perfect day for us West Coast folks to speak highly of the East Coast weather. Beautiful blue skies with fluffy clouds and a horizon of spectacular green trees. “Are there mountains out there or is it all flat, I can’t tell from up here?” I asked “Yes, there are but all the trees make it look flat!” The black mud is actually wet coal, and the coal dust deposited more samples into our lungs that autopsies will question later.
Two cars at a time would leave the starting line in one minute intervals. Lining up on the front line after Thursday's qualifying, was Derek West and the King, Loren Healy. This was going to be a drag race to the first turn, only about 100 yards away. Dave Cole yelled out, “Five, four, three, two, one” and the green flag dropped on the second running of the Rausch Creek Qualifier race. Peeling out, throwing dirt and rocks, West and Healy left the line side by side with Healy edging out West into the first corner. Next up was Will Carter and Lucas Murphy, followed by the rest of amazing drivers and first timers as 17 green flags were waved and the field of 33 racers hit the course.
The course consisted of 4 17 mile laps which needed to be completed before 6:00PM in order to be considered an official finisher. In addition to $5,000 for first place, there would also be 10 qualifying spots available for the 2011 Griffin King of the Hammers. Some wanted to win, some wanted to qualify by placing in the top 10, and some were just plain happy with taking the checkered flag.
On lap one everyone was sorting themselves out pretty well. Some hadn’t had the opportunity to pre-run and others knew the course well. West, Healy and Murphy were going strong at the opening, but with it being an adjusted time race, we had to continue to pay attention to the back of the pack and who was making the moves up the ladder. It isn’t always the first one to cross the finish line that wins, as we all know from past history! Derek West had the physical lead for the entire race except for a couple of miles when Lucas Murphy took it in the second lap. Murphy didn’t stay there long when he ended up taking a tree head on…the tree won. After changing a flat tire and some McGuyvering, and he was back up and running again.
As the laps passed it became clearer that there was a battle within the top 6 spots as they continuously juggled for position the whole time. Derek West, Eric Miller, Doug Bigelow, Loren Healy, Lucas Murphy and Chris Ridgway all wanted to be on the top of the podium!
Chris Ridgway, driving Dave Cole's IFS car, had a great race making it all the way into first place in adjusted time. While in the lead on the final lap, Chris suffered a podium robbing flat tire. The flat cost him a few minutes, and then the engine went into limp mode due to electrical issues. Ridgway chugged along to finish 6th and qualify into the 2011 King of the Hammers.
Eric Miller is one we may have to start watching out for, after a 5th place finish at the 2010 King of the Hammers, he started in the 16th position in row 8 and physically crossed the finish line second. With no issues to speak of, the East Coaster took second place coming in 10 minutes behind Derek West on adjusted time.
Doug Bigelow showed up to the staging area on Thursday with no team, no sleep to speak of and got talked into doing the qualifying run. After flipping his car in the mud during qualifying, he ended up with the 19th starting position. He too would work his way up the field in his single seat buggy to take 3rd place, only 2 minutes behind Eric Miller.
Loren Healy had the second fastest time in the qualifier, after just unloading the rig to race. The two Jimmy’s 4x4 rigs lined up on the starting line Friday morning was a sight to see, knowing that both 4400 cars were going to get after it! Loren kept a great pace all through the race, and again it came down to the final lap where he had a flat tire that took him out of contention. The trees really did a number on all of the drivers!
At last year's Rausch Creek Qualifier, the drama happened at the end with Rob Usnick crossing the finish line just in the nick of time and qualifying for the 2010 King of the Hammers. This year, it was a similar story. A laundry list of problems, a trip to the auto parts store during the race, and a solid attitude got him across the finish line at 5:59:10pm. Yes, literally less than one minute before the end of the race, Usnick took his first ever "official finish", but will still need to qualify for the 2011 King of the Hammers.
As usual the determination of the entire class of 33 vehicles on the course makes me smile. Duct tape, zip ties, bailing wire, vise grips, co-dawgs running by to get to the pits, welding, tire plugs, and trips to the auto parts store were all within the confines of the racing environment. Never give up they say!
Congratulations to all the teams that took the checkered flag on Friday morning, and especially to Derek West for a spectacular win. The East Coast boys welcomed the West Coast contenders and I think it is fair to say that the West Coast would like to lay claim the state of Missouri (West's home state!)
End Of Day Recap Video:
Full Interviews:
2010 Rausch Creek Qualifier Presented by Quadratec
Coverage by Lance Clifford, Camo, and Charlene Bower
Johnson Valley is a great place. It's wide open, it's wild, it's extreme. The one thing I truly hate about JV is the wind. When we pulled into Rausch Creek Off Road Park this morning, I had flashbacks of tent destroying Johnson Valley winds as the unformidable Pennsylvania wind welcomed our arrival.
Wind, snow or rain, the show must go on. Charlene and I rolled our eyes, and decided the best spot for our coverage would be perched on top of a rickety scaffolding in the 25-30mph winds. I could tell that she wasn't really feeling confident in our coverage spot. I reminded her that she is not entitled to worker's comp if she were to fall off the scaffold, so she better keep her damn balance!
Today's event was all about starting position. Taken from the pages of BITD desert racing, Hammerking Productions and Rausch Creek Off Road Park setup a 1 mile qualifying course to determine who would get pole position tomorrow in the big race. Whoever finished the qualifying course the fastest today would be first off the line tomorrow. So the big question this morning was, "who will be the fastest? East Coast or West Coast?"
21 drivers (out of 33) elected to run the qualifying course today. They lined up for a "parade lap" around the course, to get familiar with the jumps and corners before hitting it at full speed. Once everyone completed the parade lap, it was time to get it awn!
One by one, the racers hit the course with gusto. Some planned to hit it with everything they had, and some elected to play it conservative. At the very end of the course was a tricky hole with a side hill and breakover. When driven conservatively, it was a rather easy spot. When driven under the pressure of the clock, it bit many drivers.
Doug Bigelow, the very first racer on the course, had a smooth run until he got to the "hole of doom". He knew the hole was nasty, but with the goal of setting a fast time, was off his line a few inches and ended up on his side in the soupy mess. Doug wasn't the only one - check out our video highlight clip to see a few guys put it over in the "hole of doom"! (video is currently processing, and should be up soon).
After the dust settled it was clear who had brought their "A" game today. Derek West, from Missouri, set a blistering fast pole position time of 1:26.4. Only 9 seconds behind him was none other than the King, Mr. Loren Healy at 1:35.4. Finishing out the top three was Will Carter who never had a chance to pre run the qualifying course!
Contact: Jeff Knoll
Phone: 951 223 1674
Email: events.kohammers@gmail.com
April 28th, 2010
Second stop in the Ultra4 International Endurance championship series.
West Chester, PA, April 20, 2010
Quadratec, the worldwide leader in direct-to-consumer replacement tops
and accessories for Jeep Wrangler vehicles, is proud to announce sponsorship of the Rausch Creek Qualifying round for the 2011 "Griffin King of the Hammers" Competition, scheduled for May 7th, 2010. Broadcast live on Pirate4x4.com.
Round two of the Ultra4 International Endurance Championship storms into Pennsylvania for the Quadratec Rausch Creek Qualifier. Nearly fifty specialized 4 wheel drive vehicles known as Ultra4 cars will race against the clock on extremely varied and difficult terrain in an attempt to qualify for the 5th running of the Griffin King of the Hammers. The 60-mile racecourse will feature multiple laps, allowing spectators a chance to witness the action up-close from different sections of the Rausch Creek Off-road Park throughout the day. Speeds will vary from slow, technical rock crawling to high-speed rally. Teams from as far away as California and Canada are expected to participate in the event Friday, May 7th, 2010.
About Quadratec
Since 1990, Quadratec's mission is to deliver expert advice and guaranteed lowest prices to enthusiasts of the legendary Jeep® CJ & Wrangler each and every day. From classic/historic Jeep vehicles, to the current day 2010 JK Wrangler, Quadratec stocks over 15 million dollars worth of on-the-shelf inventory, and Quadratec has 3 warehouse locations that are each ready to ship. For more information please visit www.quadratec.com .
About Hammerking Productions, Inc.
Hammerking Productions, Inc. created the "King of the Hammers" Ultra4 off-road race in 2007 (www.kingofthehammers.com) and released its first full-length feature film in 2008. Since its inception, the King of the Hammers franchise has grown to include a regional qualifier network across the United States and Canada. Hammerking Productions has produced event coverage for Spike TV, Speed TV and is in post-production of its third full feature film, "Anarchy". The King of the Hammers event draws 50,000 spectators, and has grown to include over 100,000 fans worldwide. "King of the Hammers" is largely known for being the toughest one-day off-road race on the planet. It attracts teams from around the world and has been the focus of international media coverage. The event is held each February in the Johnson Valley OHV area in Southern California.
About Rausch Creek Off-Road Park
Located 453 Molleystown Rd. Tremont, PA, Rausch Creek Off-Road Park is devoted to providing a fun, legal place for 4x4 off road clubs and organizations to go "wheeling". The park consists of 1,700 acres of easy, intermediate, and hard trails. Rocks, bowls, hills, the glacial "Rock Creek", club friendly trails, and free on-site camping combine to make Rausch Creek a unique 4x4 destination. For more information, please visit www.rauschcreekoffroadpark.org .
Posted on 04.27.10 by Lance, Filed under Press Releases, and Tagged With:
Chino Valley, Arizona - Trail Master’s 4.5-inch Flex-Joint Suspension System for the 2007-present Jeep Wrangler JK, is one of the best and simplest ways to lift and improve your Jeep’s off-road performance and reliability. The suspension system, #J4615 (2dr models) and #J4616 (4dr models) can be used with 37-inch tall tires and is manufactured from .250-wall steel tubing. Trail Master’s Flex-Joint technology provides superior strength and extended life over standard polyurethane and Heim-joint bushings.
Trail Master’s 4.5-inch Flex-Joint Suspension System
This lift system is strong, but the Jeep’s factory Rezepa driveshafts are weak, so Trail Master includes heavy-duty front and rear drive shafts, U-joints and yokes that replace the factory shafts. The kit is also available without the driveshafts, kit #J4611 if you’ve already made this upgrade. The Jeep JK 4.5-inch Flex-Joint kit also comes with longer, Kevlar-lined, front and rear steel braided brake lines, and includes the company’s SSV shocks, which continuously adjust to various types of terrain and road conditions for a smooth ride.
Trail Master’s Flex Joint systems are tested under the most extreme conditions and are manufactured in the U.S.A. For more information on this product or the complete line of Trail Master suspension systems, contact Trail Master Suspension, P.O. Box 3450, Chino Valley, AZ 86323, (928) 636-7080 (928) 636-7080. Visit them on the web at www.p-a-g.net. See our latest videos on our YouTube page. Find out more on our Blog, or see what’s happening with us on Twitter
Second stop in the Ultra4 International Endurance championship series.
West Chester, PA, April 20, 2010: Quadratec, the worldwide leader in direct-to-consumer replacement tops and accessories for Jeep Wrangler vehicles, is proud to announce sponsorship of the Rausch Creek Qualifying round for the 2011 “Griffin King of the Hammers” Competition, scheduled for May 7th, 2010. Broadcast live on Pirate4×4.com.
Round two of the Ultra4 International Endurance Championship storms into Pennsylvania for the Quadratec Rausch Creek Qualifier. Nearly fifty specialized 4 wheel drive vehicles known as Ultra4 cars will race against the clock on extremely varied and difficult terrain in an attempt to qualify for the 5th running of the Griffin King of the Hammers. The 60-mile racecourse will feature multiple laps, allowing spectators a chance to witness the action up-close from different sections of the Rausch Creek Off-road Park throughout the day. Speeds will vary from slow, technical rock crawling to high-speed rally. Teams from as far away as California and Canada are expected to participate in the event Friday, May 7th, 2010.
About Quadratec
Since 1990, Quadratec’s mission is to deliver expert advice and guaranteed lowest prices to enthusiasts of the legendary Jeep® CJ & Wrangler each and every day. From classic/historic Jeep vehicles, to the current day 2010 JK Wrangler, Quadratec stocks over 15 million dollars worth of on-the-shelf inventory, and Quadratec has 3 warehouse locations that are each ready to ship. For more information please visit www.quadratec.com .
About Hammerking Productions, Inc.
Hammerking Productions, Inc. created the “King of the Hammers” Ultra4 off-road race in 2007 (www.kingofthehammers.com) and released its first full-length feature film in 2008. Since its inception, the King of the Hammers franchise has grown to include a regional qualifier network across the United States and Canada. Hammerking Productions has produced event coverage for Spike TV, Speed TV and is in post-production of its third full feature film, “Anarchy”. The King of the Hammers event draws 50,000 spectators, and has grown to include over 100,000 fans worldwide. “King of the Hammers” is largely known for being the toughest one-day off-road race on the planet. It attracts teams from around the world and has been the focus of international media coverage. The event is held each February in the Johnson Valley OHV area in Southern California.
About Rausch Creek Off-Road Park
Located 453 Molleystown Rd. Tremont, PA, Rausch Creek Off-Road Park is devoted to providing a fun, legal place for 4×4 off road clubs and organizations to go “wheeling”. The park consists of 1,700 acres of easy, intermediate, and hard trails. Rocks, bowls, hills, the glacial “Rock Creek”, club friendly trails, and free on-site camping combine to make Rausch Creek a unique 4×4 destination. For more information, please visit www.rauschcreekoffroadpark.org .
The Promotion Co, Inc. – Family Events, based in Indianapolis, is to add the Off-Road Expo in Pomona, California to its 4-wheel and off-road production portfolio. Lucas Oil is to sponsor the Off-Road Expo, the largest off-road public/trade show in the country.
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Promotion Company, Inc. – Family Events of Indianapolis, Indiana announces that it has acquired the Off-Road Expo from Advanstar Communications. The Off-Road Expo is the nation’s largest off-road public/trade show. Family Events also announces that Lucas Oil Company has signed a long-term name-in-title sponsor arrangement of the event. The 11th Annual Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo will be held on October 8-10 at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds Fairplex in Pomona, California.
The Promotion Company – Family Events brings over 28 years of 4-wheel and off-road show production experience to the Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo. C. Bruce Hubley, owner of The Promotion Company – Family Events said, “We are delighted that we have reached an agreement with Advanstar Communications to acquire the Off-Road Expo. This event has proven to be the ultimate off-road show for consumers, manufacturers and dealers. We have long admired the fantastic job that Advanstar’s team has done in building the event. We intend to continue the highly-successful format of the show. We’ve been in the 4-wheel and off-road market for over 28 years with our 4-Wheel and Off-Road Jamborees in the Midwest. We know that successful events like the Off-Road Expo don’t need a lot of changes. With our acquisition, we plan to listen, learn, and then build on that success. Plus, we’re thrilled to announce that Lucas Oil is coming on board with us. It’s all just a perfect fit.”
Joe Loggia, CEO of Advanstar Communications said, “We have built a successful event over the last 5 years, and now believe that Off-Road Expo will flourish with the deep market knowledge and experience of The Promotion Company – Family Events. Combining their highly capable operation with this newly acquired strong presence in the West should assure the attendees and exhibitors that the Off-Road Expo will continue to be the biggest and best of its kind for years to come.”
Bob Patison, Executive Vice President-Lucas Oil Products said, “We are so pleased to sponsor what will now be called the Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo. It puts our name on the foremost consumer and trade event for the off-road industry. We have enjoyed our ongoing sponsorships with Family Events on some outstanding marketing opportunities in Pro-pulling, motorcycle racing, Monster Trucks, and more. We are happy to now be able to share our love of off-road with this major show in California.”
Greg Adler, CEO and President of 4Wheel Parts and a top off-road racer said, “This is a great strategic purchase for Bruce and his group, plus it puts the show in good hands. This should be a winning combination. We have sponsored the 4-Wheel Jamborees for the last five years; and these guys get it. They really know how to promote and produce an off-road event.”
The Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo brings together enthusiasts and all the latest must-have off-road vehicles and accessories they love in a one-stop dream extravaganza. For the hundreds of exhibitors, the event is America’s most important venue to put their hottest new products and services on display for a passionate crowd of thousands. In addition to demonstration runs by every type of off-road vehicle, contests, live entertainment, and off-road celebrity drivers, The Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo exhibitors will offer show-only special discount prices on an endless variety of off-road parts, accessories, and innovative new products
Attica Indiana – April 28th, 2010 - Badlands Off-Road Park in Attica, Indiana will host the Ultimate Motorsports Championship (UMC) and Last Chance East Coast Ultra4 King of the Hammers Qualifier on October 2, 2010. UMC promises a full day of excitement featuring multiple forms of off-road motorsports, all in one day, and all at one location.
A key event in the Midwest XC Racing Series, the event will include top riders in cross-country ATV and motorcycle racing. UMC will also host the final race in the five race TREC series. The final race of the day will also be the last opportunity for Ultra4 racers on the east coast to qualify for the 2011 Griffin King of the Hammers in California. Teams will compete in specialized 4-wheel drive vehicles, called Ultra4 cars, well into the night on a course comprised of multiple types of terrain.
UMC will also host a vendor midway, driver meet and greet, music, and a professional fireworks display will conclude the festivities.
About Badlands
The Badlands ORV Park™ is a privately-owned tract of about 800 acres in western Indiana, about 30 minutes southwest of Lafayette. Badlands Park plays host to off-road trails serving the 4-wheel drive, motorcycle, and ATV enthusiast. Camping, vehicle rentals, and lodging are just a few of the features available at Badlands off-road park.
About TREC
The people behind Paragon Adventure Park, NEUROC and Badlands Off-Road Park are excited to announce a new off road racing series! TREC, Trail Racing Endurance Circuit. A 12-mile race course in the Badlands Off-road Park plays host to this regional series.
About Hammerking Productions
Hammerking Productions, Inc. created the “King of the Hammers” Ultra4 off-road race in 2007 (www.kingofthehammers.com) and released its first full-length feature film in 2008. Since its inception, the King of the Hammers franchise has grown to include a regional qualifier network across the United States and Canada. Hammerking Productions has produced event coverage for Spike TV, Speed TV and is in post-production of its third full feature film, “Anarchy”. The King of the Hammers event draws 50,000 spectators, and has grown to include over 100,000 fans worldwide. “King of the Hammers” is largely known for being the toughest one-day off-road race on the planet. It attracts teams from around the world and has been the focus of international media coverage. The event is held each February in the Johnson Valley OHV area in Southern California. In 2010 Hammerking Productions, Inc. expanded its services to include race program management, commercial film production, and marketing services for the off-road industry
PLACERVILLE, CA APRIL 26, 2010: The W.E. Rock Western US National Series heats up Tucson, AZ with national rock crawling competitors at Pima Motorsports Park. The most well respected rock crawlers in the world will compete on a man made rock crawling course that includes a 28ft vertical climb.
W.E. Rock heads to Tucson!
With Arizona being a hub for rock crawling, there will be many local teams that will be going head-to-head with the national competitors that come from across the western United States to compete. The course pushes vehicles to do insane maneuvers that you never thought was possible, and with the new spectator area you are within 10 feet of all the action.
After the first round of Pro Modified racing Troy Bailey from Utah is in the points lead with Nicole Johnson of Nevada in second. In the Unlimited class, Tracy Jordan from Arizona is on the podium with Brent Bradshaw of Oregon in second. Dan Patterson from Oregon is in the lead in the Modified Stock class with Tory Trinka from Washington one point behind in second. Nathan Unruh from Colorado is clearly leading the F-Toy class with Chris Mercer also from Colorado in second. 2009 produced some epic battles that came down to 3-4 point spreads for the championship, and the 4-race 2010 season is looking just as intense.
This weekends competition will begin at 10am on Saturday May 1st and Sunday May 2nd at the Pima Motorsports Park in Tucson, AZ. The two day adult pass is $25 with one day adult admission $15, ages 8-15 $5 and 7 under free. W.E. Rock is a great family friendly event to bring the kids and get them interested in rock crawling.
When: Friday April 30th 1pm-8pm Tech and Contingency
Saturday May 1st 10am Competition Begins
Sunday May 2nd 10am Competition Begins
Where: Pima Motorsports Park ; 11700 South Harrison ; Tucson, AZ
Interview with Loren Healy: The King of the Hammers Story by Kurt "KURTULEAS" Schneider
If I told you before the Griffin King of the Hammers that a LCQ driver that did not pre-run one mile of the course was going to win, would you believe me? Well that is exactly what happened. But Loren Healy did not come out of nowhere to win KOH. In 2009 he finished very well in the LCQ, only to be taken out of the main race becuase his rig broke down. Not only is his KOH rig fast, Loren has spent countless hours on the trail wheeling recreationally and has even competed in a local desert series in New Mexico. There were people on Pirate that knew he was one to watch.
We took the time to ask Loren about the Griffin King of the Hammers and just who he is with this interview, but for an even more in-depth look at the man and his experience at the King of the Hammers, make sure you tune into the next Pirate4x4TV episode when we interview him again at Pirate headquarters!
Pirate4x4.com: To begin Loren, please tell us a little about you. Just who is Loren Healy?
Loren: I am 29 years old and I live in Farmington, NM. I am married with 2 daughters, 2 and 4. My co-driver Rodney and I both work in the oil and gas industry here in Farmington.
Pirate4x4.com: Do you wheel recreationally? How long have you been wheeling and what trails do you frequent? What rig do you wheel on the trail?
Loren: We rec wheel every weekend when it is warm enough. My house is .5 miles from the entrance to Choke Cherry Canyon. We usually take 3 or 4 trips a year to Moab, Phoenix, St. George, etc., but Farmington is my favorite place to wheel. My KOH car is my only car and will get beat on every weekend it isn't racing. I started about 10 years ago with a TJ on 35's, but have constantly upgraded my rigs by buying and selling them to the point where I now have this current buggy.
Pirate4x4.com: What trails are on your "bucket list" of trails to do? For example, have you ever been on the Rubicon, etc.?
Loren: The Rubicon is probably the top of that list, although I would like to make it back east to see what all the hype back there is about.
Pirate4x4.com: Outside of four-wheeling, what other interests or hobbies do you have?
Loren: What else is there other than wheeling/racing? I love hanging out my daughters, they are awesome. We spend time snow boarding or hanging out at the lake, but wheeling is my passion. My 4 year old goes out with us all the time wheeling.
Pirate4x4.com: How did you first get involved in rocksports competition? What other events have you competed in?
Loren: LCQ was my first event I had ever driven in, I spoted for Rodney in a pro-rock event before that but I had no driving comp experience other than KOH. We are running a grass roots series in New Mexico called NMODL which I managed to place in very well this year.
Pirate4x4.com: Who is you co-driver and how did you guys end up teaming up?
Loren: Rodney Woodey grew up here in Farmington and we always had mutual friends even back when we were in high school. We both started getting into wheeling about the same time and both always had that lead foot, beat the snot out of your buggy personality so it just made sense to team up to try KOH!
Pirate4x4.com: Last year's King, Jason Scherer is very active in land-use, and already you have posted on Pirate4x4.com a "King's Commandment" on an issue. You really earned my respect for doing that as first thing as the King. What do you think the average wheeler should do in order to keep our public lands open to the public?
Loren: Stay active and on top of the issues, we are fighting to keep Choke Cherry open from a land grab here in Farmington right now. We will all be in private parks if we don't stand up for ourselves and make our voices heard.
Pirate4x4.com: Who are the 667 Rockers and what is your connection there?
Loren: 667 rockers is a very tight group of 8-10 guys who wheel and take trips together. It's the club that I wheel with. The name carried over from Josh West and his professional snow boarding career.
Pirate4x4.com: How did you end up teaming up with Randy Rodd and Jimmy's 4x4?
Loren: Randy and the crew are like family to me and the rest of the 667 Rockers. When I started in my TJ it just wasn't as capable as what I wanted so I went Randy and he went crazy on it. Then after 6 months I was bored with it and he built me my first of 3 turnkey buggies. We have had a great friendship for a lot of years now. They are great people.
Pirate4x4.com: Last year you took 2nd in the LCQ, but then a rear output shaft took you out of the main race. Since this year's LCQ was much longer, was it more difficult? In your opinion, which part of this year's LCQ was the hardest part? Did you have to do anything to the rig in the time between the LCQ and KOH?
Loren: I was bummed to not be able to drive the water fall on the second day due to the weather so I guess that would be the hard part. That car is amazing, we ran one of the NMODL races right before KOH and all we needed to do was change the oil.
After the LCQ I raised my belly height a little to help me get through the rocks but that was the only thing we worked on the whole week, in fact I just started looking at the car to start getting it ready for the next NMODL race March 6th and other than general maintenance it is ready to go. To me that says a lot about the toughness of the Jimmy's buggies.
Pirate4x4.com: What did you do in order to prepare for this year's KOH? How much time did you spend behind the wheel practicing in your KOH rig?
Loren: Well, We spent countless hours working on the new buggy and I competed in a local event called the NMODL winning it overall, but as for pre-running in JV? I didn't even drive a mile of the course beforehand. All I knew was what I ran last year in the LCQ: Backdoor.
Pirate4x4.com: There are a lot of drivers in RockSports that I really admire and look up to. Maybe that's because I am not a competitor and more of a fan, but looking at the line up of teams and driver's in this years KOH, who do you really respect and look up to?
Loren: There are so many names of drivers that I respect and look up to, I would hate to mention any for fear of leaving someone out. But I will have to say it was humbling running in the same race with drivers such as Shannon Campbell and Jason Scherer. I really respect Travis Carpenter in the MFS 4405 land-use buggy for raising so much money in the race-a-thon for land-use.
Pirate4x4.com: Who built and planned out your KOH rig for 2010? Since your 2010 KOH rig is a completely new buggy, was it a huge difference from last year? What made this rig so competitive in the 2010 KOH?
Loren: Jason Feully, the head fabricator for Jimmy's designed the chassis and set up the suspension with a lot of my input. I was at the shop a few times a week and would say this is where I want this, and we need to change this and that. I think I drove them crazy but It worked out in the end.
Pirate4x4.com: Jimmy's 4x4 had a lot of rigs in this year's KOH. Logistically, was it tough being part of such a big team? How did you guys manage to support so many rigs and who else was a part of the team this year? What was it like having Brian Deegan as a team-mate?
Loren: It is great being part of such a huge team! I hope it is even bigger next year. Everything ran smooth for us despite having so many vehicles to support. Brian Deegan as a teammate was just plain awesome. I had some pre-conceptions, but those were shattered right away. He is an extremly cool guy and was very easy to get along with. Being around such great people just made the experience so much better, if that is even possible.
Pirate4x4.com: On Friday morning before the race, many drivers have some type of pre-game ritual they go through to mentally prepare. What do you do to prepare yourself on race day? What type of mind-set do you have?
Loren: That's funny! I just couldn't wait to start racing, and I was a little on edge Friday morning. But as soon as that flag dropped all the BS was gone, the jitters instantly went away and I just relaxed and had fun.
Pirate4x4.com: How would you describe your style of driving? Are you a "balls to the wall" driver, or did you just race to finish? I guess what I am asking is, just hard did you push it in KOH?
Loren: Rodney says we were conservative 90% of the race and out of control driving over our heads the other 10%. I like to think I am a smart driver and know when to lift to keep the car together. We would have ran harder but remember, I had never driven any of the rock trails at the Hammers until race day and didn't pre run 1 mile of the course.
Pirate4x4.com: In your opinion, what was the hardest part of KOH? Was there any one section of the race that you were worried about tackling? What part of the race really stood out for you? Are you more at home in the rocks or in the desert?
Loren: Kinda embarrassing to say, and my friends tease me about it, but I am horrible at rock crawling. Here in Farmington, we have a lot of very steep walls that you have to get into the throttle to climb but not a whole lot of technical wheel placement. I would have to say I liked the desert better. I'm addicted to driving fast now.
Pirate4x4.com: Was there a point during the race that you began to think, "I just may be winning this thing!" Did that change the game plan at all for you or change how you drove?
Loren: Not until we crossed the finish line and Dave said, "you, Derek, Brad, and Rick came across the finish line within 2 minutes of each other we don't know who won." We didn't listen to any other channels on the radios other than ours and ran our own race. If I would have known it was so close, there were so many places I could have pushed it harder, but I'm sure everyone would say the same thing.
Pirate4x4.com: Just what did winning the King of Hammers mean to you personally?
Loren: I'm still in total disbelief. I still don't know how we pulled it off. We met so many great friends this year that was best part of it.
Pirate4x4.com: So what's next for Loren Healy? What are you plans for the rest of the year in terms of competition?
Loren: The rest of the NMODL series which we are currently 1st in the "rock race" class and 1st overall. We are also going to run the Grand Slam and try to make the IEC series. Those races back east are going to be very tough to get out to, so if some of you west coast guys want team up to get our cars out there let me know!
Rig Specs:
Chassis: Jimmy's 4x4
Motor: Turnkey engine supply LS2
Transmission: Jimmy's 4x4 THM 400
Transfer Case: Stak 2 speed 3.8
Front Axle: Currie Rock Jock 60
Rear Axle: Moser low pinion 60
Front Suspension: Radflo coilovers, bypasses, bumps
Rear Suspension: Same as rear
Steering: PSC
Wheels/Tires: Trail ready wheels and BFG 39" krawlers
Seats: Twisted stitch
Winch: Warn 9000
Extras: PCI 8" GPS and communications.
Lights: Kragen HIDs
Oil: Royal Purple
Wheelbase: 113"
Overall Width: 88"
Weight: approx 4200 lbs
W.E.ROCK' 1st Stop: Oroville March 27-28
That's right, W.E.ROCK is hitting Oroville, CA on March 27-28. This year should be bigger than the last as W.E.ROCK has seen a big increase in Teams Participating from last year. Furthermore, Some big news hit the waves as Jesse Haines is scheduled to move into the Pro Modified Class to challenge teammate and National Champion Brad and Roger Lovell. Other Torchmate news has a possible new driver standing in for past Rookie of the Year Bill Kunz. Will Tracy Jordan and the Spidertrax Rock Bug as well as Shannon Campbell from Mosnter Energy move back into the Pro Mod class to battle for the title again?
In the Unlimited Class, Brent Bradshaw is the ongoing favorite for the season championship this year, can he pull it off or will the new emergance of young talent knock him off the top teir? Mod Stock Class has battle written all over it as Justin Hall is pitted up against Rivals "Those Guys" and "Those Gals" as well as a slew of new drivers. Formula Toy has had an ongoing champion with John James, but last season found Brian Ellinger and Dave Cole (Once Teammates for the World Championship) take gold against him on several occasions. No matter the outcome, the temos are to be more specator friendly than last season's Oroville, event, so make sure you come check us out at Surplus City on March 27th and 28th...
With the new season comes new mindsets. W.E.ROCK has made some changes to the entry forms, including allowing a one time low event fee and lower class/entry fees to season teams. All this in hopes to make the experience even a better one within the W.E.ROCK family. So check out the link below and scoll on down to the Event Entry Form for your class. Also check out our 2010 schedule and find out when we will be in a town near you!
For immediate release: W.E.ROCK and LOSI are proud to announce a marketing partnership for 2010. With the inception of the W.E.ROCK General Store and its simplified tradeshow-style product display format that reaches every W.E.ROCK attendee, LOSI has jumped onboard as a General Store partner. LOSI (radio-controlled) vehicles and accessories will be available at W.E.ROCK events and trail rides nationwide.
The Put Up Or Shut Up Shootout (PUSU) was definitely a success and with the event came 5 qualifiers for the upcoming King of the Hammers Race. Robert McKinney Won in sizable fashion with over a 40 pt lead. Check out all the links below for all the action...
Due to internal issues, W.E.ROCK is very sorry for being extremely late on updating our overall scores for this season. This has been changed and will be better off from here on out. Without further delay, posted below are the great feats that our best drivers put together and the series points that they carried with them throughout the 2009 season. Please click the related links below for the full event scores.
Thank you to all of our Teams, Sponsors, and Fans who came out to see the World's Best Rockcrawling Action in 2009
Stay tuned for stories and news as W.E.ROCK "Redefines Extreme"
2010 Griffin King of the Hammers Has over $57,000 of Winnings
on the Table
JOHNSON VALLEY, CA, FEBRUARY 3, 2009: The winner of the 2010 Griffin King of the
Hammers will be awarded $10,000 from King of the Hammers in addition to $5,000 from
BFGoodrich at the awards ceremony that will commence the 4th running of the King of the
Hammers.
BFGoodrich is not only adding to the cash prize, but is also giving the new King the offer
of an eight tire contract for their 2010 racing efforts. Torchmate CNC Cutting Systems will be
adding a 2x2 CNC Prototyping System to the New Kings garage. It includes a Thermal Dynamics
Plasma Cutter, Hand Torch Holder, Routing Package, Torchmate CAD software, BobCad 3D
Software, and is valued over $7,250. If that wasn’t enough, there is an additional $33,700 dollars
available to pick up in contingency.
A company puts up a contingency on a race stating a requirement, for example, must
have stickers or their specific product on the race vehicle. They then state an award ranging from
thousands of dollars to gift certificates or products depending on the drivers finishing place.
Some great companies stepped up to help the drivers with contingency opportunities this year. In
the shock world, FOA Shocks put $5,000 up, King Shocks put $4,000 up and Sway-A-Way,
Radflo Suspension Technology, and Bilstein Shocks are also participating. Traxxas put out a fun
prize of Summit radio controlled monster trucks for the winning driver and crew. The prizes aren’t
all for first place, there is contingency money scattered across the board with one of the bigger
one a $2,500 cash prize from Longfield Super Axles for the first person to not qualify into the
2011 King of the Hammers.
The 4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier is going to be a strategic race for positioning in
Friday’s race, but there is also over $1000 of contingency money at stake for first place. Coming
out of the Last Chance Qualifier in 1st place puts you 5th position, with the only better starting
position being 8th to start in 3rd position, why not go for first and grab some contingency money.
There should be an even stronger battle for first now.
$5,000 will be awarded to the winner of the Pit Bull Tires UTV King of the Hammers race.
This is the largest purse in the history of all UTV racing. In addition, there is another $2500 out in
contingency prizes that can be awarded.
Recent News
Posted on January 29th, 2010
4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier Order and Course The 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers has 21 additional spots available for the 42 competitors of the 4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier on Tuesday February 9th and Wednesday February 10th.
The 2010 4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier order has been determined by random draw. Larry Gipson will be first off the line Tuesday morning to test his talents and attempt at qualifying. “I am used to all the pressure and know what needs to be done,” said Gipson. “I need to drive as hard as I can and be as smart as can be. I just need to finish it to get into the race on Friday.”
Download the entire Press Release below that includes more driver information and starting order.
Link to Video Presentation of 4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier: http://vimeo.com/9059027
Buzz Bronsema and Rick Mooneyham Will Start On the First Row of the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers JOHNSON VALLEY, CA, JANUARY 28, 2010: The 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers starting grid has been determined putting Buzz Bronsema on the pole position and Rick Mooneyham completing the first row. “I am honored to be on the pole position, no pressure, if anything it is a relief to be in front of everybody,” said Buzz Bronsema. “If we hang at the same pace that we did last year with only first gear, we should be able to finish in -3,” Bronsema joked. Rick Mooneyham knows that he will “be in first place for about 3 ½ feet because I know I can get the hole shot, but after that I don’t know what is going to happen, it is King of the Hammers!” The pack of drivers behind them is an amazing group of some of the most talented drivers and vehicles.
Download PDF Below for Full Press Release with more information on all the drivers and final starting list.
Welcome to the 2010 season and welcome to a new RCrocs website. Last year RCrocs took a huge step in many ways including “go fast” and RCQ qualifier. This year RCrocs takes the next step to putting itself on the map for one of the best off road racing and crawling series in the nation.
With three RCrocs crawling events and three RCrocs races you are going to have not one but two series winners along with some of the fiercest competition to date.
This will be an EPIC year for Rausch Creek and its teams!!
Bruce Shallis
RCrocs heats up in 2010
Home of the fiercest rock crawling competition and race series on the East coast!
Not only are the teams and the rock crawling competition back for 2010, RCrocs has added a race series too!Hi speed action thru grueling courses that test man and machine beyond their limits.
If that's not enough Then Rausch Creek will be hosting the WEROCK pro competition on May, 22nd as well as the King of the Hammers race on May 7!
UPDATED 2010-01-28 by Charlene Bower
We have been teasing that the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers is an all inclusive trip to the most amazing race in the desert. Lets set all of the teasing aside. It is.
This event has geared up to be the largest happening on Means Dry lake bed ever. The schedule of events is amazing. The companies that are coming together to support the event is incredible.
Racing action will fill four out of the five days between a 6 mile Last Change Qualifier course, a 60 mile UTV course and the intense and rugged 135 mile King of the Hammers course that will challenge the will of drivers and the strength of vehicles. There are spectator areas that are easily accessible in your 4WD vehicle or off highway vehicle, just remember drivers cannot use outside assistance, so don’t get them Disqualified by trying to help!
The lake bed will be Star Studded with some of the biggest names in rock crawling, desert racing and media personalities. A few names that top the charts include Jason Scherer the 2009 King, Shannon Campbell, Casey Currie, Rob MacCachren, Rick D Johnson, Brian Deegan, BJ Baldwin and Roger Norman. There will be media present from around the world including personalities Camo & Charlene from Pirate4x4 TV Live!, Ian Johnson from Extreme4x4 & CRAWL Magazine, Robin Stover from 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine, Fred Williams from Petersen's 4 Wheel & Off-Road and many many more.
Of course an all inclusive vacation would not be complete without a DownTown to go shopping. This year there is a Vendor Show that will take over DownTown HammerTown. With over 70 vendors available to show and sell merchandise, you are sure to be able to find something to take home to the kids or bolt onto your 4WD and test drive the same day! 4 Wheel Parts will be running a shuttle service which allows you to order parts one day and have them on the lake bed to pick up the next.
We are all wheelers at heart and there are plenty of trails to explore in the Johnson Valley OHV area, so bring plenty of gas. Please be safe and respectful of the race course, understanding that drivers will be pre-running at high speeds all week. On Saturday after the Awards Ceremony there will be a Clean up ride which we encourage all to participate in.
If you are not able to make it out to the lake bed, Pirate4x4 TV Live! will have coverage of the event starting Monday late afternoon and running through the Awards Ceremony on Saturday February 13th . The main camera will be at the start finish line or inside the Griffin Pirate4x4 Lounge interviewing drivers and key industry professionals, while additional cameras will be showing the action at different locations on the race course.
Of course, the only thing missing in our all inclusive trip is the 5 star hotel, flushing toilets and running water. Be sure to stock up your RV and come prepared. There will be food concessions in DownTown HammerTown for your convenience, and there will be a Water/Dump truck running throughout the week, but your closest store is about 30 minutes away. Oh, guess we are missing the Pool and Jacuzzi too…maybe next year.
The entire schedule is rolled out as a video presentation so you can have more detail on each days activities starting Sunday February 7th and wraps up Saturday February 13th. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7x6KHim6zc
Of course if you want to know everything there is to know about KOH Week, you shouldn't miss Pirate4x4TV Live Episode 4. We discuss the LCQ course in detail with a "virtual run", we draw all the starting orders for both the LCQ and Main Race, and dicsuss each driver's chances and abilities, and much much more!
The first day of each event is reserved for Tech and Registration. Look for more info on the Itinerary Link for each event within 1 month of the event. Night Events will be a Tech on Friday before the event starts.
The Way It Works: Go to any four W.E.ROCK Events. You can run for a series title by running either the Western National Championship or the Eastern National Championship. To Qualify for the Grand Nationals, you must be in the Top 9 from either the Western U.S. Nationals or the Eastern U.S. Nationals. Qualifying for the Grand Nationals or GNC's will get you into the largest Rock Crawling event in America. W.E.ROCK Reserves the right for our Champions Provision and 6 Wild Card Spots per class. Not all Wild Card Spots will be used.
How? W.E.ROCK offers five classes. Teams must enter as a Series/Purse Contender Division. Cost to enter is $300 and you have a chance to Qualify for the Purse, Series Points, and the Grand National Championship.
The Five Classes are Rhino RTV, Formula Toy, Modified Stock, Pro Modified, and Unlimited. Class qualification can be found in the Rulebook section of this site.
2010 Griffin King of the Hammers Daily Schedule of Events Sunday February 7:
Driver Check-in 12 noon - 5pm
GPS Downloads available for Pre-Running 12 noon - 5pm
King of the Hammers Vendor Tent Open
Monday February 8:
Tech Inspection 10:00-4:00 LCQ priority line / pre for KOH
King of the Hammers Vendor Tent Open
Grffin Pirate4x4 Live Lounge Open
GPS Downloads available for Pre-Running 9am - 5pm
Driver Check-in 9am - 5pm
Media Check-in 9am - 5pm
Vendor Check-in 9am - 5pm
PCI GPS Class 9am - 10am
Vendor Row Setup All Semi Trucks must be on Lake Bed by Noon
General Tire Pre-Run Day - Lunch Stop 11am - 2pm
4 Wheel Parts LCQ Drivers Meeting 6pm
Event Kickoff Meeting 7pm
General Tire Kick Off Party Unleash the Fury 8pm
Tuesday February 9:
4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier Day 1
Staging Time: 7am
Start Time: 8am
Tech Inspection 10:00-4:00 LCQ priority line
King of the Hammers Vendor Tent Open
Griffin Pirate4x4 Live Lounge Open
GPS Downloads available for Pre-Running 9am - 5pm
Driver Check-in 10am - 4pm
Media Check-in 9am - 5pm
Vendor Check-in 9am - 5pm
Vendor Row Setup All Vendors with Trailers must be on Lake Bed by Noon
LandUse Seminar 4pm
Motorsports Marketing Panel 5pm
Shock Tuning Seminar 6pm
Light Seminar 7pm
Traxxas Pro RC Race 8pm
Wednesday February 10:
4 Wheel Parts Last Chance Qualifier Day 2
Staging Time: 7am
Start Time: 8am
Tech Inspection 10:00-4:00 UTV priority line
Vendor Row Open 3pm - 8pm
Pirate4x4 Live Lounge Open
GPS Downloads available for Pre-Running
Driver Check-in 9am - 5pm
Media Check-in 9am - 5pm
Vendor Check-in 9am - 5pm
Vendor Row Setup Closes at noon
PCI GPS Class 5pm
Pit Bull Tires UTV Drivers Meeting 6pm
BFGoodrich Pit Meeting 6pm
King Shocks Party 8pm - ??
Thursday February 11:
Course is CLOSED to Pre-Running
Pit Bull Tires UTV King of the Hammers Race
Staging Time: 7am
Start Time: 8am
Tech Inspection 8:am - Line Closes at 5pm
King of the Hammers Contingency Row Open 9am - Line closes at 5pm
Vendor Row Open 8am - 8pm
King of the Hammers Vendor Tent Open
Griffin Pirate4x4 Lounge Open
Driver Check-in 9am - 5pm
Media Check-in 9am - 5pm
Vendor Check-in 9am - 5pm
BFG Drivers Meeting 5pm
Raceline Show and Shine 5pm Car Close
Show and Shine Voting 5pm - 7pm
Show and Shine Winners Announced 7:30 before Volunteer Raffle
Volunteer Dinner and Party Hosted by RaceLine Wheels 7pm
Friday February 12:
Griffin King of the Hammers Race
Staging Time: 5am
Pre-Race Ceremonies 7:15am
Start Time: 8am
Vendor Row Open 8am - 8pm
King of the Hammers Vendor Tent Open
Griffin Pirate4x4 Live Lounge Open
Griffin King of the Hammers After Party First Finisher to Sunrise
Saturday February 13:
Griffin King of the Hammers Awards Ceremony 9am - 11am
Friends Of Johnson Valley Breakfast 8am
4 Wheel Parts Volunteer Clean Up Ride 11am
King of the Hammers Vendor Tent Open
Sunday February 14:
Valentines Day
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!
Watch for the video…coming out soon!
Posted on January 12th, 2010
The Grand Slam of Off-Road Racing Series The Grand Slam series features 4 very unique style of off-road racing. One car, One driver 4 styles of off-road competition.
The series starts on February 12th at the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers event in Johnson Valley Ca. Next up is the Best in the Desert SilverState 300 desert race in Mesquite Nevada on April 23rd. The series then travels high into the rocky Mountains for the Colorado Hill Climb association Lands end Hill climb on August 24th. The series ends with a Traditional Rock crawling event yet to be determined in the last quarter of the 2010 year.
Griffin King of the Hammers is 135 miles of brutality. A race that some call the hardest one day off-road race on the planet. A comparison that ranks it alongside the Baja 1000, and Dakar rally. This race will be the first stop in the GrandSlam series, and drivers must race in KOH to even qualify for the series. Entry into KOH is limited to 100 teams and they have spent all of 2009 just to get in.
BITD Silver State 300. 300 miles of Nevada desert, from silt beds to pine forest, this race will test a driver’s will to continue. 50% will not see the finish line of this long distance test of equipment and endurance. There is little help as chase trucks are limited to established pits only. The clock is the biggest threat as the stages are set extremely close.
Colorado Hill climb association “Lands End” hill climb. The third oldest race in the United States this is the longest all dirt hill climb rally and a favorite among the Hill climb rally crowd. An all out throttle jockey assault, this race travels up a mountain road with a sheer cliff only inches from the race course. Drivers will race the clock, but the winner will be decided by split seconds.
Rock Crawling. Yet to be determined location, this traditional Rock crawling completion will be a technical challenge that will finish of the series with a bang. Drivers and spotter will attempt seemingly impossible obstacles on a closed course. The most spectator friendly event in the series we expect this to be a huge hit.
Posted on January 12th, 2010
The International Endurance Championship The IEC series is three multi terrain, 4 wheel drive, and endurance racing events across the United States.
The series starts Feb 12th 2010 in Johnson Valley CA at the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers. It will travel to Rausch Creek Pennsylvania on May 7th 2010, and ending in Seymour Missouri July 10th 2010.
This series will continue the standards started at the 2008 King of the Hammers of long distance challenges that test man and machine. Participants will attempt to complete unbelievable obstacles all unique to each region.
Although series participants must race the 2010 Griffin King of the Hammers to be eligible for a point’s championship, both additional races are open to racers who wish to participate at the local level, or gain entry into the 2011 King of the Hammers.
The “Win a seat in WOE Challenge Car at Baja 1000” is the opportunity that Jason Scherer has been looking for to finally add the Baja 1000 to his racing career. “It has been a race that I have always wanted to drive in, and if BFGoodrich can give me that opportunity, then I am going to take it!” said Scherer. “Please go to the Nation of Go website and vote for me, it will be a great experience!”
