OPEN LETTER TO RDC MEMBERS: Patricia is also a victim. She is psychologically devestated and never in a million years thought something so tragic would happen at an MDR event. In the past few days, I've had many conversions with Patricia crying on the phone beside herself not knowing what to do. All she wanted to do was put on a safe and fun family event. She stuck steadfastly to the SCORE rule book -- even if it pissed off a wealthy driver at a competition review board meeting after a race. She is always thorough in everything she does -- especially safety and legal issues ever since that first August 1996 Barstow BLM lottery date meeting. Let's not forget her in this tragic accident.
Patricia has always treated the "Little Guy" at an MDR event as though each racer were Robby Gordon. Since MDR's inception, Patricia Williams is the one that urged permission from the BLM to put on printed paperwork and on the MDR website the 15 mph guideline in the pits and that the spectators to stay back 100 feet or more -- this will NOT be found in any BLM Permit Handbook or on any permit application. Signs were always posted at ALL OHV areas warning the general public of a special event by its time and date. Since the first MDR race, the Wild Wash 250 in February 1997, Pat felt that having 2 ambulances and 1 fire suppression vehicle at every event was important -- and it was expensive. ....We all know the media is fascinated about our extreme sport, but they are totally misinformed and making her the "fall guy". The money-hairs are standing up on the necks of the "Sharks". The Sharks will quickly find out there's a primary and secondary recreational assumption of risk pertaining to "off roading" on private and public lands. Unfortunately, there's little to no money to be made -- not at $360 pro and $200 sportsman entry fees. Not mention 3% of ALL TOTAL FEES collected go to BLM -- including the prize money is taxed. We all are passionate about desert racing and know the risks involved.
Patricia Williams has contributed to local off-road desert racing more than anyone that I know it this sport. Financially-speaking, most Southern California companies such as Kartek, Mckenzies, Eibach Springs, King Shock Technology, Sway Away Shocks, Fox Shocks, PCI Radios, Total Chaos, Camburg, PRP Seats, just to name a few companies AND ALL the proffessional fabrication shops that are in business today all owe Patricia Williams a debt of gratitude. We all no there's no money in promoting local desert racing, but Pat saw this opportunity and a challenge back in 1996 after Mr. Castro of La Rana "Screwed" the sport. In 1996, Pat went to a SCORE race and she was hooked on desert racing. After the whole La Rana thing, she felt that she could do a better job. Afterall, at one point in her life, she managed over 200 people at one of her jobs, "Why not this?" she thought. Hence, the "Grassroots" organization known as Mojave Desert Racing was born. Now the "Little Guy" can realistically compete with the help of family and friends (or fab shops) to build a class legal buggy or truck and experience the "off-road racing highs" with all the bells-and-whistles of a SCORE event. When the BLM had open meetings to discuss this or that issue pertaining to desert racing, who was there? Patricia and Jimmy fighting behind the scenes for our beloved sport. It's a little know fact that when Ottis passed away at one of his Fudpucker events in the El Centro BLM OHV areas, shortly after that, one of Ottis' family members asked if Patricia would take over the Fudpucker series since the BLM dates were "Historic Dates" and the Sierra Club was looking to steal these dates so no off-road racing events would happen down south. She took on the challenge of making that series work -- again, keeping desert racing alive where it would have dissappeared, which then in turn, financially helped San Diego-based parts stores like ORW, Race Ready Products and all the fabrication shops in that area. All of us who work in this industry that are so passionate about desert racing that feeds our families, including myself, owe Patricia Williams a debt of gratitude.
In the days ahead, let's not turn our backs in the coming tough times for Patricia and Jimmy. Also, let's not forget Bret Sloppy and all the victims' families and what they are going through mentally. Any support and prays from RDC members is greatly appreciated. Please contact all BLM officials immediately in swaying your support for them. Afterall, Patricia & Jimmy Williams and Bret Sloppy are part of our desert racing family too...
P.D.
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my family and i will be praying for her and everyone at mdr. they host great events and i have never felt like they have ever put any spectator in harms way. i raced there last year and people were farther away. thank you to all that they do and may you guys continue to provide racing for people like me and so many others. taxpayers who work all year and feel like a trophy truck driver 5 to 6 times a year racing. i look forward to each race and my family does too.
patricia you are wonderful to talk to and always happy, even when it is hot and windy out. i know as well as anyone else here that the events last saturday were unfortunate and only god knew it would happen. seek refuge in the most high, the lord god above, and be comforted by the holy spirit.
Some of our first thought were with Patricia and family.
I have helped run checkpoints in the past and I should have been the "adult" and called MDR main to inform them of the
crowd issue at the rockpile. I did not, was leaving the scene and the rest is history.
Hope we all can recover from this.
Maybe time will heal most of the wounds.
Hang in there Williams family.
Will direct some prayers your way.
"If you are going through hell, just keep going"
Winston Churchill
Since MDR's inception, Patricia Williams is the one that urged permission from the BLM to put on printed paperwork and on the MDR website the 15 mph guideline in the pits and that the spectators to stay back 100 feet or more -- this will NOT be found in any BLM Permit Handbook or on any permit application.
P.D.
It may not be in the Permit Handbook or on the application, but it is typically on the "Final event stipulations" document. It reads:
"All persons involved in, and all spectators of, this event are to travel 15 MPH, or less, when passing within 50 feet of any social group, picnic area, or camping area. Permittee may disqualify anyone violating this stipulation and may ask BLM officials to remove such a person from the event."
This mirrors closely what is laid down in the California Vehicle Code. As discussed in another recent RDC thread, it is unclear whether this stipulation was intended to apply to race vehicles or not. Anyhow, just wanted to mention that because there has been a lot of confusion over it.
I sympathize with Patricia, and wish her the best. I can understand that she's probably in no shape emotionally to face the media. I'd respectfully suggest that she appoint a spokesperson for MDR so that media inquiries don't go unanswered. It looks really bad when a news article says that numerous calls to MDR have not been returned.
In reply to your post, Patricia is a very kind and professional organizer and has full support of our racing community. There is no way that you can control that many people in these events. People have to take it upon themselves to be a bit more responsible and understand the disipline that goes hand in hand with enjoying a desert race. Patricia we are with you and our prayers are with you. Bajajag MDR #599.
then why have a RACE if there's a 15 mph speed limit around people???? the first car from every class off the starting line will be the winner every time???? 15 mph is for the general public driving around other spectators, camping area, pit areas.........
then why have a RACE if there's a 15 mph speed limit around people???? the first car from every class off the starting line will be the winner every time???? 15 mph is for the general public driving around other spectators, camping area, pit areas.........
This was in the vegas paper today , this guy is a jerk
JEFF WOLF: Off-road tragedy exception, not rule
Motor Sports
There is no excuse for the criminal way in which the Mojave Desert Racing organization staged the California 200 off-road race Saturday in the Lucerne Valley.
Eight spectators were killed, including a young woman from Las Vegas, when a race truck crashed into them when they were allowed to form a human gantlet on the course using federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
They were allowed to be within arm's reach of high-speed racers who had to maneuver jumps and rocky terrain. No one was there to prevent fans from showing bravado as human guardwalls.
Fans were at fault, as was the driver who didn't lift off the throttle when approaching the fanatics. Those eight fans paid the ultimate price, and another 10 were seriously injured. Their families and friends will continue to pay.
The BLM announced Thursday it has suspended future events by the promoter, MDR, based in South El Monte, Calif. That's a start.
But the head of the racing organization should end up in prison, and the ongoing BLM investigation into how the race was run is a worthy endeavor.
Racing can be dangerous for spectators. Risk is not limited to off-road racing. Spectators have been killed at sanctioned IndyCar, stock car and drag racing events in this country. Most recently, it was a woman in the pit area of an NHRA national event at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix who died after being hit by a flying tire.
And those deaths were at permanent racing facilities with guardwalls, fencing and smoothly paved racing surfaces.
The massacre in the Southern California desert Saturday unfortunately has painted off-road racing with a broad, bloody brush. The sport has never received so much attention, but for all the wrong reasons.
The haphazard manner in which the Mojave race was run and apparent oversight by rules enforcement by the BLM office in California should not sully the reputations of Best in the Desert, SCORE and the Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts organizations that host several races each year in Nevada.
No spectators have been killed at any races in this state, according to Casey Folks of BITD and Sal Fish of SCORE.
Not to diminish the loss of those lives, but retribution should not be taken against all off-road races -- especially the racing organizations that run in Nevada -- because of what happened 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Sadly, environmental groups have latched onto the California fiasco to attack the sport. Some of them are using last weekend's tragedy to champion their causes and believe the desert is solely theirs.
Off-road racers have as much respect for the desert as anyone else and more than most. Most vehicle abuse of federal land is done by wannabe racers and weekend warriors who lack self control.
Off-road racing enthusiasts contend with protecting the endangered desert tortoise in Southern Nevada, the Amargosa toad up north and, in general, the terrain. Studies and inspections before and after races by the BLM cost Nevada races tens of thousands of dollars each year. Land designated for racing is returned to pre-race conditions as much as possible. If they want to race, they pay.
And they do. The Nevada groups pay to have BLM rangers help patrol the course.
The desert should be as much for restricted racing as it is for hiking when rules are followed.
To quote Woody Guthrie, "This land is your land, this land is my land. ... This land was made for you and me."
That applies to desert tortoise lovers, cactus huggers and off-road racers alike.
Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at [email protected] or 702-383-0247. Visit Wolf's motor sports blog at lvrj.com/blogs/heavypedal/ throughout the week.
This commentary sounds a little fishy to me like someone might have mentioned something to this reporter about MDR. I hope I am wrong and just experiencing some kind of paranoid consperiency theory. I heard rumors that a well known company has offered to pay all of MDRs legal fees. Our prayers go out to Patricia and the rest of the MDR family hope to see you back in the desert soon.
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Originally Posted by dezertzoro
