race-deZert.com » Roger Lovell

Lovell Brothers Set to Take on King of the Hammers

Fish — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:45:16 +0000

Colorado Springs, CO 1/28/12 - After season ending crashes for both of the team’s rock racers last year, the brothers are back and ready to take on the toughest rock race on the planet. 2012 will the longest King of the Hammers yet with 165 miles of rock crawling and desert terrain. The week long event now features several races and a chance for competitors to qualify for start positions.

“I think its great that they are letting us qualify,” comments driver Brad Lovell, “We would have won this thing 2 years ago if that was the case and it will help make a fair competition.” The team can be watched qualifying live on Ultra4racing.com/live on Tuesday, Feb 7 at roughly 4 pm PST.

For the first time, Brad and Roger will join forces for King of the Hammers. Roger adds, “Running one truck is a lot less of a headache and will allow us to better focus on winning. With the amount of experience we have racing together, it just makes sense to be in the same truck. Last month, we auctioned my entry and raised $2500 for the Blue Ribbon Coallition and others fighting to keep Johnson Valley open.”

Lovell Racing proudly welcomes back AMSOIL as their title sponsor. Brad elaborates, “I am continually impressed with the integrity and quality of AMSOIL. They are a perfect fit for our team. Combined with Nissan, BFGoodrich Tires, Torchmate, Spidertrax, and Trailready we have a strong team with lots of technology. We are also pleased to add Lincoln Welders to the team as we have always been fans of their products.”

The pair will be piloting the reinvigorated yet familiar #232 AMSOIL Torchmate rock racer. “After the wreck last year it was twisted, bowed, and crinkled,” said Brad,”We should have just cut it up and thrown it away but this truck has won just about everything but King of the Hammers and I’m attached to it.” Eight weeks of labor went into rebuilding the chassis and making improvements to the design. “We did a lot of thinking about safety after the wrecks. Neither of us want to race something we don’t feel safe in so we cut the entire roll cage out of the truck and rebuilt it with stronger material.”

In another first for the team, they will be running 39″ BFGoodrich KRT’s. “We are strong believers in 37′s but think that the 39′s will allow us some extra speed in the unending boulder fields. BFG has re-engineered a soft grippy tread compound that is really going to give us the edge.”

King of the Hammers launches the team’s 2012 racing campaign where they will tackle a variety of races. Highlights include the legendary Mint 400 in March, the 90th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in July, and World Championship short course racing in Crandon on Labor Day. Brad will return for the 2012 TORC Season piloting the #44 AMSOIL Torchmate Nissan Frontier.

Get updates from the team leading up to the race via Facebook/Lovell Racing. Live internet coverage of the race (starting 7:30 am PST Friday Feb 10) and pre-race activities are accessible atUltra4racing.com/live

About Lovell Racing:

25 years ago, Brad Lovell was bouncing around in the back seat of his father’s Bronco in the backwoods of Colorado. The family camping trips turned into a passion for Brad and his brother Roger. After spending a decade tackling the toughest off-road trails in the country the pair entered their first rockcrawl and went on to win 6 consecutive season championships. Since then the brothers have earned multiple wins while racing nearly every type of off-road discipline – desert, rocks, hill climbs, and short course racing. The team’s focus is winning the TORC Series where Brad pilots the #44 AMSOIL Torchmate Nissan Frontier. The 2012 season holds a variety of races for the team including King of the Hammers, the legendary Mint 400, the 90th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and World Championship racing at Crandon. Follow Brad at Facebook / Lovell Racing.

Lovell Racing Team Partners:

AMSOIL, NISSAN, BFGoodrich Tires, Torchmate CNC Cutting Systems, Lincoln Welders, Spidertrax Off-Road, Tailready Wheels, Aeroquip Performance Products, Fox Racing Shox, FK Rod Ends, Motive Gear, Eibach Springs, Robinson Construction, Powertank, Howe Performance Power Steering, 4 Wheel Parts, Dynotech Driveshafts, and Proformance Unlimited

TEAM BFG CONQUERS THE BAJA 1000

Fish — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:16:11 +0000

Colorado Springs, CO 11/21/11 - For the first time in four attempts, I have finished the Baja 1000. The BFGoodrich Team of Bud Brutsman, Andrew Comrie-Picard, Roger Lovell, Joel Weinberger, Kyle Tucker, and myself overcame major mechanical issues to finish with of time of 27:42:26. We were 6th in Class 10. While I am proud of our position, the challenge itself is more memorable and significant.

The race is so many things that it’s indescribable in a few paragraphs. Only a few miles from the start a semi truck jackknifed and completely blocked the course which in turn caused a logjam of trophy trucks. Mud holes and hazards both manmade and natural littered the first 30 miles. Our car came through cleanly and made it to BFG Pit #1 in good time. Roger and I jumped in the car and waited patiently as the Wide Open crew replaced both CV shafts. We bolted from the pit and brought the car up to pace before tackling the rock filled mountains.

Its no secret that our expertise is in the rocks and we passed several racers on the way to the summit. We blew the siren and tapped a class 8 (full size truck) before making quick tracks down the other side. We must have insulted the driver as the truck later caught us in a sand wash and unquestionably tried to wreck us as he passed, an attack I will remember. South of Laguna Salada we cautiously approached an enormous silt bed. It was terribly worse than what we saw in the pre-run and stuck cars littered the area. I floored it before we were blinded and threw the car into oblivion. Bushes, cars, silt holes, and ditches flashed from the blinding dust as I did my best to keep the tires clawing through the powder. Running 4th in Class 10 we broke free of hellish silt and sped south.

About 20 miles later we noticed a sudden drop in oil pressure accompanied by flames shooting off the back of the car. Something had punctured an oil galley covering the hot exhaust with oil which in turn started a fire. We got the fire out and eventually reached the chase crew via sat phone. After nearly 5 hours of hard work, new parts, and a little bit of luck, we had a functional car. Once again adrenaline took hold as we blasted over whoops, rocks, and sand. We were again struck with mechanical demons but able to fight the car into BFG Pit #2. Brief repairs were made and we ventured into the desert at full strength with Roger now behind the wheel.

I have heard plenty of stories about big whoops but nothing compares to San Felipe whoops. The unending monstrous corrugations only yielded when sharp rock filled the course. Soon we found ourselves clawing through another frightful silt bed and this time we became mired. I jumped out into the moonscape and started to dig. I stuffed twigs under the tires and Roger worked the car back and forth. We repeated the process several times and made slow progress. Finally we were free and I was exhausted. We covered another 60 rough miles before handing the car off at BFG Pit #3. With 320 miles down we were well behind the field but making encouraging progress.

Its hard to wait in the pit with no knowledge of where your car is. Rumors abound and there is nothing to do but listen for a radio call. The call finally came before Joel Weinberger and Bud Brutsman rolled into Pit #4. They handed a strong car off to Andrew Comrie-Picard and Kyle Tucker who would be on their own for the last 240 miles of high speed shelf roads, rocks, and hills.

Hours later we nervously waited at the finish line as a race broke out between us and car #1001. They swapped positions several times in the last 40 miles but at the finish our team’s unending effort paid off as we beat them by a handful of minutes.

At this 44th running of the Baja 1000, BFGoodrich captured their 25th overall victory. I’m proud to be part of such a fantastic Baja 1000 effort and experience the rich heritage built over decades by SCORE and BFGoodrich. Thanks to BFG, Wide Open, our chase crew, and everyone who supported us in this endeavor.

TRAXXAS TORC SERIES PRESENTED BY AMSOIL ANNOUNCES 2012 SCHEDULE

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 4, 2011) – TORC – The Off Road Championship, broke new ground in 2011 with races covering major markets in the Midwest, East and Southern areas of the U.S. TORC took off-road racing to new heights by conducting races in top consumer hubs such as Chicago, Charlotte and San Antonio.

In 2012 the Series will once again feature the largest spectator attended off-load racing event in the U.S., Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, WI. The annual Labor Day Weekend World Championship races have been the cornerstone of off-roading since 1970 and were once again met with record attendance in 2011.

“TORC’s mission in 2012 is to build on the solid foundation established with our expansion of racing venues and entering new markets in 2011″ stated Kevin Miller, CEO of USAC Racing. “Our off-road debut in the backyard of the motorsports industry in Charlotte had a very enthusiastic impact which we plan on taking to a new level in 2012″.

The strategy of using established MX facilities was another positive step with new track facilities now in place at Red Bud MX and San Antonio’s Cycle Ranch. The diversity of TORC is evident with the largest short course facilities of Crandon and Bark River combined with prominent MX facilities and growing to major consumer markets with exciting short course tracks that venues such as Chicagoland Speedway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway present.

In total, there will be 16 rounds of racing over 8 planned 2-day events. The Series released the following dates as firm, as well as three TBD dates as placeholders for teams as final dates are pending at Chicagoland and Charlotte Motor Speedway, where temporary off-road racks share the calendar with other major events including NHRA and WoO races.

TORC will return to Chicagoland Speedway in September where an exciting crowd witnessed great off-road action for the first time. This year’s SPEED broadcast was the only live off-road production on network television in 2011 and showcased the sport to a new level during a prime-time Thursday evening position.

In an effort to give teams timely information for travel and budgeting purposes, the following dates are being release prior to the final schedule, which is expected to be announced by December 1. There are three pending TBD races in discussion, of which only two will be filled. TORC Series officials are working with these venues and are optimizing the schedule based on venue and television opportunities.

The Series will continue to provide innovative programming solutions in 2012 using a combination of live racing action and the reality-driven “TORC-The Of Road Championship” television series which covers the off road’s rich action and capturing the total story of the sport with behind the scenes stories of the drivers, crews, tracks, sponsors and fans. You can capture TORC on The Velocity Channel on Wednesdays at 6pm EST and 11pm PST, as well as Sundays at 12:00pm EST.

LOVELL ENDS TORC SEASON ON THE PODIUM

Fish — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:37:44 +0000

Colorado Springs, CO 10/20/2011 - The 2011 Traxxas TORC Season is in the bag. Brad Lovell had high hopes for the series finalie the Cycle Ranch near San Antonio, TX. The weekend not only featured two rounds of regular season racing, but also the inaugural $15,000 Traxxas Pro Light Cup. The newly constructed permanent track at the Cycle Ranch was alive with heavy equipment when the teams showed up. Over two dozen brutal jumps chopped up the zig zagging course challenging the nerve of Pro-Light drivers in particular.”The pro-lights are most sensetive to rough courses,” commented driver Brad Lovell, “We played it real safe in practice to protect the truck.” Lovell was back in the seat for the first time since a hair-raising rollover in Chicago only weeks before. The conserative plan worked well and Lovell avoided disaster to qualify in 3rd place. Saturday morning would bring bad luck however as the truck unexpectedly spit out a driveshaft in the last practice round. “Well, we were pretty puzzled,” crew cheif JT Taylor added, “We guessed the shaft was long and fixed it.” The team soon found out in harsh terms that they had not found the problem. On lap 6 of the race, the #44 AMSOIL /Torchmate Nissan again spit out the driveshaft and this time erupted in flames. Luckily the fire went out but the team had broken their only spare shaft and faced heavy repair work.

The all volunteer team of racers stayed up most of the night making repairs and with some borrowed spare parts hit the track for a successful practice session. Brad explained, “It looks like I made a blunder in the shop after Chicago. It felt great to go out and not come back on a tow strap!” Lovell started 9th in the final points race of the year and fought all the way to 4th place before the checkers flew. “It wasn’t what we wanted but a lot better than our previous 3 races. Every lap was faster and I was only a handful of seconds behind the leader. We ended up 5th in points after 6 DNF’s. We get the prep work under control and we’ll have a championship.”

The only thing left for the battle worn team to face was the inaugural Traxxas Pro-Light Cup. With only 9 of the original 13 pro-lights still operational, Lovell took the track in pole position. Fellow Nissan driver Casey Currie jumped the flag and took the lead while Lovell gave chase but was soon tangled with CJ Greaves and RJ Anderson. the battle went on as the four trucks seperated from the rest of field. When the dust settled Lovell had put the #44 AMSOIL /Torchmate Nissan in 3rd place for his 6th podium finish of the year. “It felt real good to get back up on the box. We were working with BFGoodrich all weekend on tires and they were perfect for the cup race. I owe thanks to a vast group of sponsors and supporters across the country that made it possible for me to race. We have a lot of confidence going into the off season and look forward to having a top team in 2012.”

BRAD & ROGER LOVELL HEADED TO BAJA WITH BFGOODRICH TIRES

So what’s next for the Lovell Brothers? A fantastic opportunity to race the legedendary SCORE Baja 1000 in the BFGoodrich Baja Challenge Car. Thanks to votes from fans of the team the brothers earned an opportunity to race with an all-star team of BFG sponsored drivers and builders. A grueling 710 mile course has been laid that starts and ends in Ensenada, MX. The pair will depart in early November to begin pre-running and preparing for the race. Watch for updates on the Lovell Racing Facebook page and more information about live tracking for the race itself.

2011 TORC SERIES CRANDON VIDEO

Take a few minutes to check out this amazing documentery style video about Crandon featuring Nissan drivers Brad Lovell, Casey Currie, and Chad Hord.

SCCA National Champion, Team BFGoodrich® Take Shot at 44th Annual SCORE Baja 1000

Fish — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:47:05 +0000

From Rally Racers and Rock Crawlers to SCCA and Autocross Champions, 6 BFGoodrich® Tires Drivers Join Forces in “Baja Challenge” Race Buggy

GREENVILLE, S.C. (Oct. 5, 2011) — BFGoodrich® Tires announced today the six men who will make up the 2011 BFGoodrich Tires/Wide Open Excursions “Baja Challenge” (BC) team that will compete in the 44th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 Nov. 17-20. The six drivers earned their spots in the BC race buggy through different channels — one garnered a contingency prize by placing first in the STU class at the 2011 SCCA National Runoffs, and the remaining five earned spots through Team BFGoodrich’s “Select the Seats” campaign.

The Team BFGoodrich members Andrew Comrie-Picard, Brad Lovell, Bud Brutsman, Kyle Tucker and Roger Lovell bring years of racing to the mix. Joel Weinberger, who is the most recent addition to the team, won the Super Touring U (STU) class at the 48th SCCA Runoffs at Road America earlier this year. He won the 13-lap, 52-mile race by 6.026 seconds and earned the Hawk Fastest Race Lap with a record 2:27.859 (97.390 miles per hour). Weinberger will trade in the BFGoodrich® g-Force™ R1™ tires he used at the Runoffs for BFGoodrich® Mud Terrain T/A® KM2 tires in Baja, as he looks to continue his on-road successes in the dirt.

“Winning my class at the Runoffs was a special moment for me,” said Weinberger. “I was able to celebrate the win with my father, a 50-year SCCA member. He is responsible for getting me into racing. Joining BFGoodrich’s Baja Challenge team was the icing on the cake. I can’t wait to get to Baja and pre-run with my teammates and see if we can pull out a victory.”

Looking to improve on the team’s second-place finish in 2010, Brutsman, a Hollywood producer of documentaries including “Chasing Baja” and “Born in Baja,” and Tucker, owner of Detroit Speed Engineering, will share their experiences from 2010 with the other four drivers who are joining the team for the first time. Brad and Roger Lovell add an incredible amount of off-road racing knowledge after winning six rock-crawling season championships over the years, as well as four national championships and five Traxxas TORC podiums in 2011. Comrie-Picard also knows a thing or two about driving in the dirt, and he has the hardware to prove it. In addition to his 2010 X Games SuperRally bronze medal, Comrie-Picard also has a 2009 North American Rally championship under his belt.

“Only three of the six drivers on this year’s team have experience racing in Baja, but that’s what makes the BFGoodrich Tires/Wide Open Excursions team so special,” said Silvia Mammone, motorsports manager for BFGoodrich Tires. “Each of them adds his own flavor to the team, having come from so many different motorsport backgrounds. Not only is it a great experience for them, but they will also have a good chance of standing on top of the Baja Challenge class podium.”

The 2011 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will start and finish in Ensenada, Baja California. BFGoodrich Tires has won the overall four-wheel title 52 times combined in the SCORE Baja 500 and 1000, including 24 of the past 25 years and a record stretch of 20 consecutive victories in the 1000 (1986–2005). More information about the granddaddy of off-road races is available at www.score-international.com.

Wide Open Excursions provides “arrive and drive” seats for the SCORE Baja 1000, SCORE Baja 500 and for adventure tours. BFGoodrich tires have logged more than 4.5 million miles in Baja with Wide Open Excursions. The BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A® KO tire and BFGoodrich® Mud-Terrain T/A® KM2 tire are the exclusive tires for the BC race cars. More information on the Wide Open Excursions is available at www.wideopenexcursions.com.

Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 40 years, BFGoodrich® Tires is involved in every type of racing, including oval, sports car, drifting, drag, desert, dirt, rally and extreme rock crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle. Visit BFGoodrich Tires at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires or on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/BFGoodrichTires.

LOVELL BROTHERS FOCUS ON CRANDON AND PIKES PEAK

Fish — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:37:55 +0000

In one of the most challenging pushes of their 2011 race season, the Lovell Brothers will tackle TORC short course racing in Crandon, Wisconsin before a wild dash back to Colorado Springs, Colorado for the 89^th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Brad Lovell is currently en-route to Crandon with the majority of the team for Rounds 3 & 4 of the Traxxas TORC Series. “I gained a lot of confidence in the opening rounds at Red Bud and proved the AMSOIL Nissan Pro-Light is a top contender,” Brad commented. “We made improvements in the last couple weeks and look forward to a strong showing.” Immediately after the end of racing on Sunday the team will make a 1300-mile non-stop journey back to their home turf. The #44 pro-light will be prepped overnight and readied for Pikes Peak tech inspection on Tuesday the 21^st. “I’ll feel a great deal of relief when we are at watching the sun come up at 11,000 ft Wed morning for the first practice session on the mountain. Seeing that sun will mean we won the race from Crandon to the mountain.”

Meanwhile, Roger is putting the finishing touches on the AMSOIL Ultra 4 in preparation for his rookie attempt at PIkes Peak. A late entry, Roger was enticed by a large field of Ultra 4s running the peak. Roger adds, “Racing the Peak is on my bucket list of things to do in life. Every morning I get up and look at that mountain; it’s time for me to take on the challenge. This is the last year for any dirt and there is a strong Ultra 4 field, time to get it on!” Roger’s Ultra 4 will run the same BF Goodrich race tires as Pro 2 & Pro 4 trucks in TORC while the pro-light will sit atop BF Goodrich Drag Radials.

“We have laid a lot of groundwork for these races and done everything possible to prepare for the onslaught,” said Brad, “In addition to our two entries at Pikes Peak we are working closely with Chad Hord and his factory Nissan effort to race an electric Leaf. This is a very exciting time for our team and we have plates full!” Follow the team via Facebook (Lovell Racing) to see how we conquer the next couple weeks.

Lovells Bring Home a Pair of Dueces From Temple Canyon

Fish — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:19:24 +0000

CANON CITY, CO MAY 15, 2011 – Imagine that if for one weekend, it was legal to drive as fast as you dare on your favorite twisting, turning, mountain road and not worry about oncoming traffic. It’s not too good to be true and once a year the Temple Canyon road is closed to the public for all out racing. While it was Roger’s rookie year, Brad has tackled the road twice prior with a class win in Ultra 4. This year, however, Brad took on the Comp Truck division (unlimited trucks) in his #44 AMSOIL Nissan Pro-Light.

Qualifying day involved four runs up the 3.2 mile road. Brad quickly adapted to a different driving style in the 2wd Pro-Light but not before getting a little wild on the road. Brad recalls, “With a lot less tire than an Ultra 4, my braking points were way off and I overshot a couple of turns. It was way out of control and I was glad to reach the top. We did a little tuning during the day and I was able to keep it on the road by day’s end.” Brad qualified 3^rd in class and had a fast truck for the two race attempts on Sunday. Roger had strong and consistent qualifying runs as he used the time to memorize the road. His runs were good enough to position him 2nd behind 2010 class champion and Torchmate teammate JT Taylor.

Race day brought a bit of a surprise as rain drenched the typically arid southern Colorado landscape. The showers changed the hard-pack gravel surface to a mud slick. After nearly four hours of rain delays the road was judged to be in good condition and racing ensued. Roger had his work cut out for him chasing down Taylor in Ultra 4. As only the 2^nd truck to take the green flag, his first run was a learning lesson for the whole field. Roger adds, “The road was real sticky which made it fast but also made it tippier in the turns and changed my shift points. I had things figured out by the final run.” Roger dropped a whopping 10 seconds on his last run for a fast time of 3:42 and 2^nd place finish. JT Taylor ended up setting a new class record and taking the win. “I have to hand it to JT as he is lightening fast. I battled a few issues with the truck that were left over from the last couple races but had a great time and happy to finish 2^nd in a sprint race like this.”

Once to the top, Roger radioed back to Brad that conditions were perfect and to run hard. With this knowledge, Brad pushed the truck to the limit and shaved an astounding 15 seconds off his qualifying time and took the class lead with a 3:20.81. “The grip was incredible,” Brad recalls, “The road had just enough time to dry and was perfect for the BFG All-Terrains. They were outperforming race tires!” His final run was good enough for a 3:20.55 and 2^nd place finish in the class. “Chad DeVries was able to sneak by me for the win. Given the fact that I was facing off against 600+ hp 4wd dedicated hill climb trucks, I am pleased with the way the Nissan Pro-Light performed and look forward to racing on Pikes Peak.”

Video of Roger Lovell’s run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6TozQLgsAo

Video of Brad Lovell’s run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfHkbi1kUBY

The team now sets full focus on the TORC season opener in Red Bud, MI May 27 – 29. With a wealth of seat-time, Brad looks forward to a strong start in the expanding TORC Pro-Light field.

AMSOIL’S ROGER LOVELL CONQUERS THE SILVER STATE 300

Fish — Tue, 03 May 2011 23:59:29 +0000

LAS VEGAS, NV 5/2/11 – The Silver State 300 is a 303 mile loop in the most desolate areas of southern Nevada. It’s one of the best off-road adventures to be had in the US and encompasses sandy washes, scenic canyons, blinding silt, and high speed roads. After a tough finish last year with chassis damage and a fire, Roger Lovell was back with the #4432 AMSOIL Ranger to try his luck.

This year, the rapidly growing Unlimited 4wd class was the largest group at the race with 34 entries. The team started mid-pack and fought the blinding silt. “After last year, our plan was simply to outlast the other trucks,” said navigator Brad Lovell, “We set a strong pace and focused on making the truck survive the whole race.” By race mile 100 the brothers had gained position without pushing the truck past the limit. Roger’s focus on the road maintained as he fought a vehicle that was originally designed to have a top speed of 40 mph. Brad recalls “Somewhere out there I called a turn wrong and we found ourselves in an expanse of silt. I was pondering options when the biggest silt whole I have ever seen was dead ahead. Roger pinned it and the wave of silt swallowed the whole truck. We were completely blind with no idea where we were pointed. I couldn’t even see the GPS. I couldn’t believe the tires clawed us through it.”

The team’s plans were working as many other teams were stopped for repairs or crashed. The pit crew performed lightening fast fuelings that twice helped Roger gain position. “The teamwork was spot on,” said Roger, “Brad and I were working well together and I kept the truck right at the limit. It went 300 miles without missing a beat. While the results were outside my hopes, I’m confident that we had a great performance.” When the dust was relatively settled, the pair finished with a time of 7:38:17 which was good enough for 12th place. The level of competition in the 4400 class was dramatically higher than last year and combining this with Roger’s 17th place finish in King of the Hammers puts him in a strong position for Ultra 4 series points. The next stop on this tour is Salt Lake City July 15 – 16 where Roger and Brad will each race.

Roger adds, “The support from AMSOIL, BFG, Torchmate, and Spidertrax was over the top at this race and much appreciated. Logistics and prep for a race like this is difficult and our team knocked it out. Congratulations to our Torchmate teammates JT Taylor and Jessie Haines for a great race.” The next stop for the Lovell Brothers is the Temple Canyon Hill Climb May 14th & 15th. While a fierce competition in its own right, the team will use this race to prepare for their upcoming assault on Pikes Peak.

ROGER LOVELL TAKES ON THE LANDS END HILL CLIMB

Curtis Guise — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:04:39 +0000

We all need a second attempt at some things and I am no different. Unfortunately off-road racing is not a game of second chances. The Lands End Hill climb was the 3rd stop in the 2010 Ultra 4 Grand Slam Series; a series that consists of the top racers in the sport. The race is 5.5 miles long with a 2500 foot elevation gain along a twisting, turning gravel road. One miscalculation from the driver seat can send you plummeting off the side of the steep shelf road.

The 4432 Amsoil Ford was ready. I had stripped every bit of weight off that I could. I had new BF Goodrich All Terrain TA’s fitted and ready to go. I had chosen to run a tire that anyone can buy off the shelf of the local tire store, was it the right choice? The time to question myself was over, time to concentrate. As I waited in line for the green flag to drop my mind wandered, I was running solo, could I remember all the turns, what if, what if. The green flag dropped and I focused on my first run of four practice runs for the day. Each practice run I was able to better my time.

Sunday was race day and as the sun came up the jitters in my stomach followed. Why was I nervous? I knew the road, the car was working well, and it’s only as bad as I make it. First race of the day I ran somewhat conservative but pushed as hard as I dared. My tire choice had paid off and the BFG All Terrain tires held the road like glue as the Proformance Unlimited 347 Ford screamed up the hill. The run felt good and I laid down the 4th fastest time in the Ultra 4 class. Second and final run I was going for it, no holding back!

As I left the start line on the second run I had committed myself to pushing harder into the turns before mashing my Spidertrax brakes. The first turn was a reality check as the front left caught a groove and the right rear tire lunged into the air, as I pictured myself cart wheeling into the trees instinct took over and I hit the gas. No time to think, I had to prepare for the next turn. Each turn brought me closer to finish line, the temperature gauge kept climbing but I wasn’t about to back out of it. Drifting through switchbacks I knew I was fast, was I fast enough? I had bettered my time but my 5:58.80 was only good enough for 7th place. Finishing position was determined by only a few seconds but that doesn’t matter. As I packed up the trailer I found my mind wandering again, if I only had one more chance…

Video of my run is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFwsUYb5c0 Brad had a very successful weekend in TRAXXS TORC Series qualifying 4th and taking 4th in both races – his best performance yet. Look for more news from the team soon with the next rounds of TORC racing in Chicago IL, August 25 & 26 and Crandon WI, September 4 & 5. We will then race the Reno Stampede in Reno NV on September 11th. If you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by our AMSOIL trailer.

BFGoodrich Tires Looks for Second Straight Victory at King of the Hammers

RDC — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:09:08 +0000

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Feb. 23, 2009 – As the official tire of the second annual King of the Hammers, BFGoodrich® Tires looks to secure its second straight victory in Johnson Valley, Calif. on Friday, February 27. In 2008, BFGoodrich enjoyed capturing the top two podium positions in the ultimate off-road event.

Roger and Brad Lovell at King of the Hammers

This year’s King of the Hammers has nearly quadrupled in popularity with more than 150 drivers competing for 92 spots. The 100-mile course includes some of rock crawling’s most technical courses combined with wide-open off-road racing. More than 60 drivers will compete in a last chance qualifier that will take place on the infamous two-mile loop in Johnson Valley, Calif. known as the “Backdoor.” The last chance qualifier will take place on Thursday, February 26 and fill the remaining 10 spots.

For the second year straight, BFGoodrich teams will compete on a variety of tires, including the BFGoodrich Krawler™ T/A®KX tire and a newly redesigned BFGoodrich Baja T/A®KRT tire, which is a combination of the Baja T/A and Krawler designed specifically for rock racing and King of the Hammers.

“Similar to the Baja 1000, we believe King of the Hammers is a great platform for showcasing BFGoodrich Tires’ support of off-road racing and rock crawling,” said Frank DeAngelo, off-road motorsports manager for BFGoodrich Tires. “This year’s King of the Hammers is going to be one of the toughest courses that off-road racing has ever seen with two very different types of terrain. BFGoodrich Tires takes pride in providing specialized race tires such as the BFGoodrich Baja T/AKRT tire to respond to specific types of terrain. The technology we learn through motorsports is transferred directly to the tires, and this race is the ultimate.”

Last year, Shannon Campbell took the checkered flag after starting 43rd out of 44 total racers. Campbell, who raced on BFGoodrich Krawler T/AKX tires in 2008, will begin the 2009 race in the 65th position. Casey Currie, who finished second overall on BFGoodrich Krawler T/AKX tires, will begin in the 35th position.

Along with Campbell and Currie, other drivers to watch out for are the Lovell brothers, Brad and Roger, who will be driving in separate rigs. Roger looks to improve on his 17th place finish from 2008. Additional drivers to follow are Dean Bulloch, who finished eighth overall in 2008, and Tracy Jordan and Jason Scherer, who with both be driving new vehicles in 2009. Other notables include Jason Paulie and Joachim Schwiesow of Rock Runner Racing, 2008 W.E. Rock Pro Modified National Champion Derek West, female driver Nicole Johnson and Jeff Mello, who will kick off the event by starting first overall.

In addition to being the official tire for the race, BFGoodrich Tires will be lending pit and communications support to teams through its fleet of off-road motorsports vehicles. This immense undertaking involves more than 40 off-road enthusiasts and volunteers who donate their time to help King of the Hammers live up to its “ultimate desert race” status.
BFGoodrich Tires is also proud to be hosting an on-site media/hospitality area during the event. Located immediately opposite from tech and contingency and within close proximity of the start/finish, the hospitality area will serve as place for media to cover the race while enjoying complimentary snacks and beverages. Real-time race tracking and updates provided by RallyTrack.com will also be available at the media/hospitality area. Event officials and supporting sponsors will post press information and results for use in developing stories during the race.
Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 30 years, BFGoodrich Tires is involved in every type of racing, including oval, sports car, drifting, drag, desert, dirt, rally, and extreme rock-crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle. Visit BFGoodrich Tires online at www.bfgoodrichtires.com